Sam Hauser Sits at #2 Nationally in 3FG%
Markus Howard of Marquette was awarded an NCAA statistical plaque for having the nation’s best three-point field goal shooting percentage in 2016-17. His teammate Sam Hauser is currently second in the nation for the 2017-18 award, but two non-NCAA teams may keep him away from the hardware.
Some rules related to the honor are fairly simple: you must make at least 2.5 three-point field goals per game and play in at least 75% of your team’s games. That’s why you don’t see Michigan State’s Cassius Winston on the leaderboard despite his lofty 56.5% shooting from deep this season. He’s only 70/124 in his team’s 31 games (31 x 2.5 = 77.5).
Sam Hauser at 50.3% (80/159 in 28 games) sits comfortably in second place among D-I players. The Marquette sophomore trails only Connor Burchfield, a senior from William & Mary. Burchfield is shooting 52.2% (84/161 in 29 games).
However, Burchfield feasted on two non-D-I opponents. In games against Milligan College and Shenandoah University, Burchfield knocked down 8 of 10 from three-point range. The statistical plaque rules allow for both of these games to be included in his stats for purposes of the statistical honors.
If these the two non-D-I opponents did not meet certain criteria, Burchfield’s three-point percentage for the season would drop down to Sam’s mark of 50.3%.
Are there bigger things to worry about when it comes to the NCAA? Undoubtedly. But, Sam is so close, yet so far. If nothing else, it might give some folks a reason to check in on a game or two at the Colonial Athletic Association tournament this weekend.
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