ILLINI FREE THROWING AWFUL

HOW BAD IS ILLINI FREE THROWING?
Much has been written recently concerning the miserable free throw shooting by the current Illini basketball team. It is bad. The team is shooting 62 percent and two of the starters, Brian Randle at 53 percent and Shaun Pruitt 44, have extremely poor performaces.
College and professional basketball players can run, jump, play defense, and generally do everything much better than high school kids do. However, they are not a whole lot better at the free throw line. Nearly one-third of all NCAA Div I teams are making less than two of three attempts.
Monticello high school, with several sophomores playing, is currently shooting a very good 68 percent.
I checked the records, and in the past 25 seasons, the Illini have had four teams shoot free throws over 73 percent for the season. The Sages have had three teams above that mark during the same time span.
Individually, Brian Cook, has the Illini one year free throw percentage record at 87.3 percent. Craig Myers set the Sages record at 88.7 percent.
What does all this mean? If the Illini start using more 3-guard offensive sets, Pruitt will be on the bench. Randle, who is a talented athlete, will surely do better. It seems logical that improved free throw shooting is on the way. Being poor at the line does not necessarily spell defeat. The Illini are 21-3 after Saturday’s upset loss to Penn State.