"If you don't do your homework, you won't make your free throws," said the great Larry Bird.

If you don't put in practice, you'll miss them. And in critical times too.

Everyone's watching you. People generally don't notice them until you brick one with a few minutes left. But, one missed shot from the charity stripe two minutes into the game is still a point lost. They aren't exactly glorified, but they are the difference in countless basketball games. They were clearly the difference for Vanderbilt in today's tense 61-58 victory over the Florida Gators.

In an intramural game a few weeks ago, I missed the front end of two one-and-ones with five minutes left in the game, but with a comfortable lead. We ended up nearly blowing it, and thus I nearly cost my team a win, first place and a possible playoff spot. I was lucky.

But in Division One basketball, missed free throws really do cost teams. Ask A.J. Ogilvy; his woes at the line against South Carolina allowed the Gamecocks to take the lead before Jermaine Beal bailed him out with a last-second game-winner.

After Andre Walker hit a three to give Vanderbilt a comfortable 52-40 lead with 7:14 left in today's game, the Commodores didn't hit another shot from the field. But they hit their shots from the charity stripe.

Amazingly, the Commodores didn't shoot a single free throw until there were less than three minutes left in the second half. By that time, Florida had cut a 12-point lead to one, helpd by sinking 11 of 13 from the line. The last few minutes were nerve-wracking. You could sense the tension mounting in the student section who, after waching Vanderbilt take a collective dump on 100 years of Wildcat history last Tuesday, were surprised to see the young Gators stay with the veteran Commodores and actually take a one-point lead with under a minute to play.

Here is where free throws took center stage.

Vanderbilt didn't panic despite having blown their lead, and the Commodores played a calm, patient possession that allowed Alex Gordon to draw a foul. He sunk both free throws, and then after Florida committed an amazingly bad-timed backcourt violation, he sunk another two for the final margin.

The Commodores sank their last eight shots from the stripe and stopped Florida from stealing a win. Also, it kept a winning streak alive, put Vanderbilt in third place in the SEC East, keeps the team ranked, and gives the Commodores another quality victory.

All because of a clutch performance from the line. It won't be the last time this season that a game comes down to who hit their free throws and who didn't.