Turnovers trouble young IU team

IU averaged 12.2 turnovers per game as a team before facing Iowa for the second time this season. 

Saturday was a different story.

The Hoosiers tied their season high for turnovers in a game, committing 22 in an 84-75 loss to the Hawkeyes.

IU also had 22 turnovers at Indiana State on Nov. 15 during non-conference play. The turnovers are the most the team has committed in a Big Ten game this season.
“Turnovers were a big difference in the game,” IU Coach Curt Miller said.

Down just five at halftime, the Hoosiers opened the second half committing turnovers on their first three consecutive possessions. The turnover on the second possession led to a jumper by Iowa junior center Bethany Doolittle.

The Hawkeyes responded with a layup by senior guard Theairra Taylor following the third turnover committed by the Hoosiers, and the lead extended quickly to nine.

Taylor’s free throws gave Iowa a 38-34 lead at the two minute seven second mark in the first half. Following those free throws, freshman Karlee McBride committed turnovers on back-to-back IU possessions.

Iowa converted a pair of free throws to extend its lead to 40-34 with one minute 25 seconds remaining in the first half.

IU senior center Simone Deloach hit a jumper on the Hoosiers’ possession following those free throws, but turnovers began again as IU tried to cut the lead.

After Iowa senior guard Samantha Logic committed a turnover at the one minute two second mark in the first half, the Hoosiers raced down the court with a 5-on-4 advantage. Freshman guard Larryn Brooks tried to pass at the right wing, but Logic hustled back and stole the errant pass.

In the second half, Brooks’ turnover with 14 minutes and 15 seconds remaining led to a 3-pointer by Iowa junior guard Melissa Dixon on the following possession.

Dixon’s 3-pointer gave the Hawkeyes their largest lead of the night, 60-46.

“It’s so hard to defend turnovers,” Miller said. “They are a good transition team, so when you turn the ball over it’s really difficult to guard that.”

The abnormally high amount of turnovers was uncharacteristic for IU, whose record of 12.2 turnovers per game was fewest in the Big Ten and sixth fewest in the country.

With five games in 11 days, four of them on the road, the Hoosiers now have a long break before facing Northwestern University at home this Thursday.

“I don’t know if that (five games in 11 days) contributed to some our poor decision making and turnovers, that we were fatigued and tired,” Miller said. “But we survived and got through that stretch.” 

In its previous four games, IU committed 12 turnovers at Wisconsin, 17 at Purdue, nine against Minnesota and 12 at Penn State.

“Ultimately, we just gotta do a better job of handling the basketball,” Miller said.

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