"Collison, you suck at free throws!"
That was the constant taunt from a couple ASU fans directly behind my courtside seat for ASU's meeting with Kansas in the second round of the NCAA tournament March 22 in Oklahoma City.
The taunt was aimed at Kansas senior center Nick Collison, who politely obliged by hitting just four-of-10 shot from the "charity" stripe. That night, Collison's failures from the free throw line didn't hurt the Jayhawks. They did Monday in the national title game, however.
Against the Syracuse Orangeman, Collison could only manage a meager three-of-10 from the line as the Jayhawks lost the National Championship by just three points, 81-78.
But what doomed Kansas the most was Collison's shortcomings were contagious and the entire Jayhawk team, which missed an amazing 18-of-30 free throws. Sophomore Keith Langford was five-of-10 and junior Jeff Graves was two-of-seven.
What makes these statistics so interesting, other than the fact they kept Kansas coach Roy Williams from his much-desired title, is that a senior-laden team with an old school mentality should be shooting 75 percent, or higher.
The Jayhawks' slogan, which was plastered across their postseason media guide, was "Old School." True old school players, and old school coaches, wouldn't stand for 40 percent free throw shooting.
The Sun Devils men's basketball team suffered through similar problems this season. Poor free throw shooting cost ASU at least a pair of games at the beginning of the season.
Senior Curtis Millage's troubles at the line were the most publicized, but he managed to turn things around and was "clutch" at the end of the season.
The same cannot be said for NBA-bound Collison.
"You try to make a free throw," Collison said after the game. "You miss, you make, there's nothing else you can do."
Hey Nick, how about practicing. Thirty percent ain't gonna cut it in the NBA.
Reach the reporter at christopher.gabel@asu.edu.
