Maryland Basketball: Turnovers Becoming a Problem
By Joe Serpico
Maryland basketball has an alarming problem with turning the ball over, ranking 11th in the Big Ten Conference in turnovers per game.
It does not matter the sport. Teams that lose the turnover battle are typically on the wrong end of the result. Ask the Arizona Cardinals what happens when you give up the ball far too often.
The Maryland Terrapins are one of the top teams in the Big Ten Conference. There is no denying that. There is also no denying that they have a problem giving up the ball in conference play.
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Too many times Maryland take scoring chances away with bad passes or not taking proper care of the ball. If you watch the games – if you are reading this, I am assuming that you do – you have heard the play-by-play announcers bring up the Terps turnover problems on a consistent basis. It’s a serious issue that must be addressed quickly.
The Terps have lost the turnover battle in six straight games, dating back to the win over Rutgers. They have had double-digit turnovers in six of their eight conference games, and are averaging 13.2 turnovers a game. That is a troubling trend that must be corrected as we approach February and March basketball.
Melo Trimble is one of the best point guards in the country. He is ranked in the top-25 in assists (112) and top-30 in assists per game (5.6) currently. However, it is when he plays poorly that the Terps suffer. He has had more turnovers than assists in two of the last four games. Those two games were against Michigan and Michigan State. Do you think it is a coincidence that the Terps lost in those two games?
Trimble is averaging 2.6 turnovers per game, but he is not the only starter to average two turnovers a game. Rasheed Sulaimon and Robert Carter are also guilty of giving up the ball far too often. Yes, all three guys are the primary ball handlers of this team. Their numbers will obviously be higher than the other players on the team. The problem is their turnovers are killing them when it matters most.
Trimble and Suliamon had seven of the Terps’ nine turnovers on Saturday night. The duo had the same number of turnovers in the loss to Michigan. Trimble had eight of the team’s 22 giveaways in the loss to North Carolina. It is when the Terps top players underperform that they suffer. Typically, that is the case for any team. When the best players are underperforming, you are going to have losses.
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This is not just any team. This is a team that is considered a championship contender by many. Like many championship teams, they do have some flaws. This is a weakness that can be fixed by just playing smarter basketball.