Game Preview: Time is running out on Tre Johnson's time in Austin

There may be just a handful of opportunities left to watch Tre Johnson in a Texas Longhorns uniform.

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Johnson, the Southeastern Conference’s leading scorer, the five-time and reigning SEC freshman of the week, and a near certainty to be a top-10 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, was always set to be a one-season player. Nobody was under the idea he would be at Texas for more than one campaign.

For certain, his one season certainly has been spectacular. Johnson averages 20.6 points per game on 45 percent shooting. He’s neared, equaled, or eclipsed several freshman records set by Kevin Durant, including points in a debut and points in a game.

But despite all the fantastic displays of skill and bucket-getting Johnson has put together during the 2024-25 season, his opportunities to further his legacy at Texas may soon end abruptly.

The Longhorn team Johnson is on is 16-13 overall and 5-11 in SEC play. Texas was one of the first four out in Joe Lunardi’s recent bracketology projection for ESPN. On3’s James Fletcher had the Horns in similar standing. Barring wins at Mississippi State and versus Oklahoma this week, plus a positive result or two in the SEC Tournament, no stolen bids from conference tournaments around the country, and a generous NCAA Tournament selection committee that would like to see a lottery pick in the field of 68, Johnson could just have three games left wearing burnt orange.

Johnson has 555 points so far, a number that ranks third among Texas freshmen behind Durant’s 903 in 2006-07 and Terrence Rencher‘s 648 in 1991-92. If his scoring average holds at 20.6, it’d rank only behind Durant among freshman in UT history.

But even Durant had the chance to play in the NCAA Tournament, with the 2006-07 team losing in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Similar applies to other recent one-and-dones to wear burnt orange like Greg Brown, Mo Bamba, and Myles Turner but they were not able to even advance past the first round like Durant. Jaxson Hayes and Jarrett Allen didn’t even reach March Madness during their lone seasons in Austin, and Johnson is seemingly on his way toward joining their company.

That can change. Texas could get a bid somehow, whether via a 7-11 SEC record or a miraculous run to the SEC Tournament title. But a loss on Wednesday at Mississippi State or versus Oklahoma would number Johnson’s days at Texas as playing in the NIT is not something the Longhorns would likely be interested in considering Rodney Terry‘s tenuous hold on his job.

Johnson’s season will go down as one of the most memorable by a Texas freshman in the one-and-done era. But time is running out on that season for the program, one appears on its way toward the memory hole.

Tramon Mark is listed as questionable for Tuesday’s matchup between Texas and Mississippi State.

Chendall Weaver remains OUT pic.twitter.com/NAAYnH87Tj

— Inside Texas (@InsideTexas) March 4, 2025

Game Notes from UT

GameDay Quick Facts

• TELEVISION: The game will be televised nationally by SEC Network with Roy Philpott (play-by-play) and Mark Wise (analyst) on the call. Tipoff is 7 p.m.
• RADIO: The Longhorn Radio Network broadcasts every UT game on the statewide network. Craig Way (pxp) and Eddie Oran (analyst) will call the action. Check TexasSports.com for a listing of affiliates carrying the game. 
• SERIES: Texas leads, 5-3. Last meeting: Texas 69-55 (Nov. 21, 2012; Maui, Hawaii)

Notables

IT’S BEEN A MINUTE: Tuesday’s contest marks the ninth all-time matchup between Texas and Mississippi State and first since the 2012-13 season. This marks UT’s first trip to Starkville since Dec. 11, 1976.

TRE IS TERRIFIC: G Tre Johnson (SEC-best 20.6 ppg), who claimed his FIFTH SEC Freshman of the Week honor on Monday, is looking to become just the sixth freshman in league history to lead the conference in scoring. Over his last five contests, Johnson is averaging 27.2 ppg while hitting 48.5-percent from the field, including a 43.2-percent mark from three-point range, and 92.3-percent from the free throw line.

KENT CONTINUES TO SURGE: Graduate F Jayson Kent recorded 14 points (4-7 FG, 2-3 threes) and five rebounds in 24 minutes during Saturday’s contest against Georgia. Over his last six contests, Kent is averaging 9.5 ppg and 4.8 rpg while hitting 65.6-percent (21-32) from the floor in 20.5 mpg.

2024-25 Texas Longhorns

Tre Johnson, 6-foot-6, 190 lbs, Fr., Link Academy (Mo.), 20.6 pts, 3.1 reb, 2.6 ast

Arthur Kaluma, 6-foot-7, 225 lbs, Sr., Kansas State, 12.8 pts, 7.9 reb, 2.0 ast

Jordan Pope, 6-foot-2, 175 lbs, Jr., Oregon State: 10.7 pts, 1.7 reb, 1.9 ast

Tramon Mark, 6-foot-5, 200 lbs, Gr., Arkansas: 9.3 pts, 3.6 reb, 1.4 ast

Kadin Shedrick, 6-foot-11, 231 lbs, Gr.: 8.4 pts, 6.1 reb, 0.6 ast

Jayson Kent, 6-foot-8, 215 lbs, Gr., Indiana State: 5.6 pts, 2.8 reb, 0.5 ast

Chendall Weaver, 6-foot-3, 180 lbs, Jr.: 6.7 pts, 5.1 reb, 1.5 ast

Julian Larry, 6-foot-3, 185 lbs, Gr., Indiana State: 5.0 pts, 1.6 reb, 3.3 ast

Devon Pryor, 6-foot-7, 185 lbs, So.: 4.0 pts, 2.4 reb, 0.6 ast

Ze’Rik Onyema, 6-foot-9, 235 lbs, Sr.: 3.5 pts, 2.7 reb, 0.4 ast

Jamie Vinson, 6-foot-11, 225 lbs, Fr., Oak Hill Academy (Va.): 2.2 pts, 1.1 rebs, 0.1 ast

Nic Codie, 6-foot-8, 200 lbs, Fr., Dallas (Texas) Newman Smith: 1.9 pts, 0.9 reb, 0.1 ast

Cole Bott, 6-foot-6, 195 lbs, Gr. (walk-on): 0.7 pts, 0.3 rebs, 0.5 ast

Preston Clark, 6-foot-6, 220 lbs, R-So. (walk-on): 0.3 pts, 1.5 rebs, 0.3 ast

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

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

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Previous game’s starters for Mississippi State

G Josh Hubbard: 18.4 pts, 2.3 reb, 3.3 ast

F Cameron Matthews: 7.1 pts, 6.8 reb, 3.7 ast

G Riley Kugel: 9.3 pts, 2.9 reb, 1.4 ast

G RJ Melendez: 8.6 pts, 4.3 reb, 0.8 ast

C Michael Nwoko: 6.4 pts, 4.9 reb, 0.6 ast