Only a season ago, point guard Isaiah Taylor came into Rick Barnes’ Texas program as a little-known recruit that was overlooked by just about everybody. But as we have seen with Taylor, a year can change everything. After being out with a fractured wrist for the last 10 games of the season, the up-and-coming sophomore star is expected to make his anticipated return during the Longhorns’ Big 12 conference opener against Texas Tech, and having Taylor on the hardwood again will change everything for Texas.
In the three games Taylor saw to begin the season before suffering with a wrist fracture against Iowa, the Longhorns were noticeably better across the board than they were over the last 10 games with him sidelined. Texas scored 9.8 more points per game, and also had more assists and rebounds. The Horns saw decreases in shooting percentages, allowed their opponents to have increased shooting numbers and turned the ball over 2.5 more times per night.
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Texas lost two of its 10 games in Taylor’s absence, and that number could have easily become three if it weren’t for a prayer from beyond the arc by Jonathan Holmes against Connecticut. Additionally, Texas displayed some very underwhelming performances against UT-Arlington, Long Beach State and Rice, beating the three by a total of only 31 points, which is far from impressive for three home games against some severely under-matched talent.
But brighter days are ahead and the life of Barnes, as well as the rest of Taylor’s teammates, should get much easier if he does make his return Saturday in Lubbock.
#ReturnoftheZay pic.twitter.com/hnG9ZmHjWi
— Cameron Ridley (@cam_ctmd55) December 30, 2014
During the 10 games Taylor watched from the sidelines, the Longhorns struggled tremendously to find a reliable facilitator, and their scoring output suffered as a result. There were far fewer quality looks at the basketball and more turnovers, as seen with Texas’ 13.3 assists and 14.5 turnovers per night, and this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how much more the Longhorns struggled with Taylor out.
Luckily, championships aren’t won in the non-conference portion of the schedule and Texas’ best player has expressed his desire to make his return at the perfect time, as seen by College Basketball Talk.
It’s very arguable that the Big 12 is the powerhouse conference of college basketball this season, and if there were ever a team that could end Kansas’ decade-long run of consecutive conference titles, it’s Taylor and his Longhorns. In the first month of conference play, Texas will see five ranked teams and undefeated TCU in their first seven games.
With TCU hovering just outside of the top-25, it’s possible that Texas could run into five-straight ranked opponents, which is a stretch that would be seemingly impossible to come out of unscathed without a healthy Taylor. But when you factor in a healthy Taylor, the Longhorns should be considered the favorite in each of these games, as well as the rest of the games throughout their remaining schedule.
It may sound crazy to say a former 3-star recruit could have such massive implications on a team with conference and national championship aspirations, but quite simply, it’s the truth.
Taylor’s return will bring the role of a true floor general running the show again, which will lead to several opportunities for the rest of his supporting cast that haven’t been there with Taylor out. And it’s also worth noting that Taylor was the team’s scoring leader at 15 points per game prior to his injury, so the questions surrounding some of the Longhorns scoring woes will be answered.
The impact Taylor’s return will have on Texas is much greater than what can be put into words. He’s a fearless competitor with game-changing talent on each side of the ball, and his efforts make the jobs of those around him easier. Remember when there was all the hype surrounding Texas coming into the season? Get ready to witness what will become one of college basketball’s most dominant teams at full strength at the right time.