The 3-point shot can be a game changer, rally starter or even a nail in the coffin.
 
But for LSU, the outside shot has yet to yield any favorable results.
In Southeastern Conference play, the Tigers are shooting 20.5 percent — dead last in the conference.
 
LSU has made just 15 shots from beyond the arc in its four conference games this season. Only Alabama has made fewer, with 14.
 
“Offensively, our problem is when we get open looks, so many players on this team aren’t scorers, per se, they’re role players,” said LSU coach Trent Johnson. “As much as we work on it in the spring [and] as much as we work on it in the summer, when they sag off of you, you’ve got to shoot this with confidence. And therein lies the problem: confidence.”
 
The lack of production from downtown has been a contributing factor to LSU ranking in the cellar of the SEC’s total offense rankings, as well.
 
The woes began to hit hard when freshman guard Ralston Turner went down with a foot injury. Before his injury, Turner was shooting nearly 35 percent from outside, having hit 34-of -98 shots.
 
Johnson said Turner, who has not played in a conference game, might see his first conference action on Saturday when the Tigers travel to Alabama.
“Ralston can definitely spread a defense because of his shot,” said freshman guard Andre Stringer. “He can shoot it, so having him back is another great weapon we have. He’s a great player, and we can’t wait to have him back.”
 
In LSU’s previous game against Ole Miss, the Tigers caught fire early as freshman forward Matt Derenbecker connected from long range on his first two attempts. The team even started out 4-of-5 from distance.
 
But Derenbecker missed his final four attempts and finished 2-for-6 and the team clocked out at 6-for-17 for the game.
 
Derenbecker gave Ole Miss credit for shutting him down late, saying a switch in defensive philosophy caused some troubles.
 
“They switched from guards,” Derenbecker said. “They threw Dundrecous Nelson at me at first, they switched to [Zach] Graham, who is a 6-6, 6-7 player. When they did that, they had more length.”
 
Another reason Derenbecker believes SEC teams have been able to corral the Tigers outside shooting has been a shift from majority zone defense to more man-to-man.
 
That switch, combined with a lack of execution on screens, has given the LSU offense fits.
 
“We need to set better screens,” Derenbecker said. “Coach has stressed to us, when you set a good screen, you’re open as a result of that.”
 
Johnson has taken on the duty of making sure his players get those chances as often as possible.
 
“The bottom line is, it’s our responsibility and my responsibility as a coach to put kids and put players in situations to have open shots,” Johnson said.
 
For the Tigers to gain that much-needed confidence necessary to become a feared foe from 3-point land, they’re going back to the old adage that practice makes perfect.
 
“Coach says, ‘Each individual player needs to get in there and practice more on their own and take time to shoot,'” Stringer said. “The gym is open for us, and I just think we haven’t been in the gym enough individually. And that’s on us.”
 
But following Saturday’s 78-51 loss to Ole Miss, the perimeter shooters decided enough was enough and held their own private shootaround in hopes of helping the team’s shooting percentage — and as a result, its winning percentage.
 
“We came in [Sunday] and shot for about an hour, and we all came in and made some shots,” Derenbecker said. “We’re trying to get people to come in before practice. The coaches are really stressing that, and we all know that’s what we need to do.”
 
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Contact Rob Landry at
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