The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
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Men's Basketball falls to No. 6/5 Duke, 75-60, in season opener
11.05.2025 | Men's Basketball
Swain records a team-high 16 points on Tuesday night in the Dick Vitale Invitational.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Junior guard/forward Dailyn Swain posted a team-high 16 points, but Texas (0-1) dropped a 75-60 decision to No. 6/5 Duke (1-0) in the Dick Vitale Invitational presented by Belk on Tuesday night at the Spectrum Center. The contest marked the opener for the 2025-26 season for both teams.
Swain converted 7-of-18 field goals, including 2-of-5 threes, and grabbed six rebounds in 36 minutes. Senior guard Jordan Pope registered 15 points while hitting 3-of-4 threes and 6-of-7 free throws in 30 minutes, and sophomore center Matas Vokietaitis added 15 points while converting a career-best 9-of-10 free throws to go along with eight rebounds in 23 minutes. Graduate forward Lassina Traore posted a team-best nine rebounds in 18 minutes.
The Longhorns jumped out to a 12-8 lead following a Swain put-back at the 12:10 mark. Duke responded with a 15-2 spurt over the next three minutes to build a 23-14 cushion after an Isaiah Evans dunk with 9:08 remaining.
A Darren Harris three-pointer gave the Blue Devils a 26-17 advantage at the 7:55 mark, before Texas used a 10-3 spurt over the next three-and-a-half minutes to cut the deficit to 29-27 following a pair of free throws by Vokietaitis with 4:12 left. An Evans free throw provided Duke with a 32-29 cushion at the 2:51 mark, before the Longhorns used a pair of Vokietaitis free throws and a Nic Codie turnaround jumper to take a 33-32 lead into the break. Texas posted a 25-15 rebound margin, including a 12-6 edge on the offensive glass, in the opening 20 minutes.
Duke opened the second half with an 10-0 run over the first five minutes to build a 42-33 advantage after a pair of Cameron Boozer free throws with 15:08 remaining. The Blue Devils increased their cushion to 51-41 following a pair of Cayden Boozer free throws at the 11:50 mark, before the Longhorns went on a 7-0 spurt over the next two-and-a-half minutes to trim the margin to 51-48 after a Swain jumper with 9:33 left.
Duke answered with an 8-0 run over the next two minutes to grab a 59-48 advantage at the 7:41 mark following an Evans dunk. Texas pulled to within 59-51 after a Vokietaitis three-point play with 7:05 left, but that would be as close as the Longhorns would get for the remainder of the contest.
Texas returns to the court when it hosts Lafayette on Saturday, Nov. 8. Tip is set for 2 p.m. Central in Moody Center, and the game will be streamed nationally on SEC Network+.
Texas Basketball Postgame Notes
Dick Vitale Invitational
#6/5 Duke 75, Texas 60
November 4, 2025
Spectrum Center (Charlotte, N.C.)
Attendance: 12,435
Team Notes
- Tonight's contest marked the debut of Sean Miller as the head coach of Texas Basketball.
- Texas dropped to 98-22 all-time in season-opening games.
- The Longhorns registered a 41-37 rebound margin, including an 18-11 edge on the offensive glass. Texas posted a 14-8 advantage in second-chance points.
- UT tallied a 20-12 advantage in bench scoring.
- The Longhorns posted a +10 rebound margin (25-15), including a 12-6 edge on the offensive glass, in the opening 20 minutes while building a 33-32 halftime advantage.
- Made the first start of his collegiate career (20 games)
- Set career highs in rebounds (4) and minutes (23) and tied his career high with one blocked shot
- Reached double figures in scoring (15 points) for the first time this year (1 game) and 72nd time in his career (100 games)
- Reached double figures in scoring (team-high 16 points) for the first time this year (1 game) and 26th time in his career (64 games)
- Tied his career high in minutes played (36)
- Recorded a team-best nine rebounds in 18 minutes
- Reached double figures in scoring (15 points) for the first time this year (1 game) and 19th time in his career (35 games)
- Set his career high in free throws made (9-10), previously made 8 free throws vs. South Florida (Feb. 2, 2025)
