Importance of free throws

[oUTraged]

Just an observation:
Lady Vols lose to:
Oklahoma by 1 and missed 5 free throws
LSU by 2 and missed 4 free throws
Vandy by 1 and missed 3 free throws
Texas by 4 and missed 6 free throws
S.C. by 7 and missed 4 free throws
LSU by 5 and missed 7 free throws
Lady Vols could've won five of their six losses if they'd hit their free throws.

 

[KrazyVolFan]

I have to wonder if the speed we play at is affecting it some, I guess it has too. I will also say we could find other stats that would have won these games as well.

 

[J-Dog 1313]

Prea

Just an observation:
Lady Vols lose to:
Oklahoma by 1 and missed 5 free throws
LSU by 2 and missed 4 free throws
Vandy by 1 and missed 3 free throws
Texas by 4 and missed 6 free throws
S.C. by 7 and missed 4 free throws
LSU by 5 and missed 7 free throws
Lady Vols could've won five of their six losses if they'd hit their free throws.

Preach it. Taking care of the fundamentals will win ball games. The LVs also need to hit their layups. Let's get it done. The ceiling is still very high. GBO.

 

[J-Dog 1313]

I have to wonder if the speed we play at is affecting it some, I guess it has too. I will also say we could find other stats that would have won these games as well.

Agreed. Layups.

 

[Volfan2012]

Just an observation:
Lady Vols lose to:
Oklahoma by 1 and missed 5 free throws
LSU by 2 and missed 4 free throws
Vandy by 1 and missed 3 free throws
Texas by 4 and missed 6 free throws
S.C. by 7 and missed 4 free throws
LSU by 5 and missed 7 free throws
Lady Vols could've won five of their six losses if they'd hit their free throws.

Been a problem all year their plus seven at the line and their plus six on turnover and also plus six on offensive rebounds give them the game. Free throw misses have been huge in us being defeated six times.

 

[cwbytruckers]

This is a yes and a no. On a miss free throw did we get the rebound and kick it out for a made three or get a two point shot or maybe a made basket and a plus one. With every change comes a change to the game afterwards. So there is no way of knowing if making a shot leads to more or less points.

 

[cwbytruckers]

I honestly believe one person not seeing the floor could make a huge difference in winning and losing. She is slower than a snail and on defense gets blown by so many times or just puts her hands straight up and never jumps to contest any shots or to rebound.. Only thing she is good for is the occasional open made three. Im not sure how she ever managed to get signed at UT other than someone couldnt recruit very well.

 

[PreacherVol2]

I honestly believe one person not seeing the floor could make a huge difference in winning and losing. She is slower than a snail and on defense gets blown by so many times or just puts her hands straight up and never jumps to contest any shots or to rebound.. Only thing she is good for is the occasional open made three. Im not sure how she ever managed to get signed at UT other than someone couldnt recruit very well.

To whom are you referring?

 

[savannahfan]

Just an observation:
Lady Vols lose to:
Oklahoma by 1 and missed 5 free throws
LSU by 2 and missed 4 free throws
Vandy by 1 and missed 3 free throws
Texas by 4 and missed 6 free throws
S.C. by 7 and missed 4 free throws
LSU by 5 and missed 7 free throws
Lady Vols could've won five of their six losses if they'd hit their free throws.

This has been the case for most any close loss by any team for as long as I have watch basketball (over 70 years). Usually the losing team can look at missed FT's and say, what if. On the other hand it would be interesting to see the FT results for winning teams of close games. Did they shoot FTs better than the loser? I wonder.

 

[OrangeBeachVol]

Its what I call the 'little things' you all bring up here that are the difference against the good teams because they usually do all the those things well. Not saying our coaches are not teaching it but some players may not be taking them all seriously in games. The little things are not flashy but win games.

 

[37620VOL]

You aren't going to shoot 100% on your FTs. All of it matters -- TOs, rebounding, being able to create and make good shots, and prevention of the same.

 

[CDB]

Just an observation:
Lady Vols lose to:
Oklahoma by 1 and missed 5 free throws
LSU by 2 and missed 4 free throws
Vandy by 1 and missed 3 free throws
Texas by 4 and missed 6 free throws
S.C. by 7 and missed 4 free throws
LSU by 5 and missed 7 free throws
Lady Vols could've won five of their six losses if they'd hit their free throws.

The free throw shooting frustrates me so much. I actually thought it played more of a part then they did.

Against;
OU 28%
LSU 75% (poor defense)
Vandy 80% (box out!!)
TX 68% (rebound. Second chance points killed us)
USCjr 78% (poor shooting)
LSU 65% (too many turnovers)

 

[Volfan2012]

We went and got players in the portal and must have known most of them did not have a great record for shooting free throws. Spearman actually doing better than Miami. Spencer always had trouble there. Holingshead already here not very good. Latham couldn't make a high percentage at Syracuse. Whitehorn has always been good from the line. Cooper started the season making them missed three out of 7 yesterday. That certainly hurt, but not as much as her six turnovers. Boyd hasn't shown a lot of skill at the line average at best. Darby never gets fouled. Spear is really good doesn't get there a lot.

Reason next season looks so much better is all the players coming in are deadly free throw shooters. All five are 80 percent or better. LSU is usually terrible and yesterday made 20 of 22.

 

[glv98]

We went and got players in the portal and must have known most of them did not have a great record for shooting free throws. Spearman actually doing better than Miami. Spencer always had trouble there. Holingshead already here not very good. Latham couldn't make a high percentage at Syracuse. Whitehorn has always been good from the line. Cooper started the season making them missed three out of 7 yesterday. That certainly hurt, but not as much as her six turnovers. Boyd hasn't shown a lot of skill at the line average at best. Darby never gets fouled. Spear is really good doesn't get there a lot.

Reason next season looks so much better is all the players coming in are deadly free throw shooters. All five are 80 percent or better. LSU is usually terrible and yesterday made 20 of 22.

Substitute shooting in general and it's all true. IMO, in my hope, that's the big upgrade next yr. Consistent shooters of everything

 

[BearBryant]

Just an observation:
Lady Vols lose to:
Oklahoma by 1 and missed 5 free throws
LSU by 2 and missed 4 free throws
Vandy by 1 and missed 3 free throws
Texas by 4 and missed 6 free throws
S.C. by 7 and missed 4 free throws
LSU by 5 and missed 7 free throws
Lady Vols could've won five of their six losses if they'd hit their free throws.

How many did the opponents miss?

 

[kptvol1452]

I honestly believe one person not seeing the floor could make a huge difference in winning and losing. She is slower than a snail and on defense gets blown by so many times or just puts her hands straight up and never jumps to contest any shots or to rebound.. Only thing she is good for is the occasional open made three. Im not sure how she ever managed to get signed at UT other than someone couldnt recruit very well.

Totally agree she's so slow ....
I think she's played less minutes last
3-4 games....but this team is not same
Team that started season they are much
Better..... they are not throwing up 30
3 pt shots game they are driving to bucket and yes they're missing more layups ....but this team is on an upward
Trajectory and I'm looking forward to the
Recruiting class coming in Lady Vol fans stay tuned good things coming....

 

[Volfan2012]

How many did the opponents miss?

LSU went 20 for 22 and we went 13 for 20. The other games most of them anyway teams got to the line way more than we did and ended up making more even if they missed a few.

 

[LVfanLasVegas]

The fundamentals will quite often be the difference maker. They are called "free" for a reason but, as in life, we know nothing is really "free."

I feel that LSU kind of Lady Vol'd the Lady Vols. They had more shot attempts, 90 shot attempts to 79 for the Vols. 7 of those shot attempts could have come from the difference in offense rebounds (15 - 8).

As frustrating as it is, Kim is still already putting a team on the floor that can stay nick and tuck with the top teams. Of course, as fans, we are wanting the tick marks in the left column rather than the right. I'm encouraged so far. As always, Go Lady Vols.

 

[th2421]

For all this complaining about free throws, a lot of our players have really improved their FT shooting since last year:
- Spearman improved from 45% to 71%
- Whitehorn improved from 69% to 83%
- Cooper improved from 38% to 66%
- Spear, Puckett, and Hollingshead are pretty similar to last year
- Spencer dropped from 74% to 55% but last year was an aberration for her
- Latham dropped from 63% to 41% but on pretty low volume

 

[lfvol]

Just an observation:
Lady Vols lose to:
Oklahoma by 1 and missed 5 free throws
LSU by 2 and missed 4 free throws
Vandy by 1 and missed 3 free throws
Texas by 4 and missed 6 free throws
S.C. by 7 and missed 4 free throws
LSU by 5 and missed 7 free throws
Lady Vols could've won five of their six losses if they'd hit their free throws.

For this to be informative, you have to show how many they attempted. My sense is that your point is valid in several games. Pointing out attempts to get to percentages would validate

 

[creekdipper]

To whom are you referring?

Don't encourage it.

 

[madtownvol]

This is a yes and a no. On a miss free throw did we get the rebound and kick it out for a made three or get a two point shot or maybe a made basket and a plus one. With every change comes a change to the game afterwards. So there is no way of knowing if making a shot leads to more or less points.

Well, that is a trackable stat but you are right that it does not show up in a conventional box score.

Going from my fallible memory, I think there was one time where the LVs converted a missed FT into 2 point put back (in last nights game). Which means the point deficit to LSU on FTs was 6 rather than 7.

On the whole missed FTs tend to be "lost" points. It would e nice to get the team average up to 75% whereas right now, we in the lower 60s.

 

[creekdipper]

Theoretically, missed free throws resulting in an extra possession could end up in a bundle of points if the opponent keeps fouling.

I think I saw a five-point play recently during which a player was fouled on a made three, missed the FT, shooter's team rebounded, and then they hit a two...all with the ball staying on their end. If they had been fouled on the second made FG, could have resulted in a six-point play. Or, with another missed FT and rebound, even more points until the refs stopped calling fouls to let the other team have the ball back.

Far-fetched and rare but not impossible scenario. Less likely when playing top teams unless you get long rebounds off a FT or have a big height advantage.

Similar to games during which a great defensive team keeps the ball on their end with five- and ten-second calls. Extra possessions yielding extra points while opponent can't even get attempts.

 

[Voltopia]

Lady Vols could've won five of their six losses if they'd hit their free throws.

Really? I hadn't noticed.

Joking aside - and this is not a justification but - I just don't spend time fretting about the free throw problem. It's real, but considering fatigue from the style of play and the need to assemble a competitve roster for this season, I don't intend to fixate on it.

Most of the top teams average 75%. Tennessee's at an abysmal 67%. It is abysmal. No doubt. But UT's gonna have to take things as they come this year. Considering they had to duct tape and epoxy this team together after last season, I just don't care. It'll probably be what sends them home from both the SEC and NCAA tournaments, but, we'll get better. Better shooters coming. More shooters, more bodies, more depth, I think all of those will help on this front. So. Onward and upward.

 

[VOLINVONORE]

Just an observation:
Lady Vols lose to:
Oklahoma by 1 and missed 5 free throws
LSU by 2 and missed 4 free throws
Vandy by 1 and missed 3 free throws
Texas by 4 and missed 6 free throws
S.C. by 7 and missed 4 free throws
LSU by 5 and missed 7 free throws
Lady Vols could've won five of their six losses if they'd hit their free throws.

Some of those were the front end of 1&1s which could have been even more points we didn't get a chance to score.