The way the 2024-25 Arizona roster is constructed the Wildcats are not a good three-point shooting team. Speaking to reporters after the loss to Houston on Saturday, Tommy Lloyd is ok with how his current team was built and stated Arizona has won a lot of games being gritty.
Arizona is 313th nationally, shooting 31.3 percent on three-point attempts this season. In their eight losses this season, Arizona is shooting 20.6 percent on three point attempts. In their losses to Kansas State and Houston last week, Arizona made seven of its 45 three-point attempts.
Arizona is 15th in the Big XII in three-point shooting. The Wildcats have shot slightly better in Big XII games, making 31.9 percent of its three-point shots, which is 11th in the conference. Arizona averages 4.25 made three-pointers in its losses and 7.88 in its wins overall this season.
Arizona makes 6.71 three-point shots per game in Big XII play and takes 21.07. For the entire season, Arizona is making 6.7 three-point shots in 21.4 attempts per game. Arizona's three primary guards, Jaden Bradley, K.J. Lewis and Caleb Love are adept and driving and getting to the basket.
"Shoot good shots...You have to live with the make or miss...We're not the best three-point shooting team you've ever seen. This is not the 2017 Golden State Warriors. We're a gritty team and it's a little bit ugly sometimes, but that's just how we ended up being built...We've won a lot of games doing that.Tommy Lloyd via Wildcat Authority
Obviously, the last couple of games, it would have made a huge difference, but they're not. We're still in the game, giving ourselves a chance to win...I'm not a guy who is going to sit here and say we have to make 10 threes to win the game."
During his Friday press conference before the Houston game, Lloyd called on Anthony Dell'Orso to give Arizona more shooting. Lloyd stated three-point shooting is not one of Arizona's strengths, but it is for Dell'Orso. The expectation from Lloyd is for Dell'Orso to be a shooter and he stated they do not need him to be a playmaker.
Dell'Orso leads Arizona players in the eight-man rotation shooting 42.4 percent on three-point attempts. On the season, Dell'Orso is making 1.4 three-point shots per game in 3.4 attempts. Dell'Orso has started the last 17 games and is sixth on Arizona, averaging 18.5 minutes per game.
In Arizona's eight losses, Dell'Orso has made eight of 14 three-point attempts. In their 17 wins, Dell'Orso has made 30 of his 71 three-point attempts. Although his three-point percentage is slightly worse in Arizona's wins, Dell'Orso is taking far more three-point attempts per game when the Wildcats emerge victorious.
I don’t understand why Arizona has attempted 22 and 23 3-pointers in their last two games. It’s not their strong suit, and it’s not a coincidence that they lost both.
— Shane Dale (@ShaneDaleAZ) February 15, 2025
Arizona is 32% from 3 this season.
42.5% of their FG attempts vs. Houston were 3s.
I just don’t get it.
Dell'Orso is going to impact the game just by being a three-point shooter. If Dell'Orso is making threes, it opens up the lane and allows the other shooters on Arizona the opportunity for more open shots. Arizona should have opportunities in their next three games with Baylor, BYU and Utah in the bottom half of the Big XII in three-point defense.
Arizona needs the three-point shot to complement their offense and not be the main focus. The Wildcats are at their best, with Bradley, Lewis and Love getting into the paint and scoring. Defenses will be built to stop Arizona's penetration. Finding a balance and taking threes selectively will be important.