Universal Free Pass doesn't apply to IU

Going into this season, everyone accepted the fact that Indiana would finish dead-last in the Big Ten. We knew they were undersized, we knew they were unathletic, and we knew that just about all of them were experiencing big-time basketball for the first time. Those are the things that this year's Hoosiers couldn't control.

However, something they can control has cost them three potential wins this season: free throw shooting.

IU missed half of their 16 attempts in an embarrassing 74-69 loss a Lipscomb team that is currently in eighth-place in the Atlantic Sun conference.

After blowing a 21-point lead against Michigan in regulation, the Hoosiers missed six free throws in overtime to lose by six 72-66.

On Sunday, Indiana missed 10 of 21 free throws - over half of which came down the stretch - in a 67-63 loss to Minnesota.

There is no excuse for IU's pathetic free throw shooting

My question is, if IU is going to suck anyway, why not cancel practice and have the players shoot 500 free throws each? At least that would give them a chance to win games, right? Their poor foul shooting is baffling to me. Walk-on guard Daniel Moore is 19-31 on the season (61%), Malik Story is 16-26 (62%), Devan Dumes is 45-66 (67%), Verdell Jones is 29-42 (69%), and Nick Williams is 21-30 (70%). The common theme between this group? THEY'RE ALL GUARDS. As a team, Indiana's backcourt has missed 66 of their 205 attempts this season, that's roughly 68% foul shooting just from the guards.

I've accepted the fact that IU would struggle, and I'm assuming almost all IU fans have done the same. At the same time, they don't get a free pass for failing to capitalize on something as basic as free throws. There are plenty of kids at 1A schools in this State that can do better than 68%.

If it doesn't improve soon, 0-18 is a guarantee.