Penn makes it tough on 3-point shooters
photo by: Nick Krug
Kansas guard Devonte' Graham (4) puts up a three over Syracuse guard Frank Howard (23) during the second half, Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017 at American Airlines Arena in Miami.
Dan Majerle twice was named NBA All-Defensive second team when playing for the Phoenix Suns. Majerle not only knew how to play defense, he knows how to teach it.
Thunder Dan is in his fifth season as head coach of Grand Canyon University, which ranks No. 1 in the country in 3-point-percentage defense (.267). The Antelopes (22-11) are bound for the CBI tournament.
The nation’s second-best 3-point percentage defense belongs to Penn (.296), first-round foe of Kansas in the NCAA tournament, 1 p.m. tipoff Thursday in Wichita.
Kansas relies more heavily on the 3-point shot than in any season under coach Bill Self and
subpar 3-point shooting has been a common denominator in each of KU’s seven losses.
| Date | Opponent | 3-pt. FG-A (Percentage) |
Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12-06-17 | Washington | 5-20 (.250) | 75-64 |
| 12-10-17 | ARIZONA ST. | 14-38 (.368) | 95-85 |
| 0-02-18 | TEXAS TECH | 6-26 (.231) | 85-73 |
| 01-23-18 | @Oklahoma | 10-32 (.313) | 85-80 |
| 02-03-18 | OKLAHOMA ST. | 8-22 (.364) | 84-79 |
| 02-10-18 | @ Baylor | 6-31 (.194) | 80-64 |
| 03-03-18 | @ Oklahoma St. | 7-20 (.350) | 82-64 |
| Totals | 56-189 (.296) | 83.7-72.7 |
That doesn’t mean that the opponent’s necessarily is the primary factor in KU’s 3-point shooting.
The Quakers will be KU’s seventh opponent with a 3-point percentage defense now ranked in the top 50 in the nation, per kenpom.com rankings. KU didn’t shoot particularly well (.348, compared to a season 3-point accuracy rate of .403) in the first six, but they went 5-1, so it’s not as if the Jayhawks can’t survive off days from 3-point range.
Perhaps because when he gets hot few defenses can follow him out to the limits of his range, Devonte’ Graham has shot well (.476) from long distance in those half dozen games.
| Date | Opponent 3-pct def. ranking |
KU 3-pt FG-FGA (Pct.) |
Result | Devonte’ Graham 3-pt. FG-FGA (pct.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11-14-17 | Kentucky (5) | 8-28, .286 | W, 65-61 | 2-8 (.250) |
| 12-02-17 | Syracuse (50) | 11-31, .355 | W, 76-60 | 7-13 (.538) |
| 12-16-17 | @ Nebraska (25) | 7-22, .318 | W, 73-72 | 1-4 (.250) |
| 01-02-18 | TEXAS TECH (47) | 6-26, .231 | L, 85-73 | 4-5 (.800) |
| 01-27-18 | TEXAS A&M (29) | 12-26, .462 | W, 79-68 | 2-5 (.400) |
| 02-24-18 | @ Texas Tech (47) | 11-25, .440 | W, 74-72 | 4-7 (.571) |
| TOTALS | 2 N, 2H, 2A | 55-158, .348 | 5-1 | 20-42 (.476) |