How to Use free throw in a Sentence

free throw

noun
  • After fighting their way back into it, the Spurs won it with clutch free throw shooting.
    Tom Orsborn, San Antonio Express-News, 11 Mar. 2022
  • Texas A&M comes back down court and gets to the rim, plus a foul, with the free throw coming after the timeout.
    Tom Green | Tgreen@al.com, al, 11 Mar. 2022
  • Tribble made the resulting free throw to push Akron’s lead to 47-39.
    Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2022
  • Williams hit a free throw as Joey Hauser picked up his fourth foul, then grabbed a rebound on a miss by Hoggard.
    Chris Solari, Detroit Free Press, 12 Mar. 2022
  • Mathurin took nine free throws in that quarter — his ability to get to the charity stripe has always been nearly elite.
    Tony East, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024
  • The 6-foot-1 senior guard scored just one point in the first half, and that came with a free throw in the final seconds of the second quarter.
    Matt Goul, cleveland, 12 Mar. 2022
  • But Curbelo missed on a drive inside, and Jackson-Davis hit a free throw for the final margin.
    Paul Sullivan, chicagotribune.com, 11 Mar. 2022
  • Mega was fouled on another 3-point attempt with two seconds remaining, setting up free throws to clinch the upset.
    Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 20 Oct. 2024
  • Stewart, who had missed two key free throws moments earlier, sank them both to tie the game and ultimately send it into overtime.
    Sean Gregory, TIME, 21 Oct. 2024
  • After Slone missed his free throw near the end of the first overtime, Smith nailed a jumper at the buzzer to tie the score at 46 and force the second extra frame.
    Jason Frakes, The Courier-Journal, 19 Mar. 2022
  • The Peacocks draw a ton of contact and generates more than 21% of their points from the free throw line, but shoot 68% from the charity stripe.
    Jeremy Cluff, The Arizona Republic, 15 Mar. 2022
  • With the score tied at 80, the Canadian calmly hit two free throws to break the tie with under five seconds remaining in regulation.
    David Close, CNN, 18 Oct. 2024
  • Cooper sophomore Liz Freihofer scored on an and-one, making the free throw to put Cooper up seven at 45-38.
    James Weber, The Enquirer, 12 Mar. 2022
  • Pearl’s squad shot 9-14 from the free throw line in the game.
    al, 7 Feb. 2023
  • Smith hit the free throw to give her team an 88-87 lead.
    Gabby Hajduk, The Indianapolis Star, 19 June 2022
  • The teams combine to make just 7 of 20 shots — from the free throw line.
    Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 30 Nov. 2022
  • Kelsey Plum sank two free throws to put the U.S. up four points.
    Bruce Haring, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2024
  • The free throw rate has saved Lillard’s start to the season.
    Brian Sampson, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2023
  • Zach Edey has 6 points and is going to the free throw line for an and-1.
    Scott Horner, The Indianapolis Star, 2 Feb. 2023
  • The sophomore drew a foul on the play and knocked down the free throw to give the Wildcats a 23-13 lead.
    The Courier-Journal, 11 Aug. 2022
  • The Sooners won on the afternoon at the free throw line.
    Dallas News, 14 Jan. 2023
  • Knox flubbed a pair of layups and went 0-for-4 at the free throw line overall.
    Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 7 July 2024
  • Last year, the Aztecs had a free throw with 7 seconds left in a tie game.
    Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Mar. 2023
  • Brown missed the first free throw before hitting the next two.
    Adam Himmelsbach, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Mar. 2023
  • The Warriors were trailing the Nets by 41 points when Poole went to the free throw line.
    Chantz Martin, Fox News, 23 Dec. 2022
  • The good news for the Heat is Butler went back on the court to shoot the two free throws and remained in the game.
    Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 18 Apr. 2024
  • But Kentucky missed the technical free throw and the front end of the one-and-one.
    Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 25 July 2022
  • Above the free throw line stands Anyia Gibson, arms stretched high and wide.
    Sam Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 9 Feb. 2023
  • Fouls of this kind will lead to one free throw and retention of the ball.
    Toyloy Brown Iii, USA TODAY, 2 July 2022
  • Over the next five minutes, the Aztecs missed 7 of 8 shots, had five turnovers and clanked the front end of a one-and-one free throw.
    Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Jan. 2024

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'free throw.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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