Ben Vander Plas had a chance to beat Northern Illinois in regulation.
He had just hit a game-tying 3-pointer with eight seconds remaining Saturday, and was fouled. One free throw. One shot to take the lead and potentially win the game for Ohio.
He missed.
Vander Plas’ was arguably the most crucial, but it was far from the only free throws the Bobcats missed. They missed 14 free throws in all, which proved to be the difference-making stat in Ohio’s 72-66 overtime loss to Northern Illinois in The Convo.
“It’s not fun,” Vander Plas said. “Everybody’s got to get in the gym, get extra shots up and get extra free throws up because that can’t happen again.”
The Bobcats shot 11-of-25 from the free-throw line. Their season average is 65 percent. Free throws hadn’t been an issue for the Bobcats through nonconference play. But they came back to haunt Ohio when it counted: Its first conference game.
After Vander Plas missed the potential game-winning free throw, steady-handed senior Gavin Block had a chance to redeem Vander Plas in overtime. Block was fouled on a 3-point attempt with 58 seconds to play with the Bobcats down two.
He missed all three free throws. On the other end, NIU’s Lacy James was fouled on a shot attempt, and he made both free throws. Ohio could’ve tied the game or took the lead. Instead, it faced a four-point deficit with 48 seconds left.
“It’s really disappointing,” coach Saul Phillips said of the free throw woes. “Just shoot more. We actually spent this weekend shooting a lot (in practice) because we had time to. It’s been something we’ve been practicing. And if you asked me ‘what’s going to come up and bite us’ I don’t think (free throws) would have been in my top five.”
Free throws with the game on the line are supposed to be easier with a quieted crowd — in front of the home fans. For Ohio (8-5, 0-1 Mid-American Conference), it didn’t matter. Free throws were at a premium in the first half, and when the Bobcats got to the line for attempts, they couldn’t convert. Now, the team that was 8-0 at home before the loss to NIU (8-6, 1-0 MAC) will hit the road for games against Bowling Green and Ball State.
What could have been a home win to start conference play on a positive note turned into a rock fight at the end, and now the Bobcats are tasked with not letting a home loss compound into a losing streak in the opening 10 days of conference play.
“You’ve got to learn to step up and make them when it’s on the line,” Phillips said. “We didn’t do that.”
Free throws are “free” throws for a reason.
They’re also what the Bobcats couldn’t buy in the final minutes.
