As the threes rain down, coaches still crying a river

In 1986, the three-point line was implemented nationally for men's basketball. It was meant to be a long shot, but has become a chip shot.

Now, many want to see its original intention returned.

Cornell coach Steve Donahue would like to see the three-point line moved back when all of the men's basketball coaches meet in Atlanta for the Final Four this weekend.

"In general I agree with some adjustment with the three-point line," he said. "It was really close two years ago, almost to the point that we all approved it, and then all of a sudden everyone couldn't agree on it, and they dropped it."

When the line was first instituted, only a few sharpshooters, mainly guards, attempted threes, but now almost everyone on the court will launch from the 19-foot-9-inch line.

In the 1987 National Championship game - the first with the three-point line - Indiana and Syracuse combined for 21 attempts from downtown with only four players shooting. In the 2005 title game, Illinois alone attempted 40 threes, making 12 in the loss.

This year, Division I basketball teams hit 6.4 threes per game on 18.4 attempts compared to 3.5 on 9.2 attempts 20 years ago.

Many other coaches have expressed a desire for a change - to move it back at least to the international distance of 20-feet 6-inches. The coaches will also discuss widening the lane a foot on each side, something Donahue isn't in favor of but would be willing to try.

Penn basketball coach Glen Miller did not wish to comment, but Donahue believes a deeper three-pointer would benefit the entire Ivy League.

The former Penn assistant also agrees that the three (which is four feet shorter than NBA range at the top of the key and 2-feet 3-inches shorter on the baseline) is too easy.

"I think it's in the flow of the offense almost, it's not like you should even think about it," Donahue said. "I think if we step that back it eliminates maybe the kid who happens to be there, but [with the change] it's the guy who actually has the ability to make it with the range out there."

The Ivy League is a conference traditionally known for its outside shooting, so this might not be as big of an adjustment.

The line was implemented in Penn assistant Perry Bromwell's senior year. The shot "was like a layup" to him, he said, and he shot over 50 percent that year.

When Cornell faced Syracuse two years ago in an exempt tournament - an event where new rules can be tried out - the three-point line was moved back nine inches. In the 82-69 loss, the Big Red didn't miss a beat, hitting 15-for-24 from downtown, while holding the Orange to only 4-of-13.

Orange coach Jim Boeheim is a supporter of moving the line back. It was his team who lost by one point to Indiana in the '87 Championship game, when the Hoosiers hit seven of 11 threes.

And while one Big East coach dislikes the line, Donahue feels much of his competition may come from the other major conference coaches.

"All concerns came out [because] higher level guys feel that it's an advantage for the lower-major teams that don't get the athletes but get the skilled kids," Donahue said. "But it's so much talked-about I would just love to try it for a year and see what we think."

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