IRVING, Texas (TexasSports.com) - University of Texas senior guard Matt Coleman III has been named the Phillips 66 Big 12 Conference Player of the Week, the league office announced Monday. This marks Coleman's first career weekly league honor.
In four contests over a seven-day period, Coleman, a former standout at Norfolk's Maury High School, averaged a team-best 16.3 points and 4.5 assists per game while hitting 49-percent from the floor (25-51), including a 9-of-22 (.409) mark from three-point range, and 6-of-7 free throws. He led the Longhorns to the Camping World Maui Invitational title with three wins in the three days against Davidson, Indiana and No. 14/16 North Carolina.
Coleman was named Most Valuable Player at the Camping World Maui Invitational, as he averaged 16.0 points and 5.0 assists while converting 50-percent (18-36) from the floor, including a 7-of-17 (.412) mark from beyond the arc. He hit the game-winning jumper with 0.1 second left to beat No. 14/16 North Carolina (69-67). In Sunday's game against No. 12/3 Villanova, Coleman added 17 points.
Through the first five contests this year, Coleman leads the team in scoring (16.4 ppg), assists (4.6 apg), steals (6) and minutes (36.3 mpg). He has hit 50.8-percent from the field (31-61), including an 11-of-27 (.407) mark from three-point range, and 9-of-11 (.818) free throws.
No. 13/12 Texas (4-1, 0-0 Big 12) returns to action on Wednesday, Dec. 9 when it hosts Texas State. Tip is set for 7 p.m. Central at the Frank Erwin Center, and the game will be televised nationally by Longhorn Network.
This marks UT's highest ranking in The AP poll since the Longhorns were No. 10 on Jan. 5, 2015.
