Poor outside shooting major concern for Hawkeyes

Iowa's perimeter shooting, considered the team's strength entering this season, has drawn shrugs and gasps from players and coaches so far.

Iowa (2-4) has hit just 26.6 percent of its three-point attempts, down from 36.4 percent last year. It's not for a lack of trying. Iowa has attempted 154 three-pointers, up by 17 through six games last year. Iowa attempted 37 three-pointers - a school record - against Texas.

So what's the problem? Iowa Coach Todd Lickliter thinks more practice might provide the perfect remedy.

“I think if we think it's going to fix itself because we're supposedly good shooters, it isn't gonna happen,” he said. “Good shooters, almost everybody that is skilled in some sort of aspect, go through times they're not as effective. They have to go back to the driving range or the batting cage or whatever it is. You've got to get back in there and that's what this is. You've got to get in and shoot the ball.”

Lickliter has tried to replicate game speed in practice with certain drills designed to help his shooters get into a groove. Still, it gives him pause when he looks at the three-point statistics and compares them to what he's seen so far.

Sophomore Matt Gatens ranks second all-time in freshman three-point percentage at 40.2 percent last year. Sophomore Anthony Tucker hit 42.7 percent of his three-point shots last year before he was ineligible for the second semester.

Senior three-point ace Devan Bawinkel sank 51 three-point attempts last year for 36.7 percent.

Tucker's statistics are particularly surprising, mainly with how solid he was early last season. He scored in double digits in each of Iowa's first six games and hit at least four three-pointers in four of them. He's hit only one three-pointer in the last two games.

“ It's incredible,” Lickliter said. “It is kind of baffling but what are we going to do? ... These guys don't have a flawed technique. They have a good technique, good skills. So what are going to do on that? They're practicing correctly. They've just go to get settled in.”

Gatens has found other ways to score besides the perimeter. He hit 5-of-6 shots inside the three-point line on Saturday and leads Iowa with 11.2 points a game. Tucker has compensated for his offensive struggles by taking charges (two on Saturday against North Carolina Central), rebounding (15 combined the last two games) and assists (nine against Bowling Green).

“(Anthony is) doing some things that he can help the team while he gets though this other,” Lickliter said. “Once he gets through it, and he's shooting it in, then he's going to keep doing those things. That's what a good well-rounded player does.”

Gatens, for one, wouldn't be surprised if Tucker breaks out of his shooting funk soon and scorches an opponent from the outside.

“It's just a confidence, a mental thing,” Gatens said. “He'll snap out of it. He's a great shooter, as everyone has seen. In the early season last year he was knocking down threes at a tremendous rate. He'll snap out of it along with the rest of us and when we do, it's going to be to our advantage because we shoot a lot of threes.”