Making the case for Auburn to win
When Auburn is hitting 3-pointers — firing up tons of them, making them in bunches — the Tigers are nearly unstoppable. Or so goes the narrative, which is embraced by the Tigers themselves. “We live by the three,” junior forward Danjel Purifoy said, “and we die by it.”
Except it’s not necessarily correct. Yes, Auburn shot and made more 3-pointers this season than any other team; with 445, the Tigers are within spitting distance of breaking the NCAA record set last year by Villanova (464). And sure, they see almost any 3-pointer, almost any time (every time?) as a good one (“There is no such thing as a bad three,” junior guard Jared Harper said). Without question, the long ball has been the biggest weapon all year, and especially during a 12-game winning streak.
But consider this: The Tigers beat Kentucky in the Midwest Regional final by going away from their favorite shot. They average 30 attempts and 11.4 makes. But when the long, athletic Wildcats successfully closed down the perimeter, Auburn did not force many (7 of 23). Instead, guards Bryce Brown and Harper made them pay inside the arc. Brown drove for mid-range pull-ups. Harper drove to the basket. Together, they propelled Auburn to victory.
“We’re not only a 3-point shooting team,” Brown said. “We’re a dominant 3point shooting team, but we do other things, too.”
One thing did not change. Auburn’s relentless, aggressive defense — spearheaded by Brown and Harper — sped up the Wildcats. Even when opponents aren’t turning the ball over (Auburn averages nine steals and 22 points off turnovers), the Tigers’ defense routinely denies them a comfort zone.
The task is more difficult against Virginia’s defense, which is predicated on stopping the 3-pointer while at the same time packing the middle — a nearly impossible task the Cavaliers are really, really good at accomplishing — but Auburn has shown versatility.
Auburn will play without junior forward Chuma Okeke, who suffered a torn ACL in the Sweet 16 victory against North Carolina. The Tigers managed against Kentucky in the Midwest Region final, and if there’s one area in which the roster has depth, it’s there.