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ACC Shooting Trending Up

Shooting is rebounding, so to speak.

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NCAA Basketball: Florida State at Virginia
Dec 31, 2016; Charlottesville, VA, USA; Virginia Cavaliers guard Kyle Guy (5) gestures after making a three point field goal against the Florida State Seminoles in the first half at John Paul Jones Arena.
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Based on team shooting accuracy, anyway, it appears the level of play in the ACC this season is objectively stronger top to bottom than it’s been of late.

Back in the early days, before the 3-pointer, you might think team field goal percentage were generally higher than they are now. You know, all that working the ball inside.

Well, history says otherwise.

In fact, in the ACC’s first decade it was not unusual to have one or several teams make under 40 percent from the floor. Twice the preponderance of ACC squads (6 of 8 in 1955 and 1959) shot that poorly. Since the mid-60s, however, teams have dropped that low only four times.

Then, in six of the past seven seasons, the worst-shooting ACC teams resumed flirting with the 40 percent mark, a level of field goal fecklessness that had all but vanished for more than four decades. Six of the worst 13 field goal percentages were posted by teams since 2011. As recently as 2016 Boston College hit .409 from the floor.

This year, however, there’s been a notable uptick. The season is only half over, but the worst is not so bad. Down at the bottom in team field goal shooting, Georgia Tech is at .421 even after an execrable .340 effort (17-50) in a home loss over the weekend against Louisville.

CONVERSION AVERSION
Lowest Field Goal Pct. By ACC Team Last 50 Years
School, Season
.3870 Virginia, 1994
.3892 Maryland, 1968
.3961 Clemson, 1968
.3962 Georgia Tech 1997
.4043 Clemson, 2000
.4046 Wake Forest, 1998
.4054 Virginia Tech, 2011
.4057 Virginia Tech, 2014
.4076 Boston College, 2012
.40776 Georgia Tech, 2000
.40777 Georgia Tech, 2015
.4089 Clemson, 2015
.4095 Boston College, 2016

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