Efficiency from three points doesn’t translate into wins as much as you might expect. The UCLA Bruins are the best three-point shooting team in the Big Ten Conference but the Bruins are seventh in the Big Ten with a 9-5 conference record.
Three-point shooting certainly didn’t save the Bruins during their 30-point loss at the hands of the Michigan Wolverines. It was far from UCLA’s best showing from deep, going 6-21 from three in the loss. UCLA still paces the Big Ten with a three-point percentage of 38.1% on the season.
Behind UCLA is Purdue at 37.8% and Iowa at 36.8%. Despite the Bruins elite three-point efficiency, Mick Cronin’s team is 12th in the Big Ten in total makes from deep. Despite Skyy Clark, Tyler Bilodeau and Trent Perry all shooting over 45% from deep on the season, UCLA gets less threes up than you’d think. Donovan Dent is averaging just 1.8 attempts from deep per game while playing 34.6 minutes per contest.
Xavier Booker is shooting the three well, at 41.5% but is getting just 1.6 threes attempted per game. Clark’s return from injury should help UCLA get up more threes but this is clearly an area of strength for the team that’s currently going under-utilized.
UCLA is way back at 17th in the Big Ten in three-point attempts despite shooting over 38% from deep. The Bruins are 10th in points per game at 77.9 per game but it’s easy to imagine that an increased volume from three could lead to a higher scoring output for UCLA. It’s a least worth consideration for the Bruins, as they’re trying to secure a spot in the NCAA.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: UCLA is efficient from three, so why aren’t Bruins shooting more?
Reporting by Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
