Can Oklahoma State basketball interrupt turnover problems, rebound vs utah?

Stillwater – Steve Lutz found himself in a flashback on Thursday.

During his first meeting with the media in the state for several days due to his team’s travel program, the Oklahoma State basketball coach started by talking about a problem that had not Hunted his team since December.

“Let’s start by not going back the ball,” said Lutz when he was asked what a domain would help his team assembling more coherent performance. “”

Back home to welcome Utah (12-8, 4-5 Big 12) at 2 p.m. Saturday in Gallagher-Iba Arena, Cowboys (10-10, 2-7) come out of a section in which they overturned the ball on 43 times in the two games of his road trip to Texas Tech and at Kansas State in the last week.

It had actually been a fairly reliable category for cowboys.

They had their problems in December, with an average of more than 15 reversals per game against adversaries non -conference. But Big 12 Play has brought an improvement noted.

During the first seven games at a conference, the Cowboys returned the ball more than 14 times only once.

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But the road trip made a negligence that the Pokes had mainly avoided this season. They had returned the ball more than 18 times all season before committing 22 and 21, respectively, in the losses of Texas Tech and K-State.

“It is not as if they trapped our ball screens. It is not like they are trying us, “said Lutz. “These are just carefree and unruly games we make, then return the ball.”

Although all players except three on the OSU list are new, the programming is considerably filled with veteran players, so the sudden ride disorders were a surprise. But Lutz did not chop the words by describing the cause of the increase in turnover.

“Yeah, a selfish game,” he said. “I would start there. I think we are trying to play games when there is no game to do.

“We have to start again to be a better team. Make more team games. Be less selfish. Maybe when we need a basket, not thinking, “Ok, I’m going to do everything on my own and I’m going to bring us back.” Work through the offensive and when the right blow happens, take advantage of it. »»

The 28-point defeat at K-State was particularly painful, since the Cowboys won the previous match by 13 in Gallagher-Iba Arena.

“All night, if you don’t show up ready to play, you can have a result like (in Kansas State),” said Brandon Newman, the senior wing. “We have a lot of older guys who have a lot of experience and have played a lot of university games.

“We have to be better in teams, collectively in a group. This is what we are missing the most right now. “”

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The difficulties of turnover exacerbated the recent defensive difficulties of cowboys. The OSU has granted at least 80 points in four of the last six games after allowing opponents to reach this brand only three times in the previous 14.

“(Avoiding turnover) will allow you to be better defensively because you do not play from behind, you do not play so much in transition,” said Lutz. “Easily repairable. Easily repairable, but we cannot sit here in match n ° 20 of a 31 game season which is guaranteed and continues to say the same things.

“At one point, you have to stop turning the ball.”

Osu vs utah

Tipoff: 2 p.m. Saturday in Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater (ESPN +)

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Can Oklahoma State basketball interrupt turnover problems, rebound vs utah?