Three Critical Games For Texas Longhorns Basketball In March Madness Pursuit

As the Longhorns near the close of the regular season, they face one of the toughest weeks of the year.

Texas Longhorns head coach Sean Miller talks with his team as Auburn Tigers take on Texas Longhorns at Neville Arena in Auburn, Ala. on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. Texas Longhorns leads Auburn Tigers 42-34. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

So far, the Texas Longhorns are on a three-game win streak as they near the end of their regular-season schedule. Throughout a season full of ups and downs, Texas has been attempting to make steady improvement and prove itself as a contender within the SEC in head coach Sean Miller’s first year with the program.

The Longhorns have shown flashes of brilliance in games against top conference teams, — breaking Vanderbilt’s undefeated streak, holding top offensive team Georgia to just 67 points and upsetting Alabama.

That’s not to say that Texas hasn’t seen plenty of down moments. The win against the Crimson Tide came just days after two losses to Mississippi State and Tennessee. Although the Longhorns are making progress, it seems to come in unsteady waves.

Texas has less than a month to prove that it’s worthy of a March Madness seed, with the decision coming just days after the culmination of the SEC Tournament. Here are three games to watch as the Longhorns take on possibly their toughest week of the year to end the season:

Georgia Bulldogs — Feb. 21

Jan 24, 2026; Austin, Texas, USA; Georgia Bulldogs guard Marcus Millender (4) shoots a three-point basket against Texas Longhorns guard Chendall Weaver (2) during the second half at Moody Center. Mandatory Credit: Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images | Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images

A rematch against the Bulldogs is first on the list for the Longhorns’ upcoming ranked games. Although Georgia features one of the best offensives in the country, since the last meet-up with Texas, the Bulldogs have fallen out of national rankings and currently sit at No. 10 in the SEC — just below the Longhorns.

Georgia will surely be looking for a revenge game as Texas travels up to Athens to play on the Bulldogs’ home court. They’re averaging around 90 points per game, with sophomore guard Jeremiah Wilkinson leading with an average of 17.1 every night. 

What the Bulldogs have offensively, however, they lack defensively. They’re allowing over 77 points per game and average 6.7 blocks consistently. With a highly explosive offense, the Longhorns should be able to take advantage of this and would need a repeat of a stellar defensive night to hold the Bulldogs off, especially in the paint.

Florida Gators — Feb. 25

Jan 18, 2025; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Texas Longhorns guard Jordan Pope (0) attempts to block a shot from Florida Gators guard Walter Clayton Jr. (1) during the first half at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Currently sitting at the top of the SEC, the Gators are ranked No. 14 by both AP and Coaches’ Poll consensus. Florida will be hoping to repeat an SEC Championship title as the conference tournament draws near, but that doesn’t mean that Texas won’t have a fighting chance to upset the best team in the conference.

With just two losses to Missouri and Auburn, the Gators have practically breezed through conference play. Averaging 86.3 points per night, Florida capitalizes extremely well off of penalties, shooting 70.5% from the line — which may signal trouble for a Texas team that notoriously struggles with fouling.

This will be the only game on the week’s slate that isn’t a matchup. The Longhorns and Gators will meet up for the first time since last January, in which Texas dramatically fell 84-60. This time, Florida will travel to the Forty Acres to play, which could make all the difference.

Texas A&M Aggies — Feb. 28

Jan 17, 2026; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies forward Jamie Vinson (4) dunks against Texas Longhorns center Matas Vokietaitis (8) during the second half at Moody Center. Mandatory Credit: Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images | Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images

The Longhorns will travel to College Station for a revenge tour after losing to the Aggies 74-70 at home in January. For two teams facing all the odds in regards to tournament contention, this will be an extremely heated redemption game.

The Aggies sit just above the Longhorns as No. 8 in the SEC. Texas A&M has endured its fair share of struggles just as much as its burnt orange counterpart, but the natural talent and chemistry of the team has carried it through so far. The most interesting part of the Aggies’ game is their ability to move freely without any drawn-up play or plan. 

They rely firmly on chemistry and in-game momentum. Texas has struggled all season in creating a firm defensive identity, so facing a team like Texas A&M will be a true test on whether the Longhorns can turn the tide of that momentum in their favor.