Texas will be everyone's Cinderella tournament team because of this dynamic duo

Despite Texas having an incredibly up-and-down season in 2026, two players have been as steady as they come for Sean Miller and Co. this season. SF Dailyn Swain and C Matas Vokietaitis have carried the team in quite a few crucial games this season, and they'll have to potentially do it again in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, specifically against NC State tomorrow in the play-in game.

Swain, the Xavier transfer who Sean Miller brought with him to Texas, has been playing lights out for the Longhorns since the moment that he stepped onto the court back in November. He's currently averaging 17.8 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 3.4 APG, and 1.3 SPG while averaging 55.1% shooting from the field and 81.6% from the free throw line. Very few players at the small forward position are as versatile a scorer as Swain is, and he's able to consistently carry the team on offense if guys like Tramon Mark and Jordan Pope are struggling from mid-range.

Vokietaitis has been incredibly effective in the frontcourt all year long for the Longhorns, especially as of late, since he's begun to limit fouling on the defensive end. The 7-footer who transferred in from Florida Atlantic has been an intimidating force inside for Texas this season, and he's currently averaging 15.5 PPG, 6.8 RPG, and 0.9 BPG while shooting 63.1% from the field. If teams begin to double-team Dailyn Swain throughout the tournament, Vokietaitis has the ability to score in bunches near the basket.

Both of these players work very well together, and as mentioned earlier, they've already had to put the team on their backs in a few big games this year.

Swain and Vokietaitis could be the "Batman and Robin" of this season's Cinderella-like Texas team, and if the Longhorns end up winning a few games in this year's tournament, both of these guys will be a huge reason why.