Texas Ends Vanderbilt's Perfect Start with Statement Win in Austin
AUSTIN, Texas - The streak is over.
Vanderbilt came into the Moody Center riding high on a 16-0 start, but Texas brought that run to a screeching halt with an emphatic 80-64 win that showcased both offensive efficiency and second-half defensive dominance. The Longhorns leaned on a pair of standout performances from sophomore center Matas Vokietaitis and graduate guard Tramon Mark to hand the Commodores their first loss of the season.
Let’s start with Vokietaitis. The big man was a problem all night for Vanderbilt’s frontcourt.
He worked his way to the line nine times, hitting eight of those attempts, and finished 7-of-9 from the field - a model of efficiency. Whether it was drawing contact in the paint or finishing through traffic, the Lithuanian center controlled the interior and forced Vanderbilt into constant foul trouble.
Mark, meanwhile, delivered when it mattered most - especially in the second half. The veteran guard nailed multiple threes with the shot clock winding down, including a pair that helped Texas maintain separation during key stretches. He went 4-of-7 from deep and 5-of-6 at the line, finishing with 21 points and a handful of momentum-turning moments that kept the crowd buzzing.
“They were making shots against good defense,” Vanderbilt head coach Mark Byington said postgame, tipping his cap to Mark’s shot-making under pressure.
But this win wasn’t just about individual brilliance. Texas, facing the nation’s No. 8 team in adjusted defensive efficiency, put together one of its most complete offensive showings of the season.
The Longhorns shot 52.9% from the field, 41.2% from beyond the arc, and a stellar 86.4% from the free-throw line. Against a team known for its defense, Texas turned the tables - especially in the second half.
That’s where the game really shifted. The Longhorns locked in defensively, holding Vanderbilt to just 26.7% shooting after the break and allowing only one made three on 10 attempts.
They ran shooters off the line, forced tough looks inside the arc, and dominated the glass with a 42-28 rebounding advantage. That edge on the boards helped Texas control tempo and get out in transition, where they outscored the Commodores 8-0 on fast-break points.
The game opened with both teams trading punches. Texas hit its first four shots, including threes from Jordan Pope and Mark, while Vokietaitis threw down a late-shot-clock dunk. Vanderbilt countered with a hot start of its own, led by guard Tyler Tanner, who scored seven quick points to give the Commodores an early 13-12 lead.
But the Longhorns didn’t flinch. Pope answered with his third bucket, and Texas found a rhythm, hitting eight of its first 11 shots to take a 22-19 lead. During one stretch, they held Vanderbilt scoreless for over two minutes, forcing a 1-of-6 shooting skid that allowed them to create some breathing room.
Vanderbilt guard Duke Miles kept things close with a couple of timely threes, and the Commodores briefly reclaimed the lead. But Vokietaitis responded with a smooth left-handed finish on a spin move, and Texas began to seize control. Back-to-back buckets by freshman forward Chris Swain energized the home crowd, and a clean look from the corner by Cam Heide pushed the lead to 38-30, forcing a timeout from Vanderbilt.
Swain and Vokietaitis connected on a transition dunk to cap off a strong first half, but a quick 5-0 spurt by Vanderbilt - including a deep three from Tyler Nickel - cut the lead to five. Pope responded with a tough second-chance finish, but Nickel answered again, this time with a rare two-point jumper (just his 25th of the season), sending the game into halftime with Texas up 42-37.
Texas managed to defend without fouling in the opening half, keeping Vanderbilt out of the bonus and limiting them to just four free-throw attempts. However, the Longhorns had to navigate foul trouble of their own, particularly with graduate forward Lassina Traore picking up three fouls before the break.
The second half opened a bit shakily for Texas - a foul, two offensive rebounds allowed, and a turnover led to a three-point play for Miles. But once the Longhorns settled in, they took control. Mark drilled a buzzer-beating corner three, Vokietaitis got back to the line and continued to punish mismatches, and Texas maintained its five-point cushion.
Still, some sloppy play forced head coach Sean Miller to burn a timeout with 12:38 left after five turnovers in under eight minutes. Swain stopped the bleeding with a tough fadeaway to beat the shot clock, and Mark followed with another three to stretch the lead back to seven.
Vanderbilt found itself in the bonus with over 10 minutes to play, but Texas didn’t let it change the tone. Mark’s fourth three of the night lit up the crowd and gave the Horns some breathing room. Even with Vokietaitis picking up his third foul, the Longhorns forced a turnover to take a nine-point lead into the under-eight timeout.
From there, Texas slammed the door. Weaver finished in transition and earned two free throws by hustling for an offensive board, pushing the lead to 12. A shot-clock violation by Vanderbilt and a foul that disqualified center Jalen Washington led to more free throws for Mark, who calmly knocked both down.
The Commodores tried to claw back, but Texas kept the pressure on. Swain hit two more at the line, and back-to-back dunks from Vokietaitis - the exclamation points on a dominant second half - stretched the lead to 20 and sealed the win.
Vanderbilt came in undefeated. Texas sent them home with their first loss - and a clear message: the Longhorns are rounding into form, and when they’re locked in on both ends, they’re a tough team to beat.