Texas Longhorns Defeat Alabama in Regular Season Finale

Longhorns clinch second seed in SEC tournament with victory over Crimson Tide

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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The fourth-ranked Texas Longhorns defeated the 24th-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide 72-65 in their regular season finale on Sunday. The result, combined with other SEC scores, secured the Longhorns the second seed in the upcoming conference tournament.

Why it matters

This matchup between two ranked teams was an important final tune-up before the SEC tournament. The seeding implications made this a high-stakes game, as the Longhorns were vying for a top-2 seed in the conference tournament.

The details

Texas was led by junior guard Aliyah Matharu, who scored 20 points. The Longhorns built a double-digit lead in the second half and held off a late Alabama comeback attempt to secure the victory. The win gives Texas a 28-3 record on the season and a 13-3 mark in SEC play.

  • The game tipped off at 11 a.m. Central Time on Sunday, March 1, 2026.
  • This was the regular season finale for both teams.

The players

Aliyah Matharu

A junior guard for the Texas Longhorns who led the team with 20 points in the victory.

Texas Longhorns

The fourth-ranked women's basketball team that finished the regular season with a 28-3 record and 13-3 in SEC play.

Alabama Crimson Tide

The 24th-ranked women's basketball team that fell to 21-9 on the season and 7-9 in SEC play with the loss.

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What they’re saying

“We knew this was going to be a tough game against a very good Alabama team, but our players stepped up and made the plays we needed to get the win and secure a high seed in the tournament.”

— Vic Schaefer, Texas Longhorns Head Coach (statesman.com)

What’s next

The Texas Longhorns will now turn their attention to the SEC tournament, where they will be the second seed. Their first game will be on Friday, March 6th against the winner of the 7 vs. 10 seed matchup.

The takeaway

Texas proved it can win a tough road game against a ranked opponent, which should give the Longhorns confidence heading into the postseason. The second seed in the SEC tournament puts them in a good position to make a deep run and potentially earn a high NCAA Tournament seed.