Tag: Texas Maui Invitational

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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