Texas vs. Virginia Preview, Projected Starting Lineups

Texas Longhorns guard Simeon Wilcher rebounds against the Lafayette Leopards during the second quarter at Moody Center. Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images

Texas vs. Virginia Preview, Projected Starting Lineups

Originally posted on Texas Longhorns on SI
By Zach Dimmitt | Last updated Dec 3, 2025 7:30 AM ET

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The Texas Longhorns men's basketball team will look to pick up its third straight win on Wednesday in the ACC/SEC Challenge against the Virginia Cavaliers at the Moody Center. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU.

Texas (5-2) is coming off a trip to the Maui Invitational, which ended with a win over then-No. 23 NC State. It was a rollercoaster of emotion for Texas during its three games on the island, starting with a heartbreaking loss to Arizona State, but the Longhorns picked up their first Quad 1 win by taking down the Wolfpack.

Virginia (6-1) comes in at No. 29 in the initial NCAA NET rankings while Texas slides in at No. 69. This means Wednesday's matchup represents a significant Quad 1 opportunity for the Longhorns.

Texas Coach Sean Miller Previews Virginia

Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images

Texas head coach Sean Miller praised Virginia freshman forward Thijs De Ridder, who is averaging 18.0 points and 5.6 rebounds this season. He's reached the 20-point mark in five of Virginia's seven games, including a season-high 26 points in a win over Northwestern.

"You could see that he's not a 17 or 18 year old young guy. He's experienced," Miller said of He's seasoned. Plays the right way, very smart. And I believe this. I think he's one of the best freshmen that's playing college basketball, and he makes Virginia a lot better as a team."

Overall, Miller said that the matchup is a big opportunity for the Longhorns against a talented Virginia team.

"We're playing a very good team," Miller said. "We're playing them at home. It's a big game for our season, and for our team ... Ryan Odom has his own style. I think he's an excellent coach, one of the best young coaches in the game. He's really not that young anymore, but I think that his success at every stop really speaks to what he's been able to do with that style."