Messin' with Texas: How Far Will the Longhorns Drop?

Thirteenth. That is where I put the Texas Longhorns at in this week's upcoming Bleacher Report Top 25 poll. 

Traditionally an unlucky number, it seemed befitting since it will be the Week 13 edition of the poll, and fits the current status of the Texas Men's Basketball Team. 

While many claim the Longhorns were overrated, as they sat at No. 2 and No. 1 for a few consecutive weeks, that criticism may not be totally fair. 

It's easy to claim a team is overrated after a dramatic fall from grace that began with a tough loss, to a great team in Kansas State, which began the Longhorns' current skid of losing four of their last six games. 

Many Longhorn fans probably want to rewind the tape a bit, when most college basketball analysts were singing their praises, as they sat in the cozy No. 2 slot behind conference rival Kansas. 

Most analysts were talking about Kansas and Texas as being the class of the college basketball season, and then there being "everyone else." 

Make no mistake, losing four of six not only hurts your credibility as a legitimate national championship contender, it also hurts your position in the conference standings, which to most coaches and players, is a much bigger deal. 

The biggest trees always fall the hardest, but nowhere is that famed slogan more evident than inside of the Texas lineup. 

Their biggest guy, Dexter Pittman, who went through most of the non-conference schedule having it his way, now has been rendered ineffective. 

The Longhorn big is averaging fewer than 20 minutes per game, but his stats have not surprisingly crumbled with his lack of playing time. 

Combine Pittman's problems with the fact that Rick Barnes has yet to figure out who his true point guard is. 

Instead, he's had to witness the problems a three-man guard rotation, with none of the three emerging as a scorer, has when they enter conference play. 

While it's one thing to run most of your offense through a back court, if you insist on doing so, one or two of your three guards must be able to score the basketball. 

So Texas fans can take their pick of the blame. Is it the lack of necessary production from Pittman? Or is it the fact that just one Texas guard is averaging double digits in scoring?

Damion James' hype has gone the way of his team's. Although the Texas forward is shining despite his team's problems (he continues to average a double-double), talk of him being in the running for postseason awards has ceased for the most part. 

So how far will the Longhorns fall? Are they done falling? 

Tonight will be a tough test and should answer both questions. A win, and Texas is still two games behind the Jayhawks for the conference lead. 

A win could also really bring Texas on, and the Longhorns could use whatever momentum a win tonight would bring, to propel them to a 13-3 conference finish that would be very respectable, given their slow conference start. 

A loss, however, could spell more problems for the Longhorns. Losses in February are crucial to your seeding in March.

Texas, who looked like a lock for a No. 1 seed in November and December now stare at a three seed, and with a loss tonight could potentially trend to a four seed. 

A win tonight and they can get their season back on track. A loss tonight, however, could mean several things. 

With tough road contests at Missouri, at Texas A&M, and at Baylor still looming large, Texas could very well find itself playing a first round game in the conference tournament.

If Texas wants to avoid making this season one of the most disappointing seasons in college basketball history (as far as their early, and midseason expectations), a win tonight is the only result they can afford. 

Through all the doom and gloom, one thing should remain abundantly clear. 

This Texas team has the potential to beat anyone; they are talented and have an impressive front line. The rest of the Big 12 shouldn't forget that, either.