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Illinois Basketball: 5 observations from the Illini win over Alabama A&M

By Rees Woodcock

Dec 17, 2022; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Jayden Epps (3) drives the ball to the basket against Alabama A&M Bulldogs guard Dailin Smith (15) during the first half at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 17, 2022; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Jayden Epps (3) drives the ball to the basket against Alabama A&M Bulldogs guard Dailin Smith (15) during the first half at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 17, 2022; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Ty Rodgers (20) tries to get a handle on the ball against the Alabama A&M Bulldogs during the first half at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 17, 2022; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Ty Rodgers (20) tries to get a handle on the ball against the Alabama A&M Bulldogs during the first half at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Assist-to-turnover ratio is out of whack

What is the main step in allowing a below .500 Alabama A&M team to hang with you for the majority of the game? You have an assist-to-turnover ratio that is completely lopsided.

This is a department that Illinois struggles in. We are not a good team when it comes to assists, and we turn the ball over a lot. In fact, according to sports-refernece.com, there have only been four games this season where Illinois has had more assists than turnovers.

As it stands right now, Illinois currently has an assist-to-turnover ratio of 0.958, which ranks No. 183 in the nation out of 363 programs. I would argue that number is skewed a bit thanks to the Syracuse game where the Illini had 21 assists to seven turnovers. Without that game, the Illini assist-to-turnover ratio would be much lower.

On Saturday against the Bulldogs, Illinois continued the bad assist-to-turnover ratio trend. We finished the game with 18 turnovers compared to just nine assists on the night. That is an assist-to-turnover ratio of .500. So, for every one assist, Illinois gave Alabama A&M the ball two times. That is insanely bad.

Nationally, an assist-to-turnover ratio of .500 would be No. 362 out of 363 teams. That is how inefficient we are playing right now. This has to get fixed, or we will not win a lot of games this season. We were lucky that we played one of the worst teams in college basketball on Saturday.

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