After a challenging stretch to start SEC play, where Texas basketball (12-6, 1-4 SEC) faced four ranked opponents in its first five games in the conference slate in early-to-mid January, head coach Rodney Terry's squad returns home to the Moody Center to face the No. 22 Mizzou Tigers on Jan. 21.
Texas basketball needs a jolt in conference play in the next few weeks to stay in the tourney picture in the SEC and for the postseason
In the regular season's first 18 games, the Longhorns have added one Quad 1 win (which was the first SEC victory over the Oklahoma Sooners last Wednesday) and two Quad 2 victories this season. Texas's two Quad 2 victories were over the NC State Wolfpack in Raleigh and the St. Joseph's Hawks in Brooklyn.
The latest ESPN Bracketology from Joe Lunardi projected the Longhorns as one of the "Last Four In", along with the Ohio State Buckeyes, Creighton Blue Jays, and New Mexico Lobos.
To boost the NCAA Tournament resume, the Longhorns need to climb the SEC standings with some marquee wins in conference play down the stretch this regular season. Texas has a chance to build momentum in SEC in the next couple of weeks, where the Longhorns are favorited or are expected to be competitive against Mizzou and the No. 13 Texas A&M Aggies at the Moody Center before next Saturday.
Texas needs to start playing more complete games on both ends of the floor if the Longhorns want a chance at getting a single-digit seed for the NCAA Tournament this postseason. The Longhorns haven't gotten enough consistency and production from the frontcourt and the key bench scorers in the regular season's first half.
Here are two underrated bench players for the Longhorns who should get more minutes in SEC play in the next couple of months.