Note #012: Eian Elmer (Three-Year Shooting Show)
Former Miami (OH) basketball player Eian Elmer, who helped lead the school to an undefeated regular season in 2025-26, entered the transfer portal following the RedHawks historic year and will play for Wisconsin in 2026-27.
Elmer's high and generally consistent 3PT% and FG% across his three collegiate seasons stood out to me, especially on increasing shooting volume.
Eian Elmer Shooting Stats
Freshman (2023-24) - 25/62 from 3 (40.3 3PT%), 86-164 overall (52.4 FG%)
Sophomore (2024-25) - 58/145 from 3 (40.0 3PT%), 134-283 overall (47.3 FG%)
Junior (2025-26) - 72/168 from 3 (42.9 3PT%), 142-285 overall (49.8 FG%)
Since 1980-81:
# of NCAA Division I men's players, as freshmen, to shoot: at least 40% from 3 on 60+ 3PA and at least 52% on 160+ FGA: 22
# of NCAA Division I men's players, as sophomores, to shoot: at least 40% from 3 on 145+ 3PA and at least 47% on 280+ FGA: 82
# of NCAA Division I men's players, as juniors, to shoot: at least 42.5% from 3 on 165+ 3PA and at least 49.5% on 285+ FGA: 28
Only a select few each season hit Elmer's rare shooting baselines. But no one met his benchmarks all three years.
Mike Daum, South Dakota State legend and 3x Summit League Player of the Year, was the only player who met both Elmer's freshman and sophomore year thresholds. He didn't qualify for Elmer's junior season numbers, but he only missed on FG% (46.5) while taking 591 FGA compared to Elmer's 285.
James Harden - in his 2008-09 sophomore season he cleared all of Elmer's sophomore shooting criteria except 3PT% (35.6, both players hit 58 threes but Elmer did it on 15 less attempts). Harden declared for the 2009 NBA Draft after that year and was selected 3rd overall.
Doug McDermott - in his 2011-12 sophomore campaign he met all of Elmer's sophomore shooting criteria except 3PA (111, but shot a blistering 48.6% from 3), and in his 2012-13 junior year, he met all of Elmer's junior shooting thresholds except 3PA again (157 (almost qualified), + he scorched the nets again with a 49.0 3PT%).
Lonzo Ball (Note #013 on Nikolas Khamenia), Tony Bennett (Note #010 on Alex Wilkins' monster 2025-26 freshman season) and John Konchar (Note #007 on Isaac Celiscar's efficient sophomore year) also met Elmer's criteria as freshmen.
Statistics via Sports Reference
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