No. 19 Texas Men’s Basketball drops season opener to Ohio State, 80-72

The Texas Longhorns basketball team open the season opener with a 80-72 loss to Ohio State in the Hall of Fame Series in Las Vegas.

Freshman guard Tre Johnson made a splash in his Texas debut, scoring 29 points to set a new freshman record for the Longhorns. But even Johnson’s impressive performance couldn’t push No. 19 Texas past Ohio State, as the Longhorns dropped their season opener 80-72 in the Hall of Fame Series in Las Vegas.

Johnson’s 29-point showing eclipsed the previous freshman debut record of 20 points, set by Kevin Durant in 2006. The standout freshman shot 50% from three-point range, sinking 5-of-10 from beyond the arc, and added five rebounds, four assists, and two steals with just one turnover.

The game was defined by three-point shooting as Ohio State connected on 14 of their 28 attempts (50%), while Texas struggled from long range, hitting only 7-of-28 (25%). The Buckeyes took an early lead, quickly building an 8-0 advantage and maintaining momentum throughout. Texas fought to close the gap, narrowing Ohio State’s lead to just three points in the second half, but a late scoring surge secured the win for the Buckeyes.

Supporting Johnson, graduate student Kadin Shedrick and senior Arthur Kaluma added 10 points and five rebounds each. Texas was without key players Tramon Mark and Devon Pryor, both sidelined due to ankle injuries.

Texas will look to bounce back on Friday, Nov. 8, in their home opener against Houston Christian at Moody Center. The game is set for 7 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on SEC Network+.