Texas Longhorns Outmatched in Loss vs. No. 21 Tennessee Volunteers: Live Updates

The Texas Longhorns travel to Knoxville to take on the Tennessee Volunteers in the second game of conference play.

Texas Longhorns head coach Sean Miller reacts during the second half against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Moody Center. | Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images

The first SEC game in the Sean Miller era did not go as planned, as both Miller and the Texas Longhorns would have hoped, with the Longhorns losing 101-98 in their conference opener in a nail-biting overtime battle against the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

Now sitting with a 9-5 overall record and 0-1 record in conference play, the Longhorns will be in dire need of a bounce-back game, and that task comes against a difficult opponent on the road, taking on the No. 21 Tennessee Volunteers.

The Volunteers are set to host this midweek matchup with a 10-4 record on the season, and are also looking to get back on track after losing in their conference opener, falling to the Arkansas Razorbacks 86-75.

Texas Longhorns vs. Tennessee Volunteers

Texas Longhorns guard Dailyn Swain (3) drives the ball to the basket against Mississippi State Bulldogs forward Sergej Macura (11) during the first half at Moody Center. | Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images

Last time out for the Longhorns, it was the Dailyn Swain show in the loss against the Bulldogs, with the Longhorns' forward tallying a career-high 34 points while 55 percent from the field, making 10 of his 18 shot attempts. The performance also featured Swain recording a double-double, with 14 rebounds to go along with his 34-point game, as well as three assists and a steal.

Texas also received double-digit performances from two other sources in center Matas Vokietaitis and guard Tramon Mark. The Longhorns big-man ended the night with 19 points, finding most of his success from the free-throw line, making 13 of his 18 attempts from the line, and Mark notched 20 points, shooting 8 of 17 from the field.

With the Longhorns headed to take on the Volunteers, one player that immediately sticks out that Texas will have to keep its eye out for and focus its defensive efforts on is guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie, who enters the ballgame as Tennessee's leading scorer.

Throughout the Volunteers' 14 games of the season, the guard is averaging 17.6 points per game while shooting over 40 percent from the field, as well as being Tennessee's top playmaker, averaging a team-high 5.7 assists per game, along with 2.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game.

Elsewhere, looking in the frontcourt, the Longhorns should also keep a focus on forward Nate Ament as the six-foot-ten true freshman is the Volunteers' second-leading scorer, averaging 15.2 points per game while shooting 39.8 percent from the field. While also having an impact in other aspects, averaging 6.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.4 steals per game.

The Longhorns will look for a bounce-back game with a difficult challenge on the road, taking on the Volunteers on the road at 8:00 PM at the Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, TN. 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

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Live Updates

Tonight's starting lineup for the Longhorns: guard Jordan Pope, guard Tramon Mark, forward Dailyn Swain, forward Camden Heide, and center Matas Vokietaitis.

The Longhorns have won the tipoff and will have the first possession of the ball game in Knoxville.

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The Volunteers have quickly built a lead in this one, with Tennessee leading 10-5 with 15:39 minutes left in the first half.

For the Longhorns, shooting has started out slow, making just two of their first six shot attempts, with Matas Vokietaitis and Camden Heide finding the first few points for the Longhorns. Texas has already turned the ball over three times, resulting in four easy points for the Volunteers, which has its two highest scorers in Ja'Kobi Gillespie and Nate Ament combining for 8 of the 10 points for Tennessee.

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The Longhorns have responded well after a slow start, now taking a 14-13 lead with 11:34 minutes to go in the opening half.

After starting the ballgame down five points, the Longhorns closed the deficit and overtook the Volunteers thanks to a seven-to-nothing run and a Volunteer scoring drought of over two minutes. Tennessee continues to be cold, having not made a field goal in over four minutes of game time.

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After following behind for the first time in the game, Tennessee has retaken control of the game, now leading 26-17 with 7:25 minutes left in the first half.

The Volunteers have found their rhythm from the field, currently on an eight-to-nothing run in the past two minutes and making five of their last six field goal attempts. While the Longhorns have taken a step back, currently on a scoring drought that has taken over two and a half minutes.

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The Longhorns try to stay in this one with the Volunteers leading 32-24 with 3:53 minutes left to go in the opening half.

Texas has not been able to get back within striking distance down the stretch, while miscues have begun piling up, turning the ball over a total of eight times so far, and Matas Vokietaitis is already up to three early fouls in the game.

Halftime: Tennessee 48, Texas 33

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The Volunteers are in complete control in the game to open the second half, leading 56-38 with 14:50 minutes left to play.

It was a rough opening minutes of the second half for the Longhorns coming out of the locker room and starting two of seven from the field, racking up four fouls and two turnovers through the first four minutes of the second half.

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Texas keeps battling, trying to stay in the game, while Tennessee continues to hold a comfortable 61-44 lead with 11:44 minutes left to play in the second half.

The Longhorns are battling to cut into the Volunteers' lead, making their last four field goal attempts, while the Vols have made just one of their last eight field goal attempts.

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The Longhorns still feel very far away in the ballgame, with the Volunteers leading 70-56 with 7:59 minutes left to go in the second half.

Texas managed to chip away heavily throughout the last few minutes, getting within 10 points of the Tennessee lead; however, the Vols have taken away any momentum from the Longhorns at every turn. While the Longhorns have found a bit of rhythm from the field, shooting 50 percent from the field, the deficit is still wide.

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The Longhorns have been unable to keep cutting into the lead, and the Volunteers continue their command in this one, leading 85-68 with 2:42 minutes left to play in the ballgame.

While the Longhorns have received 11 second-half points from Camden Heide and have four percent from the field and over 40 percent from three-point range as a team, the Volunteers' lead will prove to be too much to overcome for the Longhorns.