The Good, The Bad and The Ugly Of the Texas Longhorns' Loss to Auburn

Texas Longhorns fall to 3-5 in SEC play after taking another loss to an unranked SEC opponent.

Jan 28, 2026; Auburn, Alabama, USA; Auburn Tigers guard Keyshawn Hall (7) goes up for a shot against Texas Longhorns center Matas Vokietaitis (8) during the second half at Neville Arena. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-Imagn Images | John Reed-Imagn Images

After taking another upset victory over a previously ranked No. 21 Georgia this past Saturday, the Longhorns went on the road to face the Auburn Tigers. Taking their ninth loss of the season, Texas fell to Auburn 88-82.

A six-point loss for the Longhorns, the team's season continues to have its ups and downs as they make their way through SEC play. Now dropping another game in conference, here is what went right and what went wrong for Texas against the Tigers.

The Good - Texas 3-Point Shooting

Jan 28, 2026; Auburn, Alabama, USA; Auburn Tigers guard Keyshawn Hall (7) puts defensive pressure on Texas Longhorns forward Dailyn Swain (3) during the second half at Neville Arena. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-Imagn Images | John Reed-Imagn Images

Texas finished its contest against Auburn, going 12 for 26 from the three-point line, shooting 46 percent. The team's twelve threes are the most for Texas since the start of SEC play.

The top long-range shooters on the night for Texas included Dailyn Swain and Camden Heide. Swain, who finished the game with 30 points, went four for seven from three and was 10 for 16 in his overall shooting.

Heide went five for six from three, securing 17 points to be the teams second highest scorer against Auburn. Swain has now had 25-plus points in three straight games.

The Bad - Texas' Second Half

Jan 28, 2026; Auburn, Alabama, USA; Auburn Tigers guard Keyshawn Hall (7) goes up for a shot as Texas Longhorns center Matas Vokietaitis (8) defends during the second half at Neville Arena. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-Imagn Images | John Reed-Imagn Images

After outscoring Auburn 42 to 34 in the first half, the Longhorns were later outscored 54 to 40 in the second. Outscored by 14 points, the second half struggles for Texas stemmed from Auburn's numerous trips to the free-throw line.

The Tigers went to the free-throw line 28 times in the second half, continuing an ongoing issue for Texas, allowing opponents to take free shots at the line. The Longhorns have now allowed 25-plus trips to the charity stripe in six of eight SEC contests this season.

If this problem persists, Texas will continue to be its own worst enemy, especially in close games down the stretch.

The Ugly - Texas Fouling

Auburn Tigers forward Keyshawn Hall (7) takes a jump shot over Texas Longhorns guard Tramon Mark (12) as Auburn Tigers take on Texas Longhorns at Neville Arena in Auburn, Ala. on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. Auburn Tigers defeated Texas Longhorns 88-82. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Texas committed 26 fouls against Auburn and sent the Tigers to the free-throw line a total of 39 times. Converting 29 of their 39 free throw attempts, Auburn's numerous shots at the line pushed the team toward their six-point victory.

Fouling has been a problem all season for Texas, and more recently has been one of the largest contributors to their five losses in conference play. Though Texas has had some highs in the SEC with all three wins coming against ranked opponents, the team is still searching for consistency when it comes to conference play.