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FT% in close losses

Discussion in 'Nuttin but Net' started by gatorPUNX, Feb 26, 2025 at 9:26 AM.

  1. gatorPUNX

    gatorPUNX GC Hall of Fame

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    I thought this topic deserves specific discussion. I truly believe and still do that this team has the makeup of a championship caliber team, however there is a concerning stat from the losses (excluding the circus in Knoxville.)

    Per 2024-25 Men's Basketball Cumulative Statistics - Florida Gators

    The season average is 71% (including these 3 woeful losses)

    3 out of the 4 losses (all close games) the FT % dipped dramatically, especially clutch FT down the stretch

    6 point loss vs Kentucky (22/35, 62.9%) Kentucky 106-100 Florida (Jan 4, 2025) Game Stats - ESPN

    1 point loss vs Missouri (21/31, 67.7%) Missouri 83-82 Florida (Jan 14, 2025) Game Stats - ESPN

    5 point loss vs Georgia (18/29, 62.1%) Georgia 88-83 Florida (Feb 25, 2025) Game Stats - ESPN

    This has been the achilles heel of this team trying to win close, grinding, or come from behind games. This is the ONLY component of this team that worries me going into the tournament.
     
    Last edited: Feb 26, 2025 at 10:01 AM
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  2. grant1

    grant1 GC Hall of Fame

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    It’s usually Chins and Condo bringing down the averages, not the guards like last night.
     
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  3. gatorPUNX

    gatorPUNX GC Hall of Fame

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    I remember distinctively though the guards missing some uncharacteristic free throws in some of the losses.

    Clayton and Martin missed a combined 8 FT against Kentucky (this was the most glaring one)

    Clayton, Martin, Richard missed a combined 4 FT against Missouri (this was not as bad as I remembered it, and despite a 1 point loss it was not as close as the score indicated)

    Clayton, Martin, Richard missed a combined 6 FT against Georgia (I think these were just untimely down the stretch)
     
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  4. BLING

    BLING GC Hall of Fame

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    There’s probably a lot of stats that fall short of season averages if you pluck out the 4 losses for a 24-4 team.

    Not worried even a little. This team has shown it can win close games, so it’s not even like we can say they are too used to blowing out teams but “can’t win the close ones”
    (a line that is sometimes used).
     
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  5. hawaiigator

    hawaiigator GC Legend

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    I hope that lady that was behind the announcers last night can’t speak for a week
     
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  6. gatordavisl

    gatordavisl VIP Member

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    I wonder what the assist #s were like in those games. Seemed like it was low last night.
     
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  7. GatorPlanet

    GatorPlanet GC Hall of Fame

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    Yep, not much ball movement.
     
  8. ETGator

    ETGator Long-Time Gator Stuck In East Tennessee Moderator VIP Member

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    Interesting . . . and I agree dissecting close losses may reveal something. I can almost guarantee Coach Golden has.

    I'm not knocking your thread at all, but the difference between 71% and 63%-68%-62% is one FT out of 20, in the last case 1/10. Right? Sometimes I miss the obvious. LOL! :)

    I think like gatordavisl brought up, assists (or assist-to-turnovers or turnovers) might also show tendencies . . . but like BLING said, with a sample size that small I'd be reluctant to extrapolate much.

    Still interesting. Thanks!
     
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  9. the_alphagator1906

    the_alphagator1906 GC Legend

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    We only have one loss if they all only missed 1 or 2 every game. Sigh.
     
  10. unclerob

    unclerob Senior

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    We have got to have someone that they can't afford to foul late.
     
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  11. gogators73

    gogators73 GC Hall of Fame

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    When we stepped to the line against Auburn it felt automatic. Against Georgia it felt like an automatic miss.
     
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  12. SJB612

    SJB612 GC Hall of Fame

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    Clayton is the only one I really trust, and even he has an off night from time to time. The one person I always felt confident shooting free throws late in the game was Taurean Green.
     
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  13. the_alphagator1906

    the_alphagator1906 GC Legend

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    I trusted Scotty W his senior year, Chris Chiozza his junior/senior year. Also trust ZP last year. There have been some guards I trusted late and we had our fair share. Not all doom and gloom my friend.
     
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  14. RealGatorFan

    RealGatorFan Premium Member

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    There are 3 areas that will doom us if they show up come tourney time and FT shooting is one of them. The other 2 are - 1st half starts and defensive rebounding. We are the worst 1st half team in the Top 25 this year. At home, we aren't bad but on the road against anyone we are ranked 52nd in 1st half scoring margin. FT %.....well not good at all here. We are ranked 212th in FT shooting. No way to sugar coat that. If I'm defending us in March, I'm telling my team to foul as much as possible. Put Florida at the charity stripe rather than have them score in play. Then defensive rebounding. We are ranked 90th. Defensive rebounding enables fast breaks that lead to 3 point plays and it steals a possession and prevents them from getting fouled.
     
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  15. SJB612

    SJB612 GC Hall of Fame

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    I think you read too much into my comment. Not saying we haven't had clutch free throw shooters recently. Just saying the one guy I was most confident in was TG. I think he hit something like 40+ straight at one point.
     
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  16. Ahab

    Ahab GC Hall of Fame

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    Untimely FT misses hurt when we were trying to get over the hump vs UGA. My bigger concern was Clayton having 5 TOs including several more that he was fortunate not to lose. He didn't seem strong with the ball all night.
     
  17. the_alphagator1906

    the_alphagator1906 GC Legend

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    Lol..gotcha...call me crazy but I trusted the under hand FT shooter himself the most. Canyon Barry. That guy never missed. Almost never.
     
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  18. jeffphillips21

    jeffphillips21 GC Hall of Fame

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    Ironic too since we’re a giard dominant team with a couple bigs that can shoot
     
  19. gatorific

    gatorific VIP Member

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    …..and Dan Cross
     
  20. SJB612

    SJB612 GC Hall of Fame

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    Yes!