The Texas Longhorns didn’t bring their best basketball to the Moody Center on Saturday, but they still walked away with their third win of the season after grinding out a 71-55 victory over Kansas City.

Head coach Sean Miller didn’t sugarcoat what he saw.

"It wasn't an easy game to cheer for Texas here this afternoon … we did not play well today," Miller said.

Texas looked nothing like the sharp offensive team from its previous two home games. The Longhorns shot just 25-of-63 from the floor and a brutal 4-of-20 from beyond the arc.

A sluggish noon tipoff didn't help, and Miller said the group has to learn how to win even when shots refuse to fall.

"I didn't think our mentality in the second half of today's game reflected a group that understood that," Miller said. "It now becomes our job to embrace that, learn from it, grow from it, and be better on Tuesday night."

Despite leading by as many as 21 points, the Longhorns allowed Kansas City to trim the margin to single digits at 50–42 with 10 minutes remaining.

Texas finally steadied, closing strong to avoid any late drama.

Dailyn Swain paced Texas with 13 points and seven rebounds, while Matas Vokietaitis added 12 points and eight boards. Lassina Traore delivered a 10-point, 11-rebound double-double.

The biggest spark came from guard Simoen Wilcher, who knocked down 3-of-4 from deep and finished with nine points.

"Thank goodness Sim Wilcher showed up," Miller said bluntly.

He also noted frustration with the team’s free-throw struggles, saying Texas "left plenty more points on the table."

Kansas City was led by U'Riyah Evans, who scored a game-high 17 points.

Texas improves to 3-0 but knows the offensive issues must be corrected quickly.

The Longhorns return home Tuesday to face Rider, looking to find rhythm, efficiency, and a mentality that matches their talent.