Mbakwe, Gophers Hope Free-Throw Problem Is Solved
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Free throws that don't fall are the sport's ultimate missed opportunity, a unique chance to score from mid-range while the defense can't do a thing about it.
So with Minnesota lagging behind at a Big Ten-worst 65.3 percent, Tubby Smith and his staff aren't allowing foul shooting to be overlooked. Smith has been using an old-fashioned drill in practice as he tries to make the Gophers better at the line.
Running sprints.
Push-ups.
Plus some on the fingertips for good measure.
If the players don't make their free throws, well, they're forced to take their punishment.
"I think it's made people concentrate more on what they're doing with their technique at the line, because nobody really wants to run," said Ralph Sampson III, one of the team's best foul shooters at 74.2 percent. "What you want to do is stay on the line as long as possible, and the only way you can do that is knock down free throws."
Depleted by injuries to two players and the departure of another, the Gophers need to take advantage of all the sources of offense they can find, particularly with leading scorer Blake Hoffarber playing out of position at point guard while fellow senior Al Nolen recovers from a broken foot.
If there's a primary target for Smith's motivational ploy, it's Trevor Mbakwe. The conference's leading rebounder and one of the most muscular inside players in the country, Mbakwe has been at the line a team-high 163 times, nearly double that of Sampson, the next-closest guy.
Mbakwe went a season-best 10 for 11 in Sunday's win at Iowa to push his average past the 60 percent mark.
"It's something we just have to focus more on," Mbakwe said after Wednesday's practice.
So do those draining drills help?
"It probably does. It keeps us mentally in it," Mbakwe said.
As a team, Minnesota was 16 for 21 at Iowa. The Gophers remember well their 11 for 22 performance in a three-point loss at Indiana earlier this month. That's the kind of loss they can't afford again in order to make the NCAA tournament.
With the Gophers often playing Mbakwe, Sampson and center Colton Iverson at the same time, they can count on continuing to draw a lot of fouls with their size and strength around the basket.
"All the teams are getting worn out because of the long season and hitting each other and being physical down low," Sampson said. "Everybody's even a step slower so they're going to foul you a little bit more now and the refs are going to call the game a little bit tighter at the end of the season. Now if you can knock down your free throws, it's definitely going to give your team the edge and the advantage."
Though Iowa is tied for last place in the conference, that 62-45 victory was critical for Minnesota's confidence. The free-throw improvement wasn't the only positive development. Freshman backup point guard Maverick Ahanmisi had seven points and two assists in 11 minutes, and struggling sophomore swingman Rodney Williams had his best game in nearly three months with 13 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
"I wish I knew exactly what it was, with all of those guys, to be consistent," Smith said. "That's what we're striving for."
With only Ohio State, Purdue and Wisconsin in comfortable postseason position, the middle of the Big Ten pack is wide open for Minnesota to take control of. The Gophers (17-8, 6-7) didn't look much like an NCAA tournament team during their four-game losing streak, but the rest of their schedule is a lot less daunting than it could be.
After playing at Penn State on Thursday, they have the weekend off before hosting once-mighty Michigan State and Michigan next week. They finish by playing at Northwestern and then Penn State again at home. With Michigan State strangely struggling, all of those opponents currently have losing conference records.
"We might've started doubting ourselves a little bit with shots and moves and cuts. Now we see that we can win again," Sampson said. "We just want to take that back and bring it to the next game."
(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
