Fresno State needs a shooter.
Specifically, it needs a player who can consistently hit 3s.
The Bulldogs have too often this season settled for 3s, but even within their offense, they want to work inside-out and if center Greg Smith is doubled down low, dish to a shooter.
The Bulldogs have been the epitome of streaky from long range and it's costing them. The team is shooting 27.6% from 3 this season and is shooting 28.5% during conference play - when the team is supposed to be hitting its stride. Overall, this team is not a very good offensive team, as my colleague Jeff Davis pointed out in a previous blog. To illustrate: the Bulldogs rank 270th of 336 Division I teams in scoring offense with 63.8 points per game. They're ranked 292nd in FG% at 40.3% and their 3-point% (27.6%) is 279th. Their 58.4% is among the very worst in the nation: 332nd of 336 teams.
Back to 3-point shooting, this isn't a new problem for the Bulldogs. They shot 31.9% from 3 last year (ranked in the bottom third of the nation) and lost their top two 3-point shooters: Mike Ladd (39.1%, suspension and subsequent transfer) and Paul George (35.3%, NBA).
Fresno State is still playing point guard by committee in some respects - freshman Tyler Johnson is better at penetrating the zone than starter Steve Shepp - and now the Bulldogs need not just an all-around point guard but a shooter they can rely on nightly.
Forward Tim Steed has the best 3-point percentage (37.5) but has only taken 16 3s. Garrett Johnson is the team's best 3-point shooter. He connects from deep 35.8% of the time
It's time to recruit someone who can hit consistently from outside or these young guys need to hit the gym hard in the offseason and develop a stroke.
On the recruiting trail, the Bulldogs don't need to find Jesus Shuttlesworth to get this done. Utah State found Brian Green, a sub-6-foot guard (I don't care what he's listed at), playing at Salt Lake CC and scooped him up. He leads the WAC from 3 at 46.5% and, in the offseason, developed some handles so he now can be more of a threat off the dribble.
Idaho's Jeff Ledbetter is the league's second best 3-point shooter at 45.5%. He started his college career at Irvine Valley CC.
Either of those two players would make the Bulldogs a better team this season.
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