Most of Colorado’s long-range shooters have hit a midseason lull. Barrington Hargress has been an obvious exception.
Hargress has fit the bill exactly as expected in terms of his play-making ability, turning the CU men’s basketball team from the most turnover-prone squad in the Big 12 to one that ranks fifth in conference games in assist-to-turnover rate going into Saturday’s home date against Oklahoma State (1:30 p.m., TNT/truTV).
Hargress led the Big West Conference in total points last year at UC Riverside, yet he did the bulk of his damage with mid-range jumpers and drives to the rim. Three-point shooting was never in Hargress’ wheelhouse, but that has changed during his first season with the Buffs, as he leads the team with a .500 mark.
“Really, it’s just the constant work,” Hargress said. “The stuff I work on here, it’s a direct mirror to what I get in the game. And also the quality of shots my teammates get for me. When you put that together, and then the fact I’m not trying to force anything and I’m trying to just take the best shots possible, I feel like I’m a good shooter and I feel like I’ll shoot a good percentage as long as I’m taking great shots.”
With freshman Isaiah Johnson trying to work his way out of his first long-range mini-slump (Johnson is 6-for-26 on 3-pointers in the past four games), Hargress has arguably been the Buffs’ most consistent 3-point shooter throughout the season.
Hargress shot just .329 on 3-pointers last year at UC Riverside, and he posted a .323 3-point mark in 68 games over two seasons with the Highlanders. However, he’s been steady for the Buffs since the season tipped off.
Hargress didn’t shoot worse than 1-for-3 on 3-pointers through the first 15 games of the season. He has picked his spots shrewdly for a player who carried the load offensively for his team a year ago, averaging 10 shot attempts per game after launching 16.7 per game last year at UC Riverside.
“I credit his mental toughness. I credit his physical toughness. I credit his, obviously, getting in the gym this offseason. And before practice and after practice and working on it,” CU head coach Tad Boyle said. “And taking great shots. And that’s what Barrington has done. He’s taken great shots. He’s been extremely efficient, extremely consistent, for this team. We’re coming up on 30 games. For him to do that over a 28, 29, 30-game schedule is pretty impressive. Especially coming up a level from where he was.
“He’s s competitive guy and he brings a lot to this team.”
After going 4-for-6 on 3-pointers during last week’s overtime loss at BYU, Hargress’ season 3-point percentage improved to an even 50% (40-for-80). Collectively, the Buffs have struggled lately from long range, with the non-Hargress players going 5-for-26 at BYU. That left CU with a .266 3-point mark (21-for-79) in the past three games, but Oklahoma State ranks 15th in the 16-team Big 12 with a .375 defensive 3-point percentage in league games.
“It’s not a big change for me, because it’s kind of what I wanted for myself. I didn’t want to be in that role of constantly having to carry the offense as far as scoring,” Hargress said. “Just having good teammates around me allows me to be more efficient and pick and choose when I take those shots and when I’m being more effective in the game.”
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