COLLEGE STATION — Tramon Mark couldn’t wait to get on the team bus after his latest heroics over Texas’ archrival.
“I hate the color maroon,” he said.
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But Mark loves playing the Texas A&M Aggies.
Texas Longhorns guard Tramon Mark (12) puts the ball up as Texas A&M Aggies forward Jamie Vinson (4) defends in the second half as the Texas Longhorns play the Texas A&M Aggies at Reed Arena in College Station, Feb. 28, 2026. Texas won the game 76-70.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
It’s a mutual hatred born from his one season at Arkansas; the Aggies killer scored 61 points in a pair of wins over the Aggies, including a game winner with 11 seconds left in the first meeting and a layup that completed a miraculous comeback in Austin last season.
TEXAS AT NO. 20 ARKANSAS
When/where: 6 p.m. Wednesday in Fayetteville, Ark.
TV/radio: ESPN2; 1300 AM., 98.1 FM.
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Mark added to his reputation as public enemy No. 1 in College Station with a season-high 23 points that gave the Longhorns a gigantic shove toward the NCAA Tournament before a packed house Saturday at Reed Arena. The Longhorns’ 76-70 win upped their record to 18-11 and more importantly, a 9-7 mark in the SEC, which likely seals an at-large bid into March Madness with games remaining at Arkansas and at home against Oklahoma before the SEC Tournament.
As the final 90 seconds ticked down, the 12,107 that packed Reed headed to the exits in droves to the delight of the visitors.
“That’s a great feeling knowing we did our job,” Mark said. “We came in and did our job and did what we had to do. We can now have a sweet bus ride home.”
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It was a team win all the way around. Texas coach Sean Miller conducted a master class in managing foul trouble after starting center Matas Vokietaitis committed the fastest foul in college basketball history when he was called for a push on the opening tip, one second into the game, and then a second foul 30 seconds later.
Texas Longhorns guard Jordan Pope (0) throws a pass out from pressure as Texas A&M presses on the inbounds play in the first half as the Texas Longhorns play the Texas A&M Aggies at Reed Arena in College Station, Feb. 28, 2026. Texas won the game 76-70.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas’ best player Dailyn Swain pulled down 11 rebounds, but was saddled with foul trouble as well and didn’t score in the second half, leaving a gaping hole in the scoring department. Never fear, it was Mark and backcourt mate Jordan Pope to the rescue with a sprinkling of Chendall Weaver, whose ability to get his hands on loose balls kept two key late possessions alive, including an offensive rebound that led to Mark’s dagger 3-pointer from the corner that beat the shot clock and ultimately, the Aggies.
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Texas, which entered the game ranked No. 123 nationally in defensive efficiency, played its best defense of the season in a big game in the brief Miller era, holding the Aggies 18 points under their scoring average.
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With the postseason coming up, the Horns, coming off a pair of losses, including an epic late collapse at Moody Center against defending national champion Florida, gave a terrific illustration of what can happen when they’re hitting on all cylinders on both ends. They’re never going to be a defensive juggernaut, but when they give the effort we witnessed in a hostile road environment, combined with the balanced scoring punch, the Horns are potentially a tough out in the NCAAs.
It was the biggest win of Miller’s inaugural season, even if he isn’t saying it.
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“I will tell you that it’s one of them,” he said. “I think any time that you can go on the road in this league deeper and late in the season, even more so you to have to feel really good about accomplishing it, simply because it’s so difficult to do.”
Texas Longhorns head coach Sean Miller yells at his team during a timeout in the second half as the Texas Longhorns play the Texas A&M Aggies at Reed Arena in College Station, Feb. 28, 2026. Texas won the game 76-70.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
The old guys showed up huge
Near the end of “Shawshank Redemption,” Red uttered a phrase that spoke to the willingness to embrace one’s future with zeal and enthusiasm or accept a less ideal ending. “Get busy living or get busy dying,” he said. The old codger chose the former when he violated his parole, jumped on a bus and crossed the Mexico border, suitcase in hand, to join his escaped prison buddy Andy Dufresne at a seaside inn in Mexico.
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For Texas’ three oldest players, Pope, Weaver and Mark, this is it when it comes to college basketball. After losing in a First Four playoff to Miller’s Xavier ballclub last season, they entered 2026 knowing the Big Dance would be now or never. Each put his stamp on this one.
“Their guards made some really good plays late in the game,” A&M coach Bucky McMillan said. “That was the separator.”
We’ve already touted Mark’s big-time display. Pope was equally amazing with 16 points on some timely pull-up jumpers and ultra professional management of the offense. Earlier in the season, Pope apologized to the fan base after a listless 88-69 loss to Virginia in the home opener. Now he has become a great closing option with his ability to create and make his own shot.
“We’re playing for March,” Pope said. “These games mean a lot. We want to win these games to make our resume look much better.”
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Texas Longhorns guard Chendall Weaver (2) keeps the ball in-bounds in first half of the Texas Longhorns’ game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Reed Arena in College Station, Feb. 28, 2026. Texas won the game 76-70.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
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“There’s no player I’ve coached harder than Jordan Pope,” Miller said. “I coached him hard before the season began. I’m coaching him because of his unique skill set and his experience, that he had another level in him and a higher ceiling than sometimes he had shown.”
Then there was Weaver who quietly filled up the stat sheet with an impactful five points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block in 24 minutes. The kid has a knack for keeping plays alive and making intangible contributions that don’t always show up in the boxscore, but there’s a reason he’s usually on the floor at money time.
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Weaver doesn’t lead in many statistical categories, but has earned the respect of his teammates on the court and in the locker room. So when he spoke in the locker room before the game, his teammates knew this was serious business.
“Me and (Pope) talked to the younger guys about how big this rivalry is,” Weaver said. “Some guys are new to the team and they don’t know about the Texas and Texas A&M rivalry. I told them we had to go out there, play hard and leave it on the court.”
This trio knows the clock is ticking on their college basketball mortality and they’re playing with a great sense of desperation in the twilight of their Texas stay.
“Senior guys who can’t play college basketball again, at this time of the year, you see those guys rise,” Miller said. “If you evaluate our game today, (Weaver, Pope and Mark) were very instrumental and why we were able to win.”
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Did Texas turn a corner Saturday in College Station? We’ll see if the Longhorns play similarly in Fayetteville on Wednesday against the league’s second-most explosive offense. Whatever the case, Texas just put its best stuff on film.
The Horns are busy living.