Free Throw Shooting

[WindsorHawk]

I am surprised there are no threads on FT shooting. I have been a fan for decades and can remember going crazy when there were only 1 or 2 guys on the team that could make a decent FT percentage. Many years I would have been happy to have 3 guys that could shoot 75% from the line. Now we shoot 75.7% as a team. The team is doing it so well I think many of us are taking it for granted. Not only can our starting guards be on the floor at the end of the game but also our starting 5...Garza.

Bohannon - 86.2%
Moss - 86.5%
Garza - 85.5%

The other 2 starters are good enough to leave on the floor late in the game up 2.

Wieskamp - 72.9%
Cook - 70.7%

And our other 2 guards are viable options.

McCaffery - 79.4%
Dailey - 76.5 %

This has served us well and will continue to be a big advantage in close games moving forward. I don't worry at the end of a game that we will lose it at the line.

 

[InGoodCo]

It is kind of taken for granted. I think we're all still in some sort of shock. Maybe Thursday will wake us up one way or another. Another thing I don't think get's talked about, IMO is how deep Iowa is now. Have to be one of the better benches in the conference so far this season. I watched Nebraska last night lose to Rutgers. 2 things were very noticeable, they can't buy a bucket when they need one. Even with Palmer, you take him away and teams can very easily beat Nebraska. Offensively challenged. And secondly, they have no bench. Like none. I think their rotation is 6 guys, they have like 4 players playing over 30 minutes a game.... they might limp to the finish line.

 

[Ree4]

I just hope we can continue to get to the line - it wouldn't surprise me if the refs swallow their whistles on Thursday and allow MSU to bump, hack and hold like they always do...

 

[WindsorHawk]

Here are some examples where missing FTs likely contributed to losing...focusing only on the losing team.

Kansas 80 ISU 76 (10-17...58.8%)
ISU 68 Texas Tech 64 (6-15...40.0%)
Kansas State 58 ISU 57 (6-12...50%)

Rutgers 76 Nebraska 69 (10-18...55.6%)
Rutgers 64 Ohio State 61 (7-11...63.6%)

Minnesota 59 Wisconsin 52 (7-17...41.2%)
Wisconsin 64 Michigan 54 (5-11...45.5%)

 

[WindsorHawk]

It is kind of taken for granted. I think we're all still in some sort of shock. Maybe Thursday will wake us up one way or another. Another thing I don't think get's talked about, IMO is how deep Iowa is now. Have to be one of the better benches in the conference so far this season. I watched Nebraska last night lose to Rutgers. 2 things were very noticeable, they can't buy a bucket when they need one. Even with Palmer, you take him away and teams can very easily beat Nebraska. Offensively challenged. And secondly, they have no bench. Like none. I think their rotation is 6 guys, they have like 4 players playing over 30 minutes a game.... they might limp to the finish line.

I watched a lot of last night's game as well. Nebraska shot 55.6% from the line. Horrible.

 

[thedukeofearl]

It is kind of taken for granted. I think we're all still in some sort of shock. Maybe Thursday will wake us up one way or another. Another thing I don't think get's talked about, IMO is how deep Iowa is now. Have to be one of the better benches in the conference so far this season. I watched Nebraska last night lose to Rutgers. 2 things were very noticeable, they can't buy a bucket when they need one. Even with Palmer, you take him away and teams can very easily beat Nebraska. Offensively challenged. And secondly, they have no bench. Like none. I think their rotation is 6 guys, they have like 4 players playing over 30 minutes a game.... they might limp to the finish line.

Absolutely

We bring in a line shift 5/6 minutes into the game with Connor, Baer, Kriener and Dailey and they do very well. We very seldom lose the lead when we have it with those Lads in the game.....

We might not extend the lead but we keep it close while 4 starters are restoring their energy and watching the game closely so they can do what needs to be done to win when they return to the floor.....

We are obviously in better condition than most of our opponents, no matter how many reserves they play. Most teams are gasping for air late in the game and frequently they have a few starters on the bench or playing with 3/4 fouls, stumbling around trying to keep up with Jordan and Connor dribbling around waiting to be fouled.....

This is really a fun team to watch and they have the ability and confidence to win any game. There will be bumps in the road but every team in the Big, not named Michigan State are taking their lumps this season. We have a strong chance to upset the Spartans Thursday Night. I am planning to watch the game.....

 

[Stanzi]

I'm honestly surprised McCaffery is shooting that well. I swear it seems like he only ever makes 1 of 2.

 

[WindsorHawk]

Iowa in conference games only...

Wisconsin (14-19...73.7%)
Michigan State (20-30...66.7%)
Purdue (16-19...84.2%)
Nebraska (29-32...90.6%)
Northwestern (21-26...80.8%)
Ohio State (18-25...72.0%)
Penn State (13-18...72.2%)
Illinois (12-16...75.0%)

The only game under 72% is Michigan State and we all know our FT percentage in that game wasn't going to be a factor.

 

[hoxrock]

Here's something for your stat nerds out there:

Iowa gets 56% of it's offense from free throws and three pointers.
Michigan State gets 28% of its offense from free throws and three pointers.

This means Iowa gets 56% of it's offense from traditionally lower percentage shots away from the basket and Michigan State gets 28% of its offense from traditionally lower-percentage shots away from the basket. Put another way, Michigan State gets 72% of its offense from traditionally higher percentage shots closer to the basket. Iowa: 44%. Iowa's three point shooting also plays right into Michigan State's strength as a perennially superior rebounding team. Michigan State is not a good match-up for Iowa. Iowa will need their bigs to stay out of foul trouble and will need to break tendencies at points in the game by playing more half-court offense and getting higher percentage shots because MSU will take Iowa out of transition at some point...you can bank on it. Should be a good game either way.

 

[ssckelley]

But I still get pissed off when they miss one, especially the front end of a 1 and 1.

 

[PCHawk]

I'm honestly surprised McCaffery is shooting that well. I swear it seems like he only ever makes 1 of 2.

He missed like 1 of his first 15 on the year or something like that. Since then he hasn't been great, but still pretty good.

 

[PCHawk]

During those 3 years where everyone missed about 95% of their important free throws, Fran was a horrible close game coach.

 

[WindsorHawk]

Here's something for your stat nerds out there:

Iowa gets 56% of it's offense from free throws and three pointers.
Michigan State gets 28% of its offense from free throws and three pointers.

This means Iowa gets 56% of it's offense from traditionally lower percentage shots away from the basket and Michigan State gets 28% of its offense from traditionally lower-percentage shots away from the basket. Put another way, Michigan State gets 72% of its offense from traditionally higher percentage shots closer to the basket. Iowa: 44%. Iowa's three point shooting also plays right into Michigan State's strength as a perennially superior rebounding team. Michigan State is not a good match-up for Iowa. Iowa will need their bigs to stay out of foul trouble and will need to break tendencies at points in the game by playing more half-court offense and getting higher percentage shots because MSU will take Iowa out of transition at some point...you can bank on it. Should be a good game either way.

I disagree with this...I think...not sure I'm grasping exactly what you're saying. But a free throw is not a "lower percentage shot." It is a very high percentage shot. Only uncontested layups are a better percentage shot IMO.

Also, I would argue a wide open 3 is a higher percentage shot than a contested 15 to 17 foot jump shot. And missed 3 pointers often lead to long rebounds...which can actually help offset a stronger rebounding team. And shooting a lot of free throws offsets some of the opponent's interior scoring...as free throws are often the result of being fouled inside.