Not as easy as 1-2-3: Gonzaga trying to find the range from behind the 3-point line

Gonzaga has a love-hate relationship with the 3-point line.

The eighth-ranked Zags were on target early with their top two 3-point shooting percentages (41.9 vs. Baylor and 45.5 vs. UMass Lowell) in the first three games.

The last month has been rough. In the Zags’ last six games, they’ve made just 29.8%, dropping their overall percentage to 33.7%. That puts Gonzaga in record-low territory. Since 1987, GU’s lowest shooting percentage was 35.3 in 2010 and the next lowest was 35.7 in 1997.

Gonzaga, which doesn’t rely on 3-pointers as much as most programs, ranks in the mid-180s out of 355 Division 1 teams in made 3s per game (7.8), attempted 3s (23.1) and accuracy (33.7%).

Now the good news. Gonzaga’s 3-point defense, long a bone of contention for some fans, is third nationally at 24.9%. San Diego State connected on 32%, West Virginia 31.4% and Arizona State 31%, representing the three highest percentages against the Zags. To put that into perspective, GU allowed 36.1% last season and 34.9% in 2023.

“Obviously, we have a group of guys that do shoot it well, that have all made a significant amount of 3s in their careers, including rotational players,” Gonzaga assistant coach Brian Michaelson said. “We started out shooting really well. I’d say we’ve been a little more up and down lately.

“We made some early (vs. Kentucky on Saturday) and then missed a crazy amount in a row (12). Unfortunately, that will happen, but we hit a few more down the stretch. The fact that we have good shooters that have made a bunch versus a team that hasn’t made them and goes on a bad streak, there’s a difference there.”

Gonzaga’s 90-89 overtime loss to Kentucky was a microcosm of the season . Khalif Battle hit a 3-pointer in the first 45 seconds to snap a personal 0-of-12 stretch, but the Zags made just 3 of 12 in the first half and missed all nine attempts in the second half as Kentucky rallied from an 18-point deficit.

GU made its last three from distance in overtime to rally within one point, but the Wildcats, a high-volume 3-point team that only made seven and shot 28%, hung on for the victory.

Michaelson said the right players are taking the majority of the 3s.

“Obviously, some guys throughout the history (of the program) just aren’t shooters and you want to limit their attempts,” he said. “That is not this group. These guys need to hunt the right ones and take those and they’re going to make them.”

Sophomore wing Dusty Stromer hit 2 of 3 against Kentucky and leads the Zags at 52.2% (12 of 23). Senior guard Nolan Hickman was just 1 of 7 on Saturday but is still at a career-best 41.3%. He’s made a team-leading 19 3s.

Senior point guard Ryan Nembhard, who had a slow start last year before finishing at 40%, missed 4 of 5 attempts against the Wildcats but remains at 40% for the season. Battle reached 61% after three games, but he’s slipped to 32.6% after going 1 of 5 on Saturday. He’s at 35.1% in 110 career games.

Gonzaga’s bigs haven’t found their stroke. Posts Graham Ike and Braden Huff are both at 28.6% on just seven and 14 attempts, respectively. Senior forwards Michael Ajayi (21.1%) and Ben Gregg (11.8%) are coming off seasons in which Ajayi made 47% and Gregg 38%, suggesting that the law of averages is on their side. Gregg’s 40 3s last season were second on the team behind Hickman’s 78.

The Zags are without injured 6-foot-7 wing Steele Venters for the second consecutive season. Venters made 40.3% from distance in 84 games at Eastern Washington before transferring to Gonzaga.

Another important consideration: The vast majority of Gonzaga’s 3-point attempts have been quality looks.

“We’ve taken a few bad ones, maybe a handful all year,” Michaelson said. “I like the ones we’re getting.”