Texas Basketball vs. UNC: 5 bold predictions for Las Vegas Invitational

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AUSTIN, TX – NOVEMBER 12: Matt Coleman III #2 of the Texas Longhorns moves with the ball against Travis Munnings #1 of the Louisiana Monroe Warhawks at the Frank Erwin Center on November 12, 2018 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Covatta/Getty Images) /

5. Matt Coleman gets 15 points while shooting better than 50 percent

The hope for sophomore point guard Matt Coleman in 2018-19 was that he would take a step forward on offense. Coleman isn’t expected to be a volume scorer by any means. But, he has scored in double figures just once this season. Getting him in double figures in scoring while shooting at an effective rate is key against a team like UNC.

We’re going to mention a lot how important it is to keep the UNC offense in check. If Texas lets UNC have its way on offense, the scoreboard is going to light up in favor of the team wearing Carolina Blue.

Coleman is a solid defensive presence. He averages nearly two steals per game and is smart with the usage of his fouls. Coleman has the highest steal percentage of any player on the team with more than 100 minutes. And, he is tied for second on the team in defensive win shares with a few other players.

On the other end of the floor, Coleman can be very efficient. Among the four players that started all four games for the Horns, Coleman has the second lowest turnover percentage. Since he has the ball in his hands so much on offense, that’s a good mark for Texas.

All the advanced metrics show some positives out of an otherwise inconsistent start for Coleman. He’s scored in double figures only once and is shooting from the field at a rather low mark. Grabbing a season-high 15 points while shooting better than 50 percent from the field would be a massive contribution from Coleman.

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