Today’s stat is "three point production." It is…

(Three pointers made x 3) / Total Points Scored

View the season-to-date figures for this stat for every D1 team on the stats page.

Three point production is just the percentage of points scored on threes. A team’s offense that relies too much on the three tends to be more inconsistent than others. I think that this is due to two reasons:

1) Three point shooting accuracy in itself is less consistent than two point shooting accuracy and free throw production. Hot nights from the perimeter will be offset by cold nights.

2) Balance is a good thing in basketball. One dimensional teams typically don’t fare well because they are easier to defend.

(Speaking of consistency, it’s time for another installment of "Ike Diogu: Chasing History." Last night, Diogu had his worst outing of the season in an 86-82 loss to UCLA. He went 3 of 7 from the free throw line in a 15 point, nine rebound night. This extended his career-long streaks of making at least one trip to the free throw line and scoring in double figures to 75 games. The three made free throws raises his season total to 139 as he chases (what I have anointed as) the modern day single-season record of 272 held by Alonzo Mourning. If you think this blog is becoming Diogu-centric, you’d be right.)

So you want an intriguing game for this weekend, an alternative to UNC/Wake Forest or Louisville/Cincinnati? Try Boston College at West Virginia on Sunday at noon Eastern. WVU is ninth in three point production, and their amazing inconsistency was noted a couple days ago. BC is 329th out of 330 in this category. The Eagles are one of four remaining unbeatens, and if they face the Mountaineer team that beat NC State (10 of 18 on threes) they could lose by double digits. But if they face the team that lost to Marshall (3 of 19) they’ll win by double digits.