The Texas Longhorns are starting to look like a team that’s hitting its stride at just the right time. On Saturday, they delivered a convincing 85-68 win over Missouri on the road, fueled by a dominant second-half performance that saw them outscore the Tigers by 15 after halftime. It was the kind of statement win that could go a long way toward securing a first-round bye in the NCAA Tournament - and it showcased the depth, poise, and firepower that have started to define this group down the stretch.
At the heart of it all was junior wing Dailyn Swain, who took over after the break. Swain poured in 18 of his game-high 25 points in the second half, catching fire with a near-flawless shooting display - 6-of-7 from the field and a perfect 4-for-4 from the line.
What stood out wasn’t just the volume, but the timing. Two of his biggest buckets came on late-clock, off-the-dribble threes - the kind of shots that crush momentum for the other side and energize your own bench.
Swain’s ability to create in tight situations gave Texas the breathing room it needed to keep Missouri at bay.
But this wasn’t a one-man show. Sophomore center Matas Vokietaitis turned in a quietly dominant outing in the paint, finishing with 19 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double.
He was efficient - 6-of-10 from the floor, 7-of-8 at the stripe - and relentless on the glass, grabbing five offensive boards that helped Texas control the interior. His presence gave the Longhorns a steady anchor inside, especially in a game where physicality and second-chance points mattered.
Senior guard Jordan Pope chipped in 15 points despite navigating foul trouble, showing his usual scoring touch in limited minutes. But the real X-factor came from the bench, where a couple of key performances helped Texas pull away.
Junior guard Simeon Wilcher had a rollercoaster outing but ultimately delivered in a big way. After back-to-back turnovers and a tough technical foul on review, Wilcher regrouped and made every shot he took - two from the field, four from the line - while dishing out a team-high four assists. His ability to bounce back from early miscues and settle into the flow of the game was a big reason the Longhorns kept their foot on the gas.
Then there was sophomore forward Nic Codie, stepping up in a big spot with graduate forward Lassina Traore sidelined. In just 15 minutes, Codie made a major impact - nine points on 4-of-5 shooting, six rebounds (three offensive), and a block. It was easily the most productive conference performance of his young career, and it came at a time when Texas needed a spark in the frontcourt rotation.
Even with Missouri holding a slight edge in bench points, the Longhorns’ reserves did enough to swing the momentum - and the starters took care of the rest. Defensively, they limited Missouri standout Mark Mitchell to 16 points and just one assist, a testament to Texas’ discipline and ability to contain top scoring threats.
The Longhorns also won the battle on the boards (36-26) and dominated inside, outscoring Missouri 40-28 in the paint. That interior advantage helped offset a few defensive lapses, particularly some ill-timed fouls on jump shooters that gave the Tigers 38 free-throw attempts. But even with 22 team fouls, Texas played with enough control and verticality to prevent those mistakes from swinging the game.
They also showed some mental toughness in a second half that got bogged down by long reviews and stop-start sequences. In past games, that kind of choppiness might have thrown this team off rhythm.
Not this time. Texas stayed composed, executed when it mattered, and continued its recent trend of capitalizing on winnable matchups.
Now riding a four-game win streak, the Longhorns return home to face LSU on Tuesday. With the Tigers sitting at 2-10 in conference play, Texas is in prime position to extend its run to five straight.
Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. Central on SEC Network - and if the Horns keep playing like this, they’ll be tough to slow down.