Post by dylanrocks on Feb 20, 2007 23:28:22 GMT -6
Free throws might be key for Panthers
By BOBBI ROQUEMORE
broquemore@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Feb. 20, 2007
Some old habits have come back to haunt UW-Milwaukee in February.
Those shots caroming off the rim sound a lot like the noise coming from the first 13 games of the season, when the Panthers treated the paint like a force field and refused to go inside it consistently.
Things have improved somewhat, but little by little, UWM is creeping back in the other direction, and not just with four consecutive losses. Three-point shooting attempts are up, field-goal shooting percentages are down and, most notably, free-throw numbers are stagnant.
Take, for instance, UWM's last matchup, an 84-76 setback at Drake. The whistles were hooting at a wild pace, yet it was the Bulldogs who were getting most of the calls and heading to the free-throw line. Drake went 23 of 31 from the free-throw line in the second half. UWM shot only nine and made six in the same stretch.
Panthers coach Rob Jeter firmly believes that the team's success is tied into how often it can get to the free-throw line.
UWM is being outdistanced by its opponents in free-throw shooting by a mile. The Panthers are 352 for 522 from the line, and opponents are 445 for 643, a difference of 93 points.
"We make more field goals than Drake did, but then we lose by the game by eight simply because they made it to the free-throw line. Free throws are so important," Jeter said. "Another reason why they're so important is that I've got three of my starters on the bench (who fouled out), so I had different combinations in there, which made it difficult to finalize that game.
"Not only do you not have to score many buckets from the perimeter, which we struggle with at times, but you can always get to the line when the ball's not going in."
On the road, free-throw shooting becomes more significant, as it can serve as an equalizer when times get tough.
UWM (8-20, 5-9 Horizon League) finishes the regular season with two consecutive road games, beginning at 7 tonight at Illinois-Chicago (11-17, 5-9). Depending on what unfolds, the Panthers could finish anywhere from fourth to eighth place. Sixth or better will give them a home game in the first round of the league tournament next week.
"It's more important to do that on the road because usually the home team shoots better at home, so that means now if you're not shooting as well as the home team, then you've got to get extra shots," Jeter said. "How you get extra shots is by getting to the free-throw line."
Junior guard Avery Smith and senior forward Kevin Massiah are the Panthers' best finishers around the basket, and they've taken a large share of the team's free throws. Among the eight players with 20 or more attempts, Smith leads the team, shooting 81 for 107. Massiah has the third most attempts at 72 and has made 50.
That no one else has established himself as a consistent attacker who can get the freebies confounds Jeter, especially considering the nature of the swing offense. In 2005-'06, solid post play from Adrian Tigert and Joah Tucker made it look easy. Although that level was expected to drop off somewhat this year with a perimeter-based team, getting inside and reaping the benefits has proved to be a difficult task.
"Our offense is built to do that because everyone posts," Jeter said. "We're always looking to throw the ball to the post. The fact that we haven't been able to establish a low-post scorer has really put us at a disadvantage.
"I'm playing three guards and two small forwards, really, and we just haven't been able to establish anything in the paint."
Without a doubt, the Panthers' issues won't be resolved even if they go 40 for 40 over each of the next two games. But they have to start somewhere, and getting inside and setting themselves up for the free throws, Jeter thinks, would go a long way.
"We have guys that are open; we have to throw it in there," he said. "It's really that simple. It's nothing more complicated than that. Throw it into the low post, and attack the rim."
By BOBBI ROQUEMORE
broquemore@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Feb. 20, 2007
Some old habits have come back to haunt UW-Milwaukee in February.
Those shots caroming off the rim sound a lot like the noise coming from the first 13 games of the season, when the Panthers treated the paint like a force field and refused to go inside it consistently.
Things have improved somewhat, but little by little, UWM is creeping back in the other direction, and not just with four consecutive losses. Three-point shooting attempts are up, field-goal shooting percentages are down and, most notably, free-throw numbers are stagnant.
Take, for instance, UWM's last matchup, an 84-76 setback at Drake. The whistles were hooting at a wild pace, yet it was the Bulldogs who were getting most of the calls and heading to the free-throw line. Drake went 23 of 31 from the free-throw line in the second half. UWM shot only nine and made six in the same stretch.
Panthers coach Rob Jeter firmly believes that the team's success is tied into how often it can get to the free-throw line.
UWM is being outdistanced by its opponents in free-throw shooting by a mile. The Panthers are 352 for 522 from the line, and opponents are 445 for 643, a difference of 93 points.
"We make more field goals than Drake did, but then we lose by the game by eight simply because they made it to the free-throw line. Free throws are so important," Jeter said. "Another reason why they're so important is that I've got three of my starters on the bench (who fouled out), so I had different combinations in there, which made it difficult to finalize that game.
"Not only do you not have to score many buckets from the perimeter, which we struggle with at times, but you can always get to the line when the ball's not going in."
On the road, free-throw shooting becomes more significant, as it can serve as an equalizer when times get tough.
UWM (8-20, 5-9 Horizon League) finishes the regular season with two consecutive road games, beginning at 7 tonight at Illinois-Chicago (11-17, 5-9). Depending on what unfolds, the Panthers could finish anywhere from fourth to eighth place. Sixth or better will give them a home game in the first round of the league tournament next week.
"It's more important to do that on the road because usually the home team shoots better at home, so that means now if you're not shooting as well as the home team, then you've got to get extra shots," Jeter said. "How you get extra shots is by getting to the free-throw line."
Junior guard Avery Smith and senior forward Kevin Massiah are the Panthers' best finishers around the basket, and they've taken a large share of the team's free throws. Among the eight players with 20 or more attempts, Smith leads the team, shooting 81 for 107. Massiah has the third most attempts at 72 and has made 50.
That no one else has established himself as a consistent attacker who can get the freebies confounds Jeter, especially considering the nature of the swing offense. In 2005-'06, solid post play from Adrian Tigert and Joah Tucker made it look easy. Although that level was expected to drop off somewhat this year with a perimeter-based team, getting inside and reaping the benefits has proved to be a difficult task.
"Our offense is built to do that because everyone posts," Jeter said. "We're always looking to throw the ball to the post. The fact that we haven't been able to establish a low-post scorer has really put us at a disadvantage.
"I'm playing three guards and two small forwards, really, and we just haven't been able to establish anything in the paint."
Without a doubt, the Panthers' issues won't be resolved even if they go 40 for 40 over each of the next two games. But they have to start somewhere, and getting inside and setting themselves up for the free throws, Jeter thinks, would go a long way.
"We have guys that are open; we have to throw it in there," he said. "It's really that simple. It's nothing more complicated than that. Throw it into the low post, and attack the rim."