Basketball coaches often refer to their teams' success or failure as a product of their players' performances at the free-throw line. In the present study, play-by-play records of 490 NCAA Division I men's basketball games were analyzed to assess the percentage of points scored from free-throws at various stages of the games. About 20% of all points were scored from free-throws. Free-throws comprised a significantly higher percentage of total points scored during the last 5 minutes than the first 35 minutes of the game for both winning and losing teams. Also, in the last 5 minutes of 246 games decided by 9 points or less and 244 decided by 10 points or more, winners scored a significantly higher percentage of points from free-throws than did losers. Suggestions for structuring practice conditions are discussed.

Basketball coaches often call a timeout just before the opposing player shoots a free-throw during the last five minutes of a close game. Their intent is to lower the opposing player's free-throw percentage. This study examined the effectiveness of this strategy in critical game situations. Play-by-play records of 1237 men's NCAA Division I games played between 1977 and 1989 were reviewed. We identified 350 verifiable timeout situations. Opposing coaches called 250 timeouts before an opponent shot a free-throw. As the score differential and time remaining in the game decreased, coaches relied on this strategy more frequently to try to control the outcome of the game. This strategy was not effective in reducing free-throw percentage, suggesting that coaches need to reconsider the strategy.

The purpose of this study was to assess effects of velocity, occlusion distance, and sex on coincidence of anticipation. The Bassin anticipation timer was used to test 25 men and 25 women when velocity was .69 m/sec. and 1.38 m/sec. or "slow" and "fast", and occlusion distances of zero, 1.06 m and 2.12 m were "zero," "small," and "large" on a 4.25-m length of track. There were six test conditions. Analysis showed that increased occlusion distances produced increased absolute, constant, and variable error scores. A significant interaction of velocity and occlusion appeared for all error measures. With an increase in occlusion distance at the slow velocity constant error increased in the positive direction or early response while at the fast velocity a similar increase in constant errors was seen but in the negative direction or late response. Under zero occlusion the expectation that performance at the fast velocity would be more accurate and show less variability than at the slow velocity was not supported. Also, sex did not significantly affect anticipation time in any condition or on any error measures.

The suitability of Gray's (1975) three-factor arousal theory as a model of human performance under stress was investigated in a study of basketball free-throw shooting. Free-throw attempts, made by members of an NCAA Division I men's varsity team, were videotaped during one full season. On the basis of Gray's theory, we predicted that increased stress (assumed to be present in games as opposed to practices) would be associated with longer pre-shot preparations and a greater incidence of overthrow shots. The prediction was confirmed by the results. Moreover, we found that free-throws were more frequently overthrown when attempted during crucial rather than non-crucial game situations. Further tests of the utility of Gray's theory are suggested.

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