The Baylor Bears and Texas Longhorns met every single season from 1909 to 2024, playing 263 times across two conferences. Baylor was even the Longhorns' first-ever basketball opponent in 1906, a game in which the Bears lost 27-17
The rivalry ran for well over a hundred years but has fallen away since the Longhorns left the Big 12 for the SEC in 2024, and it has certainly left a hole in the yearly schedule for the Bears.
The universities have not met on the court in the last two seasons, but that will change come this November as the Bears are slotted to meet the Longhorns in San Antonio for the "San Antonio Hoops Showdown."
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While the Longhorns have outperformed the Bears since the rivalry began (165-98), Baylor has given the Longhorns no lack of competition of late on the court, winning 12 of the last 15 games.
If Texas is willing to play teams like Louisville and Duke in non-conference, why not meet the same state rival for a battle before getting into SEC play?
While Texas might be big brother in the football world, Scott Drew has had a lot of recent success against the Longhorns' basketball program, and both teams have a consistent track record of making March Madness.
Why let the conference change end the rivalry?
There is no great reason to let all of the history between these two basketball teams end because of a conference change. Waco and Austin are still an hour and a half apart, and both schools have NCAA tournament-level basketball programs.
Both of these teams should want a marquee non-conference game to build a resume for the tournament; the high-profile matchup is a benefit to both sides.
This rivalry is also important because of the recruiting overlap; these teams are essentially drawing from the same pool. This has led to some heated moments between Scott Drew and former Texas head coach Rick Barnes (along with other Big 12 head coaches). A lot of these players competed in high school together, all the more reason to keep them on the same floor.
With the level of competition and all of the history, the teams should at least play every other year to keep the battle of burnt orange vs. green and gold alive and well. The two historic programs will meet on the hardwood this season, and that should continue from here on after.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/baylor as Why the Baylor vs. Texas Basketball Rivalry Should Not be Left Behind.