Kentucky rarely turns the ball over, but neither do the Wildcats' opponents

So far this season, Kentucky has been one of the best teams in the country at not turning the ball over.

The Wildcats currently rank fifth nationally in turnover percentage at 13.2%. They average just 9.8 turnovers per outing and have coughed it up more than 10 times in six out of 12 contests played in 2024-25. Those are winning numbers, evidenced by UK’s 10-2 start.

The likes of Otega Oweh, Koby Brea, and Andrew Carr are all averaging career lows in turnovers per game. Jaxson Robinson and Amari Williams are turning the ball over at their lowest rates since they were sophomores. Lamont Butler is handling the ball more than ever (career-high usage rate of 24.5) but hasn’t seen an influx of extra turnovers. His 4.2 assists per game are easily a career-best.

Chalk it up to having so many veteran guys handling the ball or head coach Mark Pope getting everyone to buy into his offensive system — this group just knows how to play together on that end of the floor (Ohio State game withstanding, although UK still assisted on 11 of its 17 made baskets while turning the ball over only nine times). Kentucky passes the ball incredibly well and generates nearly 60 percent of its buckets through assists. That’s quality offense, even if the team still might lack a “go-to” scorer.

That’s the good news regarding turnovers.

The bad news (or whatever you want to call it) is happening on the other end of the floor. Kentucky is one of the worst teams in the country at forcing the opponent into turnovers, especially against the more talented teams. Opposing teams have a turnover rate of just 13.6%, right in line with UK’s own turnover rate. The Wildcats force a mere 10.1 turnovers per outing, a bottom 30 mark in all of Division I hoops.

Kentucky has found success at forcing turnovers against lesser competition. Georgia State (17 turnovers), Jackson State (16), Bucknell (13), Wright State (12), and Western Kentucky (11) all turned the ball over 10 or more times. However, in the Wildcats’ two losses to Clemson and Ohio State, both the Tigers and Buckeyes turned the ball over just seven times each (fewest of the season for both). Louisville and Duke also only turned the ball over seven times (third-fewest of the season for both). Gonzaga turned it over just five times (second-fewest of the season).

Kentucky generates a good chunk of its turnovers off of steals. Butler and Oweh combine to average 2.7 steals per game. That’s a good number. But if those two aren’t pressuring the ball, opponents just don’t have to worry about making poor decisions. According to KenPom, Kentucky’s non-steal turnover percentage (4.6) on defense ranks as the third-worst mark in the country. That’s a bad number.

This might just be part of Pope’s defensive coaching style, though. Looking back at his time with BYU, his teams regularly ranked in the bottom half of the country in turnover percentage on defense. That was the case when he was coaching at Utah Valley State, as well. That being said, he still managed to produce above-average defenses. So there’s a method baked into the madness somewhere.

Ball-screen defense has been a gradually worse issue for Kentucky this season. UK might also be getting a bit lucky with three-point shooting (just 27.5 percent on the season from deep by the opposition). That will change against SEC teams. But mostly, there is not enough resistance inside the arc right now. Perhaps it’s by design. Kentucky rebounds the ball incredibly well and finishes off defensive possessions at a high rate when there’s a missed shot.

But that doesn’t matter when shots are consistently going through the net. Ohio State shot over 56 percent from the field and rarely coughed up the ball. Something about Kentucky’s defense needs tightening (or maybe more aggression) to prevent that from becoming a trend moving forward.