Indiana's Free Throw Struggles Are Mental, Not Physical Issues, Woodson Says

Indiana is one of the worst free-throw shooting teams in the country despite its frequent trips to the line. Several Hoosiers have become worse free throw shooters throughout their careers. Coach Mike Woodson said it's a mental issue.

Jack Ankony | Feb 20, 2024

Indiana's Free Throw Struggles Are Mental, Not Physical Issues, Woodson Says /

In this story:

Indiana Hoosiers

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Some of the loudest and most frequent groans at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall this season have come seconds after the arena falls silent as a Hoosier steps to the free throw line.

One of Indiana's best traits is getting to the free throw line, but that's offset by being one of the worst free throw shooting teams in college basketball.

Through 25 games, Indiana ranks 21st nationally in free throw rate, which KenPom calculates by dividing free throw attempts over field goal attempts. The Hoosiers average 2.1 more free throw attempts than their opponents per game, which ranks 101st in the nation, per ESPN. From a raw numbers standpoint, Indiana is third in the Big Ten and 45th nationally in total free throw attempts.

That should lead to easy points. Of course, what's more important is a team's ability to make the most of these free opportunities, and Indiana certainly hasn't.

Indiana has shot 66% at the free throw line this season, which ranks last in the Big Ten and 335th out of 363 teams across Division I college basketball. The Hoosiers are minus-7.9% in free throw percentage differential, which compares Indiana's free throw percentage to its opponents, slotting 351st nationally.

Woodson said on his radio show Monday night that Indiana might have two or three more wins if they just shot in the low 70s. In Sunday's 76-72 loss to Northwestern, Indiana went 12-for-21 at the free throw line.

"It's frustrating, because I thought we played well enough once we got back into it," Woodson said postgame Sunday. "The free throws bit us in the butt."

So, why has this been such an issue for Indiana? Woodson spoke at length Tuesday about it.

"I think they take it serious. We shoot them every day, all day, in practice from the beginning to the end, the middle. It's just a mindset, man," Woodson said. "I've never seen anything like it in my career. I mean, it's just a mindset that these guys got to just go up and – they're free, man. When they give you an opportunity to go score a free bucket or a point, two points, you've got to take advantage of it.

"The fact that we've been able to get to the line says a lot about our offense and how we've constructed it, trying to play pretty much inside out based on our personnel and what we have," Woodson continued. "And we just got to keep working, that's all I can say. I mean, in terms of shooting them and getting these guys comfortable, man, because [Wednesday against Nebraska] they're going to be in that same position. They're going to get fouled, and they just got to step up and make them."

Freshman Mackenzie Mgbako is Indiana's best free throw shooter at 82.9%, with the third-most attempts on the team. Fellow freshman Gabe Cupps shoots 61.5% at the line, but he's only attempted 13 free throws all season; his percentage would rise roughly 8% had he made just one more.

"I look at Mackenzie, he's probably our best free throw shooter," Woodson said. "I mean, Gabe is not a bad free throw shooter. From there, it's not real good, and it's not like these guys got bad strokes. Malik's shot is a good shot. The big fella Ware has a good shot. Gallo's shot is not tore up. None of these guys shots are tore up."

After the freshmen, several Hoosiers are having the worst free throw shooting seasons of their careers.

Malik Reneau, who leads Indiana with 106 attempts, is shooting just 64.2% at the line compared to 71.4% last season, though he only attempted 49. Ware is next in attempts, and he's shooting 67.3% compared to 71.2% as a freshman at Oregon – again on lower volume.

Xavier Johnson has missed the last four games with an elbow injury, a stretch in which Indiana has gone 1-3. He was worse at the line when healthy compared to past seasons. He shot at least 75% in each of his three seasons at Pittsburgh.

Trey Galloway has gotten worse at the free throw line across his four seasons at Indiana, which have come with increased volume each year. After shooting 73.7% on 19 attempts as a freshman, he's down to 54.8% as a senior on 62 attempts. Fellow senior Anthony Leal was 9-for-13, or 69.2%, across his first three seasons at Indiana. He's 7-for-12 this season.

CJ Gunn made 4-of-5 attempts, or 80%, as a freshman, but he's down to 66.7% on 21 attempts this year. Fellow sophomore Kaleb Banks, who's fallen out of the rotation and hasn't played since Jan. 19, is 9-for-19, or 47.4%, this season after shooting 53.6% on 28 attempts as a freshman.

Playing his first two seasons at Ball State, Payton Sparks' free throw percentage has dropped each year, too. He shot 70.3% as a freshman and 52.5% as a sophomore, attempting at least 202 free throws each season. Across 34 attempts at Indiana, he's shooting 41.2%.

One outlier is Anthony Walker, who's shooting 72.9% as a Hoosier. That's a single-season career high and a tick up from his 66.1% career mark across four seasons at Miami (FL).

“We shoot a lot of free throws in practice because the coaches and [players] obviously see that that’s something that we can get better at,” Cupps said. “I think it just all comes down to confidence and the mentality you approach the line with. I think it’s much more mental than physical.”

Woodson agrees with Cupps that free throw shooting is not a physical limitation for Indiana, and he's trying to help the Hoosiers get in a better mental state.

"I look at it just from a mental standpoint, man. You can't be scared to step up there," Woodson said. "It's a part of basketball. It's been that way since the beginning of times. So all I can do is keep preaching. If their shots were tore up, then that's different. I mean, then you've got to work on the mechanics and do a lot of different things in that area. They don't have bad shots, so it's between the ears to me. We've just got to get these guys comfortable in making them because it's a big part of the game. You should punish teams when they put you in that position."

Indiana has hit a rough patch over the last month, going 2-6 beginning with Jan. 16's 21-point home loss to Purdue. As losses pile up, Woodson has tried to strike a balance between supporting his players and pushing them to improve.

"It's tough. I mean, it's my job to help these guys navigate through it," Woodson said. "I'm trying to stay positive and still have to coach. When you watch film with these guys and you still see things that are not right, you can't let it slide, you have to point it out. Film is a teaching tool, and you hope that guys don't take it personal. You shouldn't take it personal. Hell, it's coaching. All coaches do it."

Next up, the Hoosiers hosts Nebraska on Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. ET. Outside all NCAA Tournament projects and a borderline NIT team at this point, Woodson knows it's essentially win or go home.

"I think we've got to win 'em all," Woodson said. "Maybe I'm putting pressure on our guys, but that's the only way I can coach. We've got to take it one game at a time and try to win them all."

Related stories on Indiana basketball