McNeese St. @ Texas preview

Last week's trip to New York may not have been as fruitful for Texas as it hoped, but it may have removed any question the team can rely heavily on Matt Coleman III. The Longhorns return to the court for the first time in over a week and attempt to remain perfect at home Saturday when they host McNeese in the first meeting between the schools since 2002.

Texas got off to its third consecutive 4-0 start before wasting a strong first half on Nov. 21 against Georgetown by shooting 22.2 percent and getting outscored by 21 points after intermission en route to an 82-66 loss at the 2K Empire Classic in Madison Square Garden. Coleman was brilliant in the defeat aside from committing three turnovers, tying a school record for most 3-point makes without a miss (six) and matching his season high with 22 points. The 6-2 junior wasn't quite as sharp the next day, but he still managed to lead the team with 14 points as the Longhorns beat California 62-45 in the consolation game. The Cowboys managed to hang around with Richmond for about a half on Nov. 22 until the Spiders reeled off 16 unanswered points spanning both halves to blow open a two-point game and run away with an 87-57 victory over McNeese.

TV: 2 p.m. ET, Longhorn Network

ABOUT MCNEESE (2-5): Sophomore swingman Sha'markus Kennedy (team-high marks of 16.4 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks) labored through his worst effort of the season against Richmond, finishing with only eight points after reaching the 20-point mark in each of his previous three games - including 20 points at Wisconsin on Nov. 13. Junior guard Dru Kuxhausen is second on the team in scoring (15.1 points) and one of the top 3-point shooters in the country, tied for second in Division I with 29 triples while connecting at a 49.2 percent rate. Reserve guard Leondre Washington (6.7 points) led the Cowboys with 15 points versus the Spiders, following a zero-point performance in his previous contest and an 18-point effort two games prior.

ABOUT TEXAS (5-1): Despite finishing 5-of-14 from the field and 1-of-6 beyond the arc against Cal, Coleman (team-high marks of 15.7 points, 4.2 assists and 1.2 steals) is still shooting 52.5 percent from the field and 58.3 percent from 3-point range; he also ranks fifth in school history in career assist-to-turnover ratio (1.95). Junior forward Jericho Sims (8.5 points, 6.8 rebounds) has only posted one double-double in 2019-20 but has flirted with one two other times, including his 12-point, nine-rebound effort against the Golden Bears. Sophomore guard Courtney Ramey (8.7 points) has totaled 16 points on 6-of-27 shooting over his last three games after opening the year by averaging 12 points on 16-of-32 from the field over the Longhorns' first three contests.

TIP-INS

1. Texas has allowed an average of 53.2 points in its five victories.

2. Kuxhausen has knocked down multiple 3-pointers in each of his first seven career games and at least three triples in six straight.

3. Sims is responsible for 19 of the Longhorns' 58 offensive rebounds.

PREDICTION: Texas 73, McNeese 56