Texas shoots itself in the foot to blow a 14-point lead against Auburn.
If there’s one sure thing that can be said about this Texas Longhorns men’s basketball team, it’s that there isn’t a better phrase to describe it than “hot and cold”. This is the same team that held Georgia, the nation’s best offense, to just 67 points — over 20 points below the Bulldogs’ season average — just last week.
It’s the same team that took down an undefeated Vanderbilt team following a statement road win against Alabama earlier the same week. But it’s also the same team that fell to a Texas A&M team that has struggled to gain momentum this season after being serious conference championship contenders 365 days ago. This is the same Texas team from the beginning of conference play that lost to bottom-tier SEC teams like Mississippi State and Tennessee.Jan 28, 2026; Auburn, Alabama, USA; Texas Longhorns forward Dailyn Swain talks with a game official after being called for a foul against the Auburn Tigers during the second half at Neville Arena. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-Imagn Images | John Reed-Imagn Imagesseems to be the latest stint in a pattern characterized by the fact that the Longhorns, at one point, held a 14-point lead over the Tigers — and then completely managed to blow it as soon the second half started. The same thing happened just a week and a half ago against Texas A&M, with Texas taking the upper hand before losing the entire arm wrestle as soon as the team emerged from the locker room.couldn’t save Texas from narrowly falling to Auburn. Forward Camden Heide’s last-minute, back-to-back threes couldn’t either. The absence of forward Tramon Mark, who finished the night with four points and a majority of the last 20 minutes spent on the bench, didn’t go unnoticed through the second half offensive drought. Once again, foul trouble corrupted the Longhorns’ efforts to stay in the lead and play cleanly. Exactly a week after head coach Sean Millerthat had infected his team, Texas proceeded to give Auburn opportunities at the foul line a whopping 39 times — a season high. It’s the mark of a team that cannot seem to defend without a whistle-blowing, with Auburn shooting at 51.0 collectively. “We knew before we came that we were gonna have to be able to defend without fouling. And we really have a way of fouling,” Miller said. “There’s no doubt about that.” Guard Jordan Pope, with 12 points and three assists, fouled out as the seconds ran down and the Tigers extended their lead. As Pope headed to the bench and Auburn guard Kevin Overton took full advantage of two free points, the moment captured the feelings of missed opportunity and self-destruction that the Longhorns have been struggling with all season. “So what,” Miller said. “They were a better team. They beat us in the second half and they beat us at the foul line.”Meaghan English is a junior at the University of Texas at Austin studying journalism with a minor in sports media. In addition to Texas Longhorns on SI, English is the sports editor at The Daily Texan and a contributor at 5wins. Born and raised in East Texas, when English isn’t covering sports, she’s either out running with her dog or losing her mind over whichever Dallas team is in season.
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