Longhorns' Loss vs. Texas Tech Signals Lost Chance at No. 1 Seed?

With only five games left in the regular season, the Texas Longhorns will need to have a lot go their way if they want a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Monday's adversity-filled circumstances in Lubbock against the Texas Tech Red Raiders was nothing new to the No. 6 Texas Longhorns, who have proven capable of overcoming big deficits this season.

Yet, the Red Raiders got the best of Texas, handing the Longhorns both a 74-67 loss and, potentially, a one-way ticket out of No. 1 seed contention in the NCAA Tournament.

College basketball expert Andy Katz had Texas projected as a No. 1 seed on Monday prior to the loss to Tech, and it's an easy bet that this would no longer the case.

🚨 NEW BRACKET PREDICTION@TheAndyKatz gives us his latest bracket update, with March right around the corner 👀

👉 https://t.co/ObqGioCguQ pic.twitter.com/PcQicZFoyl

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) February 13, 2023

The setback didn't knock Texas out of the top of the Big 12, as the Longhorns and the Baylor Bears are tied with a 9-4 conference record. Texas currently has the tie-breaker, though the two teams will meet again in Waco on Feb. 25. Winning the Big 12, seen by many as the best conference in college basketball, would be huge for Texas' No. 1 seed chances.

But losing to an unranked Tech team that entered Monday tied for worst in the conference puts a major dent on a Longhorns résumé that previously had four of five total losses coming against teams currently in the top 25. The fifth loss was a 85-78 overtime defeat to the then-No. 17 Illinois Fighting Illini on Dec. 6.

Despite suffering arguably their most disappointing defeat of the season, the Longhorns still control everything in front of them. But the bloodbath that will be the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City is enough to give anyone nightmares.

Texas will host the Oklahoma Sooners at Moody Center on Saturday at 1 p.m. CT.

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You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7

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