College basketball rankings: Texas lands five-star recruit, rolls over Rice to cap solid day for Rodney Terry

Wednesday brought good news for Texas basketball fans.

First, five-star prospect Tre Johnson announced his verbal commitment to the Longhorns on live television. Then, the Texas team sealed the day with an 80-64 victory over Rice, maintaining their perfect 3-0 season record.

To add to the excitement, Rice, known for its 40.0% 3-point shooting, failed to live up to its reputation, only making four out of 22 attempts from beyond the arc against Texas, resulting in an 18-point deficit in the 3-point line.

“We knew we were gonna have to play some good shooter-defense,” said Texas coach Rodney Terry. “Our guys did a good job for 40 minutes.”

However, the highlight of the day was unquestionably Johnson’s commitment to the soon-to-be SEC program. The 6-foot-6 guard is ranked fifth in the Class of 2024, according to 247Sports.

He chose Texas over Baylor after a recruiting battle between the two in-state powers—Baylor, which is also Johnson’s father’s alma mater, and Texas, coached by a man who was an assistant at Baylor when Johnson’s father played for the Bears in the 1990s.

Johnson sought advice from former Texas star Kevin Durant before making his decision.

“I talked to him, bounced some ideas off his head,” Johnson said. “He said it was a good place to come and hoop and just play. Great atmosphere. [I’m] just looking forward to getting down there on campus.”

Texas is now ranked No. 4 in 247Sports’ Class of 2024 recruiting rankings and No. 17 in the CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 daily college basketball rankings. The Longhorns’ next game is Sunday against Louisville inside New York’s Madison Square Garden.

For more college hoops analysis, check out the latest episode of the Eye on College Basketball podcast for an inside look and instant reactions beyond the hardwood.

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