Thank you bench!!

Free throws are 100% mental in most cases. Rarely does anyone at this level struggle on FTs because they lack the skill/ability. Shaq supposedly hit like 80% or better in practice, numerous accounts of this. Imagine a Shaq who shot 80% on free throws in-game, you may as well stay home.

This is also unfortunately what makes it so hard to quickly fix!
 
If Batemon, Toure, Lipsey and Heise are allowed to body up to prevent opposing guards from lowering a shoulder and plowing into the lane, our defense is 1000% more effective. They all have very strong bases and have improved laterally as the year has gone by. All of them were flying around last night. It was so fun to watch.
 
Free throws are 100% mental in most cases. Rarely does anyone at this level struggle on FTs because they lack the skill/ability. Shaq supposedly hit like 80% or better in practice, numerous accounts of this. Imagine a Shaq who shot 80% on free throws in-game, you may as well stay home.

This is also unfortunately what makes it so hard to quickly fix!
Definitely!! The best thing to do at the line is not even think about shooting! Find some lyrics you like and create at routine from that- something like that to take you away from the moment and make it like you’re alone in the gym.
 
Pleta’s toughness is a pleasant surprise from the freshman. Took a shot to the face last night and just kept playing. He still looks like a boy playing against men, but looks can be deceiving. He is holding his own against some very good competition. Excited to watch his development.
 
Pleta’s toughness is a pleasant surprise from the freshman. Took a shot to the face last night and just kept playing. He still looks like a boy playing against men, but looks can be deceiving. He is holding his own against some very good competition. Excited to watch his development.

He's 21.
 
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The bench is awesome. Bench production as reflected in stats always will depend on game flow and the opponent's defensive style, but you can never question this bench's effort. I think I said earlier this season that Batemon would certainly have a big role in at least a couple conference wins, and I'm glad that's proved out correct. Like others, Pleta has been a nice surprise for me, and it was impressive how how he met the moment against the physicality of Houston. And Heise of course is just a near-perfect role player in his effort, defense, and balance of offensive skills. Hopefully he is now on a similar hot shooting streak to what he had at the end of last season.


On FT shooting, the biggest frustration to me is the decline over the course of the season from everyone, but especially Lipsey and Jefferson. Here's a table that I posted in another thread for those two. Just a very steep, recent drop-off. The positive, though, is that we know that they are capable of shooting better, so there is definitely hope for that to improve before the post-season.

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The guys know they need to get extra free throws up. No need for pressure to get that done. The problem is replicating game situations. Part of the issue is I’m guessing that they are tired when attempting them. Throw that in with maybe having the tips right now and this is what you get.
Lipsey's look like the yips. When he misses, 90% of the time it's short. That's true on his jumpshots as well. He doesn't get enough arc and it gives him less room for error. Last night and at TCU, he followed a shot off the front of the rim with a shot off the back rim. He's aiming it instead of shooting it. Free throws are muscle memory and overcoming exhaustion. Lipsey and Jefferson appear to be thinking too much at the line.

Watch Momcilovic and Batemon shoot free throws. They get the ball, do a short routine, if any, and calmly flip the ball up there. Jefferson looks like a golfer who's struggling with his swing and has 10 swing thoughts going through his head.

Buchanan is just a classic big who probably has big hands and has trouble with a consistent release. His form looks decent although it appears he exaggerates putting rotation on the ball instead of letting it happen naturally. He is what he is. Hope for 1/2 and move on.
 
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The guys know they need to get extra free throws up. No need for pressure to get that done. The problem is replicating game situations. Part of the issue is I’m guessing that they are tired when attempting them. Throw that in with maybe having the tips right now and this is what you get.
My brief stint with organized basketball in 8th grade we always ran ladders with free throws in between. After we had done enough, coach would pick one of the worst shooters and have them shoot. Make, and we were done, miss more ladders. I'm sure they do something to simulate game time fatigue and pressure.
 
My brief stint with organized basketball in 8th grade we always ran ladders with free throws in between. After we had done enough, coach would pick one of the worst shooters and have them shoot. Make, and we were done, miss more ladders. I'm sure they do something to simulate game time fatigue and pressure.

Oh I’m sure they do too, but those kids are playing super hard in games so hopefully we aren’t getting to that level of tired in practices right now.
 
That's part of the problem. Our best FT shooters don't shoot them very often.
Yeah, it was no coincidence that in the first half Kelvin Sampson's team fouled Buchanan on the 7th, 8th and 9th FTs so ISU's worst FT shooter was going to the line shooting 1 and 1. I think the 10th sent Buchanan to the line as well.
 
The disappointing thing to me is that, excepting the unknowns among the freshmen, there was only one guy on the roster who I expected would be a bad FT shooter (Buchanan). The regression of Lipsey and Jefferson is disappointing for 4th-year, high-minutes guys.

If this is our biggest complaint though (didn't make enough free throws in a win over #2 Houston), things are pretty good overall.
 
Yeah, it was no coincidence that in the first half Kelvin Sampson's team fouled Buchanan on the 7th, 8th and 9th FTs so ISU's worst FT shooter was going to the line shooting 1 and 1. I think the 10th sent Buchanan to the line as well.
And on tight games, a coach can't just pull the poor FT shooters out, like they can when up by 10 or so.
 
Pleta’s toughness is a pleasant surprise from the freshman. Took a shot to the face last night and just kept playing. He still looks like a boy playing against men, but looks can be deceiving. He is holding his own against some very good competition. Excited to watch his development.
He isn’t going to be legit for sure. I like that he got dunked on and was a little weak on a spin and missed a layup. All of that will get him tougher and stronger.
 
Next year assuming no changes (and yes there are always changes).

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I am going to assume Milan moves on to pursue his NBA dreams.

Toure (steps into some big shoes at PG)
Batemon (quickly starting to show flashes as a strong two-way SG)
Williams (he's 6'5" and can play the "3")
might need a PF here from the transfer market
Buchanan (step into an even larger role with these new guards)
---
Hope Gray and Wiggins are ready to step into the reserve guard roles like Toure and Batemon.
Pleta is the backup center rotating with Buchanan.
Everybody else you're just hoping for some upside.

The roster is mostly put together assuming you can retain the returners. Probably gonna want one more experienced guard and one more experienced forward to round it out.
 
I'm sure they practice free throws plenty. At this point, I'm afraid we are what we are, a bad FT shooting team.

Keep practicing though. Maybe it will click a little down the stretch.
I am sure they practice FT's as well. However, at the last 2 games I watched their 30 minutes of warm up each game and zero free throws tried. As an example, and I'm not trying to pick on Pleta because I really like his game. But both days I turned to my wife as Pleta warmed up as he hits a lot of 3's. I said he's a really good shooter. But I'm not sure he has shot a 3 all year. So why not practice his free throws pre-game because he's gonna be shooting those? I think coaches need to direct him and all of them to do so.
 
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Pleta’s toughness is a pleasant surprise from the freshman. Took a shot to the face last night and just kept playing. He still looks like a boy playing against men, but looks can be deceiving. He is holding his own against some very good competition. Excited to watch his development.
I agree that Pleta has shown great progress this season. He's catching up with the speed of the game as we've gotten further in to the B12 season. After some more off-season time in the weight room to develop his speed and strength....look out. He'll be a great big for us. And shout out to Toure and Batemon for their improvement throughout the season. What a great group of freshmen they are. Hope we keep them for several years.
 
I am sure they practice FT's as well. However, at the last 2 games I watched their 30 minutes of warm up each game and zero free throws tried. As an example, and I'm not trying to pick on Pleta because I really like his game. But both days I turned to my wife as Pleta warmed up as he hits a lot of 3's. I said he's a really good shooter. But I'm not sure he has shot a 3 all year. So why not practice his free throws pre-game because he's gonna be shooting those? I think coaches need to direct him and all of them to do so.
I want every player to be practicing threes. Even if not asked to regularly, everyone has to be prepared to put one up at the end of a shot clock and they should at least be confident that they can regularly draw iron so there is a chance for an offensive rebound.

But your point is well taken, tuning the FT stroke should be part of every player's warm up.
 

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