SAN DIEGO — Bryce Hopkins, 3-point sniper?
All of a sudden, the senior ahead is lighting it up from distance.
On Sunday, he set a St. John’s NCAA Match report with six 3-pointers in 9 tries because the fifth-seeded Johnnies superior to the Candy 16 with a pulsating 67-65 victory over No. 4 Kansas at Viejas Area.
“I needed to come back right here to play significant basketball and have an opportunity to make an enormous run in March,” Hopkins stated. “We’re undoubtedly doing it.”
Hopkins’ success from lengthy vary has been a current boon. He has hit a number of 3-pointers in three straight video games after failing to take action in consecutive video games all season. His earlier profession excessive for made 3s in a recreation was three.
“He handed up three wide-open ones. I stated, ‘Man, all people desires of getting scorching such as you. You’ve acquired to take them,’ ” coach Rick Pitino stated. “He lastly stated, ‘I gotcha, Coach.’ And proper in entrance of our bench, I stated, ‘Kill it, Hop.’ And he did it. And that was an enormous play for us.”
Pitino was referring to a Hopkins 3-pointer with 1:29 remaining that pushed a one-point result in 4.
Hopkins has been terrific of late, averaging 14.5 factors and seven.5 rebounds prior to now six video games.
He’s additionally capturing a blistering 57.8 p.c from 3-point vary.
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Now, he’s within the Candy 16 for the primary time.
“I really feel like I’m a great shooter. I apply daily. It’s a matter of me being assured,” Hopkins stated. “My guys give me confidence. It fell tonight. It feels actually good to be going to the Candy 16.”
Hopkins and St. John’s have hit 21 3-pointers in two NCAA Match video games, a key to the Purple Storm advancing to the second weekend for the primary time since 1999.
That’s their most 3s in consecutive video games this season.
“We shoot a number of 3s. We apply. It’s a matter of men being assured and taking them,” Hopkins stated. “They fell tonight within the largest second of most of our careers.”
Now, the Purple Storm will play their subsequent recreation at Capital One Area, the place they hit a season-high 15 3-pointers in a win over Georgetown on Dec. 31.
“Hopefully, we are able to come again and make one other 15 3s once we go there,” Hopkins stated.
