To place it mildly, Kentucky basketball this season has been puzzling. The gamers on the courtroom look simply as confused because the followers watching, attempting to determine a method of assault. This generalization speaks to the general state of a program floundering in mediocrity regardless of a roster that, on paper, has the items wanted for fulfillment. Nevertheless, to zoom in on one significantly perplexing part of a season rife with frustration, this crew has been traditionally unhealthy from the free throw line.

By means of 12 video games this season, Kentucky has made 148 out of 224 free throws for a less-than-stellar 66.1%. If the season finishes at that proportion, it will rank because the Fifth-worst free-throw-shooting Kentucky crew since 1960. The one John Calipari-era crew to shoot worse than this was the 2012-2013 crew, which shot 64.2% and didn’t make the NCAA event.

In a deeper dive, Kentucky is capturing simply 59.8% in its 5 video games towards high quality groups. They’re 1-4 in these contests. Within the seven video games towards mid-majors, all of which they received, the crew is capturing 70.9%.

It is sensible why Kentucky would truthful higher from the sphere towards inferior groups as their dimension and athleticism make for simpler pictures, however the free-throw line is similar 15 toes towards UCLA as it’s towards Florida A&M, and but, there’s a enormous drop in effectivity. How can this be?

There is no such thing as a cause this crew ought to be as unhealthy as it’s

Poor free throw capturing is a microcosm of the phrase uttered by Kentucky followers in all places this season: “There is no such thing as a cause this crew ought to be as unhealthy as it’s.”

Check out the person performances. Jacob Toppin shot 78% and 74% from the road in his first two seasons at Kentucky. This yr? 64%. After the Bahamas, Massive Blue Nation was psyched about how dominant Toppin seemed (he additionally shot free throws at 78% throughout that four-game stretch), however one thing doesn’t appear fairly proper with him just lately, and we are able to solely hope he finds that Bahama mojo once more quickly.

One other veteran, Sahvir Wheeler, shot 78% from the road final season for the ‘Cats. In his first two seasons at Georgia, he shot 70% and 74%. This season, nevertheless, he’s capturing a paltry 59%. It’s robust for a crew’s main ball-handler to wrestle on the line, however Wheeler has confirmed to be formidable previously. It’s arduous to pinpoint why this yr has been so completely different.

The record goes on. Lance Ware, Kentucky’s beginning energy ahead as of late, has by no means been a free throw savant however is capturing a career-low 40%. Antonio Reeves shot 82% for Illinois State final season however has dipped to 73% now that he’s in Lexington. Cason Wallace, the crew’s finest general participant and most constant shot-maker from each the sphere and from past the 3-point arc, is capturing an abysmal 55%.

The one participant capturing close to his profession common of 70% is Oscar Tshiebwe, however he’s coming off a two-game stretch towards UCLA and Missouri the place he’s simply 11-21 (52%).

This crew’s collective decline from the free throw line serves as a poignant statistical consultant of this crew’s underperformance.

Cal’s groups at all times wrestle from the road, although, proper?

The record of Calipari’s overly-generalized critiques is so long as his résumé of accolades. “He’s only a recruiter,” “He simply rolls the balls on the market,” and so forth. However the one label Cal jokingly leans into is how his groups can’t shoot free throws. So, possibly this yr’s brick parade is only a manifestation of that stereotype.

Not essentially.

Three years in the past, the season COVID-19 reduce brief a highly-anticipated NCAA run, Kentucky led the nation in free throw proportion at 79.7%. This season, on the time of this writing, Kentucky ranks 306th out of 363 groups.

Certain, these had been completely different gamers — Immanuel Quickley and Tyrese Maxey will not be strolling by that door. However that crew not less than curbs the notion that Cal places some sort of hex on his gamers once they’re on the road.

Was that crew simply an outlier? In the course of the Calipari’s first 12 seasons on the helm, Kentucky has ranked 241st, 117th, 67th, 313th, 225th, 59th, 211th, 166th, 247th, 71st, 1st, 103rd, and 148th amongst division-I groups from the road. That splattering everywhere in the board makes it tough to decipher any kind of significant development.

Having mentioned that, Calipari might be an intimidating man, and his pension for screaming till his neck veins come out most likely doesn’t elicit probably the most calming of responses from sure gamers. Does that equate to a sort of nervousness that drops guys’ free-throw percentages by double digits in a single season? Probably. However the issue is extra advanced than, “Cal’s crew can’t shoot free throws.”

Kentucky will enhance from the road if/when every part else does

Free throws are a main cause sports activities psychologists have jobs. I’m woefully unqualified for that career, nevertheless, my guess is that the category titled “Serving to a very good basketball participant who’s struggling to shoot free throws properly” is within the first semester of college in that subject.

My level is that, clearly, these gamers have the bodily instruments to shoot much better than 66% from the free throw line, however there’s a nagging psychological part hindering everybody’s potential. It’s more than likely the identical bug inflicting the crew’s poor physique language, on-court stagnation, and the dearth of seemingly having any enjoyable by any means. There may be an Eeyore-like gray cloud hovering over this crew that retains following them round regardless of repeated efforts from the followers to will it away.

It’s an imaginary cloud so thick, it’s palpable. It impacts the temper of the gamers, the fierceness of the coaches, the tone of the media, and the passion of the followers. On the courtroom, it impacts the tenacity, comradery, degree of play, and naturally, free throw capturing.

If Kentucky can safe a couple of wins and shed this drab gap it has fallen into, search for an elevated free throw proportion to be one of many first signs to be cured. Else, we could be a traditionally underachieving season in not solely free throw capturing however in win proportion as properly.