Drastic 3-point shooting differences proving differences between Ohio State’s wins, losses

It took five and a half minutes for Ohio State to hoist its first 3-pointer inside the Crisler Center. On their first eight possessions against Michigan, the Buckeyes either got the ball into the paint, turned it over trying to do so or attempted a shot from somewhere near the basket while building a 10-7 lead.

Then with 14:30 to play, Bruce Thornton attempted his team’s first 3-pointer on Monday afternoon, and it bricked off the rim. On the next possession, Jamison Battle missed one from the right corner. And on the next, Battle hit the side of the backboard from the same spot.

It was a sign of what was to come. Continuing what has become a trend this season, an inability to make shots from 3-point range directly tied into another loss for the Buckeyes.

To borrow an old cliché, Ohio State’s shooting inside the Crisler Center matched the temperatures outside: frigid. The Buckeyes finished 3 for 25 (12.0%) from deep in a 73-65 loss to the Wolverines, marking a third straight game where they failed to make more than one-third of their 3-point attempts.

Not coincidentally, Ohio State has lost all three of those games. As the Buckeyes try to avoid letting this streak turn into what last year became, the need to at least shoot better – if not spectacularly well – from deep has to be atop the list of concerns.

“What we can do is really evaluate the quality of our looks,” coach Chris Holtmann said. “Then they’ve got to trust their stroke. That’s really what we’re trying to evaluate: what are the quality of our looks?”

For the most part, Ohio State would appear to be getting shots it wants by guys it wants taking them. When the Buckeyes went to Indiana’s Assembly Hall on Jan. 6, they were shooting 38.0% from 3-point range. Battle was leading the way at 44.7% (42 for 94) with Roddy Gayle Jr. next at 39.5% (17 for 43) and Thornton close behind at 37.3% (28 for 75).

Three games later, Ohio State’s season 3-point shooting percentage has dropped to 35.2%. The Buckeyes have collectively shot 22.9% (16 for 70) from deep in losses to Indiana, Wisconsin and now Michigan. Entering Tuesday’s games, the Hoosiers ranked ninth in the Big Ten in 3-point percentage defense (32.9%), the Wolverines 12th (33.9%) and the Badgers 13th (34.9%).

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Against those teams, Battle has shot 43.5% from 3 (10 for 23) despite missing seven of his eight attempts against Michigan. Thornton is 3 for 19 (15.8%). Gayle is 0 for 12.

When shots aren’t falling, “It’s hard (to win),” Thornton said after the Michigan loss. “I’m not going to lie to you. Even though I’m not shooting well at all, I’ve got to shoot it like I’m going to make the next one every single time. That’s my thought process.”

Ohio State’s shooting splits between wins and losses are significant. The Buckeyes are shooting 38.8% (104 for 268) from 3 in their 12 wins and 27.0% (31 for 115) in their five losses. Battle has 15 of those 31 makes. The Buckeyes are 4-4 when shooting 33.3% or worse from 3 and 8-1 when bettering that mark.

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There’s a few things that could help with those numbers. Ohio State has not experienced as much success in transition as it hoped for this year, but those numbers have also dipped in losses. The Buckeyes average 6.9 fast-break points in their wins and 4.8 in their losses, but win or lose they’ve only gotten into double figures in one of their last 11 games. Ohio State has also gone away from posting up centers Felix Okpara and Zed Key with any regularity, instead relying on them to get their production from lobs or put-backs.

That has meant fewer kick-outs to open shooters for shots that are generally the highest percentage 3-point attempts.

“We’ve struggled in general getting some transition where we were getting that earlier in the season,” Holtmann said on Tuesday’s radio show. “We’ve got to be better at that and getting some buckets on the glass.”

It all fits together. A few more made 3s will open up the opportunities down low, which will give the Buckeyes better opportunities at the rim and, in turn, better 3-point looks. And maybe, eventually, it will lead to winning again.

ajardy@dispatch.com

@AdamJardy

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