Texas Basketball: 3 bold predictions in bounce back game vs. Texas St

2) Texas basketball bold predictions vs. Texas St

Matt Coleman finally gets a double-double

A huge saving grace for the Longhorns so far this season is the play of the dynamic guard pairing of junior Courtney Ramey and senior standout Matt Coleman. The potential that a lot of Longhorns hoops fans knew this guard duo brought to the table over the course of the last two or three years is finally starting to get fulfilled at the outset of this season.

The versatile 6-foot-2 and 185 pound Norfolk, VA, native and Oak Hill Academy product Coleman is getting off to another real solid start. He did something similar last season. In five games played so far this season (all of which he’s started in), Coleman averaged 16.4 points per game, 2.0 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.2 blocks. And he’s shot a solid 50.8 percent from the field, 40.7 percent from beyond the arc, and 81.8 percent from the free-throw line.

All of that has amounted to a sparkling 10.4 box plus/minus rating, .206 win shares per 40 minutes, 61.9 true shooting percentage, and 20.5 player efficiency rating.

What has still eluded Coleman so far this season is a double-double. He came close in the first round Maui Invitational victory over the Davidson Wildcats back on Nov. 30 (10 points, nine assists). But the lone double-double that Coleman put together in his career to date came back during his freshman campaign (where he registered 17 points and 12 assists against TCU in 2017-18).

Coleman has come awful close on a few occasions to getting the second double-double of his college career. Since he is playing in more than 36 minutes per game this season, maybe this is a time where he can fill up the stat sheet. There’s also a high likelihood that this Texas State game is one that Smart gets other guards in the rotation more playing time and gives Coleman a much deserved rest.