Texas basketball forward Dailyn Swain had the best game of his career, but that offered no solace after a wrenching 101-98 overtime loss to Mississippi State in the SEC opener for both squads Saturday at Moody Center.
Swain set career-highs in points (34) and rebounds (14), but his fifth and final foul with 1 minute, 42 seconds coincided with a late Bulldog run in regulation. And without Swain on the court in the extra time, Texas (9-5, 0-1 SEC) couldn’t match the firepower of Mississippi State (9-5, 1-0) guards Josh Hubbard (38 points) and Jayden Epps (27 points) as well as the rest of the Bulldogs.
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Texas Longhorns guard Simeon Wilcher (7) dribbles the ball towards the Mississippi State basket during the game at the Moody Center on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns guard Tramon Mark (12) takes the court ahead of the game against Mississippi State at the Moody Center on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns head coach Sean Miller talks to his players ahead of the game against Mississippi State at the Moody Center on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns head coach Sean Miller greets Mississippi State head coach Chris Jans ahead of the game at the Moody Center on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns guard Dailyn Swain (3) shoots the ball during the game against Mississippi State at the Moody Center on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns guard Tramon Mark (12) dunks the ball during the game against Mississippi State at the Moody Center on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns guard Chendall Weaver (2) shoots the ball past Mississippi State center Quincy Ballard (15) during the game at the Moody Center on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns guard Chendall Weaver (2) shoots the ball past Mississippi State center Quincy Ballard (15) during the game at the Moody Center on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns center Matas Vokietaitis (8) is blocked by Mississippi State forward Sergej Macura (11) during the game at the Moody Center on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns center Matas Vokietaitis (8) is blocked from shooting during the game against Mississippi State at the Moody Center on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns guard Chendall Weaver (2) dribbles the bal during the game against Mississippi State at the Moody Center on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 in Austin.
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Mississippi State head coach Chris Jans yells intructions from the sideline during the game against the Texas Longhorns at the Moody Center on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns guard Simeon Wilcher (7) celebrates a drawn foul by guard Dailyn Swain (3) during the game against Mississippi State at the Moody Center on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns guard Tramon Mark (12) shoots the ball during the game against Mississippi State at the Moody Center on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns guard Tramon Mark (12) looks for an open team mate for a pass during the game against Mississippi State at the Moody Center on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns guard Dailyn Swain (3) shoots the ball over Mississippi State forward Achor Achor (99) during the game at the Moody Center on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns guard Dailyn Swain (3) collides with Mississippi State forward Achor Achor (99) during the game at the Moody Center on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns center Matas Vokietaitis (8) is fouled by Mississippi State forward Jamarion Davis-Fleming (0) during the game at the Moody Center on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns center Matas Vokietaitis (8) shoots the ball past Mississippi State forward Jamarion Davis-Fleming (0) during the game at the Moody Center on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns center Matas Vokietaitis (8) is blocked by Mississippi State forward Jamarion Davis-Fleming (0) during the game at the Moody Center on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns guard Tramon Mark (12) is guarded by Mississippi State guard Josh Hubbard (12) during the game at the Moody Center on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns guard Jordan Pope (0) pushes past Mississippi State guardJa’Borri McGhee (2) during the game at the Moody Center on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns guard Tramon Mark (12) pushes past Mississippi State guard Josh Hubbard (12) during the game at the Moody Center on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns guard Dailyn Swain (3) shoots the ball over Mississippi State guard Shawn Jones Jr. (5) during the game at the Moody Center on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns guard Dailyn Swain (3) collides with Mississippi State guard Shawn Jones Jr. (5) during the game at the Moody Center on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas Longhorns guard Tramon Mark (12) guards Mississippi State guard Josh Hubbard (12) during the game at the Moody Center on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 in Austin.
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Mississippi State trailed 86-79 at the time Swain fouled out. The Bulldogs outscored Texas 7-0 in the rest of regulation and never trailed in overtime.
Swain’s fifth foul came on a controversial call after Swain fell to floor while trying to box out Mississippi State’s Achor Achor.
“They (the officials) didn’t say anything, but the only thing I was thinking about the call is it was my fifth,” Swain said. “I knew I was coming out the game, and it hurt, obviously. I was just disappointed I couldn’t finish the game and keep fighting for my team.”
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Texas Longhorns guards Dailyn Swain (3) and Simeon Wilcher (7) leave the court after the loss to Mississippi State at the Moody Center on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 in Austin.
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Texas coach Sean Miller was disappointed, too.
“I thought his fifth foul is tough call,” he said. “It’s tough to call a foul in an SEC game with the game on the line when the guy fell down on the floor. I don’t agree with it. Maybe I’m wrong.”
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But Miller doesn’t plan on filing any sort of complaint with the SEC about the officiating, which also included several other calls against Texas. Instead, he bemoaned his team’s tendency to foul, especially late in the shot clock.
“I’m not that guy,” Miller said when asked about an official complaint to the conference. “I don’t do that. I’ve coached, like, 700 games, and there are times when fouls are called that favor you, and that’s when you never really say anything. And then there are times when it goes against you. I thought Dailyn’s fifth foul was a really, really tough call to foul out on and certainly impacted the stretch run in the game.”
Tramon Mark had 20 points for Texas, including a 3-pointer and a steal and layup that helped give the Longhorns their seven-point lead late in the game. But he also missed a free throw with 9 seconds left in overtime that would have tied the game.
“Just got to make them,” said Mark. “I missed them when they mattered most. Just got to make them.”
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Texas returns to the court Tuesday at No. 19 Tennessee.
Read below for a replay and highlights as the Mississippi State Bulldogs lead the Texas Longhorns 48-43 at halftime Saturday at Moody Center in Austin.
MORE: Texas basketball: How Sean Miller plans to tweak next year’s nonconference schedule
MORE: Protecting home court key in SEC opener vs Mississippi State
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Mark misses a game-tying free throw with 7 seconds left, and a 3-point shot by Simneon Wilcher bounces off the rim at the buzzer.
Josh Hubbard hits yet another 3-pointer, and Tramon Mark makes one of two foul shots. But Mark helps force a turnover. Wow.
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Tramon Mark doesn’t care about that reversal. He hits a 3-pointer then steals the ball and ties the game on a layup. What a wild, wild game.
A fast-break basket by Simeon Wilcher cuts the lead to three, but a replay overturns the call. The officials really aren’t making any friends on the Texas bench.
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Josh Hubbard (33 points) converts an and-one at the Bulldogs are closing in on a miraculous comeback win.
Now, Jordan Pope has fouled out. Texas is losing its shotmakers in OT, and the Bulldogs have possession.
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A putback by Brandon Walker for Mississippi State, and Jordan Pope misses a jumper at the buzzer. This game is somehow headed to overtime, and the Longhorns don’t have their best player in forward Dailyn Swain (34 points, 14 rebounds).
Dailyn Swain fouls out on a very questionable call, and Mississippi State gets a massive 3-pointer from Josh Hubbard (28 points) on a wild scramble. Texas takes a timeout, and they’ll need to find a basket from someone other than Swain.
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Tramon Mark nails a big 3-pointer for Texas, Josh Hubbard misses two free throws, and Dailyn Swain converts a 3-point play. Huge stretch in this game.
A Jordan Pope foul on a 3-point shot by Jayden Epps at the shot-clock buzzer. These are the things that give Texas coach Sean Miller a bellyache, and the has been not uncommon this season.
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Dailyn Swain has a career-high 31 points for Texas, including a fast-break dunk on a pass from Jordan Pope that gives Texas a 4-point lead.
A 3-point shot from Chendall Weaver followed by a steal and 3-point play by Dailyn Swain, and Texas takes the lead. But Josh Hubbard (25 points) answers with a pair of buckets for Mississippi State. We’re set up for quite the finish in the SEC opener.
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Texas fell behind 59-52, but Dailyn Swain responded with a driving reverse layup and one of two free throws. He’s playing like an All-American tonight with 23 points and nine rebounds. This game has found another level, and the crowd is responding.
Texas just can’t get over the hump, even with 20 points from Dailyn Swain. Mississippi State is outrebounding Texas 6-1 so far this half.
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Entertaining game, probably too entertaining for Texas coach Sean Miller. The Bulldogs shoot 48.6% from the floor and get 20 points in the paint. Where would Texas be without Dailyn Swain, who leads all 18 points and eight rebounds. Josh Hubbard has 20 for Mississippi State.
Chendall Weaver ignites the crowd with a couple of transition buckets and Dailyn Swain gets an and-1, but Texas just can’t string together stops with big buckets.
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And Josh Hubbard nails a 3-pointer out of the timeout for Mississippi State. The Longhorns just can’t string things together.
Chendall Weaver and Jordan Pope play some tight defense, Texas gets a stop, Weaver finds Simeon Wilcher for an open 3, Wilcher drains the shot, the crowd goes nuts, and Mississippi State calls a timeout. Easy, right?
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Everything is a struggle for Texas; the Longhorns are shooting just 36.8% from the floor and have forced just one turnover.
Texas is outrebounding Mississippi State 16-9 and has held the Bulldogs to 3-of-10 shooting behind the arc. But Texas has six turnovers compared to none for Mississippi State.
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Dailyn Swain has seven rebounds already as Texas is starting to seize control of the glass. Josh Hubbard and Jayden Epps have combined for 13 of the Bulldogs’ points while Swain has seven to lead Texas. The Texas forward is on pace for a double-double by halftime.
Tramon Mark goes under a couple of screens, Josh Hubbard drains a couple of 3s, and Texas coach Sean Miller is not happy. Mark gets pulled for Simeon Wilcher, and the Bulldogs are off to a fast start.
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We’re off at Moody. Josh Hubbard draws a foul on Tramon Mark but makes just one of two free throws.
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G Jordan Pope (13.2 ppg, 2.8 apg)
G Tramon Mark (11.5 pp, 3 rpg, 2.4 apg)
F Camden Heide (6.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg)
F Dailyn Swain (15 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 3.5 apg)
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P Matas Vokietaitis (15.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg)
G Jayden Epps (15.9 ppg, 2 rpg, 1.6 apg)
G Josh Hubbard (21.3 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 3.8 apg)
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G Shawn Jones Jr (6.2 ppg, 5.2 rpg)
F Sergej Marcura (5.4 ppg, 5 rpg)
P Quincy Ballard (6.9 ppg, 7.5 rpg)
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Where: Moody Center in Austin
Line: Texas is favored by 9 ½
TV/radio: SEC Network, 1300, 98.1, 105.3 (Spanish)
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