Texas Longhorns forward Dailyn Swain (3) puts his hands up to the crowd as the clock winds down in the second half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns guard Jordan Pope (0) smiles after the Longhorns beat the Vanderbilt Commodores 80-64 at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns guard Simeon Wilcher (7) and forward Lassina Traore (23) cheer for their teammates in the second half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns forward Dailyn Swain (3) looks to get the ball up as Vanderbilt Commodores forward Ak Okereke (10) defends in the first half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns center Matas Vokietaitis (8) puts the ball up in the second half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns guard Tramon Mark (12) shoots a free throw in the second half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns center Matas Vokietaitis (8) dunks the ball in the first half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns guard Jordan Pope (0) makes a pass in the second half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns guard Tramon Mark (12) smiles after the Longhorns beat the Vanderbilt Commodores 80-64 at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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The team put their hands in after the Longhorns beat the Vanderbilt Commodores 80-64 at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns center Matas Vokietaitis (8) grabs a pass from guard Chendall Weaver (2) to dunk the ball in the second half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns guard Tramon Mark (12) asks for a play from his team in the first half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns guard Tramon Mark (12) puts his fist up to greet his fellow starters as the lineup is announced ahead of the game as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns head coach Sean Miller encourages the team during a timeout in the second half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns forward Dailyn Swain (3) drives up to the room as Vanderbilt Commodores forward Ak Okereke (10) defends in the second half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns forward Dailyn Swain (3) goes down under defense from Vanderbilt Commodores forward Devin McGlockton (99) as the ball heads toward the basket in the second half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns guard Simeon Wilcher (7) holds a giant head of Texas Alum Kevin Durant as he celebrates after the Longhorns beat the Vanderbilt Commodores 80-64 at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns guard Tramon Mark (12) smiles as the clock winds down in the second half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns guard Chendall Weaver (2) during a timeout in the second half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns forward Lassina Traore (23) puts the ball up in the first half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns guard Chendall Weaver (2) smiles as the clock winds down in the second half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns guard Chendall Weaver (2) catches the ball in the first half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns guard Tramon Mark (12) sets up a play in the second half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns center Matas Vokietaitis (8) looks for a pass in the first half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns center Matas Vokietaitis (8) dunks the ball in the second half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns forward Dailyn Swain (3) looks for a pass out of trouble in the first half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns guard Simeon Wilcher (7) drives in to the hoop in the first half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns forward Dailyn Swain (3) and center Matas Vokietaitis (8) react to a foul call in the second half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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The ball falls through the net in the second half as the Texas Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns forward Dailyn Swain (3) and Vanderbilt Commodores forward Ak Okereke (10) vie for the rebound in the first half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns guard Simeon Wilcher (7) supports his team from the bench in the second half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns guard Simeon Wilcher (7) drives in to the hoop in the first half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns forward Dailyn Swain (3) looks for an opening in the first half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns guard Jordan Pope (0) controls the ball as Texas builds a play in the first half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Vanderbilt Commodores forward Devin McGlockton (99) brings the rebound down in the first half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns forward Lassina Traore (23) looks for a pass around defense from Vanderbilt Commodores forward Devin McGlockton (99) in the first half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns guard Chendall Weaver (2) leaps to block an attempt from Vanderbilt Commodores forward Jalen Washington (13) in the first half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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The bench celebrates a play from Texas Longhorns guard Chendall Weaver (2) in the second half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns guard Tramon Mark (12) looks for a way through defense from Vanderbilt Commodores forward Devin McGlockton (99) in the second half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns guard Tramon Mark (12) blocks an attempt from Vanderbilt Commodores forward Tyler Nickel (5) in the second half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns guard Jordan Pope (0) sets up a play in the second half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Vanderbilt Commodores forward Jalen Washington (13) blocks an attempt from Texas Longhorns center Matas Vokietaitis (8) in the second half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Who are these guys and what did they do with the Texas Longhorns?
Jokes aside, this is the Texas men’s basketball team Sean Miller expected in Austin from Day 1, but his years in the game have taught him that some things take time.
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Texas Longhorns forward Dailyn Swain (3) puts his hands up to the crowd as the clock winds down in the second half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns forward Dailyn Swain (3) and center Matas Vokietaitis (8) react to a foul call in the second half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns guard Tramon Mark (12) sets up a play in the second half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns center Matas Vokietaitis (8) dunks the ball in the second half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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The Longhorns are figuring it out and the last two games have shown us what they are capable of becoming.
MORE CED: An open letter to new Texas WR Cam Coleman
TEXAS VS. TEXAS A&M
When/where: 5 p.m. Saturday at Moody Center.
TV/radio: ESPN; 1300 AM, 98.1 FM.
No. 10 Vanderbilt arrived unbeaten but left Moody Center on the business end of an 80-64 blowout Wednesday night and it was no fluke because the Longhorns, in the span of five days, have gone from soul-searchers to NCAA Tournament résumé-builders with consecutive wins over top-15 opponents — No. 13 Alabama and the No. 10 Commodores — for the first time since February 2023. They looked nothing like the listless bunch that had zero juice in last week’s 14-point loss at Tennessee that pushed them to the verge of starting a second straight SEC season 0-3.
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The Horns (11-6, 2-2) won’t always shoot 54% from the field like they did in this one or hold a 16-0 team to 37%, but they can control this effort. The results will speak for themselves. Team leader Tramon Mark had a message for Longhorn Nation after the team’s most satisfying win to date.
Texas Longhorns guard Chendall Weaver (2) and Texas Longhorns forward Dailyn Swain (3) celebrate their win after the Longhorns beat the Vanderbilt Commodores 80-64 at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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“Don’t give up on us, man,” said Mark, who scored 21 points. “Don’t give up on us. We’re a great team and we’re still getting better. We’re still not playing our best basketball. Just trusting that we’re still getting better.”
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MORE CED: Is Sark after Year 5 a championship coach?
Familiar foe coming to Moody Center
Now with Texas A&M (13-4, 3-1) rolling into town Saturday, the Longhorns — who are tied with six other teams at 2-2 in the SEC, one game behind five 3-1 squads — have suddenly become a tough out. Better yet, they have risen to No. 37 in the KenPom.com national rankings, which puts them in great position with some money games coming up.
So how did it turn around so fast?
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Well, Miller got after them. It took the players a minute to get over that 101-98 overtime home loss to Mississippi State in their league opener — Texas led by seven with 2 minutes, 17 seconds left in regulation before it fell part. Then the Horns got in their feelings and put up the 85-71 clunker in Knoxville that moved Miller — a truth machine disguised as a basketball coach — to bench some starters down the stretch because he didn’t like the effort he was seeing.
Texas Longhorns head coach Sean Miller talks to his team in a huddle during a timeout in the second half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Spin ahead two games and the Horns, while far from a finished product, are playing with fire, effort and yes, joy.
“I think the foundation of building anything is just disciplined, hard work, extra effort, competitive spirit, where I play hard,” Miller said. “All those phrases, we all know what that means. But before you get to the execution of things — a set play, your philosophy on defense or offense — you have to have a collective will to compete.”
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MORE HORNS: Best photos from Texas-Vanderbilt
Miller took a page from longtime Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, who always preached to his teams the benefits of learning from failure. Miller isn’t one to burn the game tape from a loss. He’d rather study it many times over.
“You have to own it,” he said.
Texas Longhorns guard Jordan Pope (0) looks to set up a play as Vanderbilt Commodores guard Duke Miles (2) defends in the first half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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The defensive play of the game
One second-half sequence Wednesday illustrated exactly what Miller is seeking on a nightly basis. It came at the 5:54 mark with Texas leading 70-58.
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The game was well in hand, but this is the SEC and the hard lesson learned against Mississippi State was still relatively fresh, yet there stood the Horns, scrapping and clawing as if it was a two-point game. Texas guard Jordan Pope, who didn’t score in the second half, harassed Vanderbilt’s Tyler Tanner early in the possession. The ball ended up in Duke Miles’ hands. Miles, who finished with 21 points, attempted a 3-pointer, but Mark blocked the shot and the Commodores threw up an airball for a shot-clock violation.
“If you look back at (Mississippi State), that’s a game we wish we had back, but yeah, we’ve just been playing harder,” Mark said. “We practiced so hard, so why not translate it to the game? We practice very hard. We do our thing, we get in and out, and we translate it to the game, just like we did tonight.”
Texas Longhorns guard Simeon Wilcher (7) leaps up to put the ball in in the first half as the Longhorns take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Moody Center in Austin, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Things are looking up for Texas
With 14 games remaining in the regular season, it’s a long journey to the NCAAs, but the Longhorns put on a show Wednesday. With the students back from holiday break, Moody was rocking and the Horns looked every bit like a tournament team. And when your two most experienced players are leading the way, it’s much easier for the others to step in line and follow. Pope did his thing with 12 first-half points and Mark took over from there with 18 of his 21 points in the second half, including three triples that had the crowd roaring in approval.
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Add the play of Dailyn Swain, who had a nice all-court game with 14 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, energizer bunny Chendall Weaver, who had nine rebounds (five on the offensive end at a generously listed 6-foot-3 height) and big man Matas Vokietaitis, who had a game-high 22 points — including a couple of crowd-pleasing dunks — and Texas has the makings of a tournament team.
They are setting into Miller’s up-tempo style and better yet, they’re putting out on defense to open up scoring opportunities on the other end.
Most important are the intensity and effort, the two intangibles the Horns can control.
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It’s their best path to success.