University of Minnesota Athletics
Barn Blog: Beyond the Arc
1/13/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 13, 2016 
It's no secret that the Gopher lineup is full of players who have the ability to knock down 3-point shots.
Minnesota leads the Big Ten in 3-pointers made, and ranks in the top 10 in the NCAA for 3-pointers made, 3-pointers attempted and 3-pointers per game.
This ability to hit shots from beyond the arc was on display once again last Thursday when the Gophers beat Illinois 106-75.
Several records were set in the win. Rachel Banham set a program record with 10 individual 3-pointers and tied her career-high with 39 points. The 19 triples as a team topped the previous record of 16 set earlier this season and tied the Big Ten record for most 3-pointers by a team in a game.
During the game, Banham started feeling her shot early.
"In the first half I hit maybe my third one and it just came off nice," Banham said. "I wasn't feeling it at all in warmups so I was kind of nervous going into it. Once I hit my third one I was like, 'Ooh, that was kind of good,' and then from there it just kind of kept rolling."
As the game went on she kept knocking down shots, but was unaware that she was approaching the record.
"I had no idea," Banham said. "The only way I knew I was hitting a lot was Coach Nik was like, 'Give me another three!'"
The reason that the Gophers are able to knock down triples at such a high rate is the variety of players who can shoot from that range.
"We have four ladies that can hit the three at a very high level on any given night," said Head Coach Marlene Stollings. "That was on display obviously at Illinois when we hit the 19 threes. It's hard to go against defensively at times because they don't really know which young lady to particularly key in on."
Banham, Carlie Wagner, Mikayla Bailey, and Shayne Mullaney all are shooting .330 or better from beyond the arc. Banham, Wagner, and Bailey are all in the top 10 in the Big Ten when it comes to 3-pointers made.
As a team the Gophers are shooting .339 from 3-point range, nearly 20 points better than last season's .320 mark. When looking only at conference games that number jumps to .395, ranking third in the Big Ten.
During games, hitting threes almost becomes competitive among the Gopher guards.
"Once one person hits one in a game the next person wants it," Banham said. "All of us guards want to shoot threes. Once I hit one, Carlie [Wagner] wants to hit one. It's a contagious thing."
Coming into the year, it wasn't hard to figure that Banham, Wagner, and Bailey would be constant scoring threats. Mullaney, however, has been somewhat of a surprise.
Spending her previous years as a point guard looking to pass first, Mullaney has been asked to take on a bigger role within the scoring offense this year.
"We've asked Shayne to shoot more, really since my arrival, but in particular this year we've hit her a little bit harder in terms of we want you to score, it's going to be important to our success," Stollings said.
Mullaney has embraced the new expectations put upon her.
"It's definitely a positive for your coach to ask you to shoot more and shoot the three," Mullaney said. "It makes the game a lot more fun because offense is definitely the fun end of the floor."
This change is reflected on the stat sheet as well. Mullaney is averaging 9.1 points per game so far this season, almost a point and a half better than her full season career high of 7.7 points per game. She has also set individual game career highs in points and 3-pointers made in the course of this season.
Teammates have been noticing the change as well.
"We've gotten a lot of extra time in the gym getting shots up," Banham said. "I think you can tell, especially with Shayne, she's been shooting great. She can shoot way more than she does too. The rest of the guards, we've been getting in a lot, just helping each other get shots up and at least getting 100 up per day."
3-pointers may not comprise the entirety of the Gopher offensive game plan, but they certainly play a big role in how the team prepares for each game.
"We pretty much do a [scout-based game plan] so every game it adjusts a little bit, but we play to our strengths and our strength is outside scoring," Stollings said.
3-pointers will almost certainly play a factor on Thursday when the Gophers take on Purdue, who is third in the Big Ten in 3-point field goal defense. You can watch Thursday's game on BTN Plus at 6 p.m. and catch the Gophers back at home Sunday when they take on Indiana at 2 p.m. at Williams Arena.
Story by Joey Erickson
Athletics Communications Intern
It's no secret that the Gopher lineup is full of players who have the ability to knock down 3-point shots.
Minnesota leads the Big Ten in 3-pointers made, and ranks in the top 10 in the NCAA for 3-pointers made, 3-pointers attempted and 3-pointers per game.
This ability to hit shots from beyond the arc was on display once again last Thursday when the Gophers beat Illinois 106-75.
Several records were set in the win. Rachel Banham set a program record with 10 individual 3-pointers and tied her career-high with 39 points. The 19 triples as a team topped the previous record of 16 set earlier this season and tied the Big Ten record for most 3-pointers by a team in a game.
During the game, Banham started feeling her shot early.
"In the first half I hit maybe my third one and it just came off nice," Banham said. "I wasn't feeling it at all in warmups so I was kind of nervous going into it. Once I hit my third one I was like, 'Ooh, that was kind of good,' and then from there it just kind of kept rolling."
As the game went on she kept knocking down shots, but was unaware that she was approaching the record.
"I had no idea," Banham said. "The only way I knew I was hitting a lot was Coach Nik was like, 'Give me another three!'"
The reason that the Gophers are able to knock down triples at such a high rate is the variety of players who can shoot from that range.
"We have four ladies that can hit the three at a very high level on any given night," said Head Coach Marlene Stollings. "That was on display obviously at Illinois when we hit the 19 threes. It's hard to go against defensively at times because they don't really know which young lady to particularly key in on."
Banham, Carlie Wagner, Mikayla Bailey, and Shayne Mullaney all are shooting .330 or better from beyond the arc. Banham, Wagner, and Bailey are all in the top 10 in the Big Ten when it comes to 3-pointers made.
As a team the Gophers are shooting .339 from 3-point range, nearly 20 points better than last season's .320 mark. When looking only at conference games that number jumps to .395, ranking third in the Big Ten.
During games, hitting threes almost becomes competitive among the Gopher guards.
"Once one person hits one in a game the next person wants it," Banham said. "All of us guards want to shoot threes. Once I hit one, Carlie [Wagner] wants to hit one. It's a contagious thing."
Coming into the year, it wasn't hard to figure that Banham, Wagner, and Bailey would be constant scoring threats. Mullaney, however, has been somewhat of a surprise.
Spending her previous years as a point guard looking to pass first, Mullaney has been asked to take on a bigger role within the scoring offense this year.
"We've asked Shayne to shoot more, really since my arrival, but in particular this year we've hit her a little bit harder in terms of we want you to score, it's going to be important to our success," Stollings said.
Mullaney has embraced the new expectations put upon her.
"It's definitely a positive for your coach to ask you to shoot more and shoot the three," Mullaney said. "It makes the game a lot more fun because offense is definitely the fun end of the floor."
This change is reflected on the stat sheet as well. Mullaney is averaging 9.1 points per game so far this season, almost a point and a half better than her full season career high of 7.7 points per game. She has also set individual game career highs in points and 3-pointers made in the course of this season.
Teammates have been noticing the change as well.
"We've gotten a lot of extra time in the gym getting shots up," Banham said. "I think you can tell, especially with Shayne, she's been shooting great. She can shoot way more than she does too. The rest of the guards, we've been getting in a lot, just helping each other get shots up and at least getting 100 up per day."
3-pointers may not comprise the entirety of the Gopher offensive game plan, but they certainly play a big role in how the team prepares for each game.
"We pretty much do a [scout-based game plan] so every game it adjusts a little bit, but we play to our strengths and our strength is outside scoring," Stollings said.
3-pointers will almost certainly play a factor on Thursday when the Gophers take on Purdue, who is third in the Big Ten in 3-point field goal defense. You can watch Thursday's game on BTN Plus at 6 p.m. and catch the Gophers back at home Sunday when they take on Indiana at 2 p.m. at Williams Arena.
Story by Joey Erickson
Athletics Communications Intern
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballGophers Visit the Governor
Thursday, April 23
Play in Focus: Amaya Battle
Thursday, April 02
Postgame Reaction: Sweet Sixteen
Saturday, March 28
Press Conference: Sweet Sixteen Preview
Thursday, March 26