Through three contests, teams have had a field day behind the arc against Western Kentucky.

On top of other issues on defense, the most glaring for the Lady Toppers against ranked Louisville, Iowa and Oklahoma has been defending the 3-point line.

WKU has given up double-digit 3-pointers in each game while opponents have combined to shoot 55 percent from the field for an average of 98.7 points per game.

Greg Collins knows WKU’s 0-3 record – the school’s worst start since 2011 – has come against two teams ranked in the Associated Press top 15 and another Power 5 opponent. Even at the hands of that challenge, the first-year coach sees the offense progressing ahead of the defense.

“We’ve got kids that like playing offense, and defense is something they have to work harder at,” Collins said after WKU’s 104-67 loss to No. 13 Iowa on Tuesday. “It’s not just fundamental, it’s an understanding of spacing and rotations. Right now, our man defense, we’re not able to be where we need to be. That’s why we’re able to play a lot of zone because of our man. … There’s things we have to get better at with kids who haven’t played.”

Whitney Creech and Raneem Elgedawy are the only two returning starters from the 2017-18 Lady Toppers. Everyone else is adjusting to defend against stiff competition, especially when it comes to tight spacing against shooters.

Iowa was hot from the jump Tuesday night at E.A. Diddle Arena. The Hawkeyes started the first half making 7-of-11 3-point attempts and finished 13-of-28 from behind the arc for a 46.4 percent clip. Mackenzie Meyer had five of those long-range shots that helped Iowa shoot 68.9 percent from the floor.

In the season opener last week, Louisville shot 16-of-34 from 3-point range, led by seven triples from Asia Durr. Even in WKU’s closest of the three losses – a seven-point defeat at Oklahoma last Friday – the Lady Toppers allowed 14 3-pointers.

All in all, WKU has allowed teams to shoot 45.2 percent on 3-point attempts.

“We’re stopping short at the shooters,” Creech said. “We think we’re there and we’re really not. We need to make them close out and put the ball on the floor instead of giving them enough space to get the shot off. That’s the biggest emphasis in practice and I’m sure we’ll have it in the next few practices, getting out to shooters and turning them into drivers.”

At least against Iowa, WKU had reason to be timid of stretching too far from the basket against All-American center Megan Gustafson, who shot a perfect 13-for-13 from the field for 29 points.

In two games through two seasons playing Iowa, the 6-foot-3 Gustafson averaged 32 points and 14.5 rebounds against WKU. The added attention to one of the nation’s best post players drew attention off the perimeter, Collins said, and not enough pressure was added to Iowa’s lethal guards.

Collins said it’s just a part of the defense the team is adjusting to due to inexperience. Last season’s WKU squad allowed double-digit 3-pointers in just four games.

“It’s not just a skill we’re teaching that they’re learning, it’s a mindset about they’re afraid they’re going to get beat off the dribble,” Collins said. “They’re stopping before they get to the 3-point shooter and the shooter is still taking the shot. When you play high-level teams, they’re looking for less space than maybe you’re used to against other teams we might play. You’ve got to take all that space up.

“You’ve got to trust your teammates behind you. That’s something we’re working on. Like everything, there’s a little slippage between practice and games and we’re working on it.”