Poor Marksmanship: Caleb Love Joins A-A Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight
Did you know that All-Americans George Stanich (24.2% with UCLA 48-50), E. "Branch" McCracken (25.8% with Indiana 28-30), Ernie Andres (26% with Indiana 37-39), Dwight "Dike" Eddleman (29.1% with Illinois 46-49), Bill Garrett (29.2% with Indiana 49-51), Rod Fletcher (29.6% with Illinois 50-52) and Bill Stauffer (29.9% with Missouri 50-52) made fewer than 30% of their field-goal attempts in college careers back in the "dinosaur age" and from the start of national postseason competition in late 1930s to early 1950s?
Granted, there is more to the game than accurate shooting. But at some point, you've got to feed the scoreboard by putting biscuit in the basket in order to win. Shooting marks improved significantly over the decades with no All-American concluding career under 40% in a 26-season span from 1967-68 through 1992-93.
Could field-goal percentages be taking a turn for the worse again due to shot-selection overemphasis on three-point range? Caleb Love (37.7% entering NCAA Tournament second round) is the third Arizona A-A guard this century with anemic career FG shooting percentage below 40%. Maybe he should shoot from beyond half-court more often like he did in sending game with Iowa State into overtime.
Love is the ninth A-A in last 57 seasons to have career FG shooting mark lower than 40% since Texas-El Paso's Bobby Joe Hill departed in 1966-67 (38.2%). Love joins the following eight All-Americans in sub-par shooting category over this span:
| All-American | School(s)/Seasons | Career FG% | FG% Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Juan "Pepe" Sanchez | Temple 97-00 | 34.1% | 32.4% to 35.5% |
| James Akinjo | Georgetown/Arizona/Baylor 19-22 | 37.3% | 33.7% to 38.3% |
| Caleb Love | North Carolina/Arizona 21-25 | 37.7% | 31.6% to 41.3% |
| Jamaal Tinsley | Iowa State 00-01 | 38.8% | 37.8% and 39.9% |
| Markquis Nowell | UALR/Kansas State 19-23 | 39% | 34.4% to 42.7% |
| Shea Seals | Tulsa 94-97 | 39.6% | 37.9% to 42.6% |
| Jason Gardner | Arizona 00-03 | 39.8% | 37.8% to 42.5% |
| Randy Foye | Villanova 03-06 | 39.9% | 36.2% to 42.1% |
| Brandin Knight | Pittsburgh 00-03 | 39.9% | 36.7% to 42.7% |
NOTE: Tinsley was a junior-college recruit.