Kansas guard Brannen Greene, right, celebrates with teammates Devonte Graham, center, and Jamari Traylor during a timeout after a three by Greene in the second half on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2014 at Verizon Center in Washington D.C.

Free throws have proven mighty important in Kansas University’s last three basketball victories — over Georgetown Florida and Michigan State.

The (7-1) Jayhawks knocked down 25 of 32 compared to Georgetown’s 19 of 26 in Wednesday’s 75-70 victory in Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. That followed a 71-65 home win over Florida in which the Jayhawks made 27 of 32 to Florida’s seven of 10.

In the game before that, KU made 18 of 27 in a 61-56 Orlando Classic title game win over Michigan State. The Spartans cashed 12 of 17.

Overall, KU has made 73.1 percent on the season (171 of 234) to opponents’ 63.4 percent (97 of 153).

“I have never coached free throws. I don’t know who does,” said KU coach Bill Self, who has said there’s just not enough time in practice to put in much work on freebies.

“Usually the more you talk about it, the worse you shoot them,” he added. “We’ve tried to spend more time on the free-throw line of late. If we had made 33 more free throws against Kentucky we could have won that game, too,” he cracked of a 72-40 loss to the Wildcats.

“We’ve got to do a better job of getting to the line and making ’em. We’ve done a good job over the last three games.”

Sophomore Brannen Greene went four of four from the line against the Hoyas.

“We shoot 100, 200 shots a day from the free-throw line,” Greene said of work on the side in practice or players going in the practice gym on their own. “Everybody is making big-time improvements at the line. When you shoot so many and I’m a shooter, I expect to make them,” added Greene, who is 9-of-9 for 100 percent.

Freshman Cliff Alexander went 8-for-8 against Florida and iced three of four against Georgetown. He made two free throws with a minute left to give KU a 70-67 lead in D.C.

“It’s what I’ve been working on in practice, getting my free throws better,” the 6-8 Alexander said. “I was an average free-throw shooter in high school. I think I’ve gotten way better,” the Chicago native added.

Frank Mason III has made 25 of 29 for 86.2 percent; Svi Mykhailiuk five of six for 83.3 percent; Perry Ellis 42 of 55 for 76.4 percent; Devonté Graham 21 of 29 for 72.4; Alexander 33 of 47 for 70.2; Jamari Traylor seven of 11 for 63.6; Wayne Selden Jr., 17 of 27 for 63; Landen Lucas 4 of 11 for 36.4.

“You can’t shoot 200 free throws at practice,” Self said. “You do it filling in at practice. Guys have to emphasize that on their own.”

Prime recruiting area: Wednesday’s game took place in Washington, D.C., which KU coach Self says is a prime recruiting area for college basketball.

“I did my thesis in college for my masters’ on geography of basketball recruiting. It played out in the late 80s that D.C. produced more Div. I players per capita than any place in America by a landslide. Baltimore was close,” Self said Wednesday on his pre-game radio interview. “There may not be as many players as L.A. or Chicago, but more (per capita) because the area is not as big.

“There’s as good high school ball here (in D.C.) as they have anywhere,” Self added. “We haven’t had that many players … we had Josh (Selby) from Baltimore and of course T. Rob (Thomas Robinson, D.C.). I can’t remember anybody (else) going back to Milt Newton (being from D.C.). We haven’t recruited east in this area near as much, but there definitely are some quality guys.”

Former KU guard Mark Turgeon has fertile recruiting ground as coach as Maryland, now of the Big Ten.

“My gosh, Mark has D.C., the entire ACC area, the entire eastern seaboard, two of the biggest recruiting areas here (Baltimore, D.C.) and now can go pluck guys out of Big Ten country. I’d say Turg has a good recruiting base,” Self gushed.

Graham OK: KU freshman Devonté Graham, who sprained an ankle with 10 minutes left against Georgetown, is listed day-to-day. He had the ankle re-taped against the Hoyas and could have re-entered the game. The Jayhawks took the day off Thursday, giving Graham time for treatment and to rest the ankle.

Rugged foe next: No. 10-ranked KU (7-1), will next meet No. 13 Utah (7-1), at 2:15 p.m., Saturday, in Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri. This will be the first time a Utah team ranked in the top 15 plays an opponent in the top 10 since the 1998 NCAA title game against Kentucky.