Every Point Matters
Dec 26, 2022 | Women's Basketball, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
Some things just don't go together.
Henry Ford was a visionary but he designed Ferraris about as often as Clark W. Griswold hung stockings in Guam. Dan Marino was one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time but he ran the option as often as Buddy the Elf. Mariah Carey in her prime had the best vocal range in history yet sang bass about as often as George Bailey vacationed in Pottersville.
Then there's Kansas State senior Emilee Ebert and free throws, and well, they're like Christmas cookies and a warm glass of milk.
Entering last Wednesday, there wasn't a better free throw shooter in Division I women's basketball than Ebert. And no player in K-State women's basketball history had ever made more consecutive free throws than Ebert, either.
Ebert is currently 34-of-35 at the free-throw line this season. That's 97.14%. And it doesn't get much better than that. As for her streak of 38 consecutive made free throws dating to last season, which came to an end during a 77-46 victory over Morgan State?
No K-State player had ever done better.
"It's pretty fun," Ebert says. "It's a fun stat. Like always, I couldn't get there without my team giving me the ball. It's fun. It's an honor for sure."
Ebert is a native of Frankfort, Kansas, a town of about 800 people. She is basketball coach's daughter. Ebert was in the gym at an early age watching her father, Brian, serve as head coach at Frankfort High School. He poured into his daughter. She grew up with a basketball in her hands. She dribbled the basketball while watching her father coach his teams during practice.
She was the ultimate gym rat.
"I was pretty small," she says. "Shooting free throws before I could even hit the rim. Frankfort and Bramlage are two of my favorite gyms to shoot in. I love it so much. Frankfort is where it all kind of started."
Ebert went on to set the Frankfort school record with 1,648 career points and was a four-time Kansas Basketball Coaches Association honoree and a McDonald's All-American nominee. However, she was lightly recruited. She received between nine and 11 offers from mid-major schools. Her finalists were Missouri State and Nebraska-Omaha.
Then she received a phone call that changed the game. K-State had an opening on its roster for the 2019-20 season. She arrived in Manhattan the following week.
The 6-foot Ebert is an all-around player. She has scored nearly 500 points in her career. She has more than 250 rebounds. She has more than 200 assists.
She's the glue to a Wildcats' team that ended the non-conference season at 11-2 and opens the Big 12 Conference at Texas on Saturday.
"Her rebounding continues to get better," K-State head coach Jeff Mittie says. "Getting to the free throw line just continues to get better. She has a real knack for that. Her brain allows her to do a lot for us.
"That leadership is going to be critical going forward. She can almost know what I'm wanting to do and there probably aren't very many that know that."
Meanwhile, Ebert's free-throw shooting is on par with the best in K-State history. Laurie Koehn (2001-02) owns the school record at 89.5% (94-of-105) from the free-throw line. All-American Kendra Wecker (2003-04) shot 89.4% (59-of-66) and Kimberly Dietz (2005-06) went 86.7% (65-of-75).
The secret to Ebert's success?
"It's just the same routine every time," Ebert says. "It's literally a free shot. I go up there with confidence knowing it's going in. It's just having that mindset."
It's paid off handsomely so far this season.
She has improved her free-throw touch. A year ago, she shot 76.7% (46-of-60) on free throws.
"She's not been a 90% free-throw shooter in her career, but her focus has continued to get so much better," Mittie says. "That's where we're seeing a big difference in the free throws. Her routine is consistent. I'm seeing a different focus level. It's pretty impressive."
Every point counts, particularly in the grind-it-out powerhouse Big 12 Conference.
This season, when it comes to sinking free throws, there is nobody better.
Some things just don't go together.
Henry Ford was a visionary but he designed Ferraris about as often as Clark W. Griswold hung stockings in Guam. Dan Marino was one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time but he ran the option as often as Buddy the Elf. Mariah Carey in her prime had the best vocal range in history yet sang bass about as often as George Bailey vacationed in Pottersville.
Then there's Kansas State senior Emilee Ebert and free throws, and well, they're like Christmas cookies and a warm glass of milk.
Entering last Wednesday, there wasn't a better free throw shooter in Division I women's basketball than Ebert. And no player in K-State women's basketball history had ever made more consecutive free throws than Ebert, either.
Ebert is currently 34-of-35 at the free-throw line this season. That's 97.14%. And it doesn't get much better than that. As for her streak of 38 consecutive made free throws dating to last season, which came to an end during a 77-46 victory over Morgan State?
No K-State player had ever done better.
"It's pretty fun," Ebert says. "It's a fun stat. Like always, I couldn't get there without my team giving me the ball. It's fun. It's an honor for sure."
Ebert is a native of Frankfort, Kansas, a town of about 800 people. She is basketball coach's daughter. Ebert was in the gym at an early age watching her father, Brian, serve as head coach at Frankfort High School. He poured into his daughter. She grew up with a basketball in her hands. She dribbled the basketball while watching her father coach his teams during practice.
She was the ultimate gym rat.
"I was pretty small," she says. "Shooting free throws before I could even hit the rim. Frankfort and Bramlage are two of my favorite gyms to shoot in. I love it so much. Frankfort is where it all kind of started."
Ebert went on to set the Frankfort school record with 1,648 career points and was a four-time Kansas Basketball Coaches Association honoree and a McDonald's All-American nominee. However, she was lightly recruited. She received between nine and 11 offers from mid-major schools. Her finalists were Missouri State and Nebraska-Omaha.
Then she received a phone call that changed the game. K-State had an opening on its roster for the 2019-20 season. She arrived in Manhattan the following week.
The 6-foot Ebert is an all-around player. She has scored nearly 500 points in her career. She has more than 250 rebounds. She has more than 200 assists.
She's the glue to a Wildcats' team that ended the non-conference season at 11-2 and opens the Big 12 Conference at Texas on Saturday.
"Her rebounding continues to get better," K-State head coach Jeff Mittie says. "Getting to the free throw line just continues to get better. She has a real knack for that. Her brain allows her to do a lot for us.
"That leadership is going to be critical going forward. She can almost know what I'm wanting to do and there probably aren't very many that know that."
Meanwhile, Ebert's free-throw shooting is on par with the best in K-State history. Laurie Koehn (2001-02) owns the school record at 89.5% (94-of-105) from the free-throw line. All-American Kendra Wecker (2003-04) shot 89.4% (59-of-66) and Kimberly Dietz (2005-06) went 86.7% (65-of-75).
The secret to Ebert's success?
"It's just the same routine every time," Ebert says. "It's literally a free shot. I go up there with confidence knowing it's going in. It's just having that mindset."
It's paid off handsomely so far this season.
She has improved her free-throw touch. A year ago, she shot 76.7% (46-of-60) on free throws.
"She's not been a 90% free-throw shooter in her career, but her focus has continued to get so much better," Mittie says. "That's where we're seeing a big difference in the free throws. Her routine is consistent. I'm seeing a different focus level. It's pretty impressive."
Every point counts, particularly in the grind-it-out powerhouse Big 12 Conference.
This season, when it comes to sinking free throws, there is nobody better.
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballK-State Baseball | Game Highlights vs TCU
Saturday, April 04
K-State Volleyball | March Madness Tournament
Friday, April 03
K-State Football | 2026-2027 Student Athletic Passes ON SALE NOW 🔥
Friday, April 03
K-State Tennis | Timing is everything 🎤
Friday, April 03
