Texas basketball will try and climb above .500 in the SEC for the first time since joining the conference before the start of last season against visiting Ole Miss.
But winning a third straight game could prove tricky for the Longhorns (14-9, 5-5 SEC) despite Ole Miss’s recent struggles. The Rebels (11-11, 3-6) have lost four straight games, including Tuesday’s 84-66 rout at Tennessee. But they’ve played teams such as Vanderbilt and Arkansas tight in SEC play, and coach Chris Beard would savor a win in his first return to Austin since being suspended and subsequently fired as the Longhorns’ head coach in January 2023 following his arrest for domestic assault.
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Follow below for live scores and updates Saturday as the Texas Longhorns raced off to a big halftime lead over the Ole Miss Rebels.
MORE: Several guards had season-high games vs Texas basketball. How can Longhorns fix it?
Texas center Matas Vokietaitis (8) is pressured by South Carolina forward EJ Walker (6) during the second half Feb. 3, 2026 in Austin.
Eric Gay/Associated Press
The Rebels managed to trim an 18-point deficit, but Texas holds a comfortable lead after a big half from Matas Vokietaitis (16 points, 5 rebounds) and Tramon Mark (9 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists). They did it even with just one basket from Dailyn Swain and seven turnovers. A 25-14 edge on teh glass helps, as does a defense that held Ole Miss to 27.3% shooting.
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Ole Miss has found a spark. Can Texas hold onto its comfortable lead at the break? The Longhorns may need more from star forward Dailyn Swain, who leads the team with 17.2 points a game but just scored his first basket of the game.
Ole Miss has missed 18 of its 21 shots. Chris Beard is getting desperate for anything on the offensive end.
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Make it a 14-0 run after Tramon Mark drains a baseline 3. Matas Vokietaitis has 14 points, Chendall Weaver has again changed the game with his energy, and Chris Beard takes a timeout.
A couple of tough baskets in the lane by Tramon Mark have fueled a 7-0 run for Texas. Matas Vokietaitis has 10 points and four boards on 3-of-3 shooting. Better yet, he doesn’t have a single foul, which is especially important since Lassina Traore looks like he’ll miss the game with a sore knee.
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Matas Vokietaitis has been assertive early for Texas with two baskets and four free throws for eight points. He takes a seat after the hot start, and Nic Codie is indeed in the game for Texas. It’s been more than a month since Codie, a 6-foot-8 forward, took the court.
Augusto Cassia nails a 3-pointer from the top of the arc for Ole Miss, and we’re off in Austin.
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G Jordan Pope (12.9 ppg, 2.2 apg)
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G Tramon Mark (13.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg)
F Camden Heide (7.2 ppg, 2.8 rpg)
F Dailyn Swain (17.7 ppg, 7.3 rpg)
P Matas Vokietaitis (14.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg)
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G Eduardo Klafke (3.2 ppg, 1.5 rpg)
G Ilias Kamardine (11.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg)
G Kezza Giffa (6.4 ppg, 1.3 rpg)
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F Patton Pinkins (9.0 ppg, 1.7 rpg)
F Augusto Cassia (2.5 ppg, 1.7)
Texas has been almost injury-free this season, but the Longhorns may have to face Ole Miss without backup big man Lassina Traore. The 6-foot-9, 245-pound senior, who averages 3.4 points and 5.1 rebounds in 15.6 minutes a game, was listed as doubtful on Friday’s injury report with a sore knee but is available to play Saturday. If Texas coach Sean Miller decides to sit Traore, sophomore forward Nic Codie will likely get Traore’s minutes off the bench in relief of starting post Matas Vokietaitis, according to a source close to the program. The 6-8 Codie hasn’t played since logging 17 minutes in a Jan. 6 loss at Tennessee.
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Where: Moody Center, Austin
TV/radio: ESPN+; 1300 AM, 98.1 FM
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Line: Texas is favored by 9½; total of 144½
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