Tennessee basketball: Will an extended 3-point line help the Vols?

The NCAA is extending the three-point line to the international range. Will moving back the long-range jumper help the Vols?

I’m not telling you anything new; the 2018-19 Tennessee basketball team was not great at guarding the three-point line. Now, to be fair, opposing did attempt well over 100 more shots from deep.

However, that wasn’t the reason teams like Purdue went 15-for-31, 59.4 percent from the three-point line. Colgate shot 15-for-29, 51.7 percent from deep on Tennessee in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

In 14 separate games last season, Tennessee gave up over 38 percent to opposing from the three-point line. Surprisingly the Vols went 11-3 in those games but giving up those kinds of percentages is never a good thing.

Will the extended three-point line help Tennessee next season?

Since 2008, the three-point line has rested at the 20-foot-9 inch mark at the top of the key. Now, thanks to the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel, the line will move back to a distance of 22-feet-1 3/4 inch mark.

That isn’t that much of a distance change. However, you have to think the overall percentage for the nation will drop a few percentage points. It did when the three-point line moved back in 2008, about one percent.

As for Tennessee, I don’t think we will see much of a change.

I think overall we will see more three-point shots taken and less going in, but that’s where the game is heading. Pair that with losing Admiral Schofield who led the team connecting on 177 threes, 41.8 percent.

Tennessee does have two returning guards that have proved they can get hot from deep. Lamonte Turner struggled most of the season from deep. However, during the SEC and NCAA Tournament run Turner knocked down 41.9 percent. Bowden has been consistent his whole career for deep and has shot over 35 percent the past two seasons.

Majority of Tennessee’s three-point makes came from the 22-foot mark anyways. Let’s just hope this doesn’t give teams that play zone on defense more of an advantage.