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How efficient 3-point shooting has unlocked Clemson basketball's best offense in years
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- How efficient 3-point shooting has unlocked Clemson basketball's best offense in years
Clemson basketball is having its best offensive season under coach Brad Brownell .
The No. 25 Tigers (18-4, 10-1 ACC) average 77 points and have won six straight games after beating NC State on Saturday . They are a game out of first place in the ACC standings and on pace to make the NCAA tournament for the second straight season.
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A key reason for Clemson 's success is its 3-point shooting. It averages nine 3-pointers and shoots 38.8% from 3-point range (11th in the nation) — both are the top numbers for the program under Brownell. It has made 10 or more 3-pointers in seven games this season and shot at or over 45% from 3-point range in six games.
Clemson will need to maintain this production as it begins a three-game homestand against Georgia Tech on Tuesday (9 p.m. ET, ACC Network), No. 2 Duke on Saturday (6 p.m. ET, ESPN) and North Carolina on Feb. 10 (7 p.m. ET, ESPN).
Under Brownell, Clemson has embraced 3-pointers, but its efficiency and contributions from multiple players this season has helped the team produce a 116.1 offensive rating (35th in country) and a 8.2 BPI offense per ESPN (19th) — both are the highest under Brownell.
Offensive rating is an estimate of points scored per 100 possessions and measures how well a team performs offensively, and BPI offense measures a team's offensive strength compared to an average offense on a scale of points per 70 possessions.
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"Certainly, it opens the basket area up for us," Brownell said of the Tigers ' 3-point prowess. "It stretches defenses. We're able to get some more easier baskets because teams do have to guard our three."
Where Clemson basketball has the most success shooting 3-pointers
The Tigers shoot 157-for-396 (39.6) from the above-the-break zone, the area of the court that is away from the corners, according to CBB Analytics. In this area, they shoot 6.5% better than the Division I average. Guard Chase Hunter has made the most there with 50 baskets.
MORE: Will Clemson basketball's Chase Hunter, Ian Schieffelin be taken in NBA draft? Analysts weigh in
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Specifically, Clemson's best zone is the right wing, where it shoots 53-for-123 (43.1%). In this area, it shoots 9.8% better than the Division I average.
Clemson's worst shooting zones are the corners, where the Tigers are 40-for-110 (36.4%). It shoots 0.8% better than the Division I average. Guard Jaeden Zackery has made a team-leading 13 shots from these spots.
The Tigers' worst zone is the right corner, making 21-for-58 (36.2%) shots. They attempt 7.1 shots at the top of the key, their most in any zone.
Chase Hunter among standout 3-point shooters for Clemson basketball
In the three shooting-splits regions, most of Clemson's attempts this season come from 3-point range (39.7%). The other two categories are close-to-the-rim (35.1%) and midrange (25.2%).
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Clemson's 3-point attempt percentage has roamed around the low-40s to high-30s in the past five years, but the difference this season is its players have improved to make them consistently.
"We've had some guys on our team get better shooting, namely Chase Hunter," Brownell said.
Entering this season, Hunter never shot above 36% from 3-point range in his career. In his final season, he is shooting 48% (56-for-125). He exceeded his previous most 3-pointers made in a season (48) by the 19th game this season.
"Just putting in the work. I'm here putting up a lot of shots with my coaches or by myself, on off days," Hunter said. "That work is really showing. I put in a lot of work this summer, and it's paying off."
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Another notable contributor is guard Dillon Hunter , Chase Hunter's younger brother. Dillon Hunter received a minutes boom this season that has led to more shooting opportunities, and he has delivered. After going a combined 12-for-55 (21.8%) in 69 games during his first two seasons, he has made 16 3-pointers, shooting 30.2%, this season. He made a critical 3-pointer against NC State late in the second half to help Clemson win.
"He didn't really make those the first two years of his career, but this year, he's proven to our staff that he can do that on a regular basis," Brownell said.
After Chase Hunter, Clemson has three other players who are shooting 35% or better from 3-point range (minimum 10 minutes played average). Forward Chauncey Wiggins is shooting a career-best 40.8% with his success coming from the above-break zone.
Center Viktor Lahkin has made 14 3-pointers, shooting 36.8%, and making 10 from the top of the key. Reserve guard Jake Heidbreder is shooting a team-best 46.3%, making seven of his 19 3-pointers from the right wing.
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Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: How Clemson basketball has turned 3-point shooting into its best shot
