Texas Longhorns Basketball

Isaiah Taylor is recovering from a broken left wrist, but is making progress and vows to return for the start of Big 12 Conference play. He has been cleared to make his return to the court. 

Continue for updates.

Friday, Jan. 2

Taylor Cleared to Return

According to the Longhorn Network, Isaiah Taylor has been cleared to return to Texas' lineup:

Big news. Texas guard Isaiah Taylor (wrist) has been cleared to return. Horns open conference play against Texas Tech Saturday.

— Longhorn Network (@LonghornNetwork) January 2, 2015

Tuesday, Dec. 23

Taylor has cast removed

Brian Davis of the Austin American Statesman provides an update on Taylor's status:

Texas G Isaiah Taylor got his cast removed today and will start wearing a protective sleeve. But don't pencil him into Jan. 3 return yet.

— Brian Davis (@byBDavis) December 23, 2014

Monday, Dec. 1

Taylor Sets Return Date

Terrence Payne of NBC Sports provided a synopsis of ESPN's Andy Katz reporting Taylor's return plans:

During the ESPN2 broadcast on Sunday in Storrs, Connecticut, Andy Katz updated Taylor’s status, as the sophomore floor general was “adamant” he will be ready for the start of Big 12 Conference play on Jan.. 3 against Texas Tech.

As expected, Taylor will still miss non-conference games against No. 1 Kentucky, Stanford and Long Beach State.

Monday, Nov. 24

Taylor Diagnosed With Broken Wrist

Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv reported the latest on Isaiah Taylor:

Texas says PG Isaiah Taylor has a broken left wrist & is out indefinitely. Not expected to miss the entire season.

— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) November 24, 2014

  

Friday, Nov. 21

Taylor Ruled Out With Wrist Injury

Texas guard Isaiah Taylor is going to miss the team's clash with California in the 2K Classic on Friday night due to a wrist injury. The extent of the ailment hasn't been determined.

The Longhorn Network provided the update:

Guard Isaiah Taylor out for tonight's game against Cal after injuring wrist against Iowa. Will be re-evaluated upon return to Austin.

— Longhorn Network (@LonghornNetwork) November 21, 2014

ESPN's Jeff Goodman provided more on a potential timetable:

Taylor had his wrist heavily wrapped but told ESPN.com after the win that he did not think it was broken. Taylor received X-rays following the game, but the Texas medical staff will seek additional tests in Austin to see if there was a fracture.

"It looks like he's going to be out for several weeks," one source said. "But it's not season-ending."

Taylor leads the team in scoring through the first three games, all Longhorns victories, at 15 points per game. Obviously his absence is a setback as they prepare to face the Golden Bears, but the hope for Texas is that it doesn't become a long-term absence.

More information should be available shortly after further evaluation once the team returns home. 

NEW YORK — Myles Turner arrived at Texas last summer as a McDonald’s All-American, a consensus top-10 recruit and a potential NBA lottery pick—maybe as early as this summer.

Still, as much as he has in common with the other highly touted members of the Class of 2014, there is also something glaringly different about Turner.

His role.

While freshmen such as Duke’s Jahlil Okafor and Kansas’ Cliff Alexander are vital to their team’s success, Turner isn’t under nearly as much pressure at Texas, where the Longhorns boast one of the deepest squads in the country.

Texas freshman Myles Turner is out here hitting threes nearly from the NBA line: http://t.co/Y7NbiCB9Zn https://t.co/P6kmPJnTcv

— SB Nation CBB (@SBNationCBB) November 21, 2014

Texas posted a 71-57 victory over Iowa in the 2K Sports Classic at Madison Square Garden on Thursday despite getting a season-low five points from Turner, a 7’0” center with the wingspan of a pterodactyl. Forward Jonathan Holmes scored a team-high 19 points for Texas, while guards Isaiah Taylor and Javan Felix combined for 26.

“It’s a perfect situation for me,” Turner told Bleacher Report. “I can learn under a core group of experienced players and then hopefully move into a bigger role.”

Texas coach Rick Barnes is hoping that happens sooner rather than later, as the Longhorns could be one of the country’s top teams if the 7-footer becomes a consistent presence down low.

Turner opened the season by averaging 12.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.0 blocks in back-to-back wins against North Dakota State and Alcorn State. But he seemed to drift at times in Thursday’s win over Iowa, a borderline Top 25 team.

"The first two games I was assertive on offense,” Turner said. “This game, I was a little more laid-back. It wasn’t on purpose. The whole thing is just a process. It was only the third game of the season.”

Freshmen at schools such as Duke, Kentucky and Kansas can’t afford to have that mindset, because their team’s fortune depends heavily on their performance. That’s why Turner, who comes off the bench, said he isn’t going to get caught up comparing his statistics to those of his classmates in other programs.

“I don’t really pay much attention to it,” he said. “I want to see how their season is going, but I don’t really look at it in a sense of who is doing better. I mean, I definitely want to go out there and put up big numbers and show what kind of player I am. I want to contribute in more ways than just rebounding and blocking shots.

“But more than anything, I’m worried about winning. Coach Barnes knows what he’s doing. Whatever he wants me to do, I’ll do.”

Barnes said he’s been pleased with Turner’s progress thus far, adding that the presence of Maryland transfer Shaq Cleare has been huge for his development. The 6’9”, 265-pound Cleare is sitting out this season under NCAA transfer rules, but he’s able to practice with the team and has toughened up the 235-pound Turner by getting physical with him in the paint.

Barnes said the mental part of the game is what Turner needs to work on the most.

“Our practices are very, very physical,” Barnes said. “The game just has to slow down for him. Players either play in the past, the present or the future. I told him, ‘You’re somewhere between the past and the present. You’ve got to start looking toward the future a little bit. You’ve got to start seeing ahead.’

“He wants to be really good. There’s no doubt about that. But he’s not a selfish kid at all. He’s doing just fine.”

Jason King covers college sports for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JasonKingBR.

The Kansas Jayhawks are once again the favorites to win the Big 12, but Rick Barnes and the Texas Longhorns might finally be the team that puts an end to Bill Self's reign of terror.

Sound familiar?

It's a narrative that we've been recycling for the past five preseasons.

Texas hasn't always been the top challenger. However, "We obviously like the Jayhawks this year, but (insert second-best Big 12 team) could conceivably end their streak of (insert number) consecutive Big 12 titles" has basically become a preseason college basketball Mad Lib.

Last season, Oklahoma State and Marcus Smart were the ones we all thought had a great shot at a Big 12 title. The year before that, we liked Baylor in Pierre Jackson's final season with super frosh Isaiah Austin as his running mate. In 2011-12—before defecting to the SEC—the Texas A&M Aggies were working on a streak of six straight seasons with at least 22 wins and were viewed as a serious threat to Kansas.

Not only did those teams fail to dethrone Kansas, but they crashed and burned in fairly spectacular fashion after flying too close to the sun. Not a single one of those teams even finished above .500 in Big 12 play.

But this year will be different because this is the most complete roster that Barnes has had in his 28 years as a head coach.

Ridiculous Depth

The only thing more absurd than the plethora of quality players at Texas is the minimal amount of attention it has received on the national level.

Yes. Kentucky is deep. Its bench could beat most teams in the country.

We get it.

That doesn't mean the Wildcats should have a monopoly on the 10-man rotation discussion.

Just look at what the Longhorns are bringing to the table this season. They are legitimately two deep at every position.

Position	Starter	Reserve	Others
Point Guard	Isaiah Taylor	Kendal Yancy
Shooting Guard	Demarcus Holland	Javan Felix	Damarcus Croaker
Small Forward	Jonathan Holmes	Jordan Barnett
Power Forward	Myles Turner	Connor Lammert	Danny Newsome
Center	Cameron Ridley	Prince Ibeh

What's more, several of those players can serve at multiple positions. Jonathan Holmes, Connor Lammert and Myles Turner might be the best three-point shooters on the team. Because of that, the Longhorns have already been experimenting with a four-bigs lineup.

Frankly, that might be the only way for everyone in this frontcourt to get something close to the number of minutes they deserve.

Lammert would be a star(ter) at most other schools, but without that four-bigs lineup, he's only getting as many minutes as Turner and Cameron Ridley are willing to spend on the bench.

Prince Ibeh was one of the best shot-blockers in the country last season. Had he played enough minutes to qualify, his 13.8 block percentage would have ranked seventh in the nation. And yet, he's either fifth or sixth in Texas' frontcourt pecking order.

Feel bad for Ibeh, but feel worse for every team Texas plays this season. There's no such thing as fatigue or foul trouble when you're this deep.

Turner's Turn

The main reason Texas has too many options to choose from is because of Turner's decision to join the club.

For pretty much the entire 2013-14 season, Turner was the primary blue-chip recruit who remained unsigned. When Rashad Vaughn committed to UNLV on Feb. 11, it became Turner or bust for every other school looking to land a big name.

In the end, the Longhorns won the lottery, getting a commitment from Turner on April 30.

(If you want to feel old, one of the things written about Turner in that announcement is that his "favorite player growing up was former Longhorns star Kevin Durant.")

Let's not get carried away and recklessly ask if he could be as important to Texas as Durant was during his one season, but could he become LaMarcus Aldridge 2.0?

Aldridge averaged 17.8 points, 10.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per 40 minutes in his two seasons with the Longhorns. He and P.J. Tucker were the anchors in the paint for the 2005-06 team that tied for the Big 12 title and spent the entire season ranked in the top 15.

That season, Texas ranked fifth in the nation in both offensive and defensive rebounding percentage.

Who's to say Turner and Ridley couldn't do even better? Both present-day Turner and college-aged Aldridge stand 6'11" and 240 pounds, while Ridley (6'9", 285 pounds) makes Tucker (6'5", 225 pounds) look like an Oompa Loompa.

It's blasphemous to put them ahead of Kentucky, but these Longhorns really could have the best frontcourt in the country. They were good last year, but they might be great with Turner.

Turner wasn't quite the best recruit in this year's class—ESPN had him at No. 2 and 247Sports ranked him No. 6 overall—but it wouldn't be a big surprise if the big man with three-point range ended up being the nation's most valuable freshman this season.

Achilles' Heel No More?

Isaiah Taylor was a terrible shooter last season.

Harsh words for a player who averaged 12.7 PPG as a freshman, but it's the truth. He shot just 39.1 percent from the field and 26.3 percent from three-point range. More than 34 percent of his points came from the free-throw line, while most of his made field goals were either layups or floaters.

But much like Rondae Hollis-Jefferson at Arizona, if you simply remove the poor jump shot from the equation, he was an outstanding player.

While regularly sharing a backcourt with a player (Javan Felix) who averaged 4.1 assists per game in 2012-13, Taylor averaged better than 5.3 assists per 40 minutes—this despite the fact that Texas shot just 43.2 percent from the field as a team and manufactured a lot of unassisted buckets by being one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the nation.

Taylor was also a capable defender, averaging 1.1 steals per game, trailing only Demarcus Holland for the team lead in steals.

In many ways, Taylor reminds us of the player he helped eliminate in the second round of last year's NCAA tournament.

As a freshman, Arizona State's Jahii Carson led his team in scoring while averaging 5.4 assists per 40 minutes and 1.2 steals per game. However, Carson wasn't a great shooter. At 32.0 percent from three-point range, he was better than Taylor, but he did the vast majority of his damage in the paint on layups and floaters.

Aside from improving as a three-point shooter (39.1 percent as a sophomore), hopefully that's where the comparison ends for Taylor, because Carson took a step backward in virtually every other aspect of his game last season.

Taylor doesn't even need to turn into a long-range assassin. If he can merely develop enough of a jump shot to keep the defense honest, he could be the brightest star on this roster.

Were it not for Kansas' decade of dominance, we would be viewing the Big 12 the same way we're viewing the ACC—four outstanding teams up top and a fifth that arguably belongs in the AP Top 25, all of which could legitimately win the conference.

But if Turner is as good as advertised and Taylor improves even marginally as a sophomore, the Longhorns aren't just the favorite to win the Big 12 regular-season title.

They could be the ones cutting down the nets in Indianapolis in April.

All advanced stats via KenPom.com (subscription required) and Sports-Reference.com.

Kerry Miller covers college basketball for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter: @kerrancejames.

A year ago, if you were to tell anyone in the know around college basketball that Rick Barnes was a lame duck coach, that statement would not have been met with too much skepticism.

Texas had lost its four leading scorers—two of whom transferred along with two other rotation players—off a dysfunctional team that was pretty mediocre. Barnes had gone another year missing out on the best recruits the state of Texas had to offer.

The brand was stale. The future looked bleak.

On Wednesday, the image rehabilitation was in full force on national television as Myles Turner, the top-ranked recruit left in the 2014 class, picked Texas over Kansas, Duke and a whole host of suitors that didn't need Turner as much as Texas needed Turner.

And here's the crazy thing: The Longhorns don't necessarily need Turner for their team next year—and I'll get to that—they need him for their image.

See, the state of Texas has produced more talent than any other state in recent years when it comes to hoops, and the state's biggest school was either an afterthought or runner-up for nearly all those blue-chippers. 

From 2010 through 2014, the state had 20 players listed as top-40 prospects, according to Rivals.com, and until Wednesday, Texas had just signed one of those guys (Cameron Ridley). That was a major issue, one that UT's administration would likely take a look at once Barnes fell on hard times again. 

Not only did the Longhorns and Barnes benefit from Turner choosing them on Wednesday, it didn't hurt that they've been out front as the favorite for months and thus a topic of conversation in the recruiting world. 

The old saying goes that any press is good press, but that hadn't been the case a year ago. When "what's the matter with Texas" was what folks were talking about in the basketball community, that was not a good thing. That's the type of thing that scares off recruits. 

Turner's announcement, and the attention it's received, is the type of thing that reels top recruits back in, and it wouldn't have happened if Barnes had not made a decision to clean house of all his bad seeds a year ago and get his program's reputation back intact. 

"There was no question that was going to happen," Barnes told Bleacher Report last November of the transfers he essentially helped pack their bags. "Halfway through the season last year, I made that decision: 'This is the way it's going to be.'"

Barnes also knew he needed to pick up his recruiting game, especially with a new administration coming to UT, one that cut loose football coach Mack Brown. Barnes and his staff targeted Turner, who had a huge summer last year and emerged as one of the top players in the class. 

Barnes also went out and made a really smart hire to help him get Turner in Jai Lucas. Lucas' father, John Lucas, had been working with Turner and already built a relationship with the big man. 

Had the Longhorns met expectations last year—and expectations were low, including being picked eighth in the Big 12—it may not have mattered how hard Barnes recruited Turner or whom he had on his staff. Had the Horns bombed in 2013-14, who knows if Barnes would have still had a job.

That's why Barnes owes a lot to his team that got back to the NCAA tournament and renewed his enthusiasm for coaching. 

That entire group is back this coming season, which was a great selling point to Turner. He'd be playing with a winner. The 'Horns are so strong up front, in fact, that it wouldn't be surprising if Turner comes off the bench as the third big man behind Cameron Ridley and Jonathan Holmes. 

Regardless of his role, what's important is that Texas will likely debut high in the rankings next season—we have them 11th—and there will be a buzz on the summer circuit that Texas is a major player again.

It may take a year for Turner to adjust to the college game and wait his turn to become the star big man at UT. That doesn't mean he'll be a bust. That's how it works when you have great depth and talent. That's how it works when you're one of the top major programs in the country.

Remember, Texas was there not too long ago. Barnes had it going pretty good with 14 straight NCAA tournaments, including a Final Four, and coaching 10 first-round draft picks in his first 14 seasons in Austin.

You can argue that the lack of a national title meant the Horns weren't a top major program, but those numbers above say otherwise.

Are they back to being one of the top major programs in the country now?

There's still some work to be done. But they're back on the upswing, and their made-for-TV infomercial that doubled as Turner's announcement sure didn't hurt the cause.

C.J. Moore covers college basketball for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @CJMooreBR.

NEW YORK — College basketball recruiting has become a spectacle, and Myles Turner is embracing his first 15 minutes of fame during the prep All-Star tour over the last few weeks.

This week, Turner is at the Jordan Brand Classic in New York, and even though he is not likely to play because of an ankle injury, he is demanding the most attention because he's the highest-rated prospect left in the 2014 class, which automatically means he is the most talked-about prospect in the 2014 class. 

Just by waiting, he's become the Andrew Wiggins of this year.

But what Turner is waiting for is a date set by ESPN. I believe he knows now. And 30 minutes after Turner told Bleacher Report on Wednesday that he didn't know where he would go or when he would announce, the news came out—via his mom to Matt Scott of 247Sports—that he would announce on April 30 at 4 p.m. ET during Recruiting Nation on ESPNU.

And apologies to the six other fanbases still holding out hope that Turner will come to their school, but if you were listening closely to Turner on Wednesday, he slipped up and let us in on his secret. 

"It's in my backyard," Turner said of the University of Texas. "Hopefully I can come down there and make an impact like Kevin Durant had. If I were able to do that, that'd be pretty cool."

This was his response when asked what he liked about every school on his list. Now read that again. 

"Hopefully I can come down there..."

This is what I hate about recruiting—all the speculation about what an 18-year-old kid says, and I realize I've stooped to that level. But if you want to read the signs, they are all pointing toward Austin.

For instance, want to guess the picture that is the background on Turner's phone? It's him and Kevin Durant, his idol.

"He's been my favorite player since he was a freshman at Texas, and I actually got to play with him one time on an unofficial visit. We both have similar games." 

Well, actually, they kind of have similar games.

Turner is a pick-and-pop big man with the ability to knock down threes. The same could have been said when Durant was coming in, but Durant, as we all know, was and is so much more than that.

Durant is one of this generation's greatest players. Turner is a nice developing talent. His legend is growing because he's yet to decide, and by the time he does, some will probably be convinced he is Kevin Durant.

But he's nowhere near Durantian levels. I'm not even sure he would start at Texas with Cameron Ridley and Jonathan Holmes returning.

Of course, that's not what Texas is selling Turner. Rick Barnes is obviously playing the best card he has ever been dealt, and that card is Durant.

You look at Turner, and he's built a lot like Durant. And he can shoot.

And again, go back to that first quote.

"Hopefully I can come down there and make an impact like Kevin Durant had."

That's a heck of a pitch that the Longhorns can use.

There's no chance Turner averages 25.8 points and 11.1 rebounds as a freshman, as Durant did, but there is still a lot to like about UT. Barnes has had success prepping versatile bigs in his program like Durant and LaMarcus Aldridge. The Longhorns also return their entire roster from a team that won a game in the NCAA tournament. 

Given time, Turner could become a great college player and a great prospect at Texas. 

Turner would also be a good fit in Bill Self's high-low system at Kansas. Mike Krzyzewski has no issue letting big men float outside, and Turner would complement Jahlil Okafor well at Duke. Ohio State, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M all need a big man. And SMU has become a draw because of Larry Brown, which is the No. 1 thing Turner said about SMU. 

But there was only one school where he placed himself in the future. 

"I'm not going to lie," Turner said on Wednesday. "I definitely have favorites, but I never put it out there who my favorites are."

Sorry, Myles. You just did.

C.J. Moore covers college basketball for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @CJMooreBR.

The Texas Longhorns have lost five of their last eight games and the Arizona State Sun Devils have lost five of their last seven contests.

Two teams that are limping into the NCAA Tournament bracket will hit the hardwood together in Midwest Region action on Thursday night.

The trends show an ASU team that fails to cover as an underdog and a Texas team that manages to squeeze out wins when favored.

Spread and total points scored betting line

The Longhorns opened as 2.5-point favorites but the line has been bet down to -1.5 as of Tuesday afternoon. The total opened at 145, but was 142 on Tuesday. (Compare lines and consensus on the Odds Shark matchup report)

Odds Shark computer pick

78.3-76.4 Sun Devils

Why pick Arizona State to cover the spread

The No. 10 Sun Devils made the NCAA Tournament after going 10-8 in a Pac-12 conference that received six invitations to the Big Dance. ASU started 13-3 this season and later pulled off victories over Oregon, Arizona and Stanford.

The Sun Devils start three seniors, including 7'2" C Jordan Bachynski, and they're one of the better three-point shooting teams around, hitting at a 39 percent clip from beyond the arc this season.

Why pick Texas to cover the spread

The No. 7 Longhorns are also in the NCAA Tournament, courtesy of an at-large bid, after going 11-7 in a Big 12 conference that earned seven berths. Texas owns victories over North Carolina, Iowa State, Kansas State, Kansas, Oklahoma State and two over Baylor, and just one of their losses came against a team that didn't make the tournament.

The 'Horns are young but deep, and like to play defense, holding foes to under 40 percent from the floor this season. They also have a knack for winning when laying points as their 14-2 SU mark indicates. The Sun Devils struggled down the stretch in the role of underdog.

Smart betting pick

Texas is favored by about a basket for this coaching matchup between Rick Barnes and Herb Sendek, who together are closing in on 1,000 career victories. Both teams struggled down the stretch a bit, but the 'Horns are a little deeper and tougher on defense.

Give the points and take Texas in this one.

Power rankings

Arizona State Sun Devils: No. 210

Texas Longhorns: No. 176 (per Odds Shark power ranks)

March Madness betting trends

• Arizona State is 3-7-1 ATS in its last 11 games
• Texas 2-6 ATS past eight games
• Texas 14-2 SU this season when favored
• Texas 0-4 ATS past four tournament games
• Arizona State is 2-8-1 ATS past 11 games as underdogs

Note: All spread and betting line data powered by Odds Shark - download the free Lines and Bet Tracker app in the Apple Store and on Google Play.

For one of the few times this season, the Big 12 will not the steal the spotlight on Saturday night as the conference's biggest game takes place at the same time of the Syracuse-Duke showdown at Cameron Indoor Stadium. 

While the game between Texas and Kansas has been moved to the backburner of ESPN telecasts, that doesn't mean the game fails to carry plenty of importance for the Longhorns. 

No one thought that Rick Barnes would have his team in second position in the Big 12, just two games behind the Jayhawks, with five games left in the regular season. 

There is no doubt that the Longhorns will be playing in the NCAA men's basketball tournament in almost a month's time, but there still remains a bit of mystery about what seed they will get. 

Texas can go a long way in helping the selection committee out with their decision by going into the storied halls of Allen Fieldhouse and leaving with a victory. 

Winning in Lawrence, Kan. on Saturday will not be an easy task for the Longhorns to achieve, but they will reap the rewards in March if they pull off the unthinkable. 

Let's start with the immediate impact that this game will have on the productive season that Barnes and his team have put together. 

Texas is currently two games behind Kansas in the Big 12 standings, and a win on Saturday would raise the pressure at the top a bit more heading into the final two weeks of the regular season. 

If the Longhorns win against Kansas, they would have a realistic possibility of tying for the regular-season crown because of their easy schedule and a treacherous trip to Stillwater, Okla. that the Jayhawks must make on March 1. 

Kansas 20-6 (11-2)	Texas 20-6 (9-4)
February 24 vs. Oklahoma	February 26 vs. Baylor
March 1 at Oklahoma State	March 1 at Oklahoma
March 5 vs. Texas Tech	March 5 vs. TCU
March 8 at West Virginia	March 8 at Texas Tech

If all the stars align in its favor, Texas could earn the top spot in the Big 12 tournament, which would earn it a game against either Texas Tech or Oklahoma State based on the current standings. 

That motivation would be enough for any team to try and disrupt the home cookings of Kansas, but there is more on the line.

Texas will do a massive favor to its resume with a win over the eighth-best team in the nation, a victory that would be its sixth over a ranked team this season. It would also mean the Longhorns would have swept the team with the most difficult schedule in the nation. Texas defeated Kansas back on February 1 in Austin, Texas. 

The Longhorns will certainly head into Lawrence, Kan. with confidence that they can beat Kansas again, and this time around their major advantage in the paint could be even bigger. 

Play in the paint is the one of the best attributes of this Texas team, who averages 42 rebounds per game, a stat that is good enough to claim the fifth-best spot in all of Division I. 

Kansas' main big-play threat inside, Joel Embiid, has suffered a few injury setbacks in recent weeks, and he will not be 100 percent when he takes the court on Saturday night. 

If the Longhorns can exploit that weakness early and often, they could have an upset brewing in Lawrence, Kan. in the first half. 

With everything to play for on Saturday, expect the Longhorns to come out of the locker room with a purpose and give Kansas the best game they can.

Whether or not they can upset Kansas again remains to be seen, but you have to like the chances of this Texas team to get the job done.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.