Tennessee basketball: 5 keys for Vols in Sweet Sixteen match-up against Purdue

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COLUMBUS, OHIO – MARCH 24: Luka Garza #55 of the Iowa Hawkeyes and Lamonte Turner #1 of the Tennessee Volunteers fight for possession during their game in the Second Round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament at Nationwide Arena on March 24, 2019, in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

No.3 – Keep turnovers to a minimum

Tennessee protects the basketball better than most teams in the nation. The Vols rank 27th among all D1 teams with a 16.1 turnover percentage. That’s pretty good.

However, two of the past three games the Vols have finished with over a 20 percent turnover percentage. Obviously one was against Auburn in the 20-point loss in the SEC Championship Game. The other came against Iowa where Tennessee just about choked away a 25-point lead in the second half.

In 15 games this season, Purdue’s opponents have finished the game with a 20 percent of higher turnover percentage. The Boilermakers are 12-3 in those games.

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It’s a crazy stat, but the Vols somehow manage to win sloppy games more times than not. Eight different occasions Tennessee has finished a game with a turnover percentage of 20 or higher and won seven of them.

Something has to give, right?

I think to win the game and make it a bit more comfortable than the first two rounds have been, Tennessee should strive to turn the ball over a minimum amount of times. In 18 games this season the Vols have turned the ball over 16 percent of the time or less. They are 15-1 in those games with the only loss coming to Kentucky in Rupp Arena.

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