McNeal's Turnovers

[CoachKJ]

Wow.  8 turnovers tonight.  I can't imagine that he wouldn't break the record for turnovers this season.  A very alarming number considering that he is not the primary ballhandler.  Love the energy, but he is a liability at the end of a game, especially with the FT %.

[rocky_warrior]

Did you happen to see the game without him???

I wouldn't trade him for the world -- even with the turnovers!

[Pakuni]

Dwyane Wade was a turnover machine at this stage in his college career as well.
No,I am not saying McNeal is anywhere near Wade's level or will ever be at that level. However, they both spent the early parts of their college career playing a helter-skelter, whirling dervish style, for better or worse. The worse usually means moments of being out of control and turning the ball over.

While I think, and hope, McNeal learns to slow it down a bit and play more under control, I'd hate to have him reined in too much and lose his intensity and fearlessness. Those are two attributes this team definitely needs. Sometimes you have to take the bad with the good, and, IMO, McNeal and his style bring much more good to this team than bad.

[SoCalwarrior]

4 TOs per game is way too many.  He'll set the record for steals and turnovers in a season.  Hopefully he will have more steals than turnovers, but he's -7 as of tonight.

[Wade for President]

8 turnovers is a ton....but don't look any further then our early exit in the '03 CUSA Tourney, where Wade had 10!!!

[CTWarrior]

8 is too many.  He tries too many times to make passes that aren't there.   His plusses far outweigh his minuses, though, and he has been our best player this season, IMO.

[Marquette84]

8 is too many.  He tries too many times to make passes that aren't there.   His plusses far outweigh his minuses, though, and he has been our best player this season, IMO.

He also had 4 assists and 2 steals.

Intersting thing to note, a number of those turnovers occurred immedeately after a rebound or steal. 

MU's strength is team speed and we need to score points on the break in order to leverage that advantage.    I'm sure TOs would fall tremendously if Jerel were coached to control the ball after a rebound/steal and slow the game down--but that means we're playing a half-court offense and takes away an advantage. 

It would be nice if these transition opportunites were all executed perfectly.  However, I think we need to accept that our style of play is going to result in above average turnovers but on balance will result in more points.

[WashDCWarrior]

Obviously 8 is a huge number, but I never would have guessed it was that many watching the game.  James' missed 3s seemed more like TOs than McNeal's actual TOs.

[SoCalwarrior]

Obviously 8 is a huge number, but I never would have guessed it was that many watching the game.  James' missed 3s seemed more like TOs than McNeal's actual TOs.

I definitely agree with that.  I'd take McNeal's TOs over James' ill advised 3's.  Also, this team expects the steal so McNeal's often lead to easy transition points.

[rocky_warrior]

Another thing worth mentioning about the turnovers...I would have to re-watch the games and count, but it seems many times the sequence is like this:

1) Jerel steals the ball
2) Jerel loses control (turnover)
3) Havoc ensues
4) Havoc causes opposition to turnover the ball again
5) Marquette puts together some offense

So, it may take 2 opposition turnovers to get the points, but in the end it was worth it.