Isaiah Taylor’s Shooting Could Hold Keys to Tournament Success

There’s no single player who can take credit for Texas’ first trip to the second round of the NCAA tournament since 2011, as the Longhorns’ balanced attack put six players in double-digit scoring figures. But, if Texas wishes to defeat heavily favored Michigan Saturday and advance to the Sweet 16, Texas’ fortunes could rest in the streaky scoring hand of Isaiah Taylor.

Taylor is a pass-first point guard. However, statistically, the Longhorns’ success appears more dependent on Taylor’s shooting than his assist-to-turnover ratio. [s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level2)]

There’s one statistic that jumps out when examining Texas’ wins and losses: In the Longhorns’ ten losses this season, Taylor is shooting 25.8 percent from the field. In wins, Taylor’s field goal percentage increases to 43.1. No other player on the Texas roster has as big of a slide in field goal percentage between wins and losses.

In the 11 games that Taylor has shot over 50 percent from the field, Texas is 11-0 and has won by 13.9 points per game. Conversely, in games Taylor’s field goal percentage is 20 percent or below, the Longhorns are a paltry 3-3.

Lacking an outside shooting touch, Taylor relies on his quickness to get to the basket, collapse the defense, and create open looks for himself and his teammates. However, if the opposing team possesses a pesky perimeter defense and a large rim-protector, Taylor can struggle to get the ball in the basket. Nothing revelatory about that.

Luckily, Michigan’s front court does not contain the size that could avert Taylor’s shot, and Michigan ranks 298in the NCAA in blocks per contest.

Michigan does, however, feature two large players at the wing positions in Nik Stauskas and Caris LeVert, both measuring 6’6. Compare this to Texas’ smaller backcourt, and Michigan’s length on the perimeter could give Texas’ guards some problems. So, the Longhorns’ fate could depend upon Taylor’s ability to direct traffic through the long limbs of Michigan’s backcourt.  And if Taylor is getting to the rim with ease and hitting his shots, it will open things up on the perimeter.

In short, Taylor needs to run to be successful, and I’m sure the Longhorns will look to take advantage of every opportunity to get baskets in transition. This will put Taylor in the best position to get a high field goal percentage.

Sounds simple enough, doesn’t it? The more shots you make, the likelier you are to win. But in Taylor’s case, it doesn’t appear to be a likelihood, but an absolute certainty. [/s2If]
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