The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
11-8,2-4SEC
Kentucky
13-6,4-2SEC
Men's Basketball falls at Kentucky, 85-80
01.21.2026 | Men's Basketball
Swain records a game-high 29 points to lead the Longhorns on Wednesday night in Rupp Arena.
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Junior guard/forward Dailyn Swain posted a game-high 29 points, but Texas (11-8, 2-4 SEC) dropped a hard-fought 85-80 decision at Kentucky (13-6, 4-2 SEC) on Wednesday night in Rupp Arena. The tightly-contested game featured 11 lead changes and 11 ties.
Swain converted 10-of-16 field goals (tied his career high) and 7-of-7 free throws while adding six rebounds, three assists and two steals in 36 minutes. Sophomore Matas Vokietaitis recorded his third double-double of the season with 15 points (5-6 FT) and 11 rebounds (six offensive) in 31 minutes. Senior Chendall Weaver tallied 14 points (6-9 FG, 2-2 FT) and three boards in 29 minutes, and graduate Tramon Mark added 12 points (6-11 FG), four rebounds and two steals in 26 minutes.
A back-and-forth opening 12 minutes featured seven lead changes and five ties, and neither team led by more than four points during the span. A Vokietaitis dunk evened the score at 23-23 at the 8:18 mark, before the Wildcats used a 7-2 spurt over the next two minutes to build a 30-25 advantage after a Malachi Moreno dunk in transition with 6:10 left.
Texas responded with a 7-0 run over the next two minutes to grab a 32-30 cushion following a Simeon Wilcher dunk in transition at the 4:16 mark. The Longhorns extended the margin to 36-33 after a Jordan Pope layup with 1:36 remaining. Texas took a 40-38 lead following a Mark tip-in with 11 seconds left, before a Denzel Aberdeen jumper with three seconds remaining tied the score at 40-40 entering the break.
Kentucky opened the second half with a 6-0 spurt to take a 46-40 advantage after a pair of Kam Williams at the 18:40 mark. The Wildcats grabbed a 55-49 cushion following a Mouhamed Dioubate three-point play with 13:06 left, before Texas answered with a 7-0 spurt over the next two minutes to take a 56-55 lead after a Swain three-pointer at the 11:07 mark.
Kentucky responded with a 15-4 run over the next three-and-a-half minutes to build a 70-60 advantage following a pair of Collin Chandler free throws with 7:33 remaining. The Wildcats took a 77-67 lead after a Dioubate free throw at the 4:16 mark, before the Longhorns used an 11-1 run to pull to within 80-78 following a Mark jumper with 56 seconds left. That was as close as Texas would get, as Kentucky hit 5-of-6 free throws in the final 26 seconds to seal the win. The Wildcats converted 30-of-35 from the free throw line on the night, including a 23-of-27 mark in the second half.
Texas is back on the court when it hosts No. 21/22 Georgia on Saturday, Jan. 24. Tip is slated for 12 p.m. Central in Moody Center, and the game will be televised nationally by SEC Network.
Texas Basketball Postgame Notes
Kentucky 85, Texas 80
January 21, 2026
Rupp Arena (Lexington, Ky.)
Attendance: 19,298
Team Notes
- Texas dropped to 1-3 in the all-time series against Kentucky, including an 0-2 mark in Rupp Arena.
- This marked UT's first visit to Rupp Arena since the 2014-15 season.
- The contest featured 11 lead changes and 11e Lo ties.
- Texas recorded a 48-32 advantage in points in the paint and a 16-11 margin in second-chance points.
- The Longhorns lost the rebound battle (36-34) for just the third time this season.
- Texas registered 13 offensive boards (same number as Kentucky) and has now reached double digits in offensive rebounds in 16 of its first 19 games.
- The Longhorns hit 90-percent (18-20) from the free throw line and committed just eight turnovers during the contest.
- Reached double figures in scoring (12 points) for the 13th time this year (19 games) and 87th time in his career (155 games)
- Tied his career high in field goals made (10-16)
- Topped the 20-point mark (game-high 29 points) for the fourth time this season (19 games) and fifth time in his career (82 games)
- Reached double figures in scoring for the 17th time this year and 42nd time in his career
- Went a perfect 7-of-7 from the free throw line and added six rebounds, three assists against one turnover and two steals in 36 minutes
- Recorded a double-double (15 points, 11 rebounds) for the third time this season (19 games) and fourth time in his career (53 games)
- Reached double figures in scoring for the 15th time this year and 33rd time in his career
- Reached double digits in rebounds for the third time this season and fourth time in his career
- His 11 boards tied his season high and were one shy of his career high (12 while at FAU vs. Tulane on March 14, 2025)
- Reached double figures in scoring (14 points) for the third time this year (19 games) and 32nd time in his career (105 games)
- Set his season high in field goals made (6-9)
- Made his first start of the season and at Texas (19 games) and 28th of his career (83 games)
