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The Texas Longhorns men's basketball team, under head coach Sean Miller, is set to play a high-profile preseason exhibition against St. John's at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Sunday afternoon. The game, tipping off at 12 p.m. ET, will serve as a major test before the 2026-27 season begins.
Texas, ranked No. 7, has already held two closed scrimmages against Arizona State and SMU. St. John's, ranked No. 13, is coming off a four-overtime exhibition victory over Rutgers last weekend.
Game Information and Viewing Options
The exhibition will be available nationally on ESPN+ and regionally on MSG Network, though blackout restrictions may apply. There is no radio broadcast listed. Despite being an exhibition, the all-time series between the two programs is tied 1-1, with Texas winning the last meeting 77-76 during the 2006-07 season in New York City.
Projected Starting Lineups
Texas is expected to start Isaiah Johnson at point guard, Austin Goosby at shooting guard, Elyjah Freeman at small forward, David Punch at power forward, and Matas Vokietaitis at center. St. John's projected starters are Quinn Ellis at point guard, Ian Jackson at shooting guard, Tounde Yessoufou at small forward, Keyshawn Hall at power forward, and Ruben Prey at center.
Coach Perspectives
Sean Miller emphasized the value of game experience for his team. "It's the first time that we've been on the same bench together, it's the first time we're going through all these things together for the first time," Miller said. "And although I think we have a really good group, there's nothing that can make up for experience. So I think every week that we're together, even the fact we've already played two other teams, it's much more beneficial and helpful for us today than it would have been two weeks ago. You can only practice and play against yourself so much. So I'm really looking forward to the trip to New York City, and I'm looking forward to that experience. It will not be easy, but I believe that's the next test that we need as we now get ready to open up."
St. John's head coach Rick Pitino was blunt in his assessment after the Rutgers game. "If we come with the same way we played against Rutgers we will lose by 30 points at Madison Square Garden," Pitino said during an interview with college basketball insider Jon Rothstein.