This year’s Wildcats could go down as the best free throw shooting team ever.
Happy Friday Nova Nation! We’re taking a second to step away from more serious topics like Big East Championships and highly ranked opponents. Instead, let’s focus on why everyone tunes in to watch college basketball: free throws.
Free throws are supposed to go in, it’s why they’re called free. Even the worst free throw shooters in the country usually make more than half of their attempts. Free throws are only exciting in that there’s a chance they don’t go in, especially late in games. It’s also late in games when free throws can be the most annoying, as some of our friends at Marquette pointed out Wednesday night.
Villanova committed 9 of their 18 personal fouls in the game on the right side of the big red line.
Jay Wright is a bad person. #mubb pic.twitter.com/iN8e7juZKl
— Anonymous Eagle (@AnonymousEagle) February 3, 2022
But here’s the thing about free throws: Villanova is really good at them. Over the last eight seasons, Villanova’s average rank has been in the Top 30, including three Top 15 finishes. In fact the 2017 team that finished the season ranked 2nd in the country shot 79% as a team.
The 2022 team is shooting 82.5%.
That’s insane. How insane? Well for starters the Wildcats have never finished a season shooting over 80%. That 79% is the standing school record for Free Throw % in a single season, so we’re already in unprecedented waters. On the national scene, only one team in the last 20 years has shot over 82%, and that was Oral Roberts last year at 82.2%. They were technically a few decimal points worse than the all time D1 record holder of Harvard, who went 535 of 651 for 82.2% in 1984.
So do the Wildcats have a chance of breaking the all time record? Yeah, they really do. As a team Villanova has shot over 80% from the charity stripe in their last eight games, and over 85% in five of the last eight.
The team’s percentage is truly a team effort, but there are three standouts: Collin Gillespie, Eric Dixon, and Brandon Slater. Gillespie is tied with Samuels for most free throws on the season, and he’s currently 59-65 for 90.8%, ranking 22nd nationally. That’s right, he’s missed six free throws all season. More shocking, he’s only missed two of those in Big East play, where he’s shooting a conference best 94.6%.
Maybe surprising, Brandon Slater isn’t all that far behind. On the season he’s 50-59 for 84.7%. Also impressive is big man Eric Dixon, who’s 43-51 for 84.3%.
And in the honorable mention category, we have the secret weapons off the bench. For the “expand the rotation” group out there, here’s more fuel for the fire. Jordan Longino is 8-8 for 100%, and Bryan Antoine is 4-4 for 100%.
Villanova’s opponent this weekend, the #17 UConn Huskies, should provide plenty more opportunities for trips to the free throw line. They currently rank 273rd in defensive FTRate, which means they send a lot of people to the line.
So for our Friday poll, we’re asking if you think Villanova will actually break the record.
In other news…
Villanova vs UConn
UConn’s Dan Hurley has heated exchange with fans after ugly loss to Creighton | nj.com
UConn head coach Dan Hurley got into it Tuesday with some fans at the XL Center after an ugly loss to Creighton.
No. 12 Villanova aims to bounce back vs. No. 17 UConn | SportsNaut
In the rugged Big East, every game presents a unique challenge.
Villanova Men’s Basketball
From the Other Side: Jay Wright and players comment after #24 Marquette’s 83-73 win over Villanova | Marquette Hoops
Since Marquette joined the Big East for the 2004-’05 season, I always look forward to post-game press conferences with
NBA Wildcats
Thunder rookie Jeremiah Robinson-Earl out six weeks with foot injury | The Oklahoman
Thunder rookie center Jeremiah Robinson-Earl sustained a third metatarsal fracture in his right foot, the team announced Thursday.
Miami Heat’s Kyle Lowry To Appear In Super Bowl Commercial | Sports Illustrated
Lowry is featured in an ad for BitBuy, a Canadian cryptocurrency
Bracketology
BRACKET BREAKDOWN | College Hoops Today
Villanova has dropped to the 4 Seed line.
Bracket Watch: Which teams’ seed prices are soaring (hello, Marquette) and which ones are crashing (sorry, Iowa State)? | The Athletic
Elsewhere, Purdue climbs back to the No. 1 seed line, while West Virginia drops out of the field.
Villanova Women’s Basketball
Women’s Basketball Travels to St. John’s Friday Afternoon | Villanova University
Villanova will put its five-game winning streak on the line when the Wildcats travel to St. John’s for a Friday afternoon contest. The Wildcats enter play 13-6 overall
Villanova University
Red Lion resident to represent Villanova at the ‘Jeopardy!’ National College Championship | Yahoo! News
Red Lion resident Mitchell Macek will appear on the ‘Jeopardy!’ National College Championship representing Villanova on Feb. 9 on ABC.