Gators C Micah Handlogten shooting 200 free throws after practice

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Free throw shooting — a glaring issue for the Gators in non-conference play — plagued them once again in their SEC opener against No. 6 Kentucky last Saturday.

Florida struggled again at the charity stripe in its 87-85 loss, missing 11 free throws and shooting 62.1%, although UF made 10 of its last 11 attempts before the intentional miss at the end.

The Gators are shooting 65.1% at the line (237 of 364 attempts) this season, which ranks last in the SEC and 320th nationally. Free throws have been most problematic for Micah Handlogten.

Through 14 games, the sophomore starting center has lowest free throw percentage (.250) on the team and he’s also made and attempted the fewest number of free throws (3 of 12) among UF starters.

Handlogten has been taking time following each practice to work on his weak spot.

“It’s something I’m just really starting to emphasize,” Handlogten said. “It’s a massive thing after every practice I’m shooting, at least 200, bare minimum. I’m trying to make like 80 percent of them out of 50 and if I don’t do it, I re-start, until I get it.

“I’m doing the same thing before practice, too. And so, a lot of it has to do with repetitions and if I can get as many of those up. Going 0 for 6 on my last six free throws is unacceptable and I’m aware of that and it’s something I’m going to improve on.” 

Handlogten finished 54.3 percent at the line during his freshman season at Marshall. He’s shooting less than half that so far this year (.250) and would like to improve by at least 45 percent during conference play.

“I’d like to (be at 80 percent), I’d say more realistically 70 percent. But it’s definitely not what it is right now,” Handlogten said. “I get in my own head a lot, so I think that just being in my head, I’m trying to just slow myself down and shoot the ball.” 

Handlogten also discussed his return from injury, Florida’s first SEC road game at Ole Miss and the loss to Kentucky during his latest media availability.

Micah Handlogten Q&A

On how his size held up against Kentucky:

Handlogten: “Obviously, the game itself didn’t go how we wanted it to go, but I think we played with enough physicality for the most part. I’d say we kind of let off a little bit in the second half and it kind of showed. But I feel like our size, we were bigger than them, so we were able to get more rebounds. I just think we could use our physicality more, to our advantage.”

On how that size will help vs. Ole Miss:

Handlogten: “Huge. A lot of the reason why they have a lot of struggles rebounding is their shot blockers try to block everything. That leaves them out of position and gives plenty of opportunity for offensive rebounds. Just knowing that and taking that in, using that to our advantage will be huge.”

On the drop off in execution vs. Kentucky:

Handlogten: “You could definitely tell that we didn’t come out with the same kind of passion in the second half. Kind of similar to the Florida State game when we were ahead by 30 at the half and then they came back a little bit at the beginning of the second half. It’s just something we have to work on, get better at and improve.”

On what needs to change to prevent that from happening:

Handlogten: “I think it’s just a mentality thing. I think that if we come out there with like the same passion we had in like the start of the first half … I think that’s something we can do really easily. It’s something we’ve got to work on mentally.”

On Walter Clayton Jr. saying the defense needs to improve:

Handlogten: “I’d agree with him on that. I think that it’s something we’ve been working on all year, like ball screen coverages and getting on the same page. Like sometimes we ice them, sometimes we force them to the middle. Just stay consistent with that, being able to identify their shooters like whenever we’re rotating, something like that. That’s something we’ve struggled with because we’ve given up a lot of threes uncontested, so it’s something we have to be on more, I guess.”

On his status coming off the ankle injury:

Handlogten: “I’d say 100 percent back now. It was bothering me toward the end of December, like the Michigan game. It was kind of still like iffy. I fought through it. With the Christmas break and everything, I’m back to 100 percent.”

On defending in the low post while dealing with physicality:

Handlogten: “It’s tough because in the SEC all the post players are extremely physical, so you have to be physical back but you can’t be too physical because you’ll foul him. You have to find that happy medium and sometimes it’s hard to do.”

On how much the bigs are prioritizing free throw shooting:

Handlogten: “It’s huge, I mean, especially the bigs, you saw it in the beginning of the season we were all shooting horribly, but now, Tyrese [Samuel] and [Alex] Condon have improved tremendously, Thomas [Haugh] too. I’m starting to fall behind now. It’s something I’m just really starting to emphasize.” 

On taking solace in getting to the line at a high rate:

Handlogten: “Yeah I mean we pride ourselves in being the most physical team out there, as far as the bigs go, we think that, if we can beat them down low, it’s just going to give us like a chance to get it out to open shooters, stuff like that, so it’s just how we want to play, inside out, that’s what we’re trying to do.” 

On how he’s improved as a passer at the collegiate level:

Handlogten: “I mean huge, I mean last game I think I had four turnovers, something like that, obviously it was a little bit of an off game but I think that like just my ability to see the court, I think they really helped me out with that, just like keeping my head up, just like looking around, taking my time with the ball, not rushing, just helping me like keep my composure.” 

On what he’s seen from the Ole Miss Rebels:

Handlogten: “Like I said they are very jump happy, they love to go block shots, so it’s going to leave offensive rebounds like really open they are also very physical down low. So, I think they are going to try to get drop off dunks and stuff like that. So, just being aware of that and being able to defend against them.” 

On playing in his first SEC road game:

Handlogten: “I can’t wait I mean I have friends that go to Ole Miss, and so I’ll be able to play in front of them, too. But it’s always just different going to the road, there’s just a different sense of like, if you win that game, you guys did it. Just the pride it takes to experience it.” 

On if UF’s tempo is the fastest he’s played at:

Handlogten: “Actually it’s not. I played a little bit faster at Marshall. I feel like, it was really, just barely any defense. Just run and gun, try to outscore the other team, you just try to rush them into shots, and you rush down the court, try to score in transition. That’s how we played at Marshall but I kind of like it better here because I enjoy the defensive aspect of the game being able to slow down compete and actually try to get those steals, force those turnovers, block those shots, and get out and then get in transition.”