Why Jordan Horston – and Lady Vols basketball – is better when she commits to being a playmaker

As she drove to the free-throw line, Jordan Horston saw Rickea Jackson drifting toward the paint.

The Lady Vols guard dished it to Jackson at the low block before Vanderbilt could close in. Jackson took one dribble, went up and finished easily to tie the game against Vanderbilt in the first quarter. Tennessee went on to beat the Commodores 86-59 on Sunday at Thompson-Boling Arena.

The 27-point win is the highest margin of victory in SEC play for the Lady Vols (18-9, 10-2 SEC), who hadn't scored more than 80 points in regulation since their last victory against Vanderbilt (11-15, 2-10) on Jan. 8.

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It was crucial for Tennessee to win like it did Sunday after a double overtime loss at Mississippi State six days earlier. And it was even more important for Horston to return to this form.

"We are at our best when she is stuffing the stats, and it does not have to be points," Lady Vols coach Kellie Harper said. "Her effect on the game in every other column is so valuable to our team, whether that's assists, steals or boards, blocked shots. I mean, she can do so many things, and our team – not just Jordan – but our team is at our best when she's doing that."

Before Sunday, Tennessee hadn't gotten what it needs from Horston since the last time it played Vanderbilt. She had been inefficient on offense, with more assists than turnovers in only two of the past eight games, and her rebounding had been inconsistent.

But Horston reminded everyone of who she is Sunday, and it led to Tennessee's best win in SEC play.

How Horston's assist numbers impact the team

Horston grew up playing point guard, and her assist numbers are indicative of success for both her and her team. In the Lady Vols' two SEC losses, Horston didn't record a single assist.

She had four Sunday, helping lead Tennessee's offense with starting point guard Jordan Walker, who poured in eight assists of her own.

Horston has accounted for 19.5% of Tennessee's assists this season. In eight of their past 13 games, Horston has exceeded that percentage and the Lady Vols won every game.

Of the four times that Horston did not hit that mark, Tennessee lost three of them (UConn, LSU, Mississippi State). In the lone win, the Lady Vols only scored 62 points against Texas A&M, their lowest scoring output of conference play.

It's clear Tennessee's offense has more success when its senior starter is being aggressive as a playmaker, especially in tandem with Walker.

"Just finding where I can be productive – I can do a lot of things on the floor, I don't always have to put the ball in the basket," Horston said. "If I'm sprinting down the court, they're worried about that and Tess (Darby) is wide open for a three. It's just the little things like that I just have to focus in on."

How being a playmaker benefits Horston's offense

High assist numbers make Horston better individually, too.

In games against ranked or SEC opponents when Horston recorded four or more assists, she shot 46.6%. When she had fewer than four assists, her percentage dropped to 37.7%.

Horston scored 18 points Sunday on 8-for-13 shooting, her most efficient showing with double-digit field goal attempts since Colorado on Nov. 25.

"What I've been doing recently, just letting the game come to me," Horston said. "When it's time, I'll find my shots in rhythm."

Harper said Horston is so competitive and wants to win so bad, at times she rushes things on offense. But once she settles in and plays with confidence, she finds success.

"I just feel like staying in the system, getting shots up consistently and just buying into the goal and the plan and just going hard – I feel like that's what helps me," Horston said.

Her return to efficiency on offense would only benefit Tennessee, which has high-percentage shooters in forwards Jackson (54.5%) and Jillian Hollingshead (49.2%). In Horston's other high-scoring games, she was taking 20 or more shots.

Tennessee can't afford to have her take that many shots – and it won't have to if Horston builds off Sunday's win. Because it proved that Horston and Tennessee are at their best when she's committed being the elite playmaker she is.