Jan. 4, 2002

He steps up to the line and finds the hole on the floor, from which he lines himself up directly with the rim. He looks down and takes three dribbles, bends his knees, raises up and follows through. That is the routine taken by Villanova junior guard Gary Buchanan every time he steps up to the free throw line. And nearly every time the outcome is the same - nothing but net.

Buchanan was the top free throw shooter in the nation as a sophomore in 2000-01, hitting from the stripe at a 94.6 percent clip (97-for-103). He established a new Division I NCAA record for consecutive free throws made when he sank a pair of free throws with 4:46 remaining in regulation against Pennsylvania to bring his streak to 65. Buchanan would go on to hit 73 straight free throws from Nov. 17 to Feb. 12.

"I go to the line thinking it is going to be an automatic two points," said Buchanan. "You have to go up there with confidence and block everything out. I have the same routine every single time I go to the free throw line, and I put my foot on the same spot on the floor. I just concentrate on the follow through and on not leaning back."

Despite all the recognition he receives for his work on the free throw line, Buchanan is much more than just a good free throw shooter. He is an outstanding all-around player at the offensive end, who plans to bring a presence at the defensive end this season to match.

As a young player growing up in St. Louis, Mo., Buchanan's weekend schedule was much different than others his age. While others were still in bed or sitting in front of the television on Saturday and Sunday mornings, he was up at 7:30 or 8:00 a.m. working on his footwork, technique and shot.

Buchanan's work ethic paid off when the high school coach put him on the varsity team as a freshman at Valley Park High School. Although the older players didn't accept the fact that a freshman was on the varsity squad, he went out to change their minds. Buchanan succeeded in his attempt to fit in, as he would average over 14 points per game as a freshman.

During the summer prior to his sophomore season, Buchanan worked non-stop on his jump shot. One of the top teams in the state, Valley Park rode the smooth shooting touch of Buchanan who picked up his scoring average to 23 points per game as a sophomore.

"During my junior year I learned how to drive to the basket," said Buchanan. "As a senior, I had to learn how to rebound. We lost our big man from the season before and the coach said that I had to do the little things to help the team win."

Buchanan's marked improvement continued in each of his final two prep seasons, as he went from 25 points per game as a junior to 30 points per game as a senior. With him in the starting lineup, Valley Park recorded a 71-30 record during his career.

Although he received attention from a number of mid-major schools, his AAU Coach Vince Estrada advised Buchanan to spend one year at prep school. Buchanan took the advice of Estrada and headed to St. Thomas More.

"Before I left, I cried to my Mom and said I didn't want to leave home," said Buchanan. "I had never been away from home before so it was a big adjustment."

Buchanan adjusted well, averaging 18 points, six rebounds and six assists per game, and shooting 41 percent from three-point range. He attracted a number of Big East and midwest schools.

"It was really down to just two schools right away. Marquette was recruiting me since my sophomore year in high school. And I really liked (Villanova Assistant Coach) Joe Jones when I talked to him. With Howard Brown and John Celestand graduating, I thought I could come in and play right away."

"I learned when I first stepped on the court at Villanova that guys could do the exact same things - they could score, they could drive, they could rebound," said Buchanan. "And the pace was a lot quicker. But we had guys on the team like Malik Allen and Brian Lynch who told you what was expected of you and what they wanted you to do. That helped me a lot."

From the moment his freshman season began, Buchanan was a major contributor to the Wildcat cause. He came off the bench to score eight points in his first collegiate game versus Lafayette. Buchanan broke into the starting lineup early in the season and showed steady improvement from game to game.

Through the first 16 games of the 1999-2000 season, Buchanan averaged 8.2 points per game. On Jan. 27 against Pittsburgh, he scored 20 points and hit four three-pointers. That game began a stretch that saw him score in double-figures in 15 of the team's final 17 contests, and average 16.6 points per game during that time. Buchanan scored 20 or more points six times on the season including a career-high 28 versus West Virginia on Feb. 15.

The 'Cats finished the 1999-2000 season with a 20-13 record, just missing an NCAA Tournament bid. Buchanan averaged 12.5 points per game during his rookie campaign and received Big East Conference All-Rookie Team accolades for his play.

"It helped my confidence," said Buchanan. "At first I didn't think I could really play at this level, at the first practices and during the first couple weeks of preseason. The coaches once told me at practice that I was the 15th man on the bench and we only had 12 guys. But I know they only said that to motivate me, and as I went on, I got the hang of it and gained a lot of confidence."

One year later, Buchanan picked up right where he had left off at the end of his freshman season. Along with center Michael Bradley, he helped lead a strong Villanova offense. Buchanan posted double-digit scoring outputs in 22 of the team's 31 games on the year. He finished the year averaging 13.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.

Buchanan's success at the free throw line earned him the Philadelphia Big Five's Sy Kaselman Award for free throw shooting excellence. In addition to his accuracy from the free throw line, he also shot well from the arc, hitting 72-of-211 for 34.1 percent on the season. His outstanding all-around performance earned him a spot on All-Big Five second team.

Despite the continued success he saw as a sophomore, Buchanan still was not satisfied. He found faults in his game that made him work even harder during the off-season. Buchanan's strive for perfection has translated to an even greater desire to lead his 2001-2002 Wildcat team to success on the court.

"I took a lot more chances as far as shooting the ball during my sophomore season," said Buchanan. "But I didn't drive the ball as well as a sophomore, and I didn't get to the free throw line enough my first two years either. I didn't really go in for the contact enough and initiate the contact. So I knew going into this season that I wanted to go to the free throw line more, drive more, and play better defensively."

Playing for a first year head coach in Jay Wright who stresses hard work and commitment, Buchanan felt right at home heading into his junior season. In the mind of Buchanan, only practice makes perfect. When one part of his game isn't up to his loftly expectations, he practices until he is happy with that part of his play on the court.

Early on in 2001-2002, Buchanan has shown that he possesses the skills to be one the Big East's top players. His numbers show that he is improved in every aspect of the game. Buchanan has averaged over 21 points per game and shot 50.7 percent (35-for-69) from the field, 53.3 percent (16-for-30) from three-point range, and 92.0 percent (23-for-25) from the foul line. More important than his scoring is what he has done defensively, averaging 5.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game.

Numbers don't even come close to telling the story of Buchanan. He has gotten to where he is through hard work and determination. A player with an all-star work ethic to go along with his tremendous overall game, he is out to show the nation in 2001-2002 that he should be known for much more than his great free throw shooting.