Quick Thought on the last free throws

RamboRowdy · Dec 21, 2009

3.9 seconds left. Tulane had no time outs and VCU up by one. Nixon had two shots. Now he missed and Tulane put up the half court shot which thankfully missed.

At first I thought Nixon just had a unlucky roll but now I wonder if that was on purpose. I mean if he had made them both Tulane had almost 4 seconds to take the ball down the court and attempt to send the game into OT. OT probably would have spelled doom for the Rams the way things were going.

Do you think Smart decided to take a gamble on the half court shot rather than risk Tulane getting a real shot off that could have tied the game?

VCU Finance 2008 · Dec 21, 2009

No way. If Ed had knocked down 2 free throws then the best the could have done is tie us at the end of regulation and send it to OT. The shot they were able to get off while not the best would have won them the game. Usually if you miss one of purpose you bounce it off of the backboard to try to grab the rebound.

ViCtorioUs · Dec 21, 2009

I'm in agreement with Fi 08 that Shaka did not order Ed to miss that front end of a one and one. I do however think with us ahead by 3 with seconds left and us ahead by 3, that Shaka did order the foul so that their hot hand at the arc could't be exploited. They hit their free throws and we win by one. Good call.

VCULee · Dec 21, 2009

If you're behind, and you need more points than free throws can give you, then maybe you miss. But when you're ahead in points, that doesn't make the most sense.

See BA Walker at W&M a few years ago.

Wolfpack Ram · Dec 21, 2009

3.9 seconds is way too much time on the clock to be intentionally missing free throws. For whatever reason, VCU seems to be having troubles at the line during the last 5 minutes of the game. We almost lost to Rhode Island because of not hitting our free throws.

Mercury · Dec 21, 2009

Wolfpack Ram said:
3.9 seconds is way too much time on the clock to be intentionally missing free throws. For whatever reason, VCU seems to be having troubles at the line during the last 5 minutes of the game. We almost lost to Rhode Island because of not hitting our free throws.

We have troubles in every aspect of basketball in the last five minutes of the game.

VCU Finance 2008 · Dec 21, 2009

ViCtorioUs said:
I'm in agreement with Fi 08 that Shaka did not order Ed to miss that front end of a one and one. I do however think with us ahead by 3 with seconds left and us ahead by 3, that Shaka did order the foul so that their hot hand at the arc could't be exploited. They hit their free throws and we win by one. Good call.

Yeah, I like that call a lot. Rather than letting them tie it with a 3 we elected to foul and trade free throws with them. Even though they made theirs and we missed ours it still allowed us to run out some clock before their final play.

I think what RRR noticed is that since the clock started to run as soon as we missed the FT that Tulane had to scramble and wasn't able to get off a good shot. That is true, and it ended up working in our favor, but it is still not a situation where we would want to do that on purpose.

artRAMinMN · Dec 21, 2009

I still maintain that it was a poor choice to foul to prevent the three given how much time remained, and it very nearly backfired on us in a major way. If they had been able to make a 3... a less than likely prospect given their 4-15 performance... it would have only tied the game, and more than likely used the remaining time in the process. However, by fouling as early as we did, we allowed them to close within 1, risk losing an inbounds to violation or turnover, ensure that there would be enough time to foul us knowing that even if we made both, a three could still tie it, or as it happened, miss our foul shots and allow them an opportunity to win it in regulation because there was still time left over for a final Tulane possession.

enonram · Dec 21, 2009

It's a good strategy to give the foul instead of the 3 attempt if you have less than 3 seconds to go. Any team can travel the distance of the full court and get off a good shot in 4 seconds. Our foul was given with around 3.9 remainig and they got off a shot from half court. Another second off before we gave our foul and that shot is turns into a throw coming from 3/4 court.

vcu_dan · Dec 21, 2009

artRAMinMN said:
I still maintain that it was a poor choice to foul to prevent the three given how much time remained, and it very nearly backfired on us in a major way. If they had been able to make a 3... a less than likely prospect given their 4-15 performance... it would have only tied the game, and more than likely used the remaining time in the process. However, by fouling as early as we did, we allowed them to close within 1, risk losing an inbounds to violation or turnover, ensure that there would be enough time to foul us knowing that even if we made both, a three could still tie it, or as it happened, miss our foul shots and allow them an opportunity to win it in regulation because there was still time left over for a final Tulane possession.

I think I'll let coach shaka smart make these "tough" decisions..since that's what he is paid to do...

4RunningRam · Dec 21, 2009

RRR said:
Do you think Smart decided to take a gamble on the half court shot rather than risk Tulane getting a real shot off that could have tied the game?

No.

artRAMinMN · Dec 21, 2009

vcu_dan said:
artRAMinMN said:

I still maintain that it was a poor choice to foul to prevent the three given how much time remained, and it very nearly backfired on us in a major way. If they had been able to make a 3... a less than likely prospect given their 4-15 performance... it would have only tied the game, and more than likely used the remaining time in the process. However, by fouling as early as we did, we allowed them to close within 1, risk losing an inbounds to violation or turnover, ensure that there would be enough time to foul us knowing that even if we made both, a three could still tie it, or as it happened, miss our foul shots and allow them an opportunity to win it in regulation because there was still time left over for a final Tulane possession.

Click to expand...

I think I'll let coach shaka smart make these "tough" decisions..since that's what he is paid to do...

lol, well since I don't think any of us are actually talking about preventing him from making these kind of choices, I think your statement is rather silly and pointless, but hey, then again, maybe he is relieved that he has your blessing to go ahead and coach