The No. 15 Texas Longhorns are back in Kansas City one year after the world shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic.
On March 12, 2020, the Longhorns were set to open the Big 12 Tournament against the Texas Tech Red Raiders hoping to win a game or two to sneak into the NCAA Tournament thanks to a late five-game winning streak.
Head coach Shaka Smart’s job was on the line after several embarrassing blowout losses, including a 97-59 debacle in Morgantown in late January that marked the worst Big 12 defeat in school history and seemingly marked the unofficial beginning of the end for Smart in his fifth season.