Fansided

Texas suspends leading scorer Tevin Mack

By Brad Berreman

Dec 6, 2016; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Shaka Smart reacts against the Michigan Wolverines at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 6, 2016; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Shaka Smart reacts against the Michigan Wolverines at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

Things are trending the wrong way for Texas Longhorns men’s basketball, and now Tevin Mack has been suspended.

Before Wednesday night, the last time TCU beat Texas in Austin head coach Jamie Dixon was on the team. That streak of almost exactly 30 years, and 14 games, was broken with the Horned Frogs’ 64-61 win and the Longhorns have now lost four of the last five games.

On Thursday the news got worse for Shaka Smart’s squad, with leading scorer Tevin Mack now suspended indefinitely for a violation of team rules.

Sophomore small forward Tevin Mack, the Longhorn’s leading scorer this season at 14.8 points per game, has been suspended indefinitely for a violation of team rules. This is Mack’s second suspension this season, as he missed an exhibition game and the season opener for a violation of team rules.

Via the statement released by the school, here’s what Smart had to say about suspending Mack.

"“We have a set of standards that we expect people in our program to adhere to,” Smart said. “Tevin has failed to reach them.”"

The Longhorns have fallen to 7-9 this season, with five losses in their last seven games, and they are just 1-3 in Big 12 play. In a case of very bad timing on the schedule, the next three games for Texas are against three current top-10 teams with two on the road.

Next: Projected college basketball rankings after Baylor loss

After Saturday’s home game against current No. 10 West Virginia, the Longhorns will travel to take on current No. 1 Baylor on Jan. 17 and then current No. 2 (next week’s No. 1?) Kansas on Jan. 21. So Smart needs to find some answers very quickly, without Mack for however long is deemed necessary and then beyond, or a second NCAA Tournament bid in as many seasons as head coach at Texas will be out of the question.