Familiar settings, confidence and practice.

Those three things are important to three-point shooting, according to NIU head basketball coach Rob Judson.

The familiar setting appears to be most important for the Huskies this season, at least on paper.

At home, NIU is a perfect 6-0 and the Huskies have shot 46.2 percent from three-point range.

Away from the Convocation Center is where NIU has run into three point shooting trouble. The Huskies are 1-10 on the road, and were shooting just 28.3 percent before shooting 5-of-19 from three-point range on Tuesday.

“Three point shooting is part of it,” Judson said. “We like to play inside out. We aren’t as effective when we aren’t shooting well.”

Sophomore Todd Peterson leads the team with 111 three point attempts.

Of Peterson’s 139 shots this season, 111 have been from three point range.

Peterson shoots 35.1 percent from three-point range and 35.7 percent on two-point shots.

“I think it’s a confidence thing,” Peterson said. “We shoot out here every day. About 200 shots a day.”

Overall, NIU is shooting 34.2 percent from three-point range as a team. That number is down from 38.3 percent last year.

Departed point guard Jay Bates took only four attempts all of last season.

“There is always a disparity there,” Judson said. “This year the gap is greater than normal. We have the same guys this year as we did last year.”

Perry Smith and Paige Paulsen are the only Huskies shooting above the 38 percent mark of last season.

Smith led the team at 41.5 percent last season and leads the team this year at 40.3 percent.

Paulsen has attempted 10 and made four.

Senior Al Sewasciuk attempted 123 three-point shots last year and made 37.4 percent of those tries.

This season, Sewasciuk has attempted just 33 three-point shots and made nine.

“I think [shooting problems] are a combination of things,” Judson said. “You need to believe the ball is going in and have confidence. We tell our kids if they have an open shot to take it regardless of whether they’ve made their last five or missed their last five.”