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Caliknight

Hall of Famer
Sep 21, 2001
196,501
148,579
113
I have attended many practices and the entire team shoots foul shots often during practice. Myles hits a good percentage in practices. It is much harder in the games with fatigue etc. Many shooters think too much and put too much pressure on themselves.

I've never seen a practice but I would bet my life savings that the shoot free throws and have games around it like if you don't hit them, you run.
 
Jul 25, 2001
53,200
35,896
0
How are we still this bad at them
Some of it is clearly structural. Pike needs to get a free throw guru in.

if you just look at basics:

Have their base set and free throw grooved:
Harper
Yeboah
Geo
Caleb
Mulchahy

Don’t have their base set and free throws grooved:
Young
Myles
Montez
Shaq

there’s guys around who are world renowned experts and could come in and help here a lot imo
 
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ScarletR30

Senior
Aug 19, 2008
474
812
0
I can’t believe that Yeboah just magically went from a consistent 78-80% down to 73% as an example. I can’t believe Myles is destined to be sub-40%. We shouldn’t be making excuses, it should be a strong point of emphasis before it kills us prior to or during the postseason.
Its called sample size
 

ScarletR30

Senior
Aug 19, 2008
474
812
0
I have attended many practices and the entire team shoots foul shots often during practice. Myles hits a good percentage in practices. It is much harder in the games with fatigue etc. Many shooters think too much and put too much pressure on themselves.
Look at shaq for example. He was absoulete money every offseason and practice. Tried new forms, best FT shooting coaches in the world but when it came to the game it was all mental. Think about how many golfers are horrible putters. The "easy" ones aren't always the easiest as the brain is a powerful tool
 

ScarletR30

Senior
Aug 19, 2008
474
812
0
I never said that so that’s your scenario. I want Myles to improve at free throws whether by changing form, banking them, whatever. Get a guru in like others have suggested. But as I’ve shown, if you look at the numbers it’s not just a Myles issue. Even if you take him out we’re 250/350 in the country.
Shaq tried his whole career with a "guru" and such. Read anything about Shaq and everyone says he was a 80% FT shooter in Practice. It is all mental and much more difficult then you are making it out to be.

Also not sure what you are using to calculate 250th in the country without Myles? Taking him out gives us a team percentage of 69.00% which would be 214, just above top 10 Oregon. Fact of the matter is we have solid FT shooters and then a couple bad ones who bring down the average. Expecting Yeboah to move towards his career average would probably place rutgers somewhere dead in the middle.
 

richthedentist

All-American
Aug 2, 2001
11,028
8,588
113
I'm not sure what you mean. What I'm looking at is below:

1. Rutgers is shooting 64.1% on FT for the season: https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/stats/_/id/164
2. If you take out Myles from that, we're 212/312 on the season, which is 67.9% (same link as above)
3. If you take out Myles, Carter, Mathis from that, we're 178/256 on the season, which is 69.5% (same link as above)
4. At 64.1%, we're 327/350 in the country. With Myles numbers removed, we're at 250 in the country. With Myles, Carter, Mathis removed, we're at 201 in the country: https://www.ncaa.com/stats/basketball-men/d1/current/team/150
5. We seem to make guys worse at FT when they get here, like Yeboah, who has seen his % go down from 78.5% (prior worst year) to 73.5% (this year): https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/3913169/akwasi-yeboah

So, if you're still wondering what my "agenda" is, it's that we're a very talented team that should be better than 327 in the country at free throws, and I think if the coaches and players work harder to improve that, we'll score more points and have a better chance to win more games. Basically, I want us to keep winning when it gets tougher, like everyone else does.

Why are few posters here in agreement with me? Probably because we just won another game against a big name opponent, which is great. Everyone should be happy about that. It could also be because there are some posters like yourself who are painting me as crazy for thinking we can and should be better than 327/350 in the country for FT%. I'd ask what your agenda is?
I am in total agreement with you now that we unbelievably can think about the NCAA and some of these better teams down the stretch it is foul shooting that will cost us the games as it may have in Illinois and Iowa games
 
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soundcrib

All-Conference
Oct 7, 2002
6,745
3,904
113
It's the wrong people taking FTs is what drags our FT% down, we have good FT% guys like McConnell 79%, Baker 77%, Yeboah 74.5% and Harper 74.3%. We also have bad ones like Mathis 63%, Young 60%, Carter 56.5%, Mulcahy 53.3% and Johnson 37.5%.

Conference games Harper Jr. 84%, Yeboah 81%, and McConnell 80%. Young 69.2% and Baker 68.4% close to 70%. Unfortunately, other teams know our bad free throw shooters and don't mind fouling those guys when they are shooting instead of giving up an easy basket.
Mulcahy is 53.3%? Good lord.
 

ScarletR30

Senior
Aug 19, 2008
474
812
0
The numbers likely shifted after last night. As for the Shaq comparison, I love Myles, but he’s not Shaq right now. If/When he turns into Shaq, I’ll fully accept the foul shooting.
I'm obviously not saying Myles is Shaq's quality. I'm saying if a player as gifted as shaq couldn't figure it out why do you expect a 20 year old to overnight?
 

ScarletR30

Senior
Aug 19, 2008
474
812
0
I'm not sure what you mean. What I'm looking at is below:

1. Rutgers is shooting 64.1% on FT for the season: https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/stats/_/id/164
2. If you take out Myles from that, we're 212/312 on the season, which is 67.9% (same link as above)
3. If you take out Myles, Carter, Mathis from that, we're 178/256 on the season, which is 69.5% (same link as above)
4. At 64.1%, we're 327/350 in the country. With Myles numbers removed, we're at 250 in the country. With Myles, Carter, Mathis removed, we're at 201 in the country: https://www.ncaa.com/stats/basketball-men/d1/current/team/150
5. We seem to make guys worse at FT when they get here, like Yeboah, who has seen his % go down from 78.5% (prior worst year) to 73.5% (this year): https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/3913169/akwasi-yeboah

So, if you're still wondering what my "agenda" is, it's that we're a very talented team that should be better than 327 in the country at free throws, and I think if the coaches and players work harder to improve that, we'll score more points and have a better chance to win more games. Basically, I want us to keep winning when it gets tougher, like everyone else does.

Why are few posters here in agreement with me? Probably because we just won another game against a big name opponent, which is great. Everyone should be happy about that. It could also be because there are some posters like yourself who are painting me as crazy for thinking we can and should be better than 327/350 in the country for FT%. I'd ask what your agenda is?
You act as if the coaches are telling players too intentionally miss FT's or they don't even attempt them in practice. Ask any NBA scout and they will tell you the best predictor for future 3pt shooting potential is a players FT%. How many guys on this roster would you consider good shooters? FT shooting is a skill that is not easy to teach as it is more "you have it or you don't".

Also you keep referencing yeboah as "declining". This shows me you do not have a fundamental understanding of how data works. You need an adequate sample size to draw those conclusions. If yeboah went 8-10 in FTs he would be right at his career average. Kwasi is attempting half the amount of FT/G as he did the last 2 years so this leads to grater variation. Hypothetically, if he had 5 more makes this year he'd be over 80%. Would you be championing on here that the coaching staff made him better?
 

JQRU91

All-Conference
Apr 6, 2013
1,855
1,386
0
A few games ago, Harper was 12-12 from the free throw line. Last night McConnell was 12-13. So, as some have mentioned, it's more a matter of certain players that are knocking the team's percentage down. And for those players, the issue is not likely to be fixed during the middle of the season by just shooting more free throws in practice.
 
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OntheBanks

All-Conference
Jul 26, 2001
13,205
4,556
113
I don't understand why good shooters put their toes on the line, get their body straight, relax and then shoot. If they're good shooters just take a natural jump shot from any spot past the line within the circle.
 
Apr 8, 2002
15,535
26,787
113
Some of it is clearly structural. Pike needs to get a free throw guru in.

if you just look at basics:

Have their base set and free throw grooved:
Harper
Yeboah
Geo
Caleb
Mulchahy

Don’t have their base set and free throws grooved:
Young
Myles
Montez
Shaq

there’s guys around who are world renowned experts and could come in and help here a lot imo
Not sure how much Young FT has improved, but in B1G play since the beginning of the year, Young is shooting at 70%. Young struggled early in the season like 1-5 St. Bonaventure and a few other games. I think he was shooting below 50% at the first of the year. Young is near the mid-60s now, and if he continues to play well, he'll climb to 70%. Right now, he's not a liability like Johnson.

Carter and Mulcahy don't have a ton of attempts (below 20 each), so any FT missed causes your average to move down by several points instantly. FYI: Carter shot over 71% last year on 38 attempts. It's a large sample size, and I think it represents a more accurate picture of what Carter is capable of accomplishing. Johnson is the biggest concern for the team, especially at the end of games.
 

ScarletR30

Senior
Aug 19, 2008
474
812
0
I don't understand why good shooters put their toes on the line, get their body straight, relax and then shoot. If they're good shooters just take a natural jump shot from any spot past the line within the circle.
Interestingly enough there is a reason why players do not jump. The reasons a player jumps for a shot during a game situation can be boiled down as follows:
1. To gain height over a defender and avoid a block

2. To regain balance while running (it's hard to shoot flat footed if moving forward)

3. High jump and high release give the shooter extra time to lock in on target (Think Lebron)

4. Lower jump/lower release (steph Curry) helps propel ball up and forward quicker and farther for long shots.

None of these situations are helpful for a free throw situation with no defender and having ampel time to lock in on target. "But ScarletR30, shouldn't a player repeat the same motion and commit it to muscle memory?" You are correct but there are some serious flaws with a jump shot.
1. Jumping add another motion that could go wrong and you want to minimize this possibility at all costs. Also players exert more energy jumping meaning more could go wrong due to fatigue

2. Shooting stationary is how a player learns to shoot. If a shooting coach is teaching 3pt shooting the way the start is by having players shoot stationary. FG kickers learn to kick with no run up. AKA you learn to shoot from top down. This motion is easier to repeat for good shooters and adding a jump just adds more that could go wrong.
 

red sail

All-Conference
Oct 11, 2007
3,121
2,058
113
Check again. 25/36 with Myles and 24/30 without Myles tonight. How in the hell is that 68%? You're painting a broad picture of the team. Myles takes a lot of FT because he gets fouled often. Myles has taken the second most FT on the team. It's a big impact on the overall average. Without adding Myles' attempts, the team is over 72%. For the record, 25/36 is 69.4%.[/QUOTE

Math, like the Force, .... can be used for good or evil. OP is probably not good at maths :ThumbsDown :Wink:
 
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RUChoppin

Heisman
Dec 1, 2006
19,270
13,695
0
Not sure how much Young FT has improved, but in B1G play since the beginning of the year, Young is shooting at 70%. Young struggled early in the season like 1-5 St. Bonaventure and a few other games. I think he was shooting below 50% at the first of the year. Young is near the mid-60s now, and if he continues to play well, he'll climb to 70%. Right now, he's not a liability like Johnson.

Carter and Mulcahy don't have a ton of attempts (below 20 each), so any FT missed causes your average to move down by several points instantly. FYI: Carter shot over 71% last year on 38 attempts. It's a large sample size, and I think it represents a more accurate picture of what Carter is capable of accomplishing. Johnson is the biggest concern for the team, especially at the end of games.

He was 19-30 (.633) in the run up to the B1G restart, and has been 12-19 (.632) since then.
 

rudad02

All-American
Nov 7, 2010
8,853
5,773
0
I don’t know who’s coaching them on free throws. What makes me think it’s not being addressed is the fact we’re shooting 64% on free throws and seemingly getting worse every game/season.
You can practice & practice but it does no good if you're not practicing the right way.
 

fbc1866

All-Conference
Sep 15, 2005
5,811
2,111
113
It's really just Johnson and Carter. My friend, who coached HS basketball for years, claim is 80% mental and 20% technical. He needs just to relax and breathe, and follow through. What Harper did last night, doesn't help, just whisper something to him, maybe tell him a quick joke.
 
Sep 29, 2005
14,051
16,131
0
I don't understand why good shooters put their toes on the line, get their body straight, relax and then shoot. If they're good shooters just take a natural jump shot from any spot past the line within the circle.
The only player I can remember taking a jump shot at free throw line was Hal Greer and he was a good FT shooter.
 

Knight Owl

All-Conference
Jul 27, 2001
3,536
2,580
0
I like the Nelson one-handers for Myles. That’s how I shoot lefty shots and I can probably make 60% from the line that way even though it’s my off hand. Righty, I’m buttah.
 

red sail

All-Conference
Oct 11, 2007
3,121
2,058
113
I don't understand why good shooters put their toes on the line, get their body straight, relax and then shoot. If they're good shooters just take a natural jump shot from any spot past the line within the circle.

It's called a pre-shot routine. like Golfers lining up their putt, see their line and make the stroke. Like a field goal kicker, takes 3 steps back and 2 over and make your kick. It's muscle memory, if you practice the routine enough, you hope that you can stroke your shot under pressure.
 

RU848789

Heisman
Jul 27, 2001
65,217
44,292
113
I'm not sure what you mean. What I'm looking at is below:

1. Rutgers is shooting 64.1% on FT for the season: https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/stats/_/id/164
2. If you take out Myles from that, we're 212/312 on the season, which is 67.9% (same link as above)
3. If you take out Myles, Carter, Mathis from that, we're 178/256 on the season, which is 69.5% (same link as above)
4. At 64.1%, we're 327/350 in the country. With Myles numbers removed, we're at 250 in the country. With Myles, Carter, Mathis removed, we're at 201 in the country: https://www.ncaa.com/stats/basketball-men/d1/current/team/150
5. We seem to make guys worse at FT when they get here, like Yeboah, who has seen his % go down from 78.5% (prior worst year) to 73.5% (this year): https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/3913169/akwasi-yeboah

So, if you're still wondering what my "agenda" is, it's that we're a very talented team that should be better than 327 in the country at free throws, and I think if the coaches and players work harder to improve that, we'll score more points and have a better chance to win more games. Basically, I want us to keep winning when it gets tougher, like everyone else does.

Why are few posters here in agreement with me? Probably because we just won another game against a big name opponent, which is great. Everyone should be happy about that. It could also be because there are some posters like yourself who are painting me as crazy for thinking we can and should be better than 327/350 in the country for FT%. I'd ask what your agenda is?
Your stats are old, I presume. We're at 64.6% (257/398) and without Myles we're at 69.0% (236/342), which is 214 out of 350. Not great and improvement would be nice, but not the end of the world, either. More importantly, to me is that we have 398 attempts and 257 makes, while our opponents have 305 attempts and 215 makes (they're at 70.5%), so we're ahead by 42 FTs.

But another way to look at things is that we take, on average, 19 FTs a game and if we improve our overall FT shooting% by 6% to get from 64.6% to 70.6%, which would put us smack dab in the middle of the overall rankings (#175 out of 350), that amounts to about 1 extra point per game vs. the ~70 points per game we score, on average. My gut tells me I'd rather spend my limited coaching hours making us better at offense and defense, where the impact is greater than 1 point per game, especially when shooting FTs (or outside shooting in general) is usually something very difficult to improve much beyond one's innate ability. whereas team offense and team defense, resulting in easier shots for us and worse shots for our opponents, should pay off a lot more than 1 point per game.
 

RutgHoops

Heisman
Aug 14, 2008
9,239
12,411
102
Just saw this on the Bigten.org site. In conference games Rutgers has 3 of the best 15 free throw shooters in the league:

FREE THROW PCT. GP FT FTA PCT.
1. Gabe Brown, Michigan State 10 20 21 .952
2. Joe Wieskamp, Iowa 9 34 37 .919
3. Ayo Dosunmu, Illinois 9 22 25 .880
4. Trent Frazier, Illinois 9 20 23 .870
5. Myles Dread, Penn State 9 19 22 .864
6. Cassius Winston, Michigan State 10 37 44 .841
Marcus Carr, Minnesota 10 58 69 .841
8. Ron Harper Jr., Rutgers 10 26 31 .839
9. Caleb McConnell, Rutgers 10 20 24 .833
10. Miller Kopp, Northwestern 10 24 29 .828
D.J. Carton, Ohio State 9 24 29 .828
12. Aljami Durham, Indiana 10 40 49 .816
13. Pat Spencer, Northwestern 10 22 27 .815
14. Franz Wagner, Michigan 9 21 27 .778
Akwasi Yeboah, Rutgers 10 21 27 .778

I am going to say we practice them. Just a hunch.
 

jerzeyguy

All-Conference
May 18, 2008
3,517
2,600
0
This team flys around 100mph on defense. When they get to the line - its hard to get back to a calm place - to shoot free throws.
 

red sail

All-Conference
Oct 11, 2007
3,121
2,058
113
Just saw this on the Bigten.org site. In conference games Rutgers has 3 of the best 15 free throw shooters in the league:

FREE THROW PCT. GP FT FTA PCT.
1. Gabe Brown, Michigan State 10 20 21 .952
2. Joe Wieskamp, Iowa 9 34 37 .919
3. Ayo Dosunmu, Illinois 9 22 25 .880
4. Trent Frazier, Illinois 9 20 23 .870
5. Myles Dread, Penn State 9 19 22 .864
6. Cassius Winston, Michigan State 10 37 44 .841
Marcus Carr, Minnesota 10 58 69 .841
8. Ron Harper Jr., Rutgers 10 26 31 .839
9. Caleb McConnell, Rutgers 10 20 24 .833
10. Miller Kopp, Northwestern 10 24 29 .828
D.J. Carton, Ohio State 9 24 29 .828
12. Aljami Durham, Indiana 10 40 49 .816
13. Pat Spencer, Northwestern 10 22 27 .815
14. Franz Wagner, Michigan 9 21 27 .778
Akwasi Yeboah, Rutgers 10 21 27 .778

I am going to say we practice them. Just a hunch.

The numbers don't lie ! muscle memory and reps... keep at it fellas. hopefully we'll keep going to to the line all the way to march
 

xkiesterx

Senior
Oct 2, 2005
3,302
558
0
A partial list of red flags that people don't know much about basketball include:

- Complaining about free throw shooting repeatedly
- Yelling "follow your shot!"
 

red sail

All-Conference
Oct 11, 2007
3,121
2,058
113
A partial list of red flags that people don't know much about basketball include:

- Complaining about free throw shooting repeatedly
- Yelling "follow your shot!"

add to the list repeatedly asking why peter kiss is not playing :DeadHorse: :BeatDeadHorse:
 
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Westcoast

All-American
Nov 14, 2001
22,416
5,976
113
To your first point, if Myles has the second most free throws on the team, then it's a problem when he's only making 40%, especially when a decent amount are on the front side of 1-and-1s. You could also argue that because Yeboah had only one less attempt prior to tonight's game, he also needs to be wiped out of the math. I would argue that neither should be taken out, and there should be more emphasis on improving the numbers for the worse shooters.

To your second point, it doesn't take a stat geek to know that:

1. Making a higher % of free throws means you get more points as a team. And, when you get more points as a team, you're more likely to beat the other team and win the game.
2. Being forced to take out arguably your best player at the end of games because he's very weak in one aspect of his game is a bad thing, not a good thing. You want your best players to be in the game as much as possible.
Justr practicing FTs won't fix Myles issues - not this year anyway. Everyonev knows its a problem. Stating it 10 times doesn't make it more or less of a problem.
In short, there is no short term fix for Myles problem. Most of the rest of the team is avg or above avg. Do we wish everyone shot like Geoff Billet? Sure! But the main guys who will get fouled in crunch time have been shooting well lately. Heck, Harper has been lights out.