Longhorns to Face Shaka Smart, Marquette in 2023 Big East-Big 12 Battle
AUSTIN -- For the fifth straight season, Texas Longhorns men's basketball will be competing in the Big East-Big 12 Battle, per reports Wednesday from college basketball insider Jon Rothstein. Arguably the two best conferences in college basketball will face off again next season.
But along with facing one of the nation's top programs, Texas will be going up against a familiar face.
The Longhorns are set to visit coach Shaka Smart and the Marquette Golden Eagles as part of the event, as Texas will travel to Milwaukee to play a team that's coming off a Big East regular-season and tournament title after securing a 29-7 record this past season.
The date and time of the game will be revealed at a later date.
The Longhorns lost their only all-time meeting with Marquette, 65-56, back in December 1977.
Of course, Smart was the first head coach to take over the reins in Austin after the departure of legendary coach Rick Barnes in 2015. Smart spent six seasons on the Forty Acres and totaled a 109-86 record. He led the Longhorns to three appearances in the NCAA Tournament but never won a game in March Madness. His career at Texas ended with a 53-52 upset loss to No. 14 seed Abilene Christian in the first round in 2021.
He was replaced by Chris Beard that April. But Beard's sudden arrest in December and eventual firing led to the appointing of Rodney Terry as Texas' next head coach after he led the the Longhorns to a Big 12 Tournament title, an Elite Eight appearance and the third-most single-season wins in school history in the 2022 campaign.
The Longhorns, who will look vastly different next season, will have a tall task to look forward to in non-conference play.
You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7
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