Free Throws

[kyyote]

Two incredible stats you should know.

1.  UTEP ranks 348 out of 352 in Free Throw shooting percentage
2.  UTEP ranks 12 of 352 in Free Throws taken

We all know that the Miners have trouble at the line.  It appears that opponents also know it and aren't just noting it.  They are taking advantage of it.  To win games.  Bear with me.  We hit 60 percent of our free throws.  We, at number 12 in the country take an average of 24.6 free throws a game.  The 175th ranked team in free throw shooting percentage hits 71 percent.  We hit 60% of 24 Free Throws for 14.4 ppg.  Seventy one percent of 24 is 17 points.  So, we are forfeiting 2 1/2 points per game from if we were simply average at free throw shooting.  That isn't much.  A couple of points fer chrissake.  How many games have ended as a tie?  That shouldn't have? 

We won the Alcorn State game but it never should have ended in a tie.  Same with the tie in regular time with Bakersfield.  We were 4 of 9 from the free throw line in regular time.  Six of nine and we win outright.
Kent State won 47 to 46.  We actually shot 67% that game.  One point more from the line instead of 6 of 9 and it goes to overtime.  But I will not nitpick this one. 
UAB tied at the end of regular time.  We were 7 of 14 from the line.  Seventy percent from the line and we win by two or three points.  We lose the game in double overtime. 
Rice.  Tied at 62 in regular time. Nine of sixteen from the line. Eleven of 16 , or 70% and the Rice game is a win.  Instead, we lose the game.
LA Tech.  We lose by two, 58 to 60.  Eleven of 20 from the line for 55%.  Seventy percent would have given us another 3 points.  And another win.

We are 9-7.  With an average, maybe even on the low side of average, free throw shooting percentage and at least three wins would be added to the win column and three less losses.  12 and 4 would be spectacular with one of the losses to UT. 

Coaching
Golding has to be going nuts!  If any of you were able to watch the last game, you saw a man insane!  He would have out talked an auctioneer and the auctioneer would have thrown in the towel.  He pulled the entire team to get their minds right!  Personally, I am concerned for his health.  As for his coaching, I am even more impressed that we could easily have been 12-4 instead of 9-7, but have to wonder why we are so horrible at such a basic thing and what is he doing about it, if anything.  Crazy!

[Minermojo]

It's simple KY, the coaches aren't REALLY coaching them in that area. They need to get every player and watch how he shoots those free throws and watch what they're doing wrong. Each player, not one of two, even the bench warmers. I'm not a coach but my grandson who by the way made All-State twice in Oklahoma in high school was shooting his free throws straight but his stance was a little to the right so that's where the ball was hitting the board, to the right of the basket. I moved him to the left a little and since he already was shooting straight it was straight to the basket.

That's what the coaches have to do: OBSERVE THEIR SHOOTING!...and change it if need be.

[kyyote]

UTEP v Rice  82-83  L
FT% 61.5  8/13

71% of 13 is 9.23 or 9 points instead of 8.  At a minimum we take it into overtime with the extra point.

Mojo, I'm not sure it is that easy.  Free throw shooting has a lot to do with muscle memory and focus.  You would think that the coaches could move the players over a few inches and instantly solve the problem that they would.  I might guess that it has more to do with legs and getting tired from the defense we play being where I would look for some correlation.

btw, I am not saying this why.  People can always argue a shot here and ther, a steal, a block, anything.  But these are free.  Free points for the taking.  Looking at the lines

UTEP
50.0% 22.2% 61.5%

Rice
56.9% 43.5% 78.9%

I thought we and cusa were all about the defense.

[SisyphusMiner]

Here's my 2 cents on free throws.  As reference, I shot 88% FT as a junior.

I spent the summer between my soph and junior years working on a lot of things, but free throws was key.  I would shoot 100 in a row before any other skills and and the end.  I would also break when I was getting short of breath and shoot 5-10 so I could learn to do it when out of breath.  Early on, I spent a lot of my time working on a shot form that was solid and easy to repeat.  I also had routines that i would do to get into the right place mentally.  Set feet just so.  Three dribbles.  set the ball the right way in the hands, etc.   The routine was a big part of it.  And the form on a set shot is completely different from a jump shot.  I sucked at jump shots BTW.

So I would say its:
1.  Find a shooting form that is comfortable, technically correct, and repeatable.  Feet always in the same place.  Focus on a specific spot on the rim.  Every time.
2.  Repeat it exactly every time, down to the breathing, etc.
3.  Learn to block out all distractions. It's just you, the ball, and the rim.
4.  Keep at it through all the frustrations until it becomes second nature.

Note: In general women are much better at things that require muscle memory and focus.  Don't get in a free throw shooting competition with a girl that knows what shes doing.  Or guns, etc.