NCAA Basketball: 16 best shooters entering 2020-21 season

Despite a dip in percentages, 3-pointers remain a significant part of NCAA Basketball. Who will be the best returning shooters come 2020-21?

When the 3-point line was moved back prior to last season, there was significant speculation as to how the change would impact NCAA Basketball. We might have to wait a few more seasons before evaluating the true impact, but there were a few key statistical takeaways.

(Credit to KenPom and sports-reference for statistics) 

1. 3-point percentage across the sport fell from 34.4% to 33.3%, the lowest of any season going back to at least 1993-94 (first season in KenPom database). 

2. 3-point attempt percentage fell from 38.7% to to 37.5%. The 38.7% in 2018-19 marked an all-high, but 37.5% still tied 2017-18 for the second-highest ever. 

3. Overall offensive efficiency fell from 103.2 to 100.8. This marked a fall from the 5th-highest efficiency in the database to the lowest recorded efficiency since 2002-03. Whether this made college basketball a less appealing watch is up for debate. 

Despite the decline in 3-point percentage, several players still managed to excel beyond the arc, including Markus Howard, Jordan Ford and Payton Pritchard. But even though none of this trio will be back in college basketball next season, there are plenty of likely returning players who were lights-out from downtown as well.

Last season, there were 16 freshmen, sophomores and juniors that 1) made at least 75 threes AND 2) hit at least 40% of their 3-point attempts. From what I could tell, no seniors that are likely to return next season as graduate transfers met these criteria.

From this list, Saddiq Bey, Corey Kispert, John Petty and Stef Smith are all testing draft waters but could still return to school, with Bey regarded as the most likely to leave. Some of the 16 are more well-known than others, but college basketball fans should get to know them all.