The shot looks odd, but the ball falls through the net. That’s good enough for LSU junior guard Keith Hornsby. 
“If it’s not broke, don’t fix it,” Hornsby said. 
Each shot is a carbon copy of the last. Hornsby squares up to the basket, sets his feet and cocks the ball to his right before firing away. While it seems the extra movement would slow his release, Hornsby’s quick trigger makes up for lost time. 
But Hornsby’s unorthodox shot isn’t what’s drawn attention to the UNC-Asheville transfer. After sitting out last season due to NCAA transfer rules, Hornsby has gone from unknown commodity to one of the Tigers’ most dependable players. 
Whether it’s been his scoring, his defense, his basketball IQ or flat-out hustle, Hornsby does whatever his team needs and always tries to prove he’s more than just a shooting threat. 
“I feel like I bring too much to the table to just be one-dimensional out there,” Hornsby said. “If I’m not getting as many offensive opportunities, there are many ways I can still affect the game, whether it be through assists, rebounds, steals and not turning the ball over.” 
Though Hornsby strives to be a two-way player, his odd-looking shooting stroke was the first thing his teammates noticed. 
“It was so crazy when we saw [Hornsby] first shoot the ball,” said LSU sophomore guard Tim Quarterman. “We were like, ‘How does he shoot it so quick if he shoots like that?’” 
But Quarterman, a capable 3-point option in his own right, knows a good shooter when he sees one. 
“It’s a real good shot for him because it stays the same,” Quarterman said. “It’s consistent. It never changes. It might not look good, but it goes in, and as long as it goes in, nobody says nothing.” 
Though Hornsby’s shot looks the same now, it’s different from the one he had at his previous stop. 
During his two seasons at UNC-Asheville, the right-handed shooter cocked the ball to his left before bringing it back to the right, slowing his release. Hornsby said he changed to his current motion during his last season with the Bulldogs in 2012-13, but he’s still been asked about it more times than he can count. 
“When I was at UNC-Asheville, [my shot] was almost worse,” Hornsby said. “But nobody said anything to me. Ever since I’ve been [at LSU], people have been asking me a lot of questions about it.”
What hasn’t been questioned is Hornsby’s tireless work ethic. While he was ineligible, Hornsby cemented his hard-working reputation during the Tigers’ practices, which he said he treated as games. 
Quarterman admittedly chuckled the first time he saw his teammate hoist a trey. However, he remembers Hornsby’s unyielding aggression in those practices more than his awkward-looking shot. 
“I don’t think people know how much he works,” Quarterman said. “When he was out [last year], he worked probably the hardest I’ve ever seen a player work just because he couldn’t play. He came into this year wanting to prove to everyone how much he wanted it.”
Hornsby has continuously backed up Quarterman’s claim this season in a multitude of ways. 
Against Ole Miss, Hornsby locked down junior guard Stefan Moody and forced the streaky shooter into a 2-for-9 mark from 3-point land. On the road at UAB, Hornsby notched a career-high 24 points to make up for the absence of LSU junior guard Josh Gray, who sat out with an ankle injury. 
In the Tigers’ double-overtime win against Georgia, Hornsby overcame a six-point night by grabbing six boards, two steals and making two clutch free throws near the game’s conclusion. Even in LSU’s overtime loss to Missouri, Hornsby drained the 3-pointer to tie the game at the end of regulation. 
“[Hornsby’s] been everything we expected of him and even more because he’s been a tremendous team player,” said LSU coach Johnny Jones. 
Hornsby is LSU’s third-leading scorer at 12.4 points per game and has a team-high 36 3-pointers on 38 percent shooting. 
Those numbers rise on the road. Hornsby leads the Tigers in scoring outside of the PMAC with 17.5 points per game and has connected on 52 percent (16 of 31) of his 3-pointers. Behind Hornsby, the Tigers have embarked on their first 5-1 road start in 24 seasons. 
LSU sophomore forward Jarell Martin said it helps having a guy who can score points late in close games on the road. 
“We’ve got a great shooter like Keith Hornsby to knock down some big shots when we need it,” Martin said. “The teammates believe in him, and the coaching staff believes in him. We draw up plays for him down the stretch, and that’s real big when you have a guy like him.”
No matter the venue, Hornsby is always ready to take the shot.    
“That’s what you live for, those opportunities,” Hornsby said.