Free Throw Struggles Plague Tennessee Basketball

Rick Barnes, the head coach of the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team, found himself at a loss when it came to explaining the team’s free throw struggles during their recent game against South Carolina State. The Vols managed a convincing 105-54 victory over an underdog opponent, but they also missed 14 foul shots in the process.

Barnes expressed his frustration during a postgame press conference, joking that if he could take the shots for his players, he would be successful. “If I shot them, we’d make them all,” he said. “I can take care of that, but I don’t get to be a shooter.”

The issue isn’t isolated to one game. Over the last two games, Tennessee has missed a total of 25 free throws. Barnes noted that even his assistant coaches—Justin Gainey, Gregg Polinsky, and Riley Collins—could likely perform better than the players.

“Everyone should be making those shots,” Barnes remarked. “If we had a designated shooter, I’d go do it.”

A Pattern of Missed Opportunities

Tennessee’s free throw woes have been consistent throughout the season. After making 19 of 33 attempts against South Carolina State, the team struggled again at Arkansas, where they went 12-for-23 from the line in an 86-75 loss. This inconsistency is concerning for a team ranked No. 19 in the country.

“If we’re going to be a team all year that’s going to struggle at the free-throw line with guys that should be making shots, it’s going to be one of those years like that,” Barnes said.

Nate Ament was particularly affected by this issue, missing five of his 11 attempts, including the front end of a 1-and-1 during a crucial 12-0 run by Arkansas. Other players, such as Jaylen Carey (1-for-2), Felix Okpara, Bishop Boswell, and Amari Evans, also struggled at the line.

“You got to make free throws,” Barnes emphasized. “You just put so much pressure on yourself (missing free throws), but we’re not there yet and we got to get tougher.”

Team Free Throw Performance

As a team, Tennessee is shooting 69.9% from the free-throw line this season. However, the numbers tell a different story. In a win over then-No. 11 Louisville, the Vols missed 11 foul shots. They also missed seven in a close loss to Syracuse and 10 in a neutral-site game against Illinois.

Barnes acknowledged that the mental aspect plays a significant role in the team’s struggles. “It’s harder than you think,” he said. “Because you go from being guarded and someone in your face where you go up there, you’re standing there by yourself.”

He added that the solution lies in routine and mental toughness. “I think you just lock in on your routine and trust it,” he said.

Key Players and Their Free Throw Stats

Only three Tennessee players are currently shooting above 80% from the free-throw line:

• Ethan Burg: 8-8 (100%)
• Ja’Kobi Gillespie: 36-41 (87.8%)
• Amaree Abram: 13-16 (81.3%)

Other notable players include:

• Nate Ament: 77.8%
• Bishop Boswell: 66.7%
• Felix Okpara: 64.3%
• JP Estrella: 62.6%

Despite knowing the problem exists, the Vols are still working to find solutions. “For sure more mental,” Carey said. “Just going up there and telling ourselves it’s automatic. Just going up there and knock it down.”

Looking Ahead

Tennessee returns home to host Texas on Tuesday night (9 Eastern Time, ESPN2) at the Food City Center. The SEC schedule is set to intensify in January, with upcoming games against Florida, Alabama, and Georgia.

“We expect to win this league and we didn’t do what we need to do today to put ourselves in front with a chance to win a big road game,” Barnes said.

As the season progresses, the Vols will need to address their free throw issues if they hope to compete at the highest level. For now, the focus remains on improving consistency and mental toughness at the free-throw line.