I did not attend the January 9, 2019 game won by American University over Navy, 71-63.  I did study the box score and related information.  The game was close in terms of overall baskets made in the field with AU having the better shooting percentage, but making 23 2 pt FGs and 3 3 point FGs which was one more three pointer than Navy.  On the 2 pt FG side, Navy scored 24 in total so AU scored 55 points from the field and Navy scored 54.

However, the AU team shot 16-19 for a strong 84.2% from the free throw line, while Navy only made 64.3% on 9-14 free throw shooting.  There obviously was a differential where AU attempted more free throws than Navy but the game clearly would have been closer if Navy had made a few more free throws.

What is remarkable is that only 3 players from AU shot free throws, two starters including the leading scorer/point guard Nelson plus one other player off the bench.  Nelson was 11-12 and the other two players were 3-5 and 2-2 with their free throws.  For Navy, 4 players shot free throws, including 3 starters and one player off the bench.

This is another instance where strong free throw shooting contributed to good fundamental basketball and helped the better free throw shooting team to win the game. More thoughts on free throw shooting and the difference between being a shooter versus being a scorer in future posts.

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McTaggart is available for a fee plus expenses to do public speaking at basketball events as well as to provide instruction on free throw shooting.