Trae Young reminds critics he's only 19, trying to adjust to college basketball at Division I level

— -- NORMAN, Okla. -- Trae Young said he has heard the critics who've questioned some of his on-court decisions after the Oklahoma star committed a total of 19 turnovers during a pair of road losses to? Kansas State and rival Oklahoma State?last week.?

And he promised to make "adjustments" to create more balance in his game when the Sooners face? Kansas?at home on Tuesday. But Young, the nation's leader in scoring and assists, added that he's still a freshman who is adjusting to his role and college basketball at the Division I level.

"I think people do forget [I'm only 19]," Young told ESPN after Monday's practice. "People forget that. I never make an excuse because I'm a freshman and I'm 19 years old. ... But I think people do forget that sometimes. But that just comes with it because I've done so much to this point that people just expect that every game."

Young said he has watched film of the team's most recent losses and identified mistakes he intends to correct when the team plays Kansas, the top squad in the Big 12 standings, on Tuesday night.

"I'm gonna play a little different from now on," Young said. "Nothing major. I mean, we're what ... 14-4? That's not a bad record. I'm just gonna play a little different. There were some reads I could have made that I didn't make."

Young is averaging 30.5 points and 9.7 assists per game. He scored 48 points -- his second time topping 40 points in a week -- during a loss to Oklahoma State on Saturday. He has also connected on 40 percent of his 3-pointers and 84 percent of his free throws.

He leads the nation in assist rate, per KenPom.com, but he has also committed a turnover on nearly one-quarter of his possessions in Big 12 play.

Young said he's frustrated that his recent outings have led to questions about what he believes has been a selfless approach to the game.

"It's tough because I feel like I do pass the ball," Young told ESPN. "Obviously, I do pass the ball or I wouldn't get assists. I just feel like I've gotta prove people wrong."

Sooners coach Lon Kruger said he doesn't want his star point guard to change. He said he just wants him to play more efficiently while maintaining his energetic style.

"Stay aggressive, obviously," Kruger said. "Better efficiency, fewer turnovers, of course. Trae knows all that. He's not felt good about the last couple, nor has our team felt good about the last couple."

He added: "[Young] crossed the line a little bit there [against Oklahoma State] in terms of being efficient and taking care of the ball, but we'll bounce back from that."

Senior center Khadeem Lattin said he and his teammates will continue to encourage Young.

"He's cutthroat," Lattin said of Young. "He'll go at your neck. He's competitive. Sitting back you admire that, it's cool. But he's a freshman. He's young. So we're always in his ear, always encouraging him, always telling him, 'Hey man, we've got your back. Don't worry, we've got your back.'"