AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Longhorns men’s basketball season is officially over.
The No. 11 seed Longhorns fell in their First Four matchup against Big East squad Xavier 86-80 Wednesday night.
The Longhorns entered the game, and the tournament altogether, as one of the biggest question marks after earning a 19-15 record during the regular season and going only 6-12 in conference games.
In Wednesday’s matchup, the Longhorns started off hot, managing to grab a 47-39 lead at halftime and putting themselves in position to hold on during the second half. However, a 13-3 run by Xavier early in the half enabled the Musketeers to grab a narrow lead that they would be able to maintain until the final whistle.
Tre Johnson scored the Longhorns 23 points, with the likely NBA draft lottery selection pacing all players on the court in points. The Achilles’ heel for the Longhorns appeared to be scoring output for the rest of the team, as only two other Longhorns scored in double figures.
The loss will likely now usher in an offseason of uncertainty for the Longhorns, as roster turnover and a possible coaching change could be looming.