List of NCAA Division I men's basketball season 3-point field goal leaders

A three-point field goal (also known as a "three-pointer" or "3-pointer") is a field goal in a basketball game, made from beyond the three-point line, a designated arc radiating from the basket. A successful attempt is worth three points, in contrast to the two points awarded for shots made inside the three point line. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) keeps records of the Division I 3-point field makes per game (3PG) average annual leaders. The statistic was first recognized in the 1986–87 season when 3-point field goals were officially instituted by the NCAA.[1] From the 1986–87 season through the 2007–08 season, the three-point perimeter was marked at 19 ft 9 in (6.02 m) for both men's and women's college basketball.[2] On May 3, 2007, the NCAA men's basketball rules committee passed a measure to extend the distance of the men's three-point line back to 20 ft 9 in (6.32 m), while the women's line would remain the same.[2]

Darrin Fitzgerald of Butler owns the all-time NCAA single-season record of 3-pointers made per game (5.64) which he accomplished in 1986–87.[1] His 158 three-pointers made that season is also the second highest total in history behind Stephen Curry's 162 in 2007–08.[1][3] Some players—such as prolific scorers Darrell Floyd, Pete Maravich and Austin Carr—who competed prior to the 1986–87 season may have scored more baskets from what would have been 3-point territory if the rule had been in place during their college careers.[2] Although Duke's J. J. Redick is the career leader in 3-point shots made (457) he never led the country in 3PG.[4] The player with the highest 3PG average over the span of his entire career (with a minimum of 200 made threes) is Mississippi Valley's Timothy Pollard, who made 4.57 per game over four years.[1]

There have been four repeat-winners in Division I history: Timothy Pollard (1988, 1989), Brian Merriweather (1999, 2000), Terrence Woods (2003, 2004) and David Holston (2008, 2009). No player has ever led the nation in 3PG for three seasons, however. Additionally, only one sophomore (Merriweather) has led the NCAA in 3PG, and no freshman has performed the feat.

Key

Pos. G F C 3PG
Position Guard Forward Center 3-pointers per game
Class (Cl.) key
Fr Freshman So Sophomore Jr Junior Sr Senior
Player (X) Denotes the number of times the player had been the
3-point leader up to and including that season

3-point field goals per game leaders

Season Player Pos. Cl. Team Games
played		 3-point
field goals		 3PG
1986–87 Fitzgerald, DarrinDarrin Fitzgerald G Sr Butler 28 158 5.64
1987–88 Pollard, TimothyTimothy Pollard G Jr Mississippi Valley State 28 132 4.71
1988–89 Pollard, TimothyTimothy Pollard (2) G Sr Mississippi Valley State 28 124 4.43
1989–90 Jamerson, DaveDave Jamerson G Sr Ohio 28 131 4.68
1990–91 Phills, BobbyBobby Phills G Sr Southern U. 28 123 4.39
1991–92 Day, DougDoug Day G Jr Radford 29 117 4.03
1992–93 Haslett, BernardBernard Haslett G Jr Southern Miss 26 109 4.19
1993–94 Brown, ChrisChris Brown G Jr UC Irvine 26 122 4.69
1994–95 Taylor, MitchMitch Taylor G Jr Southern U. 25 109 4.36
1995–96 Young, DominickDominick Young G Jr Fresno State 29 120 4.14
1996–97 Fourche, WilliamWilliam Fourche G Sr Southern U. 27 122 4.52
1997–98 Staples, CurtisCurtis Staples G Sr Virginia 30 130 4.33
1998–99 Merriweather, BrianBrian Merriweather G So Texas–Pan American 27 110 4.07
1999–00 Merriweather, BrianBrian Merriweather (2) G Jr Texas–Pan American 28 114 4.07
2000–01 Jefferson, DewayneDewayne Jefferson G Sr Mississippi Valley State 27 107 3.96
2001–02 Doliboa, CainCain Doliboa G Sr Wright State 28 104 3.71
2002–03 Woods, TerrenceTerrence Woods G Jr Florida A&M 28 139 4.96
2003–04 Woods, TerrenceTerrence Woods (2) G Sr Florida A&M 31 140 4.52
2004–05 Plavich, BrendanBrendan Plavich G Sr Charlotte 29 114 3.93
2005–06 Collins, AndreAndre Collins G Sr Loyola (MD) 28 118 4.21
2006–07 Sir, StephenStephen Sir G Sr Northern Arizona 30 124 4.13
2007–08 Holston, DavidDavid Holston G Jr Chicago State 28 130 4.64
2008–09 Holston, DavidDavid Holston (2) G Sr Chicago State 32 147 4.59
2009–10 Harman, RobbieRobbie Harman G Sr Central Michigan 30 105 3.50
2010–11 Foster, KevinKevin Foster G Jr Santa Clara 38 140 3.68

All 3-point field goals per game (3PG) leaders through the 2009–10 season are according to the official 2010–11 NCAA Men's Basketball Media Guide.[1]

References

General
Specific
  1. ^ a b c d e "2010–11 NCAA Men's Basketball Records" (PDF). 2010–11 NCAA Men's Basketball Media Guide. National Collegiate Athletic Association. 2009. http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/stats/m_basketball_RB/2011/D1.pdf. Retrieved 20 November 2010. 
  2. ^ a b c Katz, Andy (3 May 2007). "Committee extends men's 3-point line to 20-9". ESPN. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2859065. Retrieved 28 May 2010. 
  3. ^ "Darrin Fitzgerald". Butler University Athletic Hall of Fame. Butler University. http://www.butlersports.com/genrel/mtt/fitzgerald_darrin00.html. Retrieved 28 May 2010. 
  4. ^ "J. J. Redick bio". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc.. 2010. http://www.nba.com/playerfile/jj_redick/bio.html. Retrieved 28 May 2010. 
NCAA Division I men's basketball statistical leaders
Career
Season
Points • Rebounds • Assists • Steals • Blocks • Three-point field goals
Game