Regarding 3-pt shooting, the splits aren't terribly skewed in wins and losses:
Wins: 157-487 (.322)
Losses: 70-245 (.286)
We actually average more 3-pt attempts in wins (25.6 / gm) than we do in losses (24.5 / gm).
We've been able to overcome poor shot selection* in many games with defense. However, when that defense isn't there we are unable to overcome the poor shot selection* we tend to lose by double digits (and its odd that sometimes we look great defensively, and other times look totally lost... that is all effort and focus).
*I'm using the term shot selection and not shooting for a reason. I think these guys are mostly all passable shooters, but they take too many bad shots.
This team has other very glaring deficiencies:
FT% (11th in conf)
Assists (10th in conf)
Turnovers (last in conf)
Personal Fouls (next to last in conf)
All in all, the 3-pt shooting is one thing but I think the reason we lose games is when we are off on the defensive side. Which, for this group, is far too often. The athleticism, length and overall talent level on defense should have rendered better results this year imo. We've only won one game all season when our opponent scored more than 70 points. That being UCLA who scored exactly 70 and we needed a huge comeback and like 9 threes from our best scorer to do it. You look at the PSU games, IU at home, Missouri game, Iowa game, and even OSU yesterday shot 54% for the game. I feel like we'd have 24, 25 wins if these guys just brought effort and focus every game.
I'm still hopeful for some positive regression with these guys' focus, effort level and readiness to play. But after nearly 30 games, I feel this is the team we have. I'm still gonna throw on my Illini gear every game day and root these guys on, but a lot of games have been downright frustrating and hard to watch. Even ones in which we have come out on top.