4. Does Illinois win the turnover battle over Missouri?
I think this game could end up being whoever makes the fewest mistakes wins. That is how razor-thin the margins will be in this contest. Both teams are good, so who makes the least number of boneheaded plays?
It is impressive how efficient both Illinois and Missouri have been this season. They both ranked inside the top 100 nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio, and the turnovers is the thing that pops out to me the most.
So, I am wondering, which program will end up winning the turnover battle?
Surprisingly, for the season, Illinois has been pretty good with the basketball. The player who turns the ball over the most is by far Kasparas Jakucionis, but that is due to him being the point guard and trying to create for others. He averages 4.0 turnovers per game.
As a team, though, Illinois is only giving the ball up 11.2 times per game. That isn’t bad and ranks No. 102 in the country.
On the other side of the court, Illinois is going up against a team in Missouri that averages fewer turnovers per game. The Tigers only average 10.5 turnovers per game this season. That is good enough to rank No. 57 in the country.
There isn’t a big turnover machine for the Tigers either. No one is averaging over 2.0 turnovers per game, so we can’t pinpoint one player to attack. Turnovers are one of those stats that if you win, the game could easily go in your favor.