Kansas’ Inconsistent 3-Point Shooting Will Present Challenge in Tournament

Bill Self has always been known as a defensive-oriented coach, which in turn has resulted in some pretty mediocre shooting squads. Even when the Jayhawks had some of their best teams, most of them didn't exactly have many threats from beyond the arc.

This season, KU has actually been respectable from long range, hitting the deep ball at a 35.0% clip. Although they are not the most prolific 3-point shooting team, they have a number of players capable of knocking them down when needed.

However, the Jayhawks have been mired in one of their worst shooting slumps of the season over the past month. Several players have seen their 3-point marks dip significantly right before the most crucial part of the campaign.

Several Kansas Players Are Battling Shooting Woes

Dating back to the Jayhawks' loss to Cincinnati seven games ago, the outside shooting percentages of certain players have been concerning. During this span, the team as a whole is hitting 31.8% of its threes, down over 3% from its season average, knocking down 6.7 per game.

The percentages of individual players are even more troubling than the team's overall mark. Star freshman Darryn Peterson is shooting 27.3% during this stretch with fewer than two makes per game, while backcourt mate Melvin Council Jr. has hit just 14.3% of his attempts.

Mar 13, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Elmarko Jackson (13) and Kansas Jayhawks guard Tre White (3) shake hands during the second half against the Houston Cougars at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images

Big man Bryson Tiller has seemingly lost confidence from behind the line and has not made a three since Feb. 9. The only player who has remained relatively consistent from deep is Tre White, who endured a midseason slump but appears to have bounced back in recent weeks.

With the No. 56-ranked offense in the country, the Jayhawks won't have much wiggle room if they get far enough in the tournament to face the Dukes and UConns of college basketball. In the next handful of games this group plays, they need to connect on as many open threes as possible.

This issue could prove costly in the team's first-round NCAA Tournament matchup against California Baptist. The Lancers hold opponents to an impressive 29.7% from three, allowing the second-fewest makes per game in the country (5.3). Their strong perimeter defense, combined with a KU squad that has been anything but reliable from deep, could put the Jayhawks on upset alert.

Kansas doesn't need to put out five Stephen Curry's on the court, but it does need to be more efficient offensively in March. That starts with allowing the backcourt to thrive in transition and create cleaner looks from 3-point range to maximize every possession tomorrow night.