"I hate turnovers."
But senior point guard Kenny Mitchell '97 has no pre-dispositions to turn-arounds. Not only has he brought his game to the top of its level, but as the floor leader of the Big Green he has helped spark Dartmouth to its best start since his rookie season.
Now awaiting the start to the second half of their season, the Big Green is now 11-3 -- good enough to give them a shot their first Ivy League title since 1959.
Still, even though Mitchell sits atop the NCAA leaderboard in both assists and steals, people still think of Big Green basketball in terms of fellow backcourt mate Sea Lonergan '97 or center Brian Gilpin '97.
And that's just how Mitchell wants it.
"Hey if I'm not getting any press, then I'm doing my job," Mitchell said.
There's no doubt that Mitchell is getting the job done for the Big Green this year as both their offensive and defensive floor leader.
Averaging 7.5 assists per game, Mitchell ranks second in the nation in dishing out the ball.
Not to be overshadowed though is Michell's tough defense, which finds him 10th in the nation in steals with three thefts a contest.
"Kenny is the straw that stirs the drink, we would be absolutely lost without him," Head Coach Dave Faucher said.
"He is the most important player this program has had in the last five years and will probably go down as one of the best guards ever to play at Dartmouth," Faucher said.
Like Faucher said, as Mitchell goes, so goes the team.
Trailing 32-26 to Cornell, Mitchell put together a 10 point, five assist, four steal performance after half-time that inspired a 49-point second half effort by the Big Green to bury the visitors.
"I have a lot of confidence in this team so I'm not scared when we're behind like we were against Cornell," Mitchell said.
"When we're down, I just try to think of what we can do to get the lead back and focus on that." he said.
"If you put all the stats together, gave a player one point for everything they did including points, assists, rebounds and steals, I don't think anybody in the nation could top Kenny," Faucher said.
"That's not to say he isn't doing well statistically because he's second in the nation in assists among 307 teams with scholarship players," Faucher said.
It hasn't always been that way for Mitchell, who found himself struggling at times in his freshman season.
"My freshman year I got my butt kicked," the 5'11" senior from Wilmington, Delaware said. "In practice, Greg Frank '93 would embarrass me and I would only get like 10 minutes a game if that. We were 10-16 then and it was hard for me ever to imagine that the team or myself would be in the position we are today. The team and my game have improved immeasurably. I want to look back on my career and know my senior year was our best year, that we went out winners."
"Kenny could handle the ball when he came here but now he has defined moves and is unstoppable when he penetrates," Faucher said. "Now he has developed his offensive skills so that we can run a one-guard break".
"He makes everybody around him better because he knows the offense and he has the experience," Faucher said. "I wouldn't trade Kenny for anybody."
The praise doesn't end with the head coach as his teammates also appreciate Kenny for his contributions on the hardcourts.
"Mitchell is playing some unbelievable basketball and I think it has to do with his confidence level and being a senior," Lonergan said.
"He is playing the best basketball of his career," Lonergan said. "It's been a great experience being able to play with him for four years and its nice to see him play like this in his culminating year."
"I can't tell what I love more, whether its delivering a sweet pass or playing good defense," Mitchell said. "I love driving down the lane and being able to make a great pass but to say that hounding a guy on defense, hanging with him step for step and getting in his mind isn't as much fun is hard to say."
This attitude by Mitchell reflects the attitude of a Dartmouth squad that is balanced both offensively and defensively.
While the Big Green has always been able to hold opponents on defense, Mitchell has led the offense into high gear and isn't surprised at the offensive numbers the team is putting on the scoreboard.
"We've got six seniors on the team and we've played together for four years now and all that hard work is paying off," Mitchell said.
"Everybody has learned the system and is used to playing with each other," he said. "I'm just the one who runs it and calls the plays."
Mitchell's improvement from freshman year has been so remarkable that Faucher leaves the offense in Mitchell's hands for most of the game, letting Kenny make the decisions on what play to run and who should get the ball.
"There are times when coach lets me come down and call the play four or five straight possessions," Mitchell said.
"That's when I can be at my best because I'll notice the mismatches and take advantage of them," he said.
But then again, perhaps the greatest mismatch of all is Mitchell versus the rest of the Ivy League.
