South Carolina's free throw shooting struggles go beyond a one-game sample size

The season is not over. Lamont Paris made it clear the sky is not falling. It’s just one game in a long basketball season.

But that doesn’t mean what happened was acceptable. It doesn’t make the outcome feel any better.

Several things didn’t go to plan in South Carolina’s 74-71 loss to North Florida in Monday’s season opener. The Gamecocks had opportunities to slam the door but left it cracked for the Ospreys to make their eventual comeback.

Near the top of the list of the team’s issues was one that wasn’t a first-time offender. Free throw shooting has been a problem before, and it was again earlier this week. The Gamecocks shot an abysmal 14-of-25 at the line, which in a game where they lost by three points, those missed shots made all the difference.

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It’s not the sole reason why they lost the game. South Carolina seemingly didn’t have as much energy as North Florida, didn’t rebound as well, missed some key shots. The list goes on. But moving forward, how do Paris and the team correct something as simple as free throws?

“Do you want me to be real? I mean, how do you correct free throw shooting? I guess you practice free throw shooting,” Paris said on Monday. “Some guys shoot better free throws than others naturally. They probably have their whole life. Other guys can always improve by practicing.”

Paris noted this was just a one-game sample size and it wouldn’t define how his players performed as the season moves along. But that’s the thing, it’s not just a one-off instance. Even in the team’s exhibition game last Wednesday against Wooster, they went 9-for-20 (45%) at the line.

To dive back even further, missed free throws have cost South Carolina in games from year’s past. One of the prime examples of this was when the team went 17-of-32 on free throw attempts at home against Georgia last season. Ironically, the Bulldogs had the same number of free throw shots but made 25 of them, which would be the difference in a five-point win on the road.

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So, while it may seem like something that happens once in a blue moon, it’s not. It has happened before and who’s to say it won’t happen again unless things improve? The best way to do that is, like Paris said, get in the gym and take more shots. It’s more than that, though. It’s also going out there and doing it when the shots actually count.

“I always tell them, when your name gets called, at the free throw line, whenever that is, you’ve got to stand up,” Paris said. “They call your name, referee gives you the ball, stand up. Make them. We didn’t do that, and it seemed to be contagious.”

South Carolina had five players shoot at least two free throws in Monday’s loss. Only one player, Jamarii Thomas, made all his free throw attempts. The others all missed one or more shots. In the front court, Collin Murray-Boyles and Nick Pringle each missed at least three free throws, with Pringle finishing the worst of the bunch with a 3-of-8 performance.

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It may seem as easy as going up to the line and making the shots. But it’s definitely not. Otherwise, South Carolina wouldn’t be having this problem right now. Paris has full confidence the team will be fine moving forward, though he still knows the missed chances can’t keep happening in bunches.

“I may look at you and say, ‘Ah, he’s struggling today. I’m gonna pick him up. I’m going to inspire him. And I’m gonna say something real encouraging to him.’ But when I get up there, I’m gonna make mine. That’s for sure,” Paris said.

“Then I’ll continue to help him. Then, your number ends up being a better number. In a game like this, those all matter. We just had some lack of discipline plays also defensively. Fouled a three point shooter, which I don’t think it’s a secret, my guys know that it’s my dream to go a whole season without fouling a three-point shooter and we made it to game number one.”

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