At the end of practice Monday evening, Wisconsin junior guard Freddie Owens practiced free-throw shooting with teammate Boo Wade. Almost all of Owens’ attempts sent a soft swish resonating through the empty Kohl Center. But two years ago, and even last season, that was a noise Owens didn’t hear enough.

After shooting just 59.6 percent from the free-throw line in his first two years combined, Owens has drastically improved that number to 82.9 percent, best on the team this season. He attributes the improvement to confidence and repetition.

“Some people think [free throws are] a pretty small thing, but it’s a huge difference being able to get to the free throw line and bang them down,” he said. “That builds your confidence if you’re having a bad shooting night, and it gets you points on the board without the clock running.”

Owens said he worked on his shooting mechanics with assistant coach Tony Bennett, the NCAA’s all-time leader in three-point percentage.

“That’s kind of Freddie to say that. I basically rebounded for him,” Bennett joked. “He just worked very hard on shooting a lot of reps and getting his confidence, and he got it himself.”

That kind of humble work ethic has gotten Owens to where he is today, particularly on the offensive end of the floor. Always revered as a rock-solid defensive stopper, he’s been overshadowed on offense by fellow guards Kirk Penney and Devin Harris. But now he’s a consistent threat as the third option, and his explosive scoring ability has prompted Bennett to liken him to former Detroit Piston Vinnie “The Microwave” Johnson.

After averaging just one point and 3.8 minutes per game his freshman year, a short bench forced him into all 32 games last season. He responded with 8.1 points per game, and hit what was maybe UW’s biggest shot of the year, a game-winner in an improbable win at Michigan State. This season, Owens is averaging 11 points per game in a starting role.

“Freddie’s a player with a knack to get into the lane,” Penney said. “And once he’s there, he has good hang time and good touch with the ball. He finds ways to get around his defender.”

“He fits in very well to the swing offense that we run,” Bennett added. “He has an ability to post up, and you need guys who can really attack from the wings. It’s fit him well. This [system] helps him have success, and he’s made the most of his opportunities.”

While his coaches and teammates are somewhat surprised by what he’s been able to do offensively, Owens exudes a quiet confidence that seems to say he knew what he was capable of all along. Part of this comes from the coaching change the team experienced after Owen’s freshman season, which he says helped him grow up quickly. It also comes from his father, who Owens calls a “second coach.”

“He always says stuff to motivate me and push me to strive and try harder,” he said, referring to his father. “No matter if I have a 20-point game or a six-point game, there’s always something I could do better. He’s been instilling that in me since I was a child.”

Penney and Harris may overshadow Owens on the court, but his happy-go-lucky demeanor leaves him second to none in the locker room. Most of his teammates refer to him as the funniest guy on the team, and Owens poignantly lists in the media guide his most prized possession as “life.” Waking up every morning is all he needs to be happy.

“I’m fortunate to be where I’m at, from my background and the places I grew up in,” said Owens, a Milwaukee native who still has strong ties to his hometown. “[You have] little kids looking up to you, trying to get where you’re at. It’s just fun. You’ve got 17,000 people coming out to watch you play, spending their money. I’m just glad to be living right now.”

“Freddie’s greatest strength in my opinion is his ability to keep it light,” Bennett said. “He has a great sense of humor, and the guys just crack up at him. It’s always good to have a guy like that. He’s got a pretty big heart. He’s a likeable guy, and he just draws people to him with his smile and sense of humor.”

Owens, a journalism major, says he’ll attempt to play pro basketball after college, but would love to go into sports broadcasting if that doesn’t work out. One thing’s for sure: whatever Owens may do, he’ll keep the people around him smiling.