Dailyn Swain didn’t just bounce back Saturday night - he took over.
The junior forward poured in 25 points to lead Texas past Missouri, 85-68, on the road, pushing the Longhorns’ win streak to four and continuing their climb through the SEC standings. After a quiet showing against Ole Miss, Swain reminded everyone why he’s the Longhorns’ most electric scorer, putting up 18 of his 25 in a dominant second-half performance that helped Texas pull away for good.
This was a game that tested Texas early. Missouri, fresh off a big win over Texas A&M, came out with energy and kept things close through the first 20 minutes.
But the second half told a different story. Texas shot a blistering 16-of-26 from the field after the break, turning a tight contest into a convincing road win.
The Longhorns’ offense found its rhythm, and Swain was the engine.
Swain’s stat line - 25 points, six boards, and two assists - doesn’t just look good on paper. It reflected the control he had on the floor.
Whether he was slashing to the rim or pulling up in transition, Missouri didn’t have an answer. And when Swain gets going like that, the rest of the Texas offense tends to follow.
But this wasn’t a one-man show. Texas leaned heavily on its core trio of Swain, sophomore center Matas Vokietaitis, and senior guard Jordan Pope. The three combined for 59 of the team’s 85 points, setting the tone offensively and carrying the load from start to finish.
Vokietaitis, in particular, continues to show why he’s one of the most reliable big men in the conference. With graduate forward Lassina Traore sidelined, the Lithuanian center stepped up in a big way, notching a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds.
He was efficient - 6-of-10 from the field, 7-of-8 at the line - and physical, anchoring the paint on both ends despite battling foul trouble once again. That’s been a recurring theme for Vokietaitis this season, and Saturday night was no different, as he picked up four fouls against the Tigers.
Foul issues weren’t limited to the frontcourt, either. Pope, who added 15 points and a couple of rebounds, also found himself navigating foul trouble. And junior guard Simeon Wilcher, coming off the bench, was hit with a technical foul - a small blemish in an otherwise solid showing from the second unit.
Defensively, Texas did enough to keep Missouri at bay. The Tigers shot just 8-of-21 from the field in the second half, but they stayed afloat at the free throw line, going 20-of-27 down the stretch. Still, the Longhorns’ perimeter defense held firm, limiting Missouri’s clean looks and forcing them into tough shots for much of the night.
One area that remains a concern for Texas? The power forward spot.
Junior Camden Heide started at the four but failed to score, continuing a season-long trend of inconsistency at that position. And while the bench gave the Longhorns a bit of a spark - 18 points combined from Nic Codie and Wilcher - depth scoring remains a work in progress.
Still, when your top trio is clicking like this, you can survive a few quiet nights elsewhere. With Swain rediscovering his groove, Vokietaitis cleaning up inside, and Pope providing steady guard play, Texas is starting to look like a team that can make some real noise down the stretch.
Four straight wins, momentum building, and a star forward heating up at the right time - the Longhorns are finding their stride.