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) 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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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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Students wave a giant Texas flag during a timeout 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 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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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 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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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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The Texas Marching Band plays during a timeout 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 guard Tramon Mark (12) dribbles 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) 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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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) 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.
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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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They call it “Bucky Ball” for a reason.
Guided by first-year coach Bucky McMillan, Texas A&M basketball likes to press, trap, shoot, run, press some more and shoot again.
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When it’s working, Bucky Ball leads to a bevy of buckets and a ream of runs. And it’s worked more often than not for the rebuilt Aggies (13-4, 3-1 SEC), who welcomed in 14 new players and have just one returner from last year’s team that went 23-11 and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
But Bucky Ball can bounce sideways, too. The Aggies only have one starter taller than 6 feet, 6 inches, and they sometimes get muscled around in the paint. In Tuesday’s double-overtime loss to Tennessee, the Vols outrebounded Texas A&M 60-35, had 22 second-chance points and shot 42 free throws.
Texas basketball (11-6, 2-2) has a noticeable side advantage in Saturday’s renewal of the bitter in-state rivalry dubbed the Lone Star Showdown at Moody Center. But replicating Tennessee’s success inside is easier said than done, Texas coach Sean Miller says.
“The No. 1 thing is really just to acknowledge Texas A& M’s identity, defensively,” Miller said. “They rely on pressure, they have great depth, and their full-court pressure has a wearing-down effect on your team. It also creates turnovers, and they do as good of a job as any team on our schedule of forcing turnovers.”
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GOLDEN: Two top-15 upsets later, Texas basketball has taken Sean Miller’s challenge to heart
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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Can Texas take advantage of Matas Vokietaitis?
But, can’t the Longhorns lean heavily on 7-foot sophomore Matas Vokietaitis, who averages 15.2 points and 6.3 rebounds a game and just scored 22 points in Wednesday’s 80-64 upset win over previously unbeaten Vanderbilt?
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“Before we can even get to Matas or try to establish an advantage we have (inside), you have to be able to tap their pressure, make smart decisions, be able to play long stretches with not allowing them to turn us over,” Miller said. “And I think if you do that, then you have a better chance of getting to your strengths, whatever they are.”
The Aggies’ weakness inside is apparent, especially after 6-9 forward Mackenzie Mgbako went down with a season-ending foot injury last month. Rashaun Agee plays bigger than his 6-8 frame inside, but Texas A&M has trouble controlling things in the paint.
That could mean a big day for Vokietaitis, a physical force who excels at drawing fouls. He leads the nation with 147 free-throw attempts but only ranks 19th in made free throws because of his 68.7 free-throw percentage. But after making just seven of his 15 free throws over the first three SEC games, Vokietaitis shot 7-of-9 from the stripe against Vanderbilt.
Did the big Lithuanian change anything at the line?
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“Nothing special,” he said. “I do my routine like I always do, and I’m just willing it to go through.”
Miller acknowledged getting the ball into Vokietaitis – and possibly getting Agee in foul trouble – will help the Longhorns’ cause against Texas A&M.
“Matas, being around him every day, is a better free throw shooter than he has shown in games,” Miller said. “That’s slowly starting to show up. We’re getting better at getting him the ball. I think we’ve discovered when to get it to him and when not to, putting him in the best position to be successful.”
Texas A&M: Ruben Dominguez leads 3-point parade
The Aggies may not match up physically with Vokietaitis and reserve forward Lassina Traore, but the Aggies compensate for their lack of size by jacking up – and making – bunches of 3-point shots. They rank just behind Alabama in the SEC in 3-point attempts with 529, and they also rank second in 3-point field-goal conversions at 36.9%. They may not have a player that ranks in the top 25 in the conference in scoring, but six players average at least in double figures. Ruben Dominguez, a 6-6 sharpshooter from Spain, leads the team with 13.8 points a game, and he’s not shy about taking shots; he averages a 3-point attempt every 3.2 minutes.
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And if Texas A&M does enough damage with its press and from behind the 3-point line, Miller may have to keep Vokietaitis on the bench and lean on a smaller lineup with guards Jordan Pope, Tramon Mark, Chendall Weaver and Simeon Wilcher.
“It seems like A&M really believes in what they do,” he said. “When you play them, you really have to be confident in your ability to attack their press, (and) you have to defend the 3-point shot not just with one or two players, but they shoot it from so many different spots. You have to close out. You have to be respectful of who they are as players, and you really have to admire how they share the ball.”
Texas (11-6, 2-2 SEC) vs. Texas A&M (13-4, 3-1): How to watch
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Where: Moody Center in Austin
TV/radio: ESPN; 1300 AM, 98.1 FM