Overall, the Cavalier women shot 31.1 percent on 3-pointers in 2023-24. In her final college season, Camryn Taylor shot a team-high 51.7 percent, but she attempted only 29 treys in 28 games.
Agugua-Hamilton expects the Wahoos to be more efficient from long range in 2024-25. In an intrasquad scrimmage at JPJ, the Hoos played for about 25 minutes Monday and collectively made 18 treys, Agugua-Hamilton said.
“So I think we have some kids that can light it up,” she said. “As long as we can do that with the lights on, it’ll be good, because we have players that get doubled inside, and that leaves people open [on the perimeter]. We’ve got guards that can get downhill and create for shooters.”
The UVA men shot 35.8 percent from long range in 2023-24. Of the players who attempted more than 40 treys, however, only Jacob Groves (49.9) and Isaac McKneely (44.5) shot better than 31 percent.
Even without elite shooting, Bennett’s team won 23 games and finished third in the ACC. “But it can really be a limiting factor when you can’t stretch the defense,” he said. “It is a great equalizer, because sometimes defenses are really good and it’s just about the ability to knock down shots.
“We’ve all gone against teams when they’re hot and it’s like, ‘Uh oh.’ So I think it’s really the way the game has gone. In the pro game, the college game, WNBA and Europe, it’s such a huge part of it. Teams are very few and far between that can be good without being able to at least stretch it at a few positions.”
Back for the UVA men are two proven outside shooters: McKneely and senior swingman Taine Murray, who made 18 of 40 attempts (45 percent) from 3-point range last season. Another returning player, 6-foot-6 junior Andrew Rohde, made only 28 of 109 3-point attempts last season (25.7 percent), but he’s been more accurate in practice this fall.
Newcomers in Bennett’s program include three players who should immediately make the Cavaliers more dangerous from 3-point range: freshman Ishan Sharma and transfers Elijah Saunders (San Diego State) and TJ Power (Duke). Christian Bliss, a 6-foot-4 guard who redshirted last season, figures to bolster Virginia in that area, too.
“There’s some more shooting,” Bennett said. “There’s more guys that will look for it and be a little more of a threat from 3, and we’re trying to obviously continue to adjust our offense to our personnel. And so I think for us to be good, we’re going…