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Caleb Love top 5 guards, 15 best shooters nationally entering 2024-25 season

Caleb Love was named among the top five guards and top 15 shooter nationally entering the 2024-25 season by Andy Katz of NCAA.Com

By Alan Rubenstein

Mar 21, 2024; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Caleb Love (2) shoots the ball during the first half against Arizona Wildcats in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at Vivint Smart Home Arena-Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images
Mar 21, 2024; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Caleb Love (2) shoots the ball during the first half against Arizona Wildcats in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at Vivint Smart Home Arena-Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images / Rob Gray-Imagn Images
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Caleb Love was named the fourth-best guard and 12th-best three-point shooter in college basketball entering the 2024-25 season by longtime national analyst Andy Katz. Love will have a chance to be named the Player of the Year in two separate conferences after earning that honor in the Pac-12 in 2024.

Love averaged 18.0 points per game, 4.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists while shooting 41.3 percent from the floor, 33.2 percent on three-point attempts and 83.9 percent on free throw attempts. Jaden Bradley, K.J. Lewis and Love will provide Arizona with one of the best and most athletic backcourts nationally entering the 2024-25 season.

Love led North Carolina to the National Championship Game in 2022 and helped Arizona advance to the NCAA Tournament Regional Semifinals for the second time in the last three seasons. Under Tommy Lloyd Arizona has been a one seed in the NCAA Tournament in 2022 and two seed in each of the past two seasons.

The next goal is to at least live up to their seed under Lloyd. Love should be a contender for Naismith and Wooden Awards as the National Player of the Year in 2024-25. Love is tied for the fourth-highest odds to win the Wooden Award at plus 1600 per FanDuel.

Love needs to improve his efficiency as a three-point shooter. The 33.2 percent Love shot in 2023-24 was only slightly better than his career percentage of 32.2 percent. Love's best season as a three-point shooter was 36.0 percent during the 2021-22 season with North Carolina.

Love had his most efficient season as a shooter in 2023-24. Love set career highs shooting 41.3 percent from the floor, 50.2 percent on two-point shots and with a 50,0 percent effective field goal percentage. The expectation is with another season under Lloyd, Love should continue to improve offensively.

Love was named to multiple All-American teams in 2024 and became the 34th member of the Arizona Ring of Honor. Poor three-point shooting and questionable shot selection from Love hindered Arizona in the NCAA Tournament. Love scored 50 points in the three NCAA Tournament games but shot 6-29 on three-point attempts.

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.Love shot 17-50 from the floor, but 11-21 on two-point attempts in the NCAA Tournament last season. If Love can continue to become more efficient he can elevate Arizona overall. Arizona will be incredibly perimeter-oriented with Bradley, Lewis and Love in 2024-25. The competition for Arizona will increase in the Big XII this season.

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