Texas Longhorns Defeat Ole Miss in Thrilling Finish

Matas Vokietatis and Tramon Mark lead Texas to victory over former coach Chris Beard's Rebels

Published on Feb. 7, 2026

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The Texas Longhorns overcame an 18-point first-half deficit to defeat the Ole Miss Rebels 79-68 in a back-and-forth battle. Center Matas Vokietatis had a dominant performance with 27 points and 7 rebounds, while guard Tramon Mark added 19 points. Texas closed the game on a 14-0 run, with key late baskets from Jordan Pope, Dailyn Swain, and Simeon Wilcher to seal the victory.

Why it matters

This win was important for Texas as they continue to build momentum in SEC play. The Longhorns were able to overcome a deficit and rally late against a former head coach in Chris Beard, showing their resilience. The performance of Vokietatis and Mark also highlighted the team's depth and balanced scoring attack.

The details

Texas led by as much as 18 points in the first half, but Ole Miss clawed back to take a late lead. However, the Longhorns never gave up, tying the game on a Jordan Pope 3-pointer and then taking the lead for good with a 4-point play from Dailyn Swain. Simeon Wilcher then hit a clutch 3-pointer in the final minute to seal the victory.

  • Texas led by 12 at halftime.
  • Ole Miss went on a 19-8 run to start the second half and take the lead.
  • Texas closed the game on a 14-0 run in the final 3 minutes.

The players

Matas Vokietatis

Texas center who had a dominant performance with 27 points and 7 rebounds.

Tramon Mark

Texas guard who scored 19 points on 57% shooting to complement Vokietatis.

Chris Beard

Former Texas head coach who was on the opposing sideline for Ole Miss.

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What they’re saying

“I just came into the game with confidence. Last game, I had a bad game. I just let the game flow and it paid off.”

— Matas Vokietatis, Texas Center (on3.com)

“I kinda had a feeling that it was going to go in when it left my hands. After, it was just the whole crowd went crazy. Everybody went crazy, so I was just kind of feeding off that.”

— Simeon Wilcher, Texas Guard (on3.com)

“He's one of the hardest workers on our team. He's able to play more minutes. What's prevented him from playing more minutes in the past are those two or three plays where you have to be able to control your emotions, adjust and be a smarter defensive or offensive player. But he's improved. And again, I would just tell you, Matas, this was his day. The reason we beat Ole Miss, he was the difference in the game on our end.”

— Rodney Miller, Texas Head Coach (on3.com)

What’s next

Texas will head to Missouri in a week's time, a big rest before a stretch of five games in two weeks.

The takeaway

This thrilling comeback win over a former head coach showed the resilience and depth of the Texas Longhorns, as they continue to build momentum in SEC play. The standout performances from Vokietatis and Mark, combined with the clutch late-game heroics, demonstrated the Longhorns' ability to win close games against tough opponents.