The best free throw shooter in the country – on any level – never got a chance to display his skills Wednesday in the quarterfinal round of the LSC Championships.

                That might have been one of the contributing factors to Texas A&M-Kingsville’s 67-55 loss to second-seed Tarleton State, which ripped the nets in the second half to cruise to the win.

                Without a doubt, the Javelinas could’ve used a free throw or five from Ashton Brown, whose season will end as the nation’s leading free throw shooter at .961 percent. Brown couldn’t get to the line Wednesday, but he’s been a steady force for Kingsville all season, making 124 of 129 attempts.

                He doesn’t just lead the LSC, and all of Division II, but Brown has the highest average of any shooter in college basketball, Division I or Division III included. This year, Brown had a string of 31 straight and then 43 consecutive. He also had seven games this year in which he made all of his free throws in a game, with at least six attempts. His season-best was a perfect 13-of-13 in a game against Texas A&M-Commerce.

                While free-throw shooting is supposed to be a lost art in today’s college basketball, don’t tell that to Brown or even Tarleton State’s Peyton Adamson on the women’s side. She also leads the nation in free-throw shooting this year at .931.

                Brown’s coach Pete Peterson said free-throw shooting is more than just skill.

                “Your mental toughness to be able to do that is what you need,” Peterson said. “We stress it in practice. We have to make 20 in a row before you leave, sometimes its 30, 40 and 50. I just think the mental repetition is important. You have to block things out and focus.”

                For Brown, focusing has been tougher than normal. Back in January, the junior guard had a week to forget, learning that his mother was in the hospital with an illness, his grandfather was diagnosed with cancer and then his best friend was killed in a car wreck.

                 “He’s a tough kid,” Peterson said of Brown, whose hometown is Randolph, NY. “He had a lot of personal issues back home. Since then he hasn’t been the same. That’s tough for him and anyone to deal with. He’s not been quite the same. But he’s been in the gym every day for two hours. It’s getting close. His mother is doing better. His grandfather has to fight it and he lost a really good friend. That’s never going to change but hopefully time will heal for that.”

                Against the Texans on Wednesday, Brown didn’t get to the line but scored eight points on five assists in 20 minutes of play.

                “You’re starting to see him come around a little and get back to normal,” Peterson said. “He’s a tough kid and I think if he stays focused, he’ll be all right and a big player for us next year.”

                If his free-throw shooting is any indication, focus shouldn’t be a problem for Brown.

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