AUSTIN, Texas – Not only was Texas' 87-67 win over then-No. 21 Georgia a much-needed quad 1 victory, it also served as a 20-minute glimpse of what this year's Longhorn team can be at its best.
After trailing 37-30 at halftime, the victory saw Texas outscore Georgia 57-30 in the second half, spearheaded by a wave of effort, hustle plays and hot shooting.
Now, entering at midweek clash at Auburn, the task at hand for the Longhorns isn't about figuring out how to carry over the momentum of the win over the Bulldogs – it's simply understanding the need to do so.
"It's not about how we play with consistent effort for 40 minutes," sixth-year wing Tramon Mark said postgame. "It's about the fact we have to do it. It's not just me and Dailyn [Swain]. It's about all five [players] on the floor have to be able to exert energy for us - to be able to get rebounds, get stops, and get out on the break. That's when we're at our best."
Texas' ability to play defense without fouling played a major role in their ability overwhelm Georgia.
The Longhorns committed 18 fouls, with the final five coming as Texas led by at least 15 points or more in the waning stages of the contest.
In order for Sean Miller's club to find a second consecutive win, they'll again need to play defense without fouling.
"I thought there are times today our defense reflected what it can look like when we don't foul," Miller said postgame. "We can be a much better team if we foul less. I'll say it again."
Auburn enters Wednesday night's contest ranked second in the nation in free-throws made per game (20.9) and free-throw attempts per game (28.3).
The Tigers are led by standout swingman Keyshawn Hall. The UCF transfer ranks third in the SEC in points per game (20.3) and leads the league in free throws made (141).
To preview the contest against Steven Pearl's Tigers, we turn to Nathan King of AuburnUndercover.com, which is part of the 247Sports Network.