Bill Carmody doesn’t like it when his team turns the ball over.
“We had 16 turnovers,” Carmody said after Wednesday’s 67-54 loss to No. 10 Butler. “We should never have 16 turnovers. It’s hard to win when you have 16 turnovers.”
The Wildcats turned the ball over a quarter of the 60 possessions in the game, leading to 24 points off turnovers for the Bulldogs. After averaging only 10.33 per game last season, the increased number of miscues caught Carmody and his players off guard.
“Having that many turnovers in a game is crucial,” junior point guard Michael Thompson said. “In previous years we’ve averaged a lot less than that. So we have to take better care of the ball.”
The question is whether NU’s sloppy play against one of the top teams in the country is a fluke, or indicative of what life will be like for the rest of this season.
But the Cats aren’t taking the built-in excuse provided by the injuries and graduations that leave NU missing two starters from last season.
“It’s not about new roles,” senior guard Jeremy Nash said. “All the guys here have played every position at practice. It’s about getting out on the court more. It’s about getting more comfortable with everybody.”
Players looked uncomfortable with their job in the offense Wednesday. Some turnovers came off ill-advised passes. Some came when players like Thompson and sophomore forward John Shurna, forced to drive more than they usually do, tried to bully their way to the hoop and traveled.
“We can’t try to force options that aren’t out there,” Nash said. “Even if we think they’re there because we’re used to getting them.”
NU’s forced play may be indicative of some early season insecurity in the Princeton offense. Carmody’s pet system is a system where, if executed correctly, every possession could end with an open look at the basket.
“The Princeton offense is designed for everyone to score,” Thompson said. “It gets everybody open. It’s just a matter of that guy, when his opportunity comes, stepping up and making that shot.”
Carmody noticed his team’s execution was not as sharp as against Northern Illinois.
“We were cutting,” Carmody said. “But we didn’t seem to finish our cuts.”
With the Butler game in the rearview mirror, NU has to solve its offensive woes by changing its mentality.
“We need to be out there and be aggressive,” Nash said. “Instead, we’re being laid-back.”Nash, who has been a defensive stalwart throughout his career, said he needs to play with tenacity on offense as well.
“I think we have to keep that aggression the entire game,” Nash said. “Instead of focusing maybe just on defense, I need to focus it on both sides.”
The Cats have a chance to work on their offense against a much less intimidating team in Tennessee State on Sunday.[email protected]
