12/12/2019 basketball Edit

The Turnover Issues That Plagued Michigan Early In The Season Are … Fixed?

Austin Fox • Maize&BlueReview

Staff Writer

Ball security was one of the many significant strengths of former Michigan Wolverines basketball head coach John Beilein's clubs, consistently ranking at or near the top of the country in fewest turnovers committed per game.

Though new head man Juwan Howard's team has gotten off to a hot start in 2019-20, turnovers stood as the only significant weakness that plagued his club in the early going.

The Michigan Wolverines' next basketball game will be at home on Saturday at noon against Oregon. (Per Kjeldsen)

They averaged 14.5 through the first six games of the season, lowlighted by a season-worst 22 in the Nov. 27 win over Iowa State in the Bahamas.

The Maize and Blue committed at least 15 three times in the first six outings, and had a minimum of 10 in each one.

U-M nevertheless started 6-0, and for a club currently shooting 50.2 percent on the year (12th best nationally) and only allowing opponents to hit 41.1 percent of their shots (tied for 137th), turnovers have remained the primary concern.

Senior guard Zavier Simpson has been the main culprit, averaging 3.5 per game after only giving the ball away twice per outing last year as a junior.

“There’s no reason for them [the turnovers] — it’s just basketball," Simpson explained on Tuesday. "I just move on to the next play, because I don’t have time to be out there thinking about them or knocking myself about the ones I just made.

“Juwan says ‘next play mentality.’"

Perhaps the turnover issues were a product of Simpson and the rest of the Wolverines adjusting to Howard's new offensive system, one that included a faster pace and an up-tempo transition style that oftentimes wasn't seen under Beilein in recent years.

Whatever the case may be, the team has cut down on them in a big way over its last four games, despite the competition ramping up immensely.

In its last four outings against Gonzaga, Louisville, Iowa and Illinois, U-M has only averaged 9.5 turnovers per game, highlighted by a season-low eight last night at Illinois.

The club has given the ball away 11 times or fewer in all four of those contests, a feat they only did twice in the first six affairs.

It's also worth noting the combined record of the last four teams Michigan has faced is 33-8.