Alabama working to cut down turnovers ahead of game at Kentucky

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama turned it over a season-high 21 times in its recent loss to Ole Miss. In the Crimson Tide’s first 10 possessions of the game, it turned it over seven times.

“Some of them were definitely unforced against Ole Miss,” Alabama head coach Nate Oats said. “Some of them, Ole Miss did a pretty good job kind of building out on some passing lanes and we didn’t get the two feet in the lane and didn’t have – we call it – paint patience.

“We just weren’t very focused.”

Alabama (14-3, 3-1 SEC) has turned it over 222 times in 17 contests, which is the third-most in the conference. The Crimson Tide currently sits in last place in turnover margin at -2.3.

An issues for Alabama at times this season, it appeared as though the turnover problem had been resolved. The Tide had a stretch of six, nine and 11 turnovers against South Dakota State, Oklahoma and South Carolina before 15 turnovers in its road win over Texas A&M. The biggest difference in that game and the Ole Miss loss was the offensive rebounds.

Alabama pulled down a season-high 24 offensive boards in College Station, Texas only to post a season-low four the next time out against the Rebels, which did not please the coach.

“Twenty-one turnovers, you don’t have as many shots to get,” Oats said. “Now, we had enough to where we should have gotten more than three. … We had three offensive boards one game after we had 24. I think it was an effort thing, and when you’re not focused and not ready to play, it shows up in a lot of your effort categories.”

Alabama spent Thursday’s practice focusing on its shortcomings in the loss to Ole Miss. That obviously included the turnovers. But Oats said that has been the case for nearly a month. So much so that unnecessary turnovers on the practice court result in punishment.

“We’ve been trying to make a big point of emphasis for about the past 3-4 weeks in practice,” Oats said. “If you’ve got a casual turnover – we basically made paint patience a casual turnover, driving single gaps where it’s a crowd – if you’ve got those types of turnovers, you just go over to the bike and you’ve got some time Henry (Barrera) over on the bike and we’ll get a sub in for you in practice.

“We’ve tried to make that point.”

While it seemed to be working, the turnovers returned earlier this week. 

Alabama will look to make that an anomaly rather than a trend when it travels to Lexington to take on No. 8 Kentucky on Saturday, January 18 (11 a.m. CT on ESPN). The Wildcats are 14th in the SEC in opponent turnovers (186), but Oats brought up UK veteran guard Lamont Butler, who ranks 13th in the conference in turnovers per game (1.9) this year.

To bounce back, Alabama will need to take care of the basketball inside Rupp Arena.

“We took an enormous step backward against Ole Miss, and I think it’s just making a huge point of emphasis, teaching them you can’t jump in the air with nowhere to go and make a pass like we did multiple times,” Oats said. “You can’t drive it into crowds. If you drive it into a crowd and Butler’s in a crowd tomorrow, he’s gonna take the ball from you. 

“We’ve gotta be smart with the ball. 

“Now, Kentucky’s not a high turnover rate defensive team. They’re more solid, stay in front of you, force tough twos. But Butler will take the ball from you, and if you’re not sound with it, they will turn you over. I would hope that tomorrow we get the turnovers back down while still getting quality shots.”

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