No. 3 Richard Keene
It is extremely rare when you get someone who not only shows they can have a great season shooting from three-point range but when they can do it year after year.
Richard Keene was one of those special shooters. He came into the Illinois basketball program and put on a shooting display from day one. As a freshman, Keene attempted 4.5 three-point shots per game and shot 39.3% from distance.
In all four years Keene was in Champaign, he attempted at least 4.0 three-pointers per game each season. His shooting numbers didn’t drop that much either. His worst season was as a junior when he shot 36.4% from beyond the three-point arc.
For his career, Keene averaged 5.1 three-point attempts per game and hit them at a clip of 38.4%. Those numbers alone are special.
Keene’s four seasons all rank inside the top 50 in three-point percentage when it comes to every Illinois player who has ever shot 3.0 three-point attempts per game in a season. He is one of only two players who can claim that status in the history of the Illinois program.
Only 19 times has there been a season where a player has attempted at least 5.0 three-point shots and shot at least 37.0% from three-point range. Keene holds one of those spots.
The thing that bumps Keene up over the top is his consistency and longevity. It is not easy to shoot that well season after season. You would think there would be a down year, but that didn’t end up being the case. He was a great shooter for the Illinois basketball program.