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Despite the loss to Texas Tech over the past week, prior to the 15-point victory over Kansas State, the Texas men’s basketball team is still one of the top five teams in the country.
Shaka Smart’s squad has started out 11-2 for the first time under the sixth-year head coach. The Longhorns began the season 10-3 last year.
ESPN recently released their college basketball power rankings and Texas narrowly remained in the top five.
No. 5- Texas Longhorns
Texas’ momentum — and winning streak — was suddenly stopped at home against Texas Tech on Wednesday, and the Longhorns just didn’t have the same aggressiveness and edge in the second half as they did in the first to build a double-digit lead. But they bounced back on Saturday with a 15-point home win over Kansas State, and that victory came without Greg Brown, Kai Jones and Brock Cunningham, who all did not travel. Without those three, Shaka Smart still easily went eight-deep and also gave Kamaka Hepa his first start since last February — and Hepa responded with 15 points and five 3-pointers. Hepa had played just nine minutes all season until Saturday night. It’s just another sign of the depth that Smart has in his program this season. – Jeff Borzello, ESPN*
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The Baylor Bears and Kansas Jayhawks were the only other Big 12 programs ranked in the top 15 of the power rankings. Baylor sits at No. 2 and Kansas at No. 8.
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The Longhorns will have to wait until Saturday to get back on the court when they travel to Fort Worth, Texas, to take on the TCU Horned Frogs. It remains to be seen if Kai Jones, Greg Brown, and Brock Cunningham will be available as they are currently in COVID-19 protocols.
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