Believe it or not, three-point shooting is suddenly a strength for K-State basketball
Bruce Weber chuckled when he heard the question.
Can a good outside shooting team like Kansas State make it rain three-pointers against an opponent that struggles to defend beyond the arc like Arkansas?
“Hopefully,” Weber said after a quick laugh. “I have said since the beginning with our guys that I think we are a good shooting team. But we are going to have to do it in a game and we are going to have to do it consistently. During all our preseason work and shooting challenges we have shot it well. Hopefully it’s a strength of ours.”
Things have changed drastically for the Wildcats since last season.
Nowhere is that more evident than at the three-point line, where they are making 43.9% of their shots (up from 30%) after they were one of the worst shooting teams in the entire country a year ago.
Weber prioritized shooting during the offseason and brought in three impact transfers with range. Ismael Massoud, Markquis Nowell and Mark Smith have made K-State’s offense much more versatile and taken considerable pressure off the shoulders of Mike McGuirl and Nijel Pack this season.
With three newcomers firing away with confidence from the outside, K-State has made nine three-pointers in each of its first two games while shooting 18 of 41 on the season.
Pack has led the way by making an impressive seven shots from three-point range on 11 attempts. But Massoud has also been strong, going four of nine. Selton Miguel, Luke Kasubke and Nowell have all made two. Mark Smith has made one.
Just like that, K-State ranks 22nd nationally in three-point shooting percentage a year after ranking 314th.
Strange as it may sound for anyone who watched the Wildcats brick their way to nine victories last season, they really could bomb away against the No. 16 Razorbacks, who are allowing opponents to shoot 43.4% from three-point range.
“I hope it’s a factor,” Weber said, “but I know it’s something they feel like they need to make an adjustment to.”
The Wildcats will try to show off their newfound shooting skills in two games at the CBE Hall of Fame Classic at T-Mobile Center this week. First up is an 8 p.m. game against Arkansas on Monday. Then they will play either Cincinnati or Illinois on Tuesday.
K-State is off to a 2-0 start, but this will be its first true test of the season.
A good shooting performance and a victory over a respected opponent will help make some forget about last season.
“We are thinking about being 3-0,” Pack said. “We know we got tough competition and a tough team coming up in Arkansas, but we all believe that we can beat them.”