Prepare for a 3-point heavy Final Four in San Antonio
SAN ANTONIO — These days, the Final Four is all about the 3.
Gone are the days when the long-range shot was the low-percentage bet in college basketball compared with layups and midrange jumper. Now — much like its record usage in the NBA — it’s an indispensable piece of the arsenal for any team with serious hopes of winning the national championship.
Look no further than the last four teams at the Alamodome still contending for the NCAA title. Villanova, Kansas, Michigan and Loyolachicago all can knock down 3s at high rates and won’t hesitate to launch them — which could mean a big leap from past Final Fours when 3s weren’t quite so plentiful.
“It’s a huge part of our offense, and the other teams as well,” said the Wolverines’ Moe Wagner, a 6-foot-11 forward who shoots just shy of 40 percent from behind the arc. “It’s really a big part of college basketball to be honest with you. There are no good teams out there anymore that can’t shoot.”
The 3-point production jumps out in each team’s stats:
— Villanova (34-4) shoots 40 percent from behind the arc and has made 436 3s, putting the Wildcats six away from matching the NCAA Division I record set by VMI in 2007 entering Saturday’s national semifinal against fellow 1-seed Kansas.
— The Jayhawks (317) rank 11th nationally in 3-point percentage (.403) with an unusually guardheavy lineup.
— Michigan (32-7) has five players shooting at least 37 percent from behind the arc.
— Loyola-chicago (325) averages the fewest of the four (7.5) but has made 30 of 72 (.417) attempts in four NCAA games.
And don’t forget, the only reason Loyola-chicago and Michigan are even meeting in Saturday’s first semifinal is because both made a miss-and-go-home 3 in the tournament.
The Ramblers got one just before the buzzer from Donte Ingram to beat Miami in the first round, while the Wolverines needed Jordan Poole to beat the horn to survive against Houston in the second.
Only one team — Oklahoma in 2016 — had averaged at least nine made 3s per game in the past eight Final Fours, but there are three this weekend alone: Villanova at 11.5, Kansas at 10.1 and Michigan at 9.0.
There was a common refrain among players Friday about their use of the 3.
“We just try to lean on the best shot,” said Loyola-chicago freshman Lucas Williamson, who is shooting 42 percent on 3s. “We’re not really banking on just winning the game by 3s.”