Why Bill Self isn’t worried about KU basketball’s inconsistent 3-point shooting
The Kansas men’s basketball team didn’t attempt a second-half 3-pointer against UNCW until 12:32 remained.
It took even longer for KU to make a 3 in the second half, as guard David Coit finally connected with a 3-point shot with 6:40 to play.
The Jayhawks walked away with a decisive 84-66 victory over the Seahawks on Tuesday night at Allen Fieldhouse, but the shooting never quite came around.
Kansas shot 6-for-25 (24%) from deep. The team’s 3-point shooting percentage dropped to 34.3% for the season.
For a roster filled with shooters, those marks are a little surprising.
In the Jayhawks’ (5-0) five games, they have shot above 30% just twice: against Oakland and Howard. Both opponents are ranked No. 200 or lower in KenPom’s team rankings. Both games were at Allen Fieldhouse.
That said, coach Bill Self is not yet concerned about his squad’s up-and-down shooting.
“I’m not worried about that,” Self said. “What were we, 6-of-25? We go 9-of-25 and it’s a 27-point game. They were good looks. I bet of the 25, (there was) maybe one or two that you wouldn’t want. Shakeel (Moore) took one that I didn’t think he needed to. Other than that, the right guys are shooting them.”
Self has previously stated he hopes his team will shoot around 40% from 3-point range. On paper, the Jayhawks have the roster to do it.
Addressing the 3-point shooting was a clear priority for Self this offseason. The Jayhawks shot 33.6% from deep last season with only 5.7 makes per game. KU ranked No. 334 in 3-point-attempt rate — the lowest ever in the Self era.
Naturally, KU reloaded the roster with transfer portal shooters: Zeke Mayo, AJ Storr, Rylan Griffen and Coit.
Those four players have had mixed results through five games. Most recently, against UNCW, the trio of Mayo, Storr and Griffen combined for 2-of-13 (15.4%) shooting from 3. Coit went 2-for-4.
Each of those four players is shooting better than 35% from 3 this season, which is another promising sign. But an issue from last season is creeping back up: According to KenPom, Kansas ranks No. 303 in 3-point rate.
Although early, that’s the third-lowest mark in the Self era. And it calls back to the numbers game the team faced last year.
And a potential solution.
The Jayhawks have an inside presence with big men Hunter Dickinson and Flory Bidunga. As the aforementioned transfer quartet takes — and makes — more 3-point shots, it’ll create more space in the paint for the Jayhawks’ bigs.
Likewise, the big men being efficient inside may open up more looks for the shooters.
That may prove particularly important in bigger games, like the ones the Jayhawks have played against Michigan State and North Carolina. In those early season games, only Griffen shot above 35% from 3 on decent volume. (Coit went just 1-for-1 from 3 against Michigan State, as did Dickinson.)
For Coit, his shot-making is the biggest reason the Jayhawks added him to their roster.
“With him, we will judge him a lot of times on if he can make shots or not,” Self said. “Tonight, he was (2-for-4) and did a good job. I can see him getting those same looks against conference opponents, but we can’t expect him to shoot (that well) every game.”
Kansas’ shooters will get their next quality test against Duke on Tuesday in the 2024 Vegas Showdown. The Blue Devils rank No. 28 in 3-point defense, as opponents are shooting just 25.8% vs. them.
Self isn’t concerned about that area for KU now. Tuesday’s game against Duke will give the next chance to show why.
