The Texas Longhorns and Vanderbilt Commodores will face off in the SEC Tournament.

The Texas Longhorns and the Vanderbilt Commodores are set to clash in the first round of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Men’s Basketball Tournament on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. This matchup carries significant implications for both teams, particularly concerning their aspirations for the NCAA Tournament.

Season Overview

The Texas Longhorns concluded their regular season with a 17-14 overall record and a 6-12 mark in SEC play. Their season has been characterized by inconsistency, culminating in a 76-72 home loss to Oklahoma in their final regular-season game. This defeat has placed them on the fringe of NCAA Tournament consideration, making a deep run in the SEC Tournament imperative for bolstering their postseason prospects.

In contrast, the Vanderbilt Commodores finished the regular season with a 20-11 overall record and an 8-10 record in SEC competition. Despite losing their last two games to Georgia and Arkansas, Vanderbilt’s performance throughout the season has them projected to be part of the NCAA Tournament field. However, securing a victory against Texas would solidify their position and potentially improve their seeding.

Head-to-Head Matchup

The teams previously met on February 8, 2025, in Nashville, where Vanderbilt emerged victorious with an 86-78 win. In that game, Vanderbilt’s Jaylen Carey led with 18 points, while Texas’ standout freshman, Tre Johnson, contributed 15 points.

The Longhorns had established a 10-point lead in the second half, but the Commodores rallied, aided by 17 offensive rebounds, to secure the win.

Key Players

• Texas Longhorns: Freshman guard Tre Johnson has been a focal point for Texas, averaging 20.2 points per game. His performance has been pivotal in keeping the Longhorns competitive, and he was recently named the SEC Men’s Basketball Freshman of the Year.

  texaslonghorns.com

  Another key contributor is junior guard Jordan Pope, who scored 21 points in the recent game against Oklahoma, marking his third 20-point game of the season.

  texaslonghorns.com

• Vanderbilt Commodores: Guard Jaylen Carey has been instrumental for Vanderbilt, leading the team in scoring during their previous encounter with Texas. The Commodores’ offensive strategy emphasizes a balanced attack, with multiple players capable of making significant contributions.

  Fox Sports

Statistical Comparison

Both teams have showcased potent offenses coupled with defensive vulnerabilities:

• Offense: Vanderbilt averages 79.9 points per game, ranking sixth in the SEC, with a shooting percentage of 45.3%. Texas averages 77.5 points per game over its last ten games, shooting at a 46.3% rate from the field.

  Fox Sports

• Defense: Texas allows an average of 71.4 points per game, while Vanderbilt concedes 74.6 points per game. Notably, Vanderbilt ranks last in the SEC in opponent effective field goal percentage during conference play, indicating defensive challenges.

  covers.com

Betting Insights

As of the latest odds, Vanderbilt is favored by 2.5 points, with the total over/under set at 148.5 points. Texas has struggled against the spread, failing to cover in eight of their last nine games, while Vanderbilt has covered in two of their last five games. Both teams have been involved in high-scoring games recently, with Texas games going over the total in eight of their last nine contests.

Implications

For Texas, this game is crucial; a loss would likely eliminate any remaining hopes of an NCAA Tournament berth, while a victory could extend their run and improve their chances. Vanderbilt aims to solidify its tournament position and avoid any potential doubts from the selection committee.

The upcoming SEC Tournament matchup between Texas and Vanderbilt is poised to be a high-stakes contest, with both teams having much to gain or lose. Given their previous encounter and current form, fans can anticipate a competitive and potentially high-scoring game.