Starting over the summer, Texas sophomore guard Jordan Lee spent her free time bonding with sophomore guard Bryanna Preston through puzzles.
“Whenever we get the chance, we’ll do it,” Lee said last weekend. “It’s just an opportunity (for us to) unwind.”
Amid the stresses of being student athletes, puzzles — as intricate as 1,000 pieces — have served as a form of relaxation outside of basketball, and the pair credit the hobby for helping them to get to know each other better. But as the season has progressed and free time has dwindled, a new type of puzzle has emerged for Lee — not necessarily with cardboard pieces, but on the court.
Head coach Vic Schaefer had to replace three spots in his starting lineup from a season ago, following the departures of center Taylor Jones, forward Aaliyah Moore and guard Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda.
Last year, as a freshman, Lee got a taste of significant court time, starting five games, playing 20 or more minutes on 20 different occasions, and earning Southeastern Conference All-Freshman honors.
This season, she has embraced her second-year leap, becoming the third piece to Schaefer’s puzzle alongside stars junior forward Madison Booker and graduate point guard Rori Harmon. Her development has been a huge part in quieting questions surrounding reliance on youth and notable turnover within the team.
“Even when she was a freshman, she still had this in her,” Booker said about Lee back on Jan. 4. “It’s showing now, but I’m not surprised because I’ve already seen this (from her) before … I’m just proud. I’m happy to be her teammate.”
Lee has played in every game this year and started all but one, averaging 31.7 minutes and 13.5 points per game, both of which rank second on the team behind Booker.
In the midst of SEC play, Lee endured a brief scoring and efficiency slump, tallying eight or fewer points in four of seven consecutive contests. Still, Schaefer found little concern, sensing she would bounce back.
“When you play this game, you’re bound to go through a (bad) stretch or two,” Schaefer said on Feb. 8. “I see her in practice — the kid’s really good, so it’s just kind of happened. It’s nothing that I’m really worried about. I got a lot of things to worry about, but Jordan Lee ain’t one of them. … She just keeps working at it. And that’s what you want to see as a coach.”
He was right. Since then, Lee has re-established herself as a consistent double-digit scorer for the Longhorns and, with surging efficiency, is shooting 51.6% over the last five games. One clear improvement in her game has come with downhill driving toward the hoop, making her an even more dynamic player to guard.
“(Coach Sydney Carter has) been very persistent with me in the gym daily, and you see that development … and a variety of different ways of scoring,” Lee said after tallying a game-high 19 points against Missouri State, without a single three-pointer.
This versatility offensively, paired with her defensive aptitude, is an important evolution for Lee as the Longhorns look to overpower teams on both sides of the court. Her being that fearless and third headliner could make all the difference for Schaefer’s team in the later rounds of the NCAA Tournament.
“(Booker is) just a really special kid, but when you got Rori (Harmon) now making shots and you got Jordan Lee over there going 7-12, 3-6 from three (as she did against Oregon),” Schaefer said. “Man, this is a group that’s hard to deal with.”
