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UAB is doing a very poor job shooting free throws in C-USA action. The Blazers are 15th in FT% in conference games - 61.5%. Charlotte is 16th at 61.3%. Tulsa is leading the way at 71.6%.

In 13 conference games, UAB has only shot 70% or better three times! Tulsa, Southern Miss, and ECU all average better than 70% in conference games. These are free points UAB is missing out on just about every game.

MTSU 17-26 .654
UTSA 14-23 .609
UTEP 15-21 .714
@ N TX 15-28 .536
@Tulsa 19-24 .792
ODU 12-23 .522
ECU 12-21 .571
@FIU 18-23 .783
@FAU 14-21 .667
USM 9-18 .500
Tulane 26-41 .634
@Marshall 19-34 .559
@ Charlotte 16-32 .500

Interestingly, in the three games UAB shot 70% of better from the charity stripe, UAB lost two of those games.

In the 14 OOC games, UAB shot 70% or better in free throws 9 times. 9 out of 14!

The best outing was against Troy when UAB went 16-17 for .941.

UAB was also above 80% against New Mexico and Georgia Southern.

In the 14 games, UAB shot 253-350 or .722, which would be leading C-USA in conference games.

What happened?

I wonder if the players just aren't shooting as many free throws in practice as they did during the off season. Or maybe the phyisical stress of conference play is taking its toll. Whatever it is, I wish we could fix it. It's frustrating to squander the opportunity for uncontested points.

Free throws is not something they should worry about.

The more they worry, the more focus put on them in practice, the worse they will get.

Pathetic and inexcusable for a team filled with juniors and seniors.

Poor FT shooting can have an effect on how the other team guards our players on the floor. If they can expect you to miss, they can take liberties in guarding you that may hinder scoring from the field. The opponent's players can "bully" our players with relative impunity. If they have depth on their bench, they can wear out our better players and win the game late.

(02-24-2014 02:20 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  Free throws is not something they should worry about.

The more they worry, the more focus put on them in practice, the worse they will get.

It's getting worse whether they are focused on it or not.

(02-24-2014 02:20 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  Free throws is not something they should worry about.

The more they worry, the more focus put on them in practice, the worse they will get.

Totally disagree. FT shooting, more than any other part of basketball, is a learned motor skill. There is only one way to improve it -- repetition, repetition, repetition. The players who want to be good FT shooters will put in the time in the gym.

(02-24-2014 03:15 PM)BlazerGrad88 Wrote:  

(02-24-2014 02:20 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  Free throws is not something they should worry about.

The more they worry, the more focus put on them in practice, the worse they will get.

Totally disagree. FT shooting, more than any other part of basketball, is a learned motor skill. There is only one way to improve it -- repetition, repetition, repetition. The players who want to be good FT shooters will put in the time in the gym.

Agee, I have stated over and over freethrow shooting is muscle memory

(02-24-2014 03:15 PM)BlazerGrad88 Wrote:  

(02-24-2014 02:20 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  Free throws is not something they should worry about.

The more they worry, the more focus put on them in practice, the worse they will get.

Totally disagree. FT shooting, more than any other part of basketball, is a learned motor skill. There is only one way to improve it -- repetition, repetition, repetition. The players who want to be good FT shooters will put in the time in the gym.

The coaches have a very limited time with the players in practice. They can't waste a lot of time shooting free throws when there are a lot of other things to work on. Yes, players who want to be good FT shooteres need to practice, but it is something they do on their own time. Everyone of these players have shown that they have been good free throw shooters at one time. Even CJ and Ruck have shown improvement.

The reason they are not hitting FTs is a lack of confidence and mental, not because of bad form or mechanics. They already have the learned motor skill. Focusing on them is not going to improve their confidence.

Okay lets claim victory and say we all are right with small pieces of the problem.

Muscle memory is #1 on the list, but muscle fatigue and psychological factors play significant roles in your shots falling in game play.

Agree.

Winning streak............

Lou Brown: OK, we won a game yesterday. If we win today, it's called "two in a row". And if we win again tomorrow, it's called a "winning streak"... It has happened before!

Major league II


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(02-24-2014 03:15 PM)BlazerGrad88 Wrote:  

(02-24-2014 02:20 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  Free throws is not something they should worry about.

The more they worry, the more focus put on them in practice, the worse they will get.

Totally disagree. FT shooting, more than any other part of basketball, is a learned motor skill. There is only one way to improve it -- repetition, repetition, repetition. The players who want to be good FT shooters will put in the time in the gym.

Players should practice Free throws until they can make 6 out of 10 with their eyes closed. Free Throws are made in games the same way you get to Carnegie Hall. Practice, Practice, Practice. Coach wouldn't let us leave practice on Fridays until we had made 10 in a row. We got 5 attempts. If we didn't complete on the 5th attempt, We had to run a lap for the remainder of each of the 5 attempts.

I understand the players have less time to practice free throw shooting since league play started.

With the limited time to prepare for league games, sometime 48 hours or less, freethrow practice isnt as important as getting the scouting report and as much as the game plan in front of the team that you can.

At the risk of being banned for a month, to use a football comparison, free throw shooting is like special team , you have to do it well or it could cost you the game. We have to shoot free throws better practice or no practice.