PORTLAND, Ore. — At some point, Texas basketball forward Dailyn Swain and BYU freshman phenom AJ Dybantsa may meet again in the NBA.
But after his team held on for a 79-71 win over the Cougars in Thursday’s first round of the NCAA Tournament, Swain cared much more about surviving Dybantsa’s 35 points and 10 rebounds than taking any mental notes about matching up with him at the next level.
“I try to have my mind stay on this team and trying to get as deep in the tournament as we can, but yeah, that’s something that crossed my mind,” said Swain, a 6-foot-8 wing who spent plenty of time Thursday night trying to slow the 6-9 Dybantsa. “For sure, he’ll definitely be potentially the No. 1 pick if they watched the game (Thursday).”
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AJ Dybantsa: Should be No. 1 pick, says Dailyn Swain
Swain may not go that high in the draft, but he’s played his way into first-round consideration during a spectacular junior season in which he leads 11th-seeded Texas (20-14) in scoring (17.6 ppg), rebounding (7.5), total assists (118) and total steals (58). He’s also a long, lean defensive hound dog even though he has to carry a heavy load for the Texas offense. Against Dybantsa, he shared the primary defensive duties with 6-foot-5 guard Tramon Mark as well as plenty of defensive help from the other Longhorns.
Yes, Dybantsa had his 35 points. But he only shot 11 of 25 from the floor and committed five turnovers, including a critical one late in the game with BYU trailing 75-71 with 31 seconds left.
“We knew he was going to score,” Texas coach Sean Miller said. “We just wanted to make sure we did a great job rebounding, and we did as good of a job as we can guarding the rest of the group. I think that’s really why we were able to win.”
In that sense, Texas accomplished its defensive mission. Only one other player for the sixth-seeded Cougars reached double figures in points, and the Longhorns outrebounded BYU 40-31. They also avoided serious foul trouble while guarding Dybantsa, a major concern for Miller.
“We understood that he has the ability to score like nobody else,” Miller said. “What we talked about is a jump shot by him is a victory for us. What we couldn’t afford is that he puts Dailyn in foul trouble or he fouls our entire team out. Among the many things he does, he puts so many fouls on the opponent that he wears out the other team.”
But with Texas post Matas Vokietaits (23 points, 16 rebounds) and Mark (19 points) carrying a heavy load on offense, Swain said he was able to stay fresh while focusing on guarding Dybantsa.
“I knew that we have a lot of great scorers on this team, so taking on that matchup defensively, I knew I could off some possessions, maybe be in the corner or set a good screen for a teammate and free somebody up,” said Swain, who had 14 points, six assists and five rebounds. “And that’s exactly what we did. We just executed the game plan. And I take those matches personally, knowing that it takes a lot of energy out of me. But, like I said, my team stepped up.”
Forward Cam Heide, who also took a few turns trying to check Dybantsa, credited Swain for not backing down from the defensive challenge.
“I mean, you can see how effortlessly (Dybantsa) scored the ball,” Heide said. “It just shows how much of a competitor Dailyn is. Obviously, he’s one of our best players and does so much for us. When you get one of your best offensive players to take the challenge defensively against the other team’s best player, you know he’s not really worried about his offense. He just wants to win. He took that match up personal, and he was able to help us get the win today.”
NBA draft: Would Dailyn Swain be first-round pick?
Back to the NBA. Dybantsa is projected as the second overall pick in this summer’s draft by ESPN, and he told reporters after Thursday’s loss that he expects to decide on his future in the “next couple of weeks” after discussions with his family.
“My mom, mostly,” he said. “She’s kind of the big boss. Just talk to her and see what she says.”
Swain also projects as a first-round pick and currently ranks as the 29th best prospect in the 2026 NBA draft, per ESPN. But he’s consistently said that any decisions about his future will come after the season and after talking with his family. Until then, any further rematches with Dybantsa can wait. Swain and the Longhorns have to now get ready for a Saturday matchup with No. 3 Gonzaga, which advanced to the second round with a 73-64 win over scrappy Kennesaw State.
“Yeah, I know one day I’ll be in the NBA and we’ll match up,” he said. “But right now, I’m just focused on Texas Longhorns.”
No. 11 Texas (20-14) vs. No. 3 Gonzaga (31-3): How to watch
When: 6:10 p.m. CT Saturday
Where: NCAA Tournament second-round game
Where: Moda Center in Portland, Ore.
TV/radio: TBS; 1300 AM, 98.1 FM