The men’s college basketball season is approaching the conclusion of a loaded nonconference slate. The final matchup this week, ahead of a potentially significant Saturday featuring four ranked contests, is Texas at UConn on Friday night.
While the matchup looms large on paper, it’s up to Texas to make it interesting on the court as a road underdog. The Longhorns have one win (over NC State) in four games against power-conference teams this season and sit at 7-3 overall. Early on, they profile very much as a team that will be on the bubble of the NCAA tournament. While they will have plenty of opportunities for marquee wins in SEC play, a victory on Friday would go a long way toward bolstering their resume.
UConn, meanwhile, is the nation’s highest-ranked team that is not undefeated. The Huskies (9-1 overall) sit at No. 5 in the AP poll behind four unbeaten squads. They’re buoyed by four ranked wins (BYU, Illinois, at Kansas, Florida).
This will be the second high-profile game in the span of four days for UConn, which defeated Florida 77-73 at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday. Here’s your complete guide to watching UConn vs. Texas.
UConn vs. Texas: Start Time and Broadcast Details
Date: Friday, Dec. 12
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford, Conn.
TV Channel: Fox
Streaming: Fox Sports app
Radio Station: SiriusXM channel 83 (Fox Sports on SiriusXM) or channel 84 (SiriusXM College Sports Radio)
UConn vs. Texas Preview
The Longhorns and Huskies met last December in Austin, that time with roles reversed, with the Huskies entering as a three-loss team and the Longhorns as a one-loss squad. UConn won 76-65 behind 37 combined points and seven 3-pointers from Alex Karaban and Solo Ball, both of whom are back this season. The Longhorns’ only double-digit scorers in that matchup, Tre Johnson and Arthur Kaluma, are now in the NBA and G League, respectively.
The 2025-26 squad is a new-look Texas team, led by head coach Sean Miller, who just moved to Austin this year after his second stint at Xavier. Miller is coaching against UConn for the first time with Texas, but hardly for the first time overall.
He had a 3-4 record against UConn head coach Dan Hurley while they coached in the Big East Conference together over the past three seasons, including winning their last matchup on Jan. 25.
UT has two returning starters, senior guards Jordan Pope and Tramon Mark, but is led in scoring and rebounding by transfers Matas Vokietaitis (15.9 points and 6.6 rebounds per game) and Dailyn Swain (15.7 points and 6.9 rebounds). Swain, who came from Xavier alongside Miller, also leads the Longhorns in assists (3.5).
UConn has some notable newcomers of its own. Georgia transfer guard Silas Demary Jr. and freshman center Eric Reibe have both started at least half of the Huskies’ games.
This marks the seventh all‑time meeting between UConn and Texas, and the Longhorns may draw confidence from knowing their lone victory over the Huskies came on the road in 2014.
