UNLV basketball adjusting to life without turnovers

By Mike Grimala (contact)

Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023 | 2 a.m.

The UNLV basketball team has lost its identity.

Earlier in the year, when things were good — when the Scarlet and Gray ripped off 10 straight wins to open the season — it was easy to pinpoint what they did well. They played high-pressure defense, forced a ton of turnovers and generally made life miserable for opposing ballhandlers.

That one-time strength has eroded with each passing game, especially dwindling since UNLV entered conference play.

The numbers show a distinct downturn. After forcing 22.7 turnovers per game against non-conference opponents, UNLV has managed to force just 14.6 against Mountain West teams.

It’s a big deal, because the team’s win-loss record appears to be directly correlated to their ability to generate turnovers. The team’s overall record has dropped to 16-10 (5-9 MWC), and they are just 4-6 in the last 10 games.

Why has UNLV struggled to apply the same amount of pressure as the good ol’ days? Head coach Kevin Kruger pointed to several reasons, including a drop in tempo during conference play, and there’s no doubt that Mountain West teams are of higher quality than this year’s non-conference slate.

Kruger thinks the biggest factor is coaching, as opponents are now better trained to attack UNLV’s attacking defense.

“It has dropped,” Kruger said of the turnover rate. “People are preparing and adjusting, and we’re trying to adjust and make sure we can keep that a part of our game. Teams are preparing to take care of the ball and get shots up, but we’ve got to find that groove where we can continually put pressure on people.”

Kruger has tinkered with his lineups of late, reinserting senior David Muoka as the team’s starting center against San Jose State on Tuesday in order to solidify the team’s defensive backbone.

Muoka agreed with Kruger that opponents are more prepared now, especially repeat matchups like UNLV will face on Sunday when they travel to take on Boise State for the second time.

But Muoka believes UNLV can overcome that with a renewed commitment to hounding the ball.

“Teams obviously scout a lot, especially in conference, so they know when or when not to make the pass,” Muoka said. “If they know it’s a turnover, they won’t make it. So obviously that has something to do with it. We just have to be more intense, honestly, since teams know how we play defense now. They’ve been scouting us; we’ve already played Boise once, so we just have to amp it up to another level.”

The health report could hinder those efforts, as the Scarlet and Gray could be without two of their best on-ball defenders on Sunday. Senior wings Luis Rodriguez and Eli Parquet both sat out Friday’s practice due to injuries.

Sophomore guard Keshon Gilbert is one player who has maintained his defensive edge throughout the season. Gilbert averaged 2.1 steals per game in non-conference play and is still swiping 1.9 in MWC play.

Gilbert said teamwork and conscientious help defense is the key to racking up turnovers again.

“Just putting out fires for each other,” Gilbert said. “The game is not perfect. Picking up after everybody’s mistakes. That’s how we got turnovers at first. Even if there was a mistake made, we picked up after each other. So getting back to that.”

With turnovers (and the ensuing transition opportunities) drying up, Kruger is emphasizing the importance of “first-shot rebounds” and ending defensive possessions as early and as cleanly as possible.

Kruger knows that if UNLV can’t rely on getting 20-plus turnovers every night, the team has to pivot and find other ways to win.

“It’s tough if you’re kind of used to forcing turnovers and getting games going in a certain rhythm and a certain tempo,” he said, “but we’ve got to adjust with the flow of the game.”

Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.