Saturday Sweep: Longhorns Stay Hot, Sooners Stun Vandy
It was a rare “Saturday Sweep” for the Red River rivals on the hardwood.
While the football world focused on Super Bowl LX, both basketball programs picked up critical SEC wins—albeit in very different fashions.
Texas: The Steamroller
In Austin, the Longhorns (15-9, 6-5 SEC) continued their mid-season resurgence, dismantling Ole Miss 79-68.
The story was freshman sensation Matas Vokietaitis. The big man dominated the paint with a career-high 27 points, punishing the Rebels inside. It was Texas’s third straight win, signaling that Rodney Terry’s squad is peaking at the right time for March. They didn’t just win; they controlled the tempo from the tip.
Oklahoma: The Miracle
In Nashville, the story was survival.
Entering the game on a brutal 9-game losing streak, the Sooners (who had been left for dead in the SEC standings) walked into Memorial Gymnasium and stunned #15 Vanderbilt 92-91.
Guard Xzayvier Brown was the catalyst, pouring in 20 points (including 14 in the second half) to lead a shocking offensive explosion. In a season defined by close losses, this was the breakthrough Porter Moser needed. It wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t dominant, but it was gutsy.
The Takeaway
February 7th showed us the current state of both programs:
- Texas is building resume momentum, looking like a tournament lock.
- Oklahoma is fighting for pride, proving they still have a pulse.
For one day, at least, the rivalry ends in a draw: 2-0.
