Texas seeks to solidify its identity against Auburn's potent offense and vulnerable defense. Can they maintain recent success on the road?
The last couple of weeks for Texas men's basketball have been a rollercoaster ride - and a big one at that.
The Longhorns lost their first two Southeastern Conference matchups, won their next two against ranked opponents, then subsequently lost their next two against unranked opponents.
And just when we thought we might have a grip on this team, they go out and dominate a ranked Georgia team, winning by 20 points.
Texas identity is still unknown, but it has a chance to further establish itself on Wednesday night when it travels to face Auburn.
The Tigers are not the powerhouse they've been for the past few years under head coach Bruce Pearl. For one, Bruce Pearl is no longer their head coach - his son, Steven Pearl took over the team this season, putting the Tigers into somewhat of a retooling phase.
But make no mistake, Auburn is still a very serious basketball team. Recently, the Tigers have knocked off two top-20 teams in Florida and Arkansas, with their win against the Gators coming on the road.
When Auburn has lost in conference, it's usually been a close game. The Tigers three SEC losses have a combined losing margin of just 16 points.
Auburn thrives off a potent offensive attack, which ranks 37th in the country in points scored per game and 14th in offensive efficiency according to KenPom. The Tigers are led by 6-7 forward Keyshawn hall who averages just over 20 points per game, and shoots an impressive 41.2% from three.
Auburn's major weakness is its defense, which ranks 282nd out of 365 teams in points allowed per game with 77.5. In five of its seven losses, the Tigers have allowed over 85 points, including two defeats in which they allowed their opponents to break the century mark.
The game plan for the Longhorns is pretty simple - be aggressive from the get-go, and attack Auburn's vulnerable defense.
Players like Dailyn Swain, Jordan Pope and Tramon Mark need to push the pace when Texas gets the ball, putting the Tigers' defenders in lots of uncomfortable positions.
This is also a game where Texas center Matas Vokietatitis needs to make his presence felt. At moments where Auburn's crowd starts to get into the game, the Longhorns need to slow the game down and look for an easy bucket.
One of the best ways to do that is by giving it to your 7-foot center down low and letting him work.
Texas should have no problem doing that, given that the Tigers' tallest rotation player stands at 6-10, spotting a few inches to the Longhorns Lithuanian giant.
By no means is this an easy game for Texas, but if it's serious about making the NCAA Tournament, it's one that it has to win.
It's a great litmus test for the Longhorns. If they can pull through in a hostile road environment, it shows that their three recent ranked wins were anything but a fluke.
But, if they go back to their ways of sloppy defense and unorganized offensive play, it'll be clear that this team is who we thought they were - inconsistent at best.