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Five fascinating basketball matchups for Texas in the SEC

It's no secret that the Texas Longhorns are moving to the SEC primarily because of football. However, the team has several exciting basketball games coming up from the 2024/25 season.

Texas has several potential rivalries brewing in its new conference. From teams hiring former Longhorns coaches to past Big 12-SEC Challenge matchups and NCAA Tournament battles, plenty of new conference opponents are bringing excitement to the Longhorns' new league.

The Horns come into the conference after three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and at least one tournament win. In 2022, Texas fell to the Purdue Boilermakers after defeating Virginia Tech in the Round of 64. The following season, the Longhorns reached the Elite Eight before losing to Miami.

Last season, Texas lost to Tennessee in the Round of 32 after picking up a win over Colorado State in the first game.

With Texas well-positioned to compete in its new conference, here are five of the most interesting opponents the Longhorns will play in 2025.

March 13, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks guard Tramon Mark (12) hits the ball against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the second half at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports

In case you missed it, Texas just poached Arkansas' leading scorer from last season: shooting guard Tramon Mark. These two programs need no reason for animosity after several decades of bitter rivalry in the past. The Longhorns will face new head coach John Calipari the next time they take the basketball court against the Razorbacks.

February 1, 2022; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Chris Beard looks at the scoreboard in the second half during the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at United Supermarkets Arena. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

It's uncertain what reaction the Texas fan base will have when the Longhorns face Ole Miss head coach Chris Beard. The former Longhorns head coach is responsible for assembling the team and staff that led Texas from mediocrity to an Elite Eight run in 2023. Still, the circumstances that led to his departure from the team are difficult to forget. Whatever the case, Texas may want to win against Ole Miss more than it does against most of its SEC opponents.

ATLANTA – MARCH 25: Glen Davis #0 and Garrett Temple #14 of the LSU Tigers celebrate their 70-60 overtime victory over the Texas Longhorns during the fourth round game of the 2006 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament Regional at the Georgia Dome on March February 25, 2006 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

The Texas Longhorns and head coach Rick Barnes were just one win shy of the Final Four in 2006. An overtime loss to an LSU Tigers team led by Glen “Big Baby” Davis sent Texas home early. The Longhorns have since reached the Elite Eight twice, in 2008 and 2023. The rivalry plays a larger role in football, but it has tournament history in basketball.

December 20, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Devin Booker (1) shoots the ball against the UCLA Bruins during the first half at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

The last time Texas played Kentucky in basketball, Devin Booker and Karl Anthony-Towns played for the Wildcats. The Longhorns were scheduled to face Kentucky in 2021 before the game was canceled. It's worth keeping an eye on the location where the game is played. Texas has never hosted Kentucky. The teams have played twice, in 1993 at the Maui Invitational and 2014 in Lexington. Kentucky won both matchups.

DALLAS – MARCH 11: LaMarcus Aldridge #23 of the Texas Longhorns talks with teammate Brad Buckman #22 during a break in play en route to victory over the Texas A&M Aggies in the semifinal round of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Championship Tournament at American Airlines Arena on March 11, 2006 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Texas and Texas A&M will be must-see television in multiple sports, but the game on the field will be worth watching. The teams were placed in the same NCAA Tournament bracket in 2023, but the Aggies fell to the Penn State Nittany Lions before the two could play. The Longhorns lost to Northern Iowa in a similar scenario in the 2016 NCAA Tournament. There will likely be plenty of head-to-head matchups between rivals in the SEC.

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