Men’s basketball edged by Villanova, 68-64, in first loss of season
AUSTIN, Texas — Courtney Ramey and Matt Coleman scored 17 points apiece, but it was not enough as the No. 17/22 Texas men’s basketball team lost, 68-64, to No. 12/3 Villanova Sunday at the Frank Erwin Center.
The game left each team with a 4-1 record this season. Texas is now 1-1 at home.
The outcome was determined at least in part at the free throw line. Villanova converted 14 of 19 shots from the charity strip, while the Longhorns connected on just three of six attempts.
Ramey shot 7-of-11 from the floor, while Coleman went 7-for-15; each included a pair of buckets from beyond the three-point line.
Coleman’s performance gave him his fifth double-digit scoring total in five games this season, and his 60th in 106 games with the Longhorns. Ramey also has scored in double digits in every game this season, and tallied 10 or more for the 42nd time in his 73 games as a member of the UT program.
After spotting the Wildcats a 16-9 lead, the Longhorns went on an 18-4 tear to go ahead, 27-20, with just under seven minutes remaining in halftime. Villanova went on a run of its own, scoring 13 of the last 15 points of the half to head to the locker room with a 32-30 advantage.
The Wildcats led by as many as eight in the second half, but the Longhorns hung around, tying the game at 57-57 on a three-pointer by Ramey with 2:33 to go in the second half, but Villanova pulled away in the final minutes.
The game was the fourth between the teams, with the Longhorns and Wildcats each winning twice.
The Longhorns will host Texas State at 7 p.m. Wednesday in a game that will be carried on the Longhorn Network.
