Game Preview: Texas looks to bounce back versus New Mexico State

The Texas Longhorns look to bounce back from their loss to UConn in a non-conference battle versus the New Mexico State Aggies in a game where former UT and NMSU star Sir’Jabari Rice might have split allegiances.

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Texas, who lost to UConn 76-65 on Sunday, was successful in its only other bounceback effort of the season. In the home opener immediately following the neutral site season opening loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes, Texas routed Houston Christian 90-59.

They’ll look to do the same versus New Mexico State, who has lost five of its last six games but is coming off a rivalry win in overtime at New Mexico.

Texas is looking to shore up its rotation as SEC play is approaching, but injuries have derailed that hope.

“I think it’s been a work in progress,” Terry said. “We started the year with the lineup in our first scrimmage against TCU, the lineup that we’re starting right now. We got off to a great start in our first game, then we have an injury and a setback with Tramon (Mark) for four weeks. Chendall (Weaver) did a nice job of getting and doing what he does in terms of being a star in his role, then you get Tramon back.

“You have Jayson Kent, who started out the year coming in and being a guy that we could rely on as our first big off the bench, then he gets injured and we’re still working on his recovery and opportunity to come back and hopefully join us at some point as well.

“You talk about your rotation, we had a pretty good rotation with the way we had it going at one point, but we still haven’t had, give or take, our top nine guys available to play this season in a game yet.”

Kent is OUT against New Mexico State, per Jon Rothstein, so the Longhorns won’t have their full allotment yet again when they face the Aggies.

“New Mexico State is a well-coached team,” Terry said. “They’ve got older players. They’ve got size. They’re one of the best rebounding teams in all of college basketball. They’re going to challenge us on the glass. When they’re shooting the ball really well like they did the other night, they made 14 threes, they’re an extremely dangerous team against anyone anywhere on any given night. We’ll have our hands full with them.”

Against the Aggies the Longhorns will look to learn more about themselves, as much as possible, before SEC play gets going. Tip time is at 7 p.m. on ESPN+/SECN+.

2024-25 Texas Longhorns

Tre Johnson, 6-foot-6, 190 lbs, Fr., Link Academy (Mo.), 21.1 pts, 2.7 reb, 2.0 ast

Arthur Kaluma, 6-foot-7, 225 lbs, Sr., Kansas State, 14.3 pts, 8.2 reb, 2.2 ast

Kadin Shedrick, 6-foot-11, 231 lbs, Gr.: 9.7 pts, 5.4 reb, 0.4 ast

Chendall Weaver, 6-foot-3, 180 lbs, Jr.: 6.8 pts, 5.8 reb, 1.8 ast

Julian Larry, 6-foot-3, 185 lbs, Gr., Indiana State: 6.7 pts, 1.8 reb, 3.3 ast

Jordan Pope, 6-foot-2, 175 lbs, Jr., Oregon State: 7.9 pts, 1.7 reb, 2.4 ast

Jayson Kent, 6-foot-8, 215 lbs, Gr., Indiana State: 6.5 pts, 2.8 reb, 1.0 ast

Ze’Rik Onyema, 6-foot-9, 235 lbs, Sr.: 3.1 pts, 2.0 reb, 0.3 ast

Tramon Mark, 6-foot-5, 200 lbs, Gr., Arkansas: 8.2 pts, 3.6 reb, 1.0 ast

Jamie Vinson, 6-foot-11, 225 lbs, Fr., Oak Hill Academy (Va.): 2.4 pts, 1.4 rebs, 0.2 ast

Devon Pryor, 6-foot-7, 185 lbs, So.: 2.5 pts, 2.0 reb, 0.5 ast

Cole Bott, 6-foot-6, 195 lbs, Gr. (walk-on): 0.0 pts, 0.3 rebs, 0.7 ast

Preston Clark, 6-foot-6, 220 lbs, R-So. (walk-on): 0.3 pts, 1.0 rebs, 0.3 ast

Nic Codie, 6-foot-8, 200 lbs, Fr., Dallas (Texas) Newman Smith: 0.0 pts, 0.5 reb, 0.0 ast

Malik Presley, 6-foot-6, 200 lbs, So., Vanderbilt

Anthon McDermott, 6-foot-5, 185 lbs, Fr., Hallsville (Texas) (walk-on)

Previous game’s starters for New Mexico State

G Christian Cook – 13.2 pts, 2.1 reb, 1.4 ast

G Dionte Bostick – 8.4 pts, 3.6 reb, 1.6

G Zawdie Jackson – 9.7 pts, 2.9 reb, 3.9 ast

F Peter Filipovity – 9.8 pts, 7.4 reb, 1.0 ast

F Nate Tshimanga – 3.2 pts, 4.3 reb, 0.3 ast