The early season problem with threes (both shooting and defending) has been getting much better-- so much so that three pointers may actually be a net positive for Loyola against most teams.
Up to and including the Cayman Islands trip, FIVE TEAMS shot 40% or better on threes against Loyola. The Ramblers were 1-4 in those games.
Since the Cayman Islands trip, NOT A SINGLE TEAM has shot 40% or better against Loyola. The Ramblers are 11-2 in those games, with two of the higher 3-point shooting percentages (37.5% against Davidson and 39.1% against Drake) being the two losses.
Conversely, Loyola's formerly anemic three point shooting percentage has exploded, and it's all been after that Cayman Islands trip. Through the first eight games of the season, Loyola only had one game where they shot better than 28.6% from distance. Since getting back from the Caymans, Loyola has shot better than 28.6% in nine out of 12 games-- all of them wins. In the games where Loyola shot 28.6% or less, the Ramblers were 1-2.
Thanks to this astounding turnaround, Loyola is now 3rd in the league in three-point shooting percentage at 37.9%. And the Ramblers have clawed their way up from last to seventh place in three-point field goal percentage defense.
|