At this point, Jerrod Calhoun’s Cats are gaining national attention, this time landing coveted point guard Tylen Riley from Tulsa! Tylen is a 6’3″, 190lb PG out of Las Vegas! Riley was nearly immediately linked to Cincinnati when he entered, and the staff was able to get it across the finish line!
What to Expect on the Court:
Tylen averaged 15 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists on 44.8% from the field this year. He added in a 39% mark from deep and an 87% clip from the free throw line. On defense, he produced a steal per game, however, when handling the ball, he turned it over 2.6 times per outing. Fouls weren’t a major concern, with just 2 per game. His highest scoring output this season was a 30 point performance against Wichita State in February. His final performance of the year was promising, he put up 20 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals in an OT loss vs. Auburn. While there is of course concern about bringing a guy from a lower league up to the Big 12, Riley should translate well. He had a crazy 28.9% usage rate last year, and a 30.5% assist rate. Riley is best when he puts his head down and tries to get to the rim, and when there he draws fouls at an elite rate. He took just 70 3 point attempts on the year, hitting 27. While those aren’t crazy numbers, they’re just enough to help stretch the defense. Where he does struggle on offense is inside the arc, converting 45% from 2. However, his elite free throw rate and % help neutralize this. On defense, he is average. He has a tendency to be disruptive at times, and, as expected, doesn’t rebound or block many shots. As was the case with Allenspach (Read about him here), Riley spent time at the low-major ranks (Cal Baptist) before transfering to Tulsa. He appears to be continuing to grow as a player and has handled a significant jump up already.
Player Comparion:
I’ve gone between Kendric Davis (SMU/Memphis), and PJ Haggerty (Tulsa/KSU) for this comparison. I’m going to go with PJ Haggerty when he transferrred from Tulsa to KSU. They both are floor generals who initiate contact and get to the free throw line at a massive rate. PJ, of course, is one of the best pure scorers in the country right now, and while I don’t think that Tylen will get to that level, I do believe their games mirror eachother, and he will be a significant contributor for a Bearcat squad who need a PG.
