While we're at it...free throws

[SJB612]

To me, this is what cost us the game. You win games late by hitting your free throws, Down the stretch, we missed the front end of three 1 and 1 ones, and Roasario missed a FT (usually money). What we are missing is the way Taurean Green used to be able to single handedly close out a game by keeping the dribble alive, drawing fouls while dribbling into the defensive player or stepping in front of them when he was bring it up court, and then burying his free throws. If we hit our FTs, then Mizzou is the one jacking up late game threes to win instead of us.

[NoahBeanBizzel]

Dude, I sat there in disbelief as Wilbekin, Young and Rosario just bricked any opportunity to get some separation on the scoreboard. We basically kept it a one-score game, and that costs you games on the road. Plain and simple.

We can philosphize all we want about how this game was lost, pick apart each area that needs improvement, etc...at the end of the day, you need to show a pair to pull games like that one off.

[gatorich]

If I remember right, the one free throw we did make was the backside when we went to double bonus. Left a lot of points on the floor and I agree, that is what lost us the game.

[gator7_5]

I was in the shower rewinding this game thinking the same thing. Free throws killed us. Then I was wondering how many pages the "kenny sucks for losing us the game" thread was going to be.

[bullish]

Our shooting was horrendous. Murphy after he got hit in the head missed everything up until the first half ended, giving Missouri time after time to catch up. Kenny and Rosario looked calm but both couldn't hit shots when they got it close. Scottie couldn't get close to the basket because they were too physical for us. Tennessee is waiting to get after us and they have both an inside/outside game. These types of games I wish Billy would go ballistic and get out onto the court and vent. It seemed to me he sat back, frowned, looked at the assistants, held up his arms, but kept his tie straight and didn't sweat. You would think a competitive man like he is, would lose it sometimes. I guess you just have to love what you got, join a cult that practices meditation in tent out in the woods somewhere. LOL

[GeauxGators05]

This is our achilles heel at the moment. The announcers were calling for us to go inside but that would result in a foul line moment with Patrick Young which is close to a turnover without points. We need to shore this up if we are seriously contending for the final four.

[RealGatorFan]

We lost the game mostly from settling for 3s. Yes, we could have pulled it out had we shot better at the stripe but we attempted 12 FTs and a good 70% completion would make it 8.4/12 (round up to 9). We hit 3 more FT and it's still a very tight game and we might have had to take a game winning shot anyway. The problem in this game in addition to the Auburn game is the 3pt attempts. We take too many of them and this time we didn't hit 50% of them. Hit 50% of them then it would have been a win.

You can't expect to win games shooting just 3s. How many times did PY get the ball down low last night? Once and it was a hook shot. How many dunks? None. We lack an inside presence and teams are starting to toy with that idea. Mizzou exploited it and other teams will too. People figure we can't hit 60% all year long.

[RealGatorFan]

That's the other thing too - PY isn't a great FT shooter. You'd think teams would trade him shooting FTs rather than see our perimeter guys attempt 3s:-)

[gulfgator]

I agree completely, come tourney time UF better start making more free throws in the clutch.
Not having many close games is, making UF way too tight in the ones that are

[gator07]

Originally Posted by SJB612

What we are missing is the way Taurean Green used to be able to single handedly close out a game by keeping the dribble alive, drawing fouls while dribbling into the defensive player or stepping in front of them when he was bring it up court, and then burying his free throws.

Thats funny because I believe SW missed a couple of FT attempts and it immediately made me think of how money Taurean Green was.

This wasn't as bad as the Arizona choke-job, but we did our best at the line to keep Missouri in that game.

[jareduf]

Originally Posted by gator07

Thats funny because I believe SW missed a couple of FT attempts and it immediately made me think of how money Taurean Green was.

This wasn't as bad as the Arizona choke-job, but we did our best at the line to keep Missouri in that game.

He was the best! If Wilbeken is going to be considered great, he HAS to hit his foul shots.

[Jonas]

This is my biggest concern about this team.

[SJB612]

Originally Posted by RealGatorFan

We lost the game mostly from settling for 3s. Yes, we could have pulled it out had we shot better at the stripe but we attempted 12 FTs and a good 70% completion would make it 8.4/12 (round up to 9). We hit 3 more FT and it's still a very tight game and we might have had to take a game winning shot anyway. The problem in this game in addition to the Auburn game is the 3pt attempts. We take too many of them and this time we didn't hit 50% of them. Hit 50% of them then it would have been a win.

You can't expect to win games shooting just 3s. How many times did PY get the ball down low last night? Once and it was a hook shot. How many dunks? None. We lack an inside presence and teams are starting to toy with that idea. Mizzou exploited it and other teams will too. People figure we can't hit 60% all year long.

Can't just look at the number of attempts because we missed the front end of three one and ones. So, we only had 12 attempts, but should have had 15. Hitting those 6 free throws would have put us up by more than one possession at the end and we wouldn't have had to foul them at the end, they would have been fouling us. Cannot miss the front end of one and ones. It is just a killer.

[gator07]

Originally Posted by SJB612

Can't just look at the number of attempts because we missed the front end of three one and ones. So, we only had 12 attempts, but should have had 15. Hitting those 6 free throws would have put us up by more than one possession at the end and we wouldn't have had to foul them at the end, they would have been fouling us. Cannot miss the front end of one and ones. It is just a killer.

Great point. If you hit 2 out of those 3 front-enders then you've given yourself 2 points (obviously) PLUS two more shots from the stripe. So its not just the 2 points you missed at the line, its the extra 1 or 2 points you never had the opportunity to shoot for.

And obviously 3 or 4 points in a game like this is the difference between winning and losing.

[RD_gator]

Late in the 2nd half, Young missed two consecutive front-ends of the one & ones - that was huge and I think SW missed some also which is not good for a starting PG that is trying to close out games. Throughout this season, Young's free-throw attempt form does not always look consistent each time he takes one - one had an unusually high arch to try to overcompensate for a previous missed one. As a freshman, I though Pat was relatively consistent (70% then & only 50.6% now) from the charity stripe; I don't know what has happened to his previous ability - too much emphasis on weight lifting perhaps?

I think if Young was around 235-240ish rather than 250 than he would be more agile in coordination, perhaps have better leaping ability around the basket for dunks, etc. But then at such a lighter weight, we won't see opponents bounce off of Young (which I find it to be funny) & drop to the floor whenever they attempt to drive to the basket! So, it's a trade-off!

[RD_gator]

Originally Posted by gator07

Thats funny because I believe SW missed a couple of FT attempts and it immediately made me think of how money Taurean Green was.

This wasn't as bad as the Arizona choke-job, but we did our best at the line to keep Missouri in that game.

Florida's previous much maligned PG, Erving Walker, was also pretty good in closing out games from the charity stripe.

[gator07]

Originally Posted by RD_gator

Florida's previous much maligned PG, Erving Walker, was also pretty good in closing out games from the charity stripe.

True.

Did you know that SW only shoots 65%??!! How is that possible from a point guard?!

[gogators73]

This team plays scared. They don't have a killer instinct in a close game. They have a "I hope we don't screw this up" instinct.

[TampaGatorFan]

Originally Posted by SJB612

Can't just look at the number of attempts because we missed the front end of three one and ones. So, we only had 12 attempts, but should have had 15. Hitting those 6 free throws would have put us up by more than one possession at the end and we wouldn't have had to foul them at the end, they would have been fouling us. Cannot miss the front end of one and ones. It is just a killer.

Exactly! Missing those front end shots cost us the Zona game, cost us the game last night, and mark my words, it will cost us a game in the tourney if we don't get it straightened out.

[TampaGatorFan]

Originally Posted by gogators73

This team plays scared. They don't have a killer instinct in a close game. They have a "I hope we don't screw this up" instinct.

^ this