The question Paul Mills asks that has helped Wichita State basketball limit turnovers

It wasn’t long ago when turnovers were the primary concern for the Wichita State men’s basketball team.

The Shockers committed 16 turnovers in their lone loss of the season to Liberty, but before that, struggled with ball security against Western Kentucky with 19 turnovers. Through five games, WSU had more turnovers (62) than assists (55) and so many lost possessions capped the offensive efficiency.

In its last three games, WSU has 47 assists and just 25 turnovers. It’s no coincidence WSU’s 1.20 points per possession over that span would rank No. 8 nationally, as the turnover count has dwindled and the offense has flourished.

“That comes from watching film,” WSU guard Harlond Beverly said about the team’s ball-handling improvement following a season-low six turnovers in an 80-68 win over Richmond on Wednesday.

Mills and his staff take a great deal of pride in their effectiveness in the film room.

After every game, Mills has player development coach Iain Laymon compile clips of every turnover and sort them by the player at fault. In the next-day film session, Mills has the player in question explain why the turnover occurred in front of the team.

They are given three options to choose from: a ball-handling issue, a control issue or a toughness issue.

“If they give the wrong answer, I’ll usually correct them,” Mills said. “‘Nope, they took it from you. You got out-toughed.’”

It didn’t take long for the method to begin to have an effect with the players. Beverly said Mills’ way is constructive because it holds players accountable.

“It’s not to embarrass us. It’s to help us learn and understand the reasoning behind why we fell short on that play,” Beverly said. “Nobody wants to explain why they had a turnover, so I think the film session really helps with that aspect.”

What a film study conducted by The Eagle showed is that a mixture of sloppy passing and bad decision-making in passing accounted for nearly half (29) of the team’s 62 turnovers through five games.

WSU has dramatically improved in that regard in the last three games, as only five combined turnovers can be chalked up to passing mistakes in the team’s last 120 minutes on the court. The team believes that is a direct result of time studying in the film room.

“They need to visualize it and they need to see it,” Mills said. “The biggest question is, ‘How do we avoid it?’”

No player has improved their decision making more than Beverly, who committed 11 turnovers in the first two games of the season and four more against Liberty. After five games, he had 11 assists and 16 turnovers. It seemed as if the 6-foot-5 Miami transfer was pressing, which led to out-of-control drives and errant one-handed skip passes that were picked off by the defense.

Sitting out the Saint Louis game with a sprained ankle allowed Beverly to view the game from a different perspective. It also allowed him additional time to watch film, a combination he said has led to a substantial turnaround.

Since returning, Beverly has 15 assists and just one turnover in the last two games, which spans 71 minutes and 101 possessions.

“It’s one thing to talk about it, it’s another thing to see it,” Mills said on his radio show. “The reality is these guys are on their phones a lot, swiping right, swiping up, watching more and more videos. I have a teenage daughter and she tells me all that she has learned via Tik Tok. That’s what age we’re in. I’m a visual learner too. The more I can see it, the better I understand it. That’s why video is so important.”

Wichita State has posted a 12.1% turnover rate in its last three games, which would rank No. 7 in the country over the course of the season. That’s more in line with what Mills has come to expect, as his last four teams at Oral Roberts ranked 16th or better in the country in turnover rate.

The new-and-improved ball handling will be put to the test on Sunday when the Shockers take on SEC opponent Missouri on its home court in a 2 p.m. game broadcast on ESPN2. The Tigers are forcing turnovers on more than 20% of opponent possessions, which ranks 68th nationally.

“Sunday will be a good test,” Mills said. “We’ll need to do the simple things well.”

Wichita State at Missouri basketball preview

Records: WSU 7-1, Missouri 6-2

When: 2 p.m. Sunday

Where: Mizzou Arena (15,061), Columbia, Mo.

Television: ESPN2

Radio: KEYN, 103.7-FM (Mike Kennedy and Bob Hull)

KenPom says: Missouri 73, WSU 68

Series history: Missouri leads 5-1 (3-1 in Columbia)

Projected starting lineups

Wichita State Shockers (7-1)

Coach: Paul Mills, first season, 7-1

Missouri Tigers (6-2)

Coach: Dennis Gates, second season, 31-12