Free throws are a part of any basketball game. But what happens when the disparity between teams is unbelievably large?
That question was answered this season with Kansas City’s women’s basketball team.
During the season, the Roos averaged 17.3 free throw attempts per game. On the other hand, opponents averaged 23.8.
While 6.5 free throws per game isn’t necessarily game-breaking, that differential shot up exponentially in the final five games of the season.
During that stretch- four games in the regular season and the one tournament game- the Roos shot 40 free throws. Eight free throws per game isn’t ideal, but it isn’t a dramatic number until discovering that in that same time, Kansas City’s opponents shot 123 free throws. An average of 24.6 per game.
This is not to say the Roos had no fault. Kansas City shot 60.4% from the line, while opponents shot 77%.
Even head coach Dionnah Jackson-Durrett admitted that the Roos foul, but also stated that opponents were favored.
“The difference in the game is 36 free throws to nine. We didn’t shoot our first free throw until the second half after the media [timeout],” said Jackson-Durrett. “[I’m] not saying Kansas City does not foul. You can’t tell me we shoot nine free throws and we foul 27 times.”
What Jackson-Durrett failed to mention is that Omaha was called for 16 team fouls in the game. The issue wasn’t the fouls that were called, it was when and where the fouls were called.
Only three of the 16 fouls resulted in free throws, as opposed to 18 of the 27 for Omaha.
Could it be that Kansas City simply fouls at a far higher rate than its opponents?
Sure, it could be.
However, if three is a trend, then what is five in a row?
The team deserves credit for keeping the game to only six points despite this horrific display of officiating.
