(02-16-2018 09:41 AM)Zorch Wrote: Just take a close look during the NCAA tournament (or all the conference tournaments) and see how many teams blow it by not shooting their FTs well enough.
Several conference tournaments have already begun. I looked at games from Monday - Friday for only tournament games and only for games that were decided by about 6 points or less (or overtime). I got the info from the ESPN site and the "Recap" section of each boxscore to determine if free throws played a part and which team(s) were involved.
On the positive side, no less than 12 teams have already won games because they made their late free throws, allowing them to withstand the opponent's charges. Here is that list (winning team first, and the winning team is the one who made their late free throws): LoyolaMD-Army, Michigan-Iowa, Wisc-MD, Winthrop-GardnerWebb, Bucknell-LoyolaMD, JaxSt-TennTech, MissouriSt-Valpo, S.Ill-MissouriSt, Liberty-UNCAsheville, LoyolaMarymount-Portland, Quinnipiac-Canisius, and LoyolaChicago-N.Iowa (that makes 3 Loyolas).
On the negative side, 2 teams have already lost because they missed late free throws and 2 teams barely survived who missed free throws but won anyway. Maryland lost to Wisconsin because they missed late free throws (meanwhile, per the list above, Wisconsin was making their late free throws). Later, Wisconsin lost to Michigan St. because Wisconsin missed late free throws. Eastern Illinois missed late free throws and Tennessee St. could have won with a buzzer trey -- but the E. Ill. player who missed the free throws succeeded in blocking the late trey (so, redemption for him). Cleveland State missed 3 free throws in the last 17 seconds and led by only 1 point -- but Youngstown State missed a winning layup at the buzzer.
Looking at all these boxscores is laborious so I don't intend to do it anymore -- but hopefully this puts to rest any doubt about the importance of making free throws.