Dailyn Swain, Texas Longhorns Hold Off South Carolina for Home Win

The Texas Longhorns have picked up another SEC win as February begins.

Texas Longhorns guard Dailyn Swain celebrates a basket during the first half against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Moody Center. | Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images

The Texas Longhorns survived a bit of a scare at the Moody Center on Tuesday and picked up a key SEC win in the process.

Dailyn Swain scored 22 points and had 10 rebounds as Texas held off the South Carolina Gamecocka at home to pick up their fifth conference win of the year while moving to 14-9.

Texas trailed by nine in the first half but woke up after halftime, all while overcoming a career-high 35 points from South Carolina guard Meechie Johnson.

Texas Longhorns Pick Up Much-Needed Win

Texas Longhorns forward Camden Heide celebrates a three-point basket during the first half against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Moody Center. | Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images

Though the Longhorns didn't exactly pick up a resume-boosting win over an 11-11 Gamecocks team that's struggled this season, Texas avoided a potential crushing loss for its NCAA Tournament hopes by holding on for the victory.

Camden Heide played a big part in this, as he finished with 12 points and five rebounds on 3 of 6 shooting from deep.

"It's really just me being aggressive," Heide said after the game on SEC Network. "If I can open up the floor, make shots, it just creates more opportunities for the guys on our team, Dailyn, Tramon, the guys that can get to the rim. If I'm aggressive, ready to catch and shoot the ball or put the ball or put the ball on the floor and make a play, it really helps our team."

Tramon Mark added 18 points and six rebounds, which included 15 points in the second half. Matas Vokietaitis had 12 points and nine rebounds while Simeon Wilcher finished with seven points and four assists off the bench.

Texas dominated the glass, out-rebounding South Carolina 40-25 which included a 17-6 edge on offensive rebounds.

The Longhorns also got busy at the foul line, shooting 29 of 36.

Aside from Johnson, forward Elijah Strong (12 points) was the only other Gamecocks player to finish in double figures.

The Longhorns will need to continue to stack wins over the next fews games in order to avoid adding any potential "bad" losses to their NCAA Tournament resume.

Texas will host the Ole Miss Rebels and former Longhorns coach Chris Beard on Saturday in Austin. Beard will be making his return to the Moody Center after being fired by Texas in Jan. 2023 following an arrest for domestic violence.