Matas Vokietaitis Powers Texas Past Ole Miss in Statement SEC Win
Texas fans, meet your new interior anchor. Sophomore center Matas Vokietaitis delivered the kind of performance that doesn’t just win games-it shifts momentum for a program looking to climb the SEC ladder.
In a 79-68 win over Ole Miss, Vokietaitis was simply dominant. The seven-footer posted a career-high 27 points on a blistering 9-of-11 from the field, matching his best-ever shooting night.
He added 9-of-12 from the free-throw line, grabbed seven boards, and played a career-high 35 minutes. This wasn’t just a hot night-it was a coming-out party.
And the timing couldn’t have been better. With the win, Texas notched its first three-game conference win streak since joining the SEC. At 15-9 overall and 6-5 in league play, the Longhorns are trending in the right direction-and doing it with a blend of inside power and backcourt poise.
Vokietaitis set the tone from the jump, but he didn’t carry the load alone. Graduate guard Tramon Mark continued to be the steadying force Texas needs, chipping in 19 points, five rebounds, and four assists. He turned it over just once in 35 minutes-a model of efficiency and control in a game that featured plenty of momentum swings.
Senior Jordan Pope added 13 points and was flawless at the stripe, going 6-for-6 when it mattered most.
The Longhorns wasted no time grabbing control. After Ole Miss opened the scoring, Texas responded with an 11-1 run, then delivered a knockout blow midway through the first half with a 16-0 blitz that stretched the lead to 29-11. That stretch of basketball-marked by suffocating defense and smart, decisive offense-was arguably Texas’ best of the season.
By halftime, they led 37-25 and had held the Rebels to under 30 percent shooting. But Ole Miss didn’t fold. The Rebels came out of the locker room red-hot, hitting nine straight shots and briefly snatching the lead.
That’s when Texas showed its growth.
With the game tightening, Pope sparked the final push with a four-point play-a momentum-shifting sequence that reignited the Longhorns. Dailyn Swain and Simeon Wilcher followed with clutch buckets, and Texas slammed the door with stops on one end and free throws on the other.
This was a win built on toughness, timing, and trust. Vokietaitis gave Texas a reliable post presence, but it was the collective poise down the stretch that sealed it.
If Texas can keep blending that kind of interior dominance with backcourt composure, this team could be a real problem down the stretch in SEC play.