How is it possible?

How can a basketball team rise to the No. 1 ranking in America — and yet shoot free throws like a bunch of guys trying to win stuffed animals at the county fair?

You know, after knocking back a few cold ones and then giving it a shot with those lopsided balls and crooked rims.

That’s just about the success level achieved by your beloved Zags, most of whom have a free-throw routine that includes the word, “Oops!”

It’s downright amazing that a team can be 16-1 while shooting 65.6 percent from the foul line — which is a handsome 298th in the nation among Division I teams.

The Zags had to rally to win 85-72 at Portland last week, then fought off stubborn Pepperdine 75-70 before a nervous sellout crowd at home on Saturday night.

Surely it’s fair to say that Gonzaga fans might have breathed easier throughout both games if the troops were sinking more free throws.

The Zags made just 11 of 23 freebies at Portland, then followed it up with another dismal 14-of-27 effort on their comfy rims at home.

IT’S TRULY shocking that these painful failures from the stripe have not cost the Zags a game — or even come close.

Their lone loss was a one-sided affair against Michigan in the finale of the Battle 4 Atlantis, a game in which the Zags were so beat up that they struggled to get five scholarship players on the court without a wheelchair.

But in some genuine thrillers…

They made 16 of 20 free throws in a one-point victory over Oregon, and 11 of 14 in that 83-76 win at Washington.

Point guard Ryan Woolridge — the worst of the bunch at just 54.5 percent — swished a pair with 1.7 seconds left and the Zags up just 82-80 at Arizona.

In fact, Woolridge’s numbers come straight from “The Twilight Zone.”

He’s shooting a sizzling 53.8 percent on 3-pointers and, lest you think that’s not a fair sample size for comparison with his efforts from the foul line, he’s put up 39 3-pointers and 44 free throws.

The only time so far that a missed free throw could have been fatal was on Saturday, when Corey Kispert — the Zags’ BEST foul shooter at 77.8 percent – missed the front end of a one-and-one with Gonzaga up 73-70 and 14 seconds to play.

PEPPERDINE could have tied the game, but Killian Tillie blocked Colbey Ross’ 3-point try.

Admon Gilder then wound up with the rebound after a scramble, and made his 68.8 free-throw percentage look silly by easily swishing a couple at the 5-second mark to end all suspense.

Next, we consider the case of Filip Petrusev, the 6-11 Serbian who is Gonzaga’s leading scorer at 16.6 points per game.

Petrusev has a nice, pure stroke from the foul line, as evidenced by his 85.3 percent mark as a freshman.

This season, though, he’s struggling at 66.7 percent — and that’s leaving a lot of points off the board, since he’s shot 114 free throws (far more than anyone else) and made just 74.

What’s even stranger is that Filip — a good shooter like most European big men — sometimes seems to settle back into the right rhythm.

He absorbed some 1-for-6 pain at Portland, then rebounded with a 4-of-5 performance against Pepperdine.

Even his single miss looked good.

THE ZAG coaches insist that the guys get plenty of practice reps from the foul line — although there’s a fine line with that sort of thing.

Free-throw shooting is a lot about confidence, and you have to be careful not to work the subject to death.

Besides, for all of you who have thumped your forehead, rolled your eyes or let out screams when the Zags miss a few more foul shots…

Remember that they’ve made all the ones that mattered so far.

So maybe it’s just all about focus.

Or perhaps it’s a complete non-factor.

Recall that we mentioned the Zags are 298th in the nation from the foul line.

Incredibly, that’s exactly one spot behind No. 297 Kansas and two behind undefeated Auburn at No. 296.

Since you’re asking, Duke is 181st.

The theme of this year’s NCAA tournament very well might be…

“Clank!”

Email: scameron@cdapress.com

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns for The Press appear on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. He also contributes the “Zags Tracker” package on Gonzaga basketball each Tuesday.

Steve’s various tales from several decades in sports — “Moments, Memories and Madness” — run on Sundays.