In a physical game Tuesday evening in Eugene, Indiana shot five less free throws than it had in any game all season.
For the most part the officials let things go both ways. But there was one late sequence that seemed to illustrate a discrepancy that sent IU coach Mike Woodson over the edge.
Trey Galloway tied up Nate Bittle with just over a minute remaining and was called for a foul that led to two free throws. It looked like a play that could have easily been called a jump ball, and it came right after Galloway was bumped repeatedly on the perimeter by Oregon guard T.J. Bamba. Bamba wasn’t called for a foul and Galloway turned it over.
Bittle got two free throws because of the call, giving Oregon 15 attempts at the charity stripe to just seven for IU at the time. He made both and Oregon took a 68-64 lead with 1:05 remaining. The Ducks would go on to get six more attempts at the line once Indiana was forced to foul in the final minute.
Oregon’s final advantage at the stripe was 21-7, including 17-2 in the second half. IU was only called for three more fouls than Oregon, but that difference was 12-5 in the second half.
Woodson didn’t hold back when talking to the media after the game.
“We had our chances, but listen guys, in a physical game like this, it can’t be 21-7,” Woodson said. “You gotta be kidding me, 21-7 on fucking free throws is bullshit. It just can’t be, not in a physical game. They’re a physical team, and it can’t be that lopsided. It’s impossible.”
Seven free throws for the Hoosiers stands out as an outlier. Indiana’s previous low for free throw attempts in a game was 12 against Eastern Illinois in November. In 27 of their 30 games, IU has had at least double (14) their free throw attempts at Oregon. They had made more free throws in every game this season than they took in Eugene.
IU did themselves no favors, making just three of the seven free throw attempts they got. And despite the discrepancy, Indiana led by one with 1:58 remaining in the game after a Trey Galloway three-pointer.
But in such a tight game, the Hoosiers certainly could have benefitted from a few more calls going their way.
“I can’t go back and get it, but in a physical game like that where both teams are battling their asses off, you can’t punish one team and put one team at the line for 21 times and the other team only gets there seven times,” Woodson said. “That’s awful.”
Indiana came into the game averaging 20 free throws per contest. Center Oumar Ballo averaged 5.4 attempts per game coming in but never went to the line on Tuesday evening.
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