Texas Looks to Build on Comeback Win as South Carolina Comes to Town
With February basketball officially here, the Texas Longhorns are looking to turn a corner in SEC play - and Tuesday’s home matchup against a reeling South Carolina squad presents a prime opportunity to build some momentum.
Texas (13-9, 4-5 SEC) is coming off a gritty 79-69 road win over rival Oklahoma, a game where the Longhorns flipped the script in the second half. After trailing by 14, they stormed back with a dominant final 10 minutes, showcasing a level of poise and offensive execution that’s been inconsistent this season. That bounce-back effort came just days after a frustrating 88-82 loss at Auburn, where Texas faded late and let a winnable game slip away.
The difference in Norman? Dailyn Swain.
The sophomore guard continues to elevate his game when it matters most. Swain poured in 18 points - 13 of them after halftime - and pulled down 10 boards in the win.
It marked his fourth straight game with at least 18 points, and his impact goes well beyond the box score. He’s become the emotional and tactical engine for this Longhorn team, averaging 21.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 3.3 assists through nine SEC games.
"I'm just trying to set the tone for my teammates," Swain said postgame. "Focusing on what we did good and building on that, and what we did bad, going back into the lab and fixing those things. I think that's the formula to winning games and keeping our momentum."
That mindset showed up across the board in the second half against Oklahoma. Texas shot a blistering 72% from the field after the break and finished the game at 60% overall - their most efficient offensive outing in conference play. Matas Vokietaitis added 14 points, Camden Heide chipped in 13, and Jordan Pope contributed 12 as the Longhorns spread the scoring load and found rhythm at the right time.
Now, they return to Austin looking to stack wins - and they’ll face a South Carolina team that’s been trending in the opposite direction.
The Gamecocks (11-11, 2-7 SEC) are coming off a gut-punch 92-87 overtime loss at home to LSU, a game that featured eight lead changes and seven ties in the second half and OT. It was South Carolina’s third straight loss and sixth in its last seven outings.
Meechie Johnson led the way with 21 points, while Kobe Knox (15), Eli Ellis (14), Elijah Strong (12), and Mike Sharavjamts (11) all scored in double figures. But despite the balanced attack, South Carolina couldn’t close the deal - and it came down to execution in crunch time.
“We had opportunities in the second half,” head coach Lamont Paris said. “If you look at the real waning moments of the game, we didn’t make some plays, and combined with some free-throw shooting, oftentimes, that’s the difference in these close games.”
That free-throw shooting - normally a strength - betrayed the Gamecocks on Saturday. They hit just 22-of-31 from the line (71%), a dip from their usual league-leading efficiency. In a game that tight, those missed opportunities loomed large.
Tuesday’s matchup will be just the second time South Carolina has played in Austin, and the first since January 1982. History aside, both teams know what’s at stake now.
For Texas, it’s a chance to build on a strong road win and stay in the thick of the SEC race. For South Carolina, it’s about stopping the slide and finding answers before the season gets away from them.
Tipoff can’t come soon enough.