From Texas’ standpoint, the best moment Wednesday against Arkansas came in the first two minutes.

Arthur Kaluma squared up on the massive 7-foot-2 Zvonimir Ivišić, drove the baseline and threw down a thunderous reverse slam. This was some eye-popping, highlight-reel stuff.

The next 38 minutes was more eye sore with lowlights galore.

Just when Texas had moved off the NCAA Tournament bubble, the Longhorns turned in a clunker at Moody Center.

They opened the second half by missing 10 straight shots, fell behind by 23 and needed a furious comeback just to make the final 78-70 score look respectable.

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“I thought I didn’t do a great job preparing my guys in terms of the physicality that we needed to have, you know, in terms of the first half,” Texas coach Rodney Terry said. “I mean, they just out-physicaled us in the first half.”

Optimists will note that everybody has bad nights in the SEC. Arkansas is fresh off a total dismantling of No. 12 Kentucky at Rupp Arena. The Razorbacks (14-8, 3-6 SEC) may have finally found some traction under the theatrical-but-always entertaining John Calipari.

And big comebacks don’t scare Texas. After all, this was the same team that wiped out a 22-point deficit against Texas A&M in a come-from-behind home win on Jan. 25. But this wasn’t that.

Texas (15-8, 4-6) managed only 24 points in the first half. Kadin Shedrick spent time on the stationary bike with back spasms. Devon Pryor went out with 18:10 left in the game while banging the floor after stepping on a defender and turning his ankle.

The Horns went 1-for-18 shooting with 1:53 left in the first half until the 13:35 mark of the second.

Julian Larry nearly dribbled the ball off his foot in the back court for a turnover. Adou Thiero blocked Kaluma so hard, it looked like a junior high play. Ze’Rik Onyema missed a dunk, then his follow-up shot got blocked by Ivišić. Onyema’s shoulders slumped as he trudged the other way.

The Horns actually put together a 12-0 run late and got back within five with 44 seconds left. But on the break, Larry’s pass to Tre Johnson was fumbled by the freshman and the Hogs went the other way. It was a ball Johnson catches nine times out of 10. This was No. 10, apparently.

Instead of getting a bucket that would have made it a one-possession game, the Razorbacks went back up by seven with 30 seconds left.

Johnson finished with a team-high 25 points on 6-of-22 shooting, Kaluma had 12 points, Larry scored 11 and Shedrick returned to the game and put up 10. Four players in double figures, and yet the Horns shot 34% overall and went 6-for-22 from 3-point range.

On to the next one. Texas travels to Vanderbilt on Saturday before returning home next week to host Alabama (Feb. 11) and Kentucky (Feb. 15).

The Horns’ backs are once again pressed up against the NCAA bubble.