Free Throw Attempts
Free throw attempts are a big part of Brown Jr.’s game. He likes to get downhill and is not afraid of contact, especially in crunch time. He was second on the team in free throws attempted and made despite missing ten games. Ryan Conwell led the team with 128 attempts, and Brown Jr. was right behind him with 122 despite playing nine fewer games. Outside of those two players, no one else on the roster came close to 100 attempts. J’Vonne Hadley was next with just 81.
In the ten games played without Brown Jr. this season, Louisville won the free-throw battle just twice—against Montana and Pittsburgh. In the other eight games without him, the opposing team got to the free-throw line more often. In those ten games, opponents averaged 23 free throw attempts and made 16.3 of them. Louisville, in comparison, attempted only 17.4 free throws per game and made just under 13.
In the four losses without Brown Jr., Louisville was outscored at the free throw line by 31 total points—an average of nearly eight points per game.
Getting to the free-throw line in March is crucial to winning games. Without their best option for creating those opportunities, Louisville could be in for a short week in the ACC Tournament.