March Madness, Wofford and the 6-9 center who shoots free throws underhand

With 5:32 remaining in the Southern Conference championship game, Kyler Filewich stepped up to the free-throw line. Wofford held a narrow 77-74 lead, and an NCAA Tournament berth was within reach. The entire team—and its fans—held their breath.

The task of extending Wofford’s lead fell to a player with a career free-throw percentage of just 34%.

What happened next caught many by surprise. The 6-foot-9 senior center dribbled once, brought the ball down with both hands, bent his knees, and released the shot underhand. Both attempts swished through the net.

Though Filewich finished the game 3-of-7 from the line, those two crucial makes helped seal Wofford’s 92-85 victory over Furman, earning the program its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2019.

Wofford’s Kyler Filewich: Mastering the Underhand Free Throw

Now, as 15th-seeded Wofford prepares to face second-seeded Tennessee in the tournament’s opening round in Lexington, Ky., Filewich’s unconventional shooting form is already making headlines.

The Terriers haven’t even played yet, but they’ve already found themselves at the center of a March Madness viral moment.

“There’s been a lot of media attention, but that’s not why I made the switch,” Filewich told The Athletic. “I was struggling so much, and I knew I had to make a change for the team. I’m just doing whatever it takes to win.”

He paused, then laughed.

“I’m definitely not worried about looking cool. This isn’t about building a brand.”

In early February, Wofford head coach Dwight Perry and his staff approached Filewich with an unusual suggestion: change his free-throw shooting motion. At first, he was skeptical. Were they seriously suggesting he shoot underhand—like the old-school “granny shot”?

Then Perry sweetened the deal: What if Rick Barry, the legendary advocate of the underhand free throw, came to campus to personally coach him?

That got Filewich’s attention.

Despite being reliable in practice, Filewich had struggled with free throws in games, battling a mental block that peaked on Jan. 29 in a loss to Virginia Military Institute, where he went 0-for-8 from the line.

Filewich, who leads Wofford in assists (3.1 per game) and holds the single-season rebounding record (318), found that his free-throw woes were starting to affect his overall confidence. Perry and his coaching staff were determined to find a fix.

“In any sport, even the best players have mental blocks,” Perry said. “Sometimes it’s psychological, and you can’t quite pinpoint it. Kyler is a great player, but missing free throws was really shaking his confidence.”

Enter Rick Barry.

One of Wofford’s assistant coaches, Tysor Anderson, had played at Georgia Tech—just like Barry’s son, Drew. Though their paths didn’t overlap, the connection was enough to bring in the eight-time NBA All-Star, now 80 years old.

Barry, one of the greatest free-throw shooters in basketball history, boasts a career 88% success rate—the highest in ABA history—and when he retired from the NBA in 1980, his 89% mark was an all-time best. (Steph Curry has since surpassed it with 91.12%.)

But Barry was more than just a master of the underhand free throw—he was a scoring machine, the only player ever to lead the NCAA, ABA, and NBA in scoring.

Surprisingly, Barry isn’t often asked to share his free-throw secrets.

“It’s crazy, really,” Barry said. “This is scientifically proven to be the best method! It’s a soft shot, easy to control. When Wofford reached out, my first question was, ‘Is this kid serious?’ Because I’m not going to waste my time.”

Filewich was indeed serious. While many of his peers might not be familiar with Barry’s legacy, Filewich, a true basketball junkie, saw the opportunity to learn from a legend—not just about free throws, but about the game itself.

What impressed Barry most was how quickly Filewich adapted. Changing a shooting motion midseason is rare—typically, players make such adjustments in the offseason. But Filewich embraced the technique almost instantly.

Barry also offered guidance on handling criticism. He knew that college players worry about how they’re perceived, so he shared wisdom from his own father:

“They can’t boo you if you’re making them.”

And sometimes, hecklers are just funny. Years ago, when Barry’s son, Canyon, adopted the underhand style while playing for Florida and Charleston, opposing fans taunted him with chants of, “You’re adopted!”

Filewich won’t be breaking Wofford’s free-throw percentage records—he’s still at just 32.3% for the season—but his improvement is evident. Before debuting the underhand shot on Feb. 5 against UT-Chattanooga, he had made just 24 of 79 attempts (30.4%). Since switching, he’s hit 18 of 51 (35.3%), including two games where he shot 60% or better.

Barry is encouraged by the progress.

“I’m proud of him,” Barry said. “He’s still got work to do, but he’s close. Once he refines it a little more, he’s going to improve quickly. I really believe he can become an 80% free-throw shooter.”

Beyond the numbers, Filewich has regained confidence.

“When I talked to the coaches about changing my shot, they thought it could help keep me aggressive,” he said. “When I was missing free throws, I’d shy away from contact, afraid to get fouled. But now, I feel confident and aggressive, and that’s shown in my last few games.”

“I’m not scared to shoot free throws anymore. And even if I’m not making all of them, the fear is gone—and that’s helping me finish stronger around the basket.”

And if he ever needs a quick correction, Barry is just a phone call away.

Filewich still can’t believe he has the personal number of one of basketball’s greatest players—just like he couldn’t believe how lively Barry was when he arrived at Wofford’s gym.

“He’s full of energy, super engaged,” Filewich said. “He walked right in, stepped to the line, and drained free throws like it was nothing. He’s still got it.”

And thanks to Barry, Filewich is starting to get it, too.

“When I played, I wanted to get fouled—I wanted to shoot free throws,” Barry said. “I attacked the basket relentlessly. I told Kyler, ‘You’re going to get to that point, too.’

Hopefully, his best game yet is waiting for him in the NCAA Tournament.”