Wichita State’s Shamet, SMU’s Emelogu among best from three

Wichita State’s Landry Shamet and SMU’s Ben Emelogu are among the best in the country from 3-point range.

Evan Pflugradt, Opinion Editor|January 17, 2018

Wichita State guard Austin Reaves and Landry Shamet guard Arkansas State guard Deven Simms during the second half in Koch arena

Wichita State point guard Landry Shamet’s team-leading 52.3 percent three-point shot percentage — good for No. 11 in the country, will be met with the nation’s leading three-point shooter Wednesday against Southern Methodist.

Ben Emelogu, a 6-foot-5 senior guard, leads the country in three-point shot percentage (minimum two shots per game) with 58.9 percent. Emelogu has 43 makes on 73 attempts this season.

His ability to hit from deep this season is an outlier. Emelogu transferred from Virginia Tech after one season, and in two seasons with SMU, he’s averaged below 30 percent from three-point range in all seasons but his senior year.

Emelogu averages 10 points per game in 31 minutes per game. He scored a season high 20 points against then-No. 2 Arizona in the Mustang’s win in the Battle 4 Atlantis.

WSU’s Shamet and sophomore Austin Reaves each average above 45 percent from three this season, good for No. 2 and No. 4 in the American, respectively. Shamet has 46 makes — the most of any player in the conference — this season.