TEXAS NIPS CAROLINA, 69-67, IN MAUI INVITATIONAL FINAL

by Aaron Beard, Associated Press

ASHEVILLE—Matt Coleman III hit a stepback jumper with 0.1 seconds left to help No. 17 Texas beat No. 14 North Carolina 69-67 on Wednesday to win the relocated Maui Invitational.

Coleman finished with 22 points and was the tournament’s most valuable player for the Longhorns (4-0), who blew a 16-point lead late in the first half and fell behind with about 2½ minutes left. Coleman and Kai Jones both came up big in the critical moments for Texas, securing the Longhorns’ first Maui title in their fifth appearance in the tournament.

Jones had 12 points, including a tying jumper with 2:19 left and then a transition dunk with 41.2 seconds remaining that pushed Texas to a 67-65 lead. UNC’s Leaky Black answered with two free throws with 25.6 seconds left, only to see Coleman make a tough shot against RJ Davis that hit the rim, bounced off the backboard and dropped through the net.

Garrison Brooks had 18 points for the Tar Heels (3-1) despite playing through an ankle injury that sent him to the locker room at least twice.