Texas Longhorns Hand South Carolina First SEC Win in Dreadful Loss

The Texas Longhorns suffered an embarrassing loss to the South Carolina Gamecocks on Saturday.

Feb 22, 2025; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; Texas Longhorns guard Tre Johnson (20) loses the ball driving around South Carolina Gamecocks guard Jamarii Thomas (6) in the second half at Colonial Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images / Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

The Texas Longhorns are quickly seeing their NCAA Tournament hopes dwindle during the most critical point of their season.

Texas had its most forgettable loss of the season Saturday night in Columbia as the South Carolina Gamecocks picked up their first SEC win of the year and ended a 13-game losing streak in a 84-69 victory over the Longhorns thanks to 22 points and 10 rebounds from star forward Collin Murray-Boyles. Texas trailed by as many as 22 before cutting the lead down to as little as 12 in the second half.

Texas guard Tre Johnson had a game-high 29 points and was the only Longhorn in double figures. Arthur Kaluma returned from injury with nine points and four rebounds while Kadin Shedrick had eight points and nine rebounds.

Feb 22, 2025; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Rodney Terry directs his team against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the first half at Colonial Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images / Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

South Carolina guards Jamarii Thomas and Zachary Davis both had 12 points apiece while Morris Ugusuk added 10 points. The Gamecocks finished 34 of 45 from the foul line.

Texas fell into a 10-point hole halfway through the first half as the Gamecocks built a 17-7 lead at the 9:29 mark. Johnson hit a triple to cut the deficit to seven, but little did the Longhorns know that that would mark the closest the game would be for the remainder of the night.

South Carolina's defense suffocated Texas in the first half, as the Longhorns went into the locker room down 18 with a season-low 22 points. Texas had no answer for Murray-Boyles, who gashed the Longhorns down low on both ends of the court, finishing the first half with 16 points, seven rebounds and three blocks.

Nothing changed to begin the second half for Texas. The Gamecocks continued to seemingly whatever they wanted from the floor and the foul line while the Longhorns had no response on the other end. Texas gave South Carolina some reason to worry late after an 11-1 run cut the lead to 71-59 with 3:54 to play, but the Gamecocks were able to safely avoid a massive collapse.

After losing to the worst team in the SEC, the Longhorns now face significant questions about being deserving of earning a spot in March Madness. Chances for resume-boosting wins are fewer as the regular season draws to a close, and Texas will need to avoid any more blemishes or risk falling out of the NCAA Tournament picture.

Texas will visit Arkansas on Wednesday to face a Razorbacks team that beat the Longhorns 78-70 in Austin on

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