Sunday, February 3, 2013
KU's turnover dilemma
By Matt Giles
Kansas' offensive turnover rate has never been the most robust in the Big 12. The Jayhawks typically turn the ball over on 18 percent of their possessions, and while there seem to be calls for tighter control in KU's backcourt -- a recent target was Tyshawn Taylor -- the squad continues to post offensive efficiency rates well over one point per possession.
However, KU has struggled with their turnovers; nearly 21 percent of their possessions are giveaways, the worst rate for a Self-led team in Lawrence since the 2009 season. CJ Moore of Basketball Prospectus recently tweeted that Elijah Johnson committed 19 turnovers during the past five games, a somewhat alarming stat, one that explains Bill Self's quote following the Kansas loss to Oklahoma State. With only 54 seconds remaining in the game, Andrew White III subbed out Johnson, a move that seems quite puzzling -- the senior point guard being taken out of the game for a freshman in a game's waning moments -- and afterwards, Self said, "It's sad ... But we needed something and we were definitely a better team with him over there sitting down next to us and putting somebody else in the game."
It is worth noting, though, that Taylor committed 37 turnovers during a six game stretch (per Moore), but Taylor was better able to attack the basket off the bounce and get into the lane while converting or drawing a foul. His offensive rating -- 104 -- is much higher than Johnson's (93.7) and Johnson relies more heavily on connecting from beyond the arc.
