Florida coach Billy Donovan has stopped practice at times this season to randomly select one of his players to take free throws.
Today's game
Who: Florida Gators (13-4, 2-1 SEC) at Auburn Tigers (7-10, 0-3 SEC)
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Auburn Arena
TV: ESPN
Radio: 103.7 FM, AM-850
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Auburn Arena
TV: ESPN
Radio: 103.7 FM, AM-850
“We have a couple of running drills our guys don't enjoy doing,” Donovan said. “I'll throw a ball to a guy and I'll say, ‘You've got two free throws. If you miss them the team runs, and if you make them, we don't run.'
“You try to create those situations where there's something on the line.”
The Gators weren't good in the clutch Saturday, going 0-for-5 from the free-throw line down the stretch in their 72-69 loss to South Carolina. Florida will try to regroup from its season-long free throw shooting woes tonight in a nationally televised game at Auburn.
“We just have to continue to address it,” Donovan said. “We're going to be in more situations like that. We're going to have to make free throws. And guys have got to walk up, man up and make shots. They've got to be able to do that.”
Florida ranks 11th in the Southeastern Conference in free throw percentage, shooting 65.1 percent from the line for the season. The Gators are shooting just 54.8 percent from the line (23-42) over their last two games.
Chandler Parsons (52.9 percent), Erving Walker (75.3 percent) and Vernon Macklin (41 percent) all have shot below their career averages from the free-throw line.
“It's disappointing and it's confusing because I'm a good shooter,” Parsons said. “I'm shooting the ball well from (3-point range). I'm shooting the ball well in games. I just can't make a free throw. It's just something I've got to fix, and I've got to take ownership of myself. It's obviously in my head because I can shoot the ball great.”
Donovan said everyone on the Florida roster got up close to 100 free throws on Tuesday morning. He said that players take close to 500 free throws during the course of the week.
“It takes work,” Parsons said. “I think the guys need to get in the gym and get more up and take it more seriously. Free throws can definitely win or lose a game. It's a big part of the game. Our guys are taking it seriously and trying to get better at it.”
If it's any consolation, free throws haven't been a problem just for Florida. Of the 12 teams in the SEC, nine are shooting below 70 percent from the line. Auburn is shooting just 65.2 percent from the line this season.
In Florida's last three losses, the Gators have combined to miss 29 free throws.
“You always have to work on things like that — free throws — in practice,” Walker said. “Reps help. I think you just have to go to the line confident, believing that you are going to make it.”
Missing free throws late in games has hurt the Gators of late. Walker missed the front-end of a one-and-one that could have tied the score with South Carolina with 1:07 left. Against Tennessee, senior forward Alex Tyus missed the front end of a one-one-one with 41 seconds left that could have led the Gators to win in regulation instead of overtime.
“A free throw in the first five minutes of the game that people would say has no bearing on the outcome of the game is the same exact shot at the end of the game except that you are creating this element around you,” Donovan said. “And trying to help those guys see that, identify that, understand that.
“There is a mentality walking up there saying, I'm going to put the game away and I'm going to do this.”
FLORIDA PROBABLE STARTERS
G Kenny Boynton 6-2 So. 12.6 ppg 2.6 apg 76.6 FT%
G Erving Walker 5-8 Jr. 14.5 ppg 3.2 apg 75.3 FT%
F Chandler Parsons 6-9 Sr. 10.6 ppg 6.5 rpg 52.9 FT%
F Alex Tyus 6-8 Sr. 9.4 ppg 5.1 rpg 69.8 FT%
C Vernon Macklin 6-10 Sr. 10.9 ppg 6.4 rpg 41.0 FT%
KEY RESERVES
F Patric Young 6-8 Fr. 3.4 ppg 3.5 rpg 77.8 FT%
G Scottie Wilbekin 6-2 Fr. 1.9 ppg 2.4 apg 38.5 FT%
F Erik Murphy 6-10 So. 6.3 ppg 3.4 rpg 85.0 FT%
AUBURN PROBABLE STARTERS
G Earnest Ross 6-5 So. 12.4 ppg 6.9 rpg 72.7 FT%
G Josh Wallace 5-10 So. 5.4 ppg 4.2 apg 59.6 FT%
G Josh Langford 6-7 Fr. 5.4 ppg 3.2 rpg 73.7 FT%
F Allen Payne 6-6 Fr. 5.9 ppg 2.9 rpg 72.1 FT%
C Rob Chubb 6-10 So. 7.9 ppg 4.2 rpg 50.0 FT%
KEY RESERVES
G Andre Malone 6-5 So. 11.7 ppg 3.4 rpg 86.4 FT%
F Kenny Gabriel 6-8 Jr. 9.8 ppg 6.2 rpg 69.2 FT%
F Adrian Forbes 6-8 Jr. 3.4 ppg 2.5 rpg 59.1 FT%
