In basketball, confident guard play is essential to the success of the team. Serving as the primary ball handlers tasked with directing the offense and executing the game plan, it’s crucial for the point and shooting guard to be on the same page at all times.
Texas never has to worry about two of its guards, junior Courtney Ramey and senior Matt Coleman, being on the same page.
The Longhorns have sprinted out to an 11–3 record and a top-five national ranking thanks in part to the strong bond that has developed between Coleman and Ramey over their three years playing together. Despite originating from different parts of the country, Coleman from Virginia and Ramey from Missouri, the two have built a strong rapport with one another that shines through in their seamless play on the court.
“He’s a great player,” Coleman said about Ramey. “He’s come a long way, his attitude is great and he’s a competitor.”
When it came time for Ramey to decide where to play college ball, conversations with then-freshman Coleman were the deciding factor in his choice to commit to Texas, Ramey said.
“He was the reason I came to Texas,” Ramey said. “I talked to him, and he allowed me to be his backcourt mate. He could have been like, ‘No, I want to run the show by myself,’ but he allowed me to play alongside him, so I appreciate him for that.”
Both Coleman and Ramey were thrust into starting roles in their freshman seasons. Since they joined forces on the Forty Acres, the pair has led the Longhorns to 51 wins, but it’s the low points in their careers that have brought the two closer together.
On Jan. 13, with 45 seconds left in the game against No. 15 Texas Tech and a two-point lead in hand, Ramey tried inbounding the ball. But the pass was intercepted and led to an easy, game-tying score. The Red Raiders went on to hand Texas its first conference loss of the season in a gut-wrenching fashion.
Ramey was visibly frustrated after the play and took responsibility for the mistake after the game.
“Let’s start with me,” Ramey said in the postgame presser. “I’ll take the blame for tonight.”
When Coleman’s media availability was over, he decided to stick around for Ramey’s chat with the media rather than move on with the rest of his night. As Ramey faced the music for his performance in the tough loss, Coleman stood on guard just over his shoulder in support of the younger protégé.
“I’ll do the same for him,” Ramey said in reference to his teammate’s support. “It just shows that we’re connected and we’re close.”
Head coach Shaka Smart acknowledged what’s clear to any outside observer about how close his two players are. They put a lot of effort into connecting with the team and with each other, Smart said.
“You put the ball in those guys’ hands because those guys have made so many good plays,” Smart said. “I wouldn’t trade those guys for anyone.”
