KU’s Udoka Azubuike drains free throw after Bill Self’s on-court, um, advice
Kansas center Udoka Azubuike has made 33.3% of his free-throw attempts this season, but it’s important to note he’s never missed when coach Bill Self yells: “Shoot it!”
Azubuike missed three of his four free-throw attempts during the Jayhawks’ 75-63 win over East Tennessee State on Tuesday night in Allen Fieldhouse.
The one he made came after a Buccaneers player lost his balance and stepped into the lane. Azubuike looked over at the player, and Self yelled out: “Shoot It!”
Nothing but net.
Self explained afterward why he screamed from the bench. In those scenarios, when an opponent commits a lane violation, it’s essentially a free try for the offense; if Azubuike would have missed his free throw, he would have gotten to shoot another.
That only comes into play, though, if Azubuike goes up with the shot.
“He was going to hand the ball back to the official. I yelled, ‘Shoot it,’’’ Self said. “It looked pure when it left his hand because he was not thinking. So maybe there is something to be said ... somebody just needs to be yelling at him the whole time when he’s shooting it.”
Self added with a chuckle: “But it’s hard to believe you go 1-for-4, and you’re thinking, ‘Yeah, pretty good from the free-throw line.’”