AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas entered Saturday’s game against Georgia with dwindling chances to make the NCAA tournament, and now, after their third consecutive loss, they’ve gotten worse.
The Bulldogs shot 52% and outscored the Longhorns 19-6 in second-chance points to claim an 83-67 win at Moody Center. Texas dropped to 16-13 overall and 5-11 in the Southeastern Conference with two regular season games to go.
Georgia played perhaps the best defensive game on Texas freshman sensation Tre Johnson, holding him to a season-low seven field goal attempts — all coming in the first half. Johnson scored 12 points on 3 of 7 shooting, plus a 5-for-6 performance from the foul line. Johnson led the SEC in scoring with 20.9 points per game coming into the game.
Arthur Kaluma led the Longhorns with 15 points on 6 of 12 shooting with seven rebounds and Jayson Kent chipped in 14 points off the bench.
Silas Demary Jr., led all scorers with 26 points and Blue Cain scored 13 points and pulled down nine rebounds for the Bulldogs. Georgia outrebounded the Longhorns 36-27 and never trailed in the game.
In his projections before the game, ESPN’s Joe Lunardi had Texas as the last team in the entire field, playing a First Four game against Ohio State. Coincidentally, the two teams played to open the season Nov. 4 in Las Vegas. ESPN Analytics had the Longhorns’ NCAA tournament bid chances before the game at 36% and dropped to 17% after the loss.
Texas travels to Starkville, Mississippi, to take on Mississippi State on Tuesday. Texas will finish the regular season at home Saturday against Oklahoma.
