Texas keeps to ‘one-game-at-a-time’ mantra as it travels to Kansas for key Big 12 clash

Picture this: The Texas men’s basketball team somehow goes to Kansas on Saturday and finds a way to beat the ninth-ranked Jayhawks on their home court in the final time the two are ever scheduled to play. 

[Join Inside Texas and get ONE MONTH of Longhorn intel for just $1!]

That win sparks a fire under the Longhorns that’s been smoldering all season and helps propel Texas into a five-game winning streak that carries it into a top-four standing in the Big 12 Conference. Such a run produces a higher seed in the NCAA Tournament for the Longhorns and they make a sprint through the Big Dance that’s similar to the one they made in 2023.

Maybe you think we had too many frozen concoctions on Thursday on National Margarita Day (and Night) and are still feeling the effects, but the above scenario is not out of the realm of possibility. 

But first things, first. Texas heads to Lawrence with a recent win over Kansas State its belt but plenty of questions to answer, and answer soon, before the above can even be considered without a hearty laugh. 

The Longhorns (17-9, 6-7 in Big 12 play) haven’t won two straight games since beating then-No. 9 Baylor at home and then-No. 11 Oklahoma on the road a month ago. Since then Texas has dropped four of its past seven, plummeted out of the Top 25 and been head-scratchingly inconsistent.

Asking for Texas to produce a win over Kansas in Allen Fieldhouse on a night when the Longhorn hate will be at a fever pitch is a big order.

So what’s the Longhorns’ strategy to beat Kansas, the team projected in the preseason to win the Big 12? For Texas coach Rodney Terry, it’s all about staying the course.

“We will take it one game at a time, one at a time,” Terry said Thursday. “We’ve got a huge challenge against a team that’s played extremely well in their building. That’s really all we have in front of us right now. And it’s really kind of been our approach the whole time. We have 40 minutes in front of us that we’ve got to go compete at a very high level and kinda let the chips fall from there.”

One of the keys to a Longhorns win Saturday (and beyond) will be the emergence of a third points-producer to pair with Dylan Disu and Max Abmas. 

Disu has averaged 22.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game over his last four contests while hitting 50.8 percent from the floor. That includes a 12-of-21 (.571) mark from three-point range. Abmas has season averages of 16.9 points and 4.4 assists per game but has been held to seven and then eight points, respectively, in his past two contests.

“We tried to get better with the opportunities in practice, to continue to work and get better as a group,” Terry explained. “You just try to play your best basketball this time of year.”

The Jayhawks (20-6, 8-5 Big 12) have had a week off to get rested and healthy after a come-from-behind 67-57 win at Oklahoma on Feb. 17. Kansas is two games out of first place and one out of second in the Big 12 race and has three home games remaining. The Jayhawks have won all six of their league games at home.

“In our situation, holding serve at home is really important,” Kansas coach Bill Self said Thursday. “I’m not looking at it the way maybe some are looking at it. We can’t control what other people do. Whatever happens, happens. As long as we take care of our business we’ve got a chance to have a really good year in our league. 

“Whether that means having a chance to play for anything of the highest stakes, that remains to be seen. We are just worried about Texas. I’m not worried about anything beyond that.”

[Subscribe to the brand new Inside Texas YouTube channel!]

Texas has won five of the past seven meetings against the Jayhawks. The Longhorns posted victories in two of the three matchups last year, including a 76-56 win in the Big 12 Tournament championship game in Kansas City.