Women’s basketball player review: Tayla Thomas

In the matchup against the Rambers, Thomas took the Wildcat spotlight due to an early injury to Sullivan. She dominated the Loyola Chicago bigs, making 11 of her 17 shots from the field and netting eight free throws. Thomas also grabbed 11 rebounds and had two blocks in an all-around performance that showcased her multi-dimensional potential. In the game, Thomas relentlessly pursued looks at the rim and exhibited a ferocious energy that kept an undermanned Northwestern team in it until the end.

Thomas’ second-highest scoring output on the season was in a blowout loss to Illinois. She scored 25 points, grabbed six rebounds and notably made two three-pointers. Her shooting is an area that will be touched on later, but she flashed the ability to stretch the floor against the Illini. Thomas also showed the ability to take defenders off the dribber in the in-state clash, proving herself as a capable shot-creator.

Overall, Thomas’ improvements came from more experience and added strength and size. The former four-star recruit has always held big-time scoring potential, and she started to come into her own this season. She dominated the paint, absorbed rebounds on both ends of the floor and provided reliable interior defense that repelled opponents driving in the paint.​

What’s to Come

​There are still several areas that Thomas needs to work on if she wants to take another jump.

First, Thomas struggled at times to stay on the floor due to foul trouble. She fouled out in four games this season and had at least three fouls in 17 games. Head coach Joe McKeown was forced to limit Thomas’ minutes in these instances, stripping NU of one of its biggest threats. The foul trouble often resulted from lazy defense by Thomas and uncontrolled rim contests when beat off the bounce.

Thomas’ foul trouble pairs with another improvable area: the occasional lack of defensive effort. While she posted an impressive 1.2 blocks per game, it seemed that at times she pursued the big-time block versus a good contest at the rim. This resulted in Thomas’ foul issues when she didn’t secure the rejection. The sophomore flashed potential to be an elite shot blocker and rim presence; she just needed to maintain intelligence and a high motor when on the court.

​Offensively, Thomas needs to improve her ball control. She ranked second on the team in turnovers – 2.4 per game – despite being fifth in minutes played. She appeared loose with the ball at times throughout the season, and it seemed her vision exceeded her actual execution of passes. She averaged fewer than an assist per game, evidence of her lackluster passing. If Thomas continues to dominate the paint at the collegiate level, she will begin to attract double teams on post touches, requiring a greater passing capacity.

Finally, refining Thomas’ shooting could be the key to her unlocking a path to the next level. Thomas showed she could stretch the floor, making multiple threes in two games this season, but shot just 20% from deep overall. Her form features good fundamentals and a steady rhythm, so it’s not unreasonable to expect growth as a shooter; yet, her 65.7 free-throw percentage is a reason for concern. A good free-throw percentage can often translate to a three-point shot, but Thomas struggles from both areas.

Thomas has all the tools to take another massive step into her next collegiate season. Still, she will need to work on several areas, including maintaining a consistent motor on defense and shooting from deep.

However, Thomas’ next step won’t be taken in purple and white.

​The sophomore announced her entry into the transfer portal earlier this offseason, following McKeown’s departure, and recently committed to Minnesota. Thomas will return to Evanston as an opponent, but her consistent production in her second year at Northwestern should always be remembered and applauded.