University of Miami guard Riquna Williams was unstoppable last week from three-point range.

Williams made 8 of 14 three-pointers in a win over fifth-ranked Maryland, making it easy to forget the rule change instituted by the NCAA before this season. The three-point line was moved back one foot, making the 20-feet, 9-inch distance equal to what is used in men’s basketball.

Last season in Division I women’s basketball, the national averages for three-pointers made (5.27) and attempted (16.6) were the highest since the shot made its debut in the 1987-88 season. This season, the averages are down to 4.9 and 16.0. Three-point shooting percentages are also down, from 31.7 to 30.6.

The trend is also true among Division II teams, where the three-point shooting percentage is down from 31.6 to 30.8.

Locally, of the four Division I and Division II teams in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, all of them are holding their opponents to lower percentages on three-pointers.

Nova Southeastern has made the biggest improvement, limiting opponents to a .263 percentage after being at .351 last season. FIU has gone from .343 to .277; Barry from .367 to .331 and Miami from .296 to .278. Offensively, Barry has dipped from .325 to .270, FIU from .304 to .271 and Nova from .298 to .291.

Only Miami has improved its marksmanship, going from .304 to .323. For the Canes, the fact that they returned every player from last season’s talented team trumped the deeper three-point line.

UM’s top three-point shooters — Williams (from .298 to .355), Stefanie Yderstrom (from .308 to .354) and Shenise Johnson (from .349 to .318) — are all having success with the new line. Only Johnson’s numbers are down, and that’s the result of a recent slump.

Perhaps the lesson here is that good shooters will adjust. FIU star Jerica Coley, for example, has improved from .248 to .329 on her three-pointers.

Debbie Antonelli, who covers college basketball for ESPN, said the new distance has changed how the game is played in front of the three-point line.

“Defenders have to stretch out a bit more to guard perimeter shooters, which has created better driving lanes,” Antonelli said. “Post players also have more room, and defenders have to go further to double team. It has opened the floor, which is great for the game.”

FIU

Men’s basketball coach Isiah Thomas was born in Chicago, went to college at Indiana, played pro ball in Detroit and was an NBA executive for New York — and his FIU team reflects those areas. Joey De La Rosa was born in the Bronx, N.Y.; Dominique Ferguson is from Indiana; and DeJuan Wright, Jeremy Allen and Cameron Bell call the Detroit area home. Chicago? Milton Doyle, a 6-4 shooting guard, has signed to play for FIU this fall.

Broward College

Men’s basketball standout Craig Brown (21.5) leads the state’s junior colleges in scoring. Brown is a 6-6, 220-pound freshman forward from North Miami Beach High.

Nova Southeastern

Sharks men’s basketball players have won Sunshine State Player of the Week honors in consecutive weeks — first senior guard Teddy Tassy and then junior forward Iran Hollis.