Tag: courtney ramey

Predicting which Texas players will return after the Chris Beard hire

The Chris Beard hiring sent shockwaves around the NCAA. Now that he’s in, which Texas players will choose to stay?

Royce Hamm is on his was to UNLV and Kai Jones declared for the 2021 NBA draft, but there are still several players that haven’t quite decided which route they will take. Will they remain in Austin under new head coach Chris Beard?

This past season, Shaka Smart undoubtedly had the most talented team that Texas has put out on the court in years. Despite winning their first Big 12 tournament championship, the season abruptly ended in the first round for the third time in six seasons.

As always when a program hires a new head coach, it impacts many players future plans. However, it’s still possible we could see the return of most of the main 2020 core.

Beard brings a fiery, championship-level competitiveness to a Longhorns program desperate for an ounce of the success he had while at Texas Tech. His hire will have a huge impact on recruiting, but even more so on the players that are already in-house to take another shot in the NCAA Tournament.

Here are six players that I realistically believe could and/or should return for another season under Beard’s guidance.

No. 6 Texas falls to Oklahoma State in double overtime

The Texas Longhorns skid continued on Saturday as they fell to Oklahoma State in double overtime. The Cowboys won 75-67.

The rough stretch for Texas basketball continues after falling to Oklahoma State in double overtime on Saturday. Continue reading “No. 6 Texas falls to Oklahoma State in double overtime”

Texas Basketball hands Kansas worst home loss under Bill Self

The Texas Longhorns men’s basketball team had a huge task with the No. 5 ranked KU team. They dominated the game with a huge win 84-59.

Despite all of the news swirling around the Texas Longhorns football program, the men’s basketball team made a statement in a huge game with the Kansas Jayhawks. Continue reading “Texas Basketball hands Kansas worst home loss under Bill Self”

The Texas Longhorns athleticism on full display in 74-53 win

The freshman forward Greg Brown II led the Texas Longhorns on Wednesday. He finished with 18 points and three blocks to lead all scoring.

After losing a close battle with Villanova on Sunday, the Texas Longhorns men’s basketball team was back on the court. This time hosting Texas State at the Frank Erwin Center. The Longhorns showed off their athleticism in this game with a montage of dunks early on for their scoring. The team was led by freshman Greg Brown III, who scored 18 points with two rebounds and three blocks.

Courtney Ramey and the birthday boy, Andrew Jones joined Brown in scoring double-digits in this game for Texas. Each scored 11 points. Jones added six rebounds and one assist, while Ramey added five rebounds and six assists. The starters combined for 53 points on the night. Kai Jones came off the bench to add eight points, two rebounds, and two blocked shots. He brought energy on both sides of the court, even showcasing it on a single play.

Jones wasn’t the only player who wanted to throw it down on Wednesday night in front of the home crowd.

Brown shot 7-14 from the field including 3-7 from behind the arc. The 18 points led all scores and set a career-high[lawrence-related id=29021] for the talented freshman. If he can continue to develop the outside shot, he has a real opportunity to find himself in the conversation as a lottery pick.

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The Longhorns now get set to play against the No. 2 ranked Baylor Bears on Sunday in Waco, Texas. A huge matchup for Shaka Smart’s squad as they try and prove they belong in the conversation of the best of the Big 12 Conference.

Stats:

Player Shots Points Rebounds Assists Steals Blocks
Greg Brown 7-14 18 2 0 0 3
Courtney Ramey 3-7 11 5 6 1 0
Andrew Jones 3-6 11 6 2 1 0
Kai Jones 3-5 8 4 1 1 2

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Texas wins the Maui Invitational with buzzer beater over North Carolina

Texas’ Maui Invitational ended with the lifting of a trophy, beating North Carolina 69-67. Matt Coleman hit the game-winning shot.

Texas’ Maui Invitational ended with the lifting of a trophy, beating North Carolina in the championship 69-67. Matt Coleman played the hero role, hitting the game-winning step-back jumper with 0.1 seconds left.

In what started as a back and forth game, Texas was eventually the team able to settle down and hit their shots. A 12 point halftime lead never felt safe with all of the talent North Carolina holds. A second-half push came from the Tar Heels but late, clutch shots won the tournament.

Coleman was fantastic throughout, leading both teams in scoring with 22 points. He shot an important 3-6 from behind the arc and 9-16 in total. Not only was he the best player for the Longhorns today but throughout the entire tournament.

Texas did a fantastic job containing North Carolina’s young guards on the offensive side of the floor, holding Caleb Love to five points. R.J. Davis finished with 11 points but five came from the free-throw line. He only shot 3-11 from the floor.

Garrison Brooks was still an issue down in the post. The preseason ACC player of the year led North Carolina with 18 points. While he did deal with a turned ankle late in the first half, Brooks came back and hit shots when he was called upon.

Much like Brock Cunningham was the star against Indiana, Royce Hamm was that for Texas on Wednesday. He only finished with two points but had four blocks and five rebounds. Even more of what he does will never show up on the stat sheet. Shaka Smart’s role players have taken a step up.

Player of the game – Matt Coleman

No words needed. 22 points, three assists, and one game-winning shot.

Highlights

Next up – Villanova on Sunday at noon on ESPN

Thought it would get easier for the Longhorns? Nope. Another top 15 team is on the slate as No. 12 Villanova will be heading to Austin. The Wildcats are 3-1 on the season, already getting a victory over Arizona State. Jay Wright’s squad is consistently one of the top programs in all of college basketball.

Texas must play with the same fight and defensive effort to pull off another crucial resume-building win. Villanova already averages nearly 80 points per game in just four games. Point guard Collin Gillespie is the household name but forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earle is budding into a star.

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Texas advances to Maui Invitational championship with win over Indiana

Texas’ quarterfinal matchup in the Maui Invitational against Indiana was an offensive struggle. UT’s led wire to wire in the 66-44 win.

Texas’ quarterfinal matchup in the Camping World Maui Invitational against Indiana was an offensive struggle for both teams. The Longhorns led wire to wire in the 66-44 win.

Going into the game, containing preseason forwards Trayce Jackson-Davis and Race Jackson was going to be key for Texas. In Indiana’s first-round matchup against Providence, the two combined for 34 points.

On Tuesday, it was too little too late until Jackson-Davis got going. He finished with 17 points, seven of which came in the final six minutes. Jackson was not any help for Indiana either, scoring four points on 1-4 shooting.

As a whole, the Hoosiers’ 44 points were the program’s lowest total since Jan. 2014 against Northwestern. As it has been for a couple of seasons, the Hoosiers struggled from three-point range. Only attempting 10 from deep, two went in.

On the offensive end, Matt Coleman was once again the guy. He shot the ball efficiently, going 6-11, including two three-pointers. He led the team with 16 points and is now averaging 14.3 points per game.

Texas did not shoot the ball well as a team, shooting 38.6% from the field. 15 turnovers are never a positive, even in a win. While Indiana will go down as a Quadrant One victory based on their KenPom ranking, the Longhorns will need to be better offensively in the championship game.

Player of the game – Brock Cunningham

Talk about a player who can do a little bit of it all. Cunningham’s final slash line of 6 points/4 assists/11 rebounds is solid, especially when you add in the three steals. He was all over the court tonight both on the glass and guarding Indiana on the defensive end.

Cunningham is not the Longhorns’ go-to offensive threat. However, the versatility on defense, on the boards, and from behind the three-point line when left open, is incredibly valuable. It showed against the Hoosiers as the Longhorns move onto the championship game.

Highlights

Next up – North Carolina/Stanford at 3 p.m. on ESPN

Texas will be moving onto the championship game against either North Carolina or Stanford. The two teams tipped off just after the Longhorns got their victory over Indiana. No matter who advances alongside Texas, it will be a battle.

For North Carolina, it is about their excellent frontcourt led by Garrison Brooks. Roy Williams’ squad is once again a favorite in the ACC after a down year. Looking at Stanford, true freshman Zaire Williams is the real deal. The former five-star is listed at 6-8 and is incredibly athletic and a gifted offensive player.

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Texas Basketball: Longhorns narrowly defeat Davidson in Maui Invitational opener

UT’s 78-76 win over Davidson in the Maui Invitational sees them to the second round. The Wildcats had two chances to hit game-winning shots.

Texas’ perfect record remained intact after a 78-76 win over Davidson in the first round of the Maui Invitational. The Wildcats had two opportunities to hit game-winning shots with under five seconds but forward Sam Mennenga miss both.

Courtney Ramey played the hero role for the Longhorns, finding a way to the basketball to hit the game-winning layup with 0:19 left. He finished the game as the leading scorer, having 14 points on 4-11 shooting.

Defensively, Texas struggled with Davidson’s size early in the game. Mennenga was efficient all game, shooting 60%, including 4-4 from inside the three-point line.

Once Shaka Smart when towards a bigger lineup, including Kai Jones and Brock Cunningham, the defense got better. The Longhorns were also able to crash the offensive glass, securing 13 rebounds off their missed shots.

The most encouraging statistic from the win over Davidson is Texas’ 18 assists. Last season, the Longhorns ranked last in the Big 12 in assists per game, averaging 9.9. On Monday afternoon, Matt Coleman was excellent at distributing the ball, having nine assists.

Player of the game – Kai Jones

His final slash line of 13/1/2 may not raise any eyebrows but it was more about what will not show up on the stat sheet. Jones was able to bring a big presence on the defensive end, contesting Davidson shots better.

Looking back to the stats, and Jones did not miss a shot all afternoon. He went two for two from deep and rocked the rim a couple of times as well. An athletic 6-11 forward who has range is always a plus to have.

Highlights

Next up – Indiana/Providence at 12:30 pm

CST on ESPN

Indiana and Providence tipped off shortly after Texas got their win. Both the Hoosiers, out of the Big Ten, and the Friars, out of the Big East, will be excellent early season tests for the Longhorns in the second round.

Either way, the game will take play at 12:30 pm CST on ESPN. Hopefully, there will be more quality time spent with Bill Walton.

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Texas Basketball: Longhorns smother UT-Rio Grande Valley 91-55

The Texas Longhorns men’s basketball team handled their business on Wednesday night. They beat UT-RGV 91-55, led by Courtney Ramey.

The Longhorns men’s basketball team got their season started against UT-Rio Grande Valley. Courtney Ramey got the scoring going early with their five points of the game. It was clear there was a talent gap between the two teams. Texas returned their entire team from a season ago with the addition of Greg Brown, more on him in a moment.

The story of the first half was the transition offense and play of Kai Jones. He led the team in the first half with 11 points and four rebounds at the half. Texas built a 45-29 lead heading into the break. Brown struggled in the first half missing all six of his shots but had two points and six rebounds at the break.

He would open the second half with a ferocious dunk.

As the game wore on, the Texas Longhorns team showed off their length and athleticism. K. Jones was able to showcase his hops with a few dunks off passes from Matt Coleman and Ramey. The Longhorns built their lead up to 81-53 late in the second half with just under five minutes to go.

Brown played much better in the second half went on, he recorded a double-double in his first collegiate game. The Longhorns expanded their lead to over 30 points in the closing minutes.

Courtney Ramey led all scorers in this game. At times looked sloppy but Texas handled an inferior opponent, which hasn’t always been the case for Shaka Smart in early nonconference play. Five Texas players would finish with double-digit scoring.

Final Stats:

Player Shooting Points Rebounds Assists Steals Blocks
Ramey 7-11 20 5 6 1 1
Coleman 6-10 17 1 5 1 1
Brown 2-9 11 10 0 0 0
K. Jones 6-6 14 8 0 1 0
Sims 1-3 4 10 0 1 1

 

Men’s Basketball Profile Card: Courtney Ramey

With the men’s basketball season officially over, we take a look at Courtney Ramey’s 2019-2020 season for the Texas Longhorns.

With the men’s basketball season officially over, we take a look at some of the players from the 2019-2020 NCAA basketball season for the Texas Longhorns.

Continue reading “Men’s Basketball Profile Card: Courtney Ramey”

Texas Basketball: Three Takeaways From Winning Streak

The Texas Longhorns men’s basketball team suddenly has life as they chase an opportunity to return to the NCAA Tournament.

The Texas Longhorns men’s basketball team has been on a roll as of late. The team led by Shaka Smart was coming off four-straight losses including a 29-point embarrassing blowout from Iowa State. It was looking like they might not win another game this season with out how the team was playing. Smart needed a spark to save the season and his job, what was once hopeless suddenly has life.

Unlikely Heroes

Will Baker. It shouldn’t come as a surprise to see Baker step up against the TCU Horned Frogs, after all he was a top five recruit in the state and a four-star prospect. After averaging just two points a game this year, Baker exploded for 20 points. He was the second-leading scorer in that game nailing four of six three pointers. After the game it felt like Smart was trolling the faithful dropping a John Beilein reference about Baker’s play.

“A shooting five man changes the world”- Shaka Smart on Will Baker’s performance

Backcourt Help

Baker isn’t the only one that has stepped up, Andrew Jones has really made his presence felt on the offensive side of the ball. Jones has absolute caught fire from behind the arc shooting 57.8 percent. It certainly feels like he is becoming the old Andrew Jones once again after a fight with Leukemia. Averaging 18.3 points per game during the streak has been a huge lift for this team.

In the team’s last two wins, Courtney Ramey has really stepped up his game to help Texas win three in a row. Scoring a combined 47 points over the last two wins, he led the team in scoring against Kansas State and second to Jones against West Virginia. His performances have breathed life into a team that was appearing to just be going through the motions.

Big 12 Teams Around Them

Texas was sitting at 4-8 in the conference before jumping up into a tie with the Mountaineers for that fourth spot in the conference. The Longhorns are looking more like they could squeak into the big dance. It wasn’t all the Longhorns play, teams who were above them have started to falter.

TCU who started out 3-0 in conference play, has fallen flat on their face as the season has gone on. Since that point they are 3-8, up until this week the Frogs had been projected over Texas in most major Bracketology projections. The Longhorns also getting some help from their bitter rivals.

The Oklahoma Sooners were also a team that many felt that would be a lock for the tournament, but they have fallen on hard times as of late. Losers of their last three games has put Texas ahead of them in the standings and has given the Longhorns hope once again.