Illinois Basketball: 3 adjustments Illini need to make before facing Baylor

2. Free throw shooting

It is mind-blowing that the Illinois basketball team is struggling at some of the key things that win games. Making your free throws is one of the simplest and easiest ways to win or lose a game in college basketball.

Let’s go back to the Ohio game on Friday. It was a close game the entire day with the Illini eventually coming out with a victory. But this could have been an easier win if the Orange and Blue could have made some free throws.

Illinois outshot Ohio at the free throw line 24-to-9. This alone is one of the reasons we beat the Bobcats. But the Illini were only able to make 15-of-24 from the charity stripe. That comes out to 62.5-percent. If the team shoots 62.5-percent from the free throw line against a good team, then we will get blown out of the water.

Thankfully, 62.5-percent is under the average for the Illini this season. Illinois currently averages 69.4-percent from the charity stripe, which ranks No. 117 in the nation (again, 127 teams haven’t played a game yet).

Even the average Illinois is shooting this year is not what it should be. I am expecting in the 70-percent range or better. In 2019-20, mostly the same Illini team shot 72.6-percent from the free throw line. Illinois ranked No. 117 out of the entire 353 teams in college basketball in free throw shooting last season.

I think it is fair to say, Illinois’ free throw shooting has to improve, and it likely will in the coming games. I imagine the number will start to trend toward what we shot from the charity stripe last season. If we can start hitting free throws more consistently, there is no stopping this program.