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Texas Basketball vs. West Virginia: 5 takeaways from momentum building Big 12 win

By Andrew Miller

AUSTIN, TX - MARCH 3: Teddy Allen #13 of the West Virginia Mountaineers shoots the ball against the Texas Longhorns at the Frank Erwin Center on March 3, 2018 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Covatta/Getty Images)
AUSTIN, TX - MARCH 3: Teddy Allen #13 of the West Virginia Mountaineers shoots the ball against the Texas Longhorns at the Frank Erwin Center on March 3, 2018 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Covatta/Getty Images) /
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 22: Jaxson Hayes #10 of the Texas Longhorns blocks a shot from Luke Maye #32 of the North Carolina Tar Heels during the 2018 Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational basketball tournament at the Orleans Arena on November 22, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 22: Jaxson Hayes #10 of the Texas Longhorns blocks a shot from Luke Maye #32 of the North Carolina Tar Heels during the 2018 Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational basketball tournament at the Orleans Arena on November 22, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images) /

3. Jaxson Hayes isn’t slowing down in Big 12 play

For Texas basketball to be at its very best, the top young players in the rotation need to step up to the plate when it matters most. Texas has about three of four freshmen that are all contributing already and could be key starters for this season heading into next. Even the sophomores are seeing a pretty big breakthrough for the Horns at this moment.

There’s not much more that head Texas basketball coach Shaka Smart could hope for out of one freshman sensation forward Jaxson Hayes. Alongside freshman forward Kamaka Hepa and point guard Courtney Ramey, this group of first-year players for the Horns were very important to this run on a three-game winning streak to start off the gauntlet that is Big 12 play.

However, something to watch for moving forward is the foul trouble for Hayes. The biggest issue he’s faced so far with the Horns is his tendency to work himself into early foul trouble, similar to sophomore forward Jericho Sims. Hayes was the only Texas player to reach four fouls against West Virginia and it dramatically limited his time on the floor.

While Hayes was on the floor, he was tremendously effective and finished up perfect from the field and the free-throw line. He wrapped up this game with six points, three rebounds, and four block shots in just 20 minutes on the floor. He averaged eight blocks per 40 minutes here and stood out in defense again as a rim protector when he was actually present on the court.

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