When forward Tyler Koch injured his right thumb in Sunday's game against Calumet College, it became the latest nagging pain the redshirt sophomore had to deal with.
Over the past couple years, injuries, more than his level of play, have kept Koch off the court.
During his one season at Wright State, Koch appeared in only half of the team's 32 games due to injury. Transfer rules prohibited him from playing last season at Ball State, but ankle surgery limited his practice time. Hip surgery this offseason kept him out of the team's preseason trip to Canada. The list goes on and on.
Koch said the last time he was fully healthy was his junior year of high school, but this season is different. Koch is starting to get attention for his play on the court.
Through four games, Koch is averaging 6.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. The numbers aren't flashy, and they don't show his consistent improvement.
In his first college game in over a year, Koch was welcomed back by then No. 16 Arizona and its athletic front. He struggled, but showed flashes of his potential. Since then, Koch has started each game, and his production has gone up. His rebounding numbers have increased in every game and his point production jumped after his latest outing against Calumet.
Ball State struggled in the first half of Sunday's game, and Koch was there to provide the spark. He hit two 3-pointers to give the Cardinals the lead and a momentum-swinging tip-in just before halftime. Koch finished with 14 points on five of seven shooting and three blocks.
"Slowly but surely I feel like I'm getting my feet under me a little bit," Koch said after the game. "My body is healing up somewhat, so overall it's improving."
Koch's choice of words were more than just a figure of speech. While his ankle and hip healed, Koch said getting the rust of his body to elevate on a jump shot proved difficult.
Now that his shot is coming together, coach Billy Taylor said Koch's mixture of talents make it hard to keep him off the floor.
"Just kind of getting him off the court and getting the rust off [was important]," Taylor said. "We just wanted to get him healthy to see what he can do. In terms of his play, he can shoot the ball from the perimeter. He gives us a big guard and his skill set is very attractive. He can pass, he can dribble and he can rebound and start the break for us."
The ability was always there, but Koch said it all comes down to staying on the court. He said he never considered giving up the game, but his outlook has gotten more positive as his body continues to heal.
It's been a journey, but it's been a lot more enjoyable now that I'm getting on the court," Koch said. "I'm kind of starting to play the way I used to, so it feels good."
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