The reason I am excited about Isaiah is because he showed development that does not relate to the level of competition. So we can expect to see similar performances in the future, without regard to whom the competition is.
Last year, our concerns with Isaiah basically boiled down to two habits on the offensive end (setting aside defensive effort): (1) he had a propensity for dribbling "blindly" into the lane and then getting caught having to attempt an impossible finish or deliver an impossible pass; and (2) to jack up poor shots instead of moving the ball to get it in position for a high percentage shot.
Neither of those habits relate to the talent level of the competition. They relate to Isaiah, period.
What did we see against Omaha? He moved the ball into high-percentage situations. 11 assists! When he drove the lane, he did it in a way to move defenders - he looked some off - and then delivered the ball. (He also has big men who can catch a pass this year which obviously helps.) He did not jack up bad shots. In short, his game has matured. I understand that some nights his shot will be "on" and other nights it will be "off." Who cares? That's basketball. But what gets me excited is that his game has MATURED. And we can expect mature play night after night. And with mature play, given the talent surrounding him, we will see wins.
Isaiah's speed + handling + finishing ability + mature play = success. We KNOW he has the first three - he came to Minnesota with them. Now he has shown us the that he possesses maturity. Good times are ahead.
Fantastic analysis. This encapsulates my observations perfectly.