Texas Longhorns Lead at the Half over No. 7 Florida: Live Updates

The Texas Longhorns had been on the hottest teams in all of college basketball after winning five straight ballgames, finding their rhythm through the midway point of the season, improving to a 17-9 overall record and an 8-5 record in the SEC until running into the Georgia Bulldogs.

For the first time in several weeks, the Longhorns will be looking to get back on track after what was a tough road loss to the Bulldogs over the weekend, falling 91-80 in a game where Texas looked outmatched and where its comeback attempt ran out of gas down the stretch, dropping to a 17-10 record and 8-6 SEC record.

And in need of a bounce back performance for the Longhorns that won't come easy as they get set for one of their hardest games remaining in the regular season, welcoming in the defending national champions, the No. 7 Florida Gators on Wednesday night who head to the Moody Center with a 21-6 record and sit atop of the SEC with a 12-2 conference record and have won seven straight games.

Texas Longhorns vs. Florida Gators

Texas Longhorns forward Dailyn Swain dribbles against Georgia Bulldogs guard Blue Cain. | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Forward Dailyn Swain continues his All-SEC caliber season after another 20-point performance in the loss against Georgia, marking his third straight ballgame with 20 points and his fourth in five games. Swain registered 21 points while shooting over 50 percent from the field and 50 percent from three-point range, along with six rebounds, two assists, a block, and a steal.

Center Matas Vokietaitis has continued to improve down the stretch of the season with another double-digit point performance against the Bulldogs, with the seven-foot riding an 11-game streak of scoring double-digit points. Vokietaitis led all the scoring on Saturday with 22 points, shooting 80 percent from the field along with five rebounds and an assist.

The Longhorns will once again be without forward Lassina Traore, who is set to miss his fourth straight game with a lingering knee issue, and with the Gators having plenty of success in the paint, forward Nic Codie will need to have a solid performance when Vokietaitis is off the floor.

It won't be a surprise for the Longhorns to keep an eye out for Gators forward Thomas Haugh, who's been one of the top players in the SEC this season. Haugh is averaging 17.3 points per game while shooting 46 percent from the field and 34 percent from beyond the arc and has added 6.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and a steal a game.

The Longhorns will look to get back in the win column with a tall task headed to Austin, taking on the winners of seven straight in Florida on Wednesday at 6:00 PM at the Moody Center, and be sure to check back here at tipoff for live updates as the game goes on.

Follow below for live updates as the game progresses

Live Updates

It's the usual starting five for Sean Miller's squad: guard Jordan Pope, guard Tramon Mark, forward Dailyn Swain, forward Camden Heide, and center Matas Vokietaitis

Matas Vokietaitis wins the tipoff, and the Longhrons will have the first possession of the game.

Under 16 Timeout

Texas has come out with some intensity back on its home floor building a 10-6 lead with 15:16 minutes to go in the first half.

The Longhorns have started out strong for the first time in a while, making four out of their first nine shots, and have made their first two three-point attempts. Matas Vokietaitis is finding himself early in this game with four of the nine Longhorns points.

Under 12 Timeout

The Longhorns have stayed with it, keeping an 18-12 lead over the Gators with 11:22 minutes left in the first half.

Texas is battling well against the defending national champions, keeping its lead with a six-to-nothing run and making four out of its last five shot attempts. Tramon Mark has been rolling to start leading all scorers with seven points, making three out of his four shot attempts to start the game.

Under 8 Timeout

The Longhorns are hanging onto a 27-26 lead with 6:58 left to play in the first half.

Tramon Mark is keeps rolling with the veteran guard up to 10 points in the night. Matas Vokietaitis is right behind him with six points.

Under 4 Timeout

Texas has continued to battle throughout the first half leading 35-31 with 3:33 minutes left to play in opening half.

The Longhorns have matched with the Gators stride for stride holding a four point lead into the back half the first half with 13 points.

Halftime: Texas 39, Florida 36

Under 16 Timeout

The Longhorns are battling, all tied up at 47 against the Gators with 15:50 left to play in the second half.

Dailyn Swain and Matas Vokietaitis have scored 11 apiece as the Longhorns have started a perfect two of two from the field and have made four out of their five free-throw attempts. While Florida has also found a rhythm coming out of the locker room converting on five of their first six attempts.