pretty interesting article, and a rather concerning thing or lack there of that can quite possibly be yet another way that can end up costing us if we don't make strides improvement and that's - - -Free Throw attempts. I knew we were not doing a good job but didn't realize it was as bad as what the article brought out.
The article starts out that there is a trend now that in the last 4 consecutive non con seasons where KU has dropped from the previous season.
In 13-14 Ku went from shooting 30.3 attempts per game in the first 12 games of the season to the next year to 25.4 attempts and then dropped to 23.2 attempts in 15-16 then to 21.8 in 16-17 as far as attempts in the first 12 games of the season.
Self said it's not so much that they have declined as to by how much they have declined this season. -- Ku at the present after the first 12 games of the season - - - are you ready? - -after the first 12 games of the season -KU is averaging 11.8 per game - -not for a half - -but for A GAME. - Self says that is 10 fewer then last season almost half the attempts as we attempted in 15-16.
Now put this in perspective. This year there was a 4 game stretch we KU attempted 34 free throws in a 4 game stretch - - -" 34 " - - -" 34 " - that is nuts. - -you put that in comparison to where KU attempted 34 free throw attempts in a SINGLE game 8 times during the previous 4 seasons - -again " 8 " different occasions where we shot that many in one game in the previous 4 seasons - - -huge drop of.
Coach Self reason is obvious and it would be easy to fix - -BUT the question is he said who do we have that can fix it? -The answer is drive the ball, he says Devonte does it some but other then that - -we don't have a Frank Mason or Josh Jackson, he said.
Coach states that in the Nebraska and Omaha game there was a TOTAL of 17 free throws - - -17 ! ! ! - -he there have been a lot of times in the past we shot that many in a half, and with the way they are trying to emphasize keeping your hands off the body they mention you would think it would be a bigger total for sure. Coach said when is the last time a KU team in two consecutive games shot a total of 17 free throws, - - In the dam Stanford game we shot a total of TEN - -TEN for the entire game. Now he said because of how we played the Stanford game it wasn't as bad - -BUT when the shot is not falling in a closely contested game - - like he says ummm.
Going into the Omaha game Malik - - -Malik had shot a total for the season -- 11 free throws - -11 fricken free throws on the year ! ! ! - - and he stated that Dok our big man the animal had ONE - -you hear that ? - - - -ONE - -ONE free throw in the LAST FIVE GAMES - - -ONE FREE THROW from your big. - -now to me that might be a blessing in disguise because of his % but I understand for sure what the Coach is saying, you get one free throw attempt from your post man in Five games - - Come on man that is beyond ridicilious . Now all of that is not Dok's fault for sure, it can be a combination of things, it can be part Dok's fault foe not working hard enough to establish, then it can also is partly the rest of the guys fault for not looking and trying to get Dok the ball inside when he does post up - we settle a lot for the jumper.
When it's all said and done there is going to come a time where our lack of free throw attempts in a game is going to cost us and it's going to cost us big unless we get it fixed. Let's just hope it's not down the line in the NCAA and the result costs us another early exit in the tourney - - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY
