Streak Snapped: Texas Dismantles #10 Vanderbilt in Austin

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The Moody Center was a pressure cooker on Wednesday night, as the Texas Longhorns delivered a defensive masterpiece to hand No. 10 Vanderbilt its first loss of the season.

The 80–64 victory not only snapped the Commodores’ program-record-tying 16-game winning streak but also signaled that Rodney Terry’s Longhorns (11–6, 2–2 SEC) have officially turned a corner in conference play.

1. The Tale of Two Halves

Vanderbilt (16–1, 3–1 SEC) arrived in Austin with the nation’s most efficient three-point attack, and for the first 20 minutes, they looked the part.

The First Half Blitz: The Commodores kept pace by raining down 8-of-15 from beyond the arc. Duke Miles was electric early, scoring 14 of his 21 points before the break.
The Second Half Suffocation: After trailing 42–37 at halftime, Vanderbilt completely collapsed under the weight of Texas’s perimeter defense. The Longhorns held the Dores to a season-low 27 points in the second half, including a staggering 1-of-10 mark from three-point range.

2. Dominance in the “Dirty Areas”

While Vanderbilt relied on the perimeter, Texas lived in the paint and on the glass. The physical disparity between the two squads was the deciding factor:

The Glass: Texas outrebounded Vanderbilt by a massive +18 margin (42–24).
Points in the Paint: The Longhorns outscored the Dores 30–14 inside, led by the bruising play of sophomore center Matas Vokietaitis.
Foul Trouble: Vanderbilt’s frontcourt was neutralized early, with key big men Jalen Washington and Devin McGlockton both plagued by early fouls that disrupted their defensive rhythm.

3. By the Numbers: Longhorns vs. Commodores

Category	#10 Vanderbilt	Texas Longhorns
Final Score	64	80
Field Goal %	36.7% (22-60)	52.9% (27-51)
3-Point % (2nd Half)	10.0% (1-10)	30.0% (3-10)
Total Rebounds	24	42
Points in Paint	14	30

4. Standout Performers

Matas Vokietaitis (TEX): The game-high scorer with 22 points on a nearly perfect 7-of-9 shooting. He dominated the interior and set the tone physically.
Tramon Mark (TEX): Scored 21 points, with 16 coming in a decisive second-half surge that put the game out of reach.
Dailyn Swain (TEX): The ultimate stat-sheet stuffer, finishing with 14 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists.
Duke Miles (VANDY): Kept the Dores in the game early with 21 points, but struggled to find open looks as Texas’s defense tightened in the final 10 minutes.

“We knew they hadn’t been pushed in an environment like this yet,” Texas coach Rodney Terry said postgame. “Our identity is defense and rebounding. When we do those two things, we can play with anyone in the country.”

5. What’s Next: The Lone Star Showdown

The Longhorns have now recorded back-to-back wins over Top 15 opponents (Alabama and Vanderbilt). They look to keep the momentum alive this Saturday, January 17, when they host Texas A&M in a highly anticipated “Lone Star Showdown” at the Moody Center.