Missed Free Throws Lead to Tough Loss

We shot 12- 21 from the FT line. As I mentioned in the post, one of those misses was the front end of a bonus. To know that just 2 simple makes from 15 feet would have sealed the deal is just disgusting. Chane is a beast & I am so thankful for him. But our FT shooting will make the difference for us and will determine how far we go in the BE tourney and whether or not we get out of the first weekend of the NCAA.

Usually he’s pretty good from the elbow, but tonight he couldn’t hit anything. I think he was confused being so open. I’d he had hit a coupler of those wide open looks, it opens the lane back up for Siva or a cutter, and gives us our offense back

he was off tonight…as was the king. would say that botched play at the rim was more gorg’s sluggishness than peyton’s carelessness. watch the replays. so close. we’ll get ’em at their place.

We also made 12 free throws. There’s 12 points we would have never scored had we not drawn fouls or had Syracuse not committed stupid fouls. Put it this way, we scored more points from free throws (12) than we didn’t score (nine). We made more than we missed.

We also missed lay-ups, defensive assignments, open jump shots. Misses are going to happen, and free throws are an accessory, a bonus, and never in the history of the game at any level a given. Just because a player has an uncontested shot (a free throw) doesn’t make it a given. If free throws were wide-open lay-ups or dunks, then I’d blame a loss missing them.

We had this one in our pocket. I’m not upset over the loss, we lost by a point to the No. 2 team in the country. Our defense, overall, was outstanding. Reminded me of the NCAA Title game one year ago between Bulter/UConn. These are the games the best teams in the NCAA Tournament have been playing the past couple years, holding each other to bad shooting. They’re not pretty games, they’re defensive displays.

Once Wayne learns our defense, we’ll be sitting pretty. I expect Wayne to be able to contribute in the rematch, because he’ll know our system better. We missed a deadly shooter tonight and a guy who could penetrate the zone. Marra (2010 Syracuse Slayer) was in street clothes. Blackshear should be there for us come Round 2 versus the Orange.

If that makes sense. Yes, you most definitely can blame losses on missed Free Throws. We hit’em against G’town, we win; We hit’em against ND, we win. Memphis in 2008 title game had Kansas put away, a 9 pt lead with just over a minute to go, but MISSED Free Throws & gave Kansas an open door to come back & win, which they did! You can simply argue that missed defensive assignments, missed lay- ups & open looks “are going to happen” as well. So in all reality, hit 2 more of the 10 we had a chance to have, we are winners. Simple. Don’t mean to sound smart, just ill at the loss because hitting free throws would have sealed the deal!

I’m not a betting man, but if I were, I’d put money on it. You say we might not expect to get that game, but I couldn’t disagree more. They’re good, no doubt, but I think we’re better.