In the visitor’s locker room at Missouri on Saturday night, Texas head coach Sean Miller had a message - and a game ball - for sophomore forward Nic Codie.
Codie, who had barely seen the floor in SEC play this season, stepped up when the Longhorns needed him. In just his third conference appearance, the 6-foot-8 forward delivered nine points on 80% shooting and added six rebounds in just 15 minutes during Texas’ 85-68 win over Missouri. It was a breakout performance that didn’t just help the Longhorns secure their fourth straight SEC win - it also showed how much this team has grown from being a one-man show to a deeper, more balanced squad.
“We needed Nic to be able to come in the game, help us win and play,” Miller said in a postgame video. “To your credit, man, you were ready.”
And that’s been the theme lately for Texas: guys being ready. For much of the season, junior forward Dailyn Swain has carried the load - and make no mistake, he’s still the engine.
Through 12 SEC games, Swain is averaging 17.6 points on a blistering 57.3% from the field, while also chipping in 7.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. That’s star-level production.
But what’s changed is that the supporting cast is starting to lighten his load - and it’s showing up in the win column.
Codie’s spark off the bench was just the latest example. Junior guard Simeon Wilcher has also found his rhythm during this stretch.
He’s averaging 7.75 points over the four-game win streak and shooting a scorching 58.8% from the field. He also hit the dagger three-pointer that sealed the win over Ole Miss - a moment that capped a personal turnaround after struggling to find consistency earlier in the season.
Wilcher’s journey this year has been about resilience. He went scoreless three times early in SEC play and endured an eight-miss streak from beyond the arc across five games.
But instead of fading, he stayed ready. After the Ole Miss game, Wilcher reflected on the ups and downs: “It’s been amazing sticking with it through trials and tribulations that go through the season.”
Then there’s Chendall Weaver - the senior guard who doesn’t need the spotlight to make his presence felt. Around the program, he’s known as the “glue guy,” and it’s not hard to see why.
Weaver isn’t filling up the box score, but he’s doing all the little things that win games. He’s one of the most athletic players on the roster, and he uses that bounce to crash the boards - both offensively and defensively - in ways most guards just don’t.
Weaver’s defensive presence is equally valuable. His lateral quickness allows him to stay glued to his man, contest shots, and make life difficult for opposing guards.
Head coach Sean Miller summed it up after the South Carolina game: “He’s one of the best rebounding guards in the SEC… He’s a team guy. He has great energy, whether he’s in the game or on the bench.”
In other words, he’s the kind of player every team needs when the games start to matter most.
And the games are about to matter a whole lot more. After Tuesday’s matchup with LSU, Texas enters the toughest stretch of its schedule - a gauntlet that includes ranked opponents in No.
12 Florida and No. 20 Arkansas, plus the SEC Tournament looming on the horizon.
If the Longhorns want to keep their NCAA Tournament hopes alive, they’ll need more than just Swain’s brilliance. They’ll need Codie’s energy, Wilcher’s shot-making, and Weaver’s hustle - the kind of contributions that don’t always make headlines but win basketball games.
This is no longer a one-man show. Texas is starting to look like a team that can go toe-to-toe with anyone - not just because of their star, but because the rest of the cast is stepping into the spotlight.