What Auburn does well

[niels_boar]

Auburn doesn't have a player in the rotation listed taller than 6' 8''.  The only SEC team that is shorter when weighted by minutes is Tennessee.  Not surprisingly, Auburn has one of the worst differentials inside the arc in SEC play.  Yet, there they are at the top of the standings and have clearly been the best team in SEC games to this point.  How have they gotten there?

On O Auburn spreads the court with good arc marksmen and excellent ball handlers.  They shoot more treys than any team in the SEC but still hit a high percentage.  The Tigers are amongst the least efficient teams in the SEC scoring inside, but they compensate by hitting the glass hard with quick athletes and getting to the line a lot, where their shooters convert at NBA-like percentages.  FTs are a key part of their O, which makes me wonder if they would fare as well in a conference that isn't the most foul prone in the nation.  I guess we will find out in the tournament. 

On D Auburn is not surprisingly pedestrian at defending inside, and they don't rebound particularly well.  However, they get steals and force TOs at amongst the highest rate in the SEC but foul a lot.  The key, though, is that they also use their quickness to shutdown perimeter scoring.  They are forcing low FG percentages from the arc.  Along with their strength on O that results in huge wins in treys, even though they typically lose deuces.  They also more than compensate for the fouling on D at the other end and usually win FTs.

What's ironic is all the comments that you read on the boards after every one of our losses: "too three dependent", "need more inside game", "need more post scoring", "we foul too much", "we need to rebound better",  "college basketball has passed system by", etc.  Basically that stereotype, whether it conforms to reality or not, is Auburn.  One problem that we have is that we haven't been particularly good at forcing TOs in SEC play even though we get called for fouls at a rate as if we do.  Sometimes I believe that we get "reputation" calls even when we aren't being especially aggressive or physical.  That gets compounded because our guards do not seek contact.  In any case, the goals of "hawgball" seem to be alive and well.  On defense at least, we just haven't done an especially good job of achieving them at times.  It makes me wonder about playing some sets with a small, speed unit.

It's also interesting to note that another donut team UF is second in the standings.  The two teams that look the most like the Warriors on O are #1 and #2 in the SEC at present.  The 3-and-D guard/wing may be in ascendency in college ball as the rules try to look more like the NBA game.  The smallish UVA team just chopped down the lottery frontline of Duke in Cameron Indoor as well.

[Atlhogfan1]

What's ironic is all the comments that you read on the boards after every one of our losses: "too three dependent", "need more inside game", "need more post scoring", "we foul too much", "we need to rebound better",  "college basketball has passed system by", etc.  Basically that stereotype, whether it conforms to reality or not, is Auburn.  One problem that we have is that we haven't been particularly good at forcing TOs in SEC play even though we get called for fouls at a rate as if we do.  Sometimes I believe that we get "reputation" calls even when we aren't being especially aggressive or physical.  That gets compounded because our guards do not seek contact.  In any case, the goals of "hawgball" seem to be alive and well.  On defense at least, we just haven't done an especially good job of achieving them at times.  It makes me wonder about playing some sets with a small, speed unit.

Ok.  When are Anderson teams going to start playing like Anderson teams consistently outside of the non conference rent a wins?  We know the system.  We know it has things it is willing to give up in exchange for emphasizing other areas like forcing turnovers.  The goals may be there but we've yet to see one of his teams play it consistently.

Yes we get reputation calls.  Has been happening since Anderson got here.  Happened in Nolan's last several seasons.  Coaches in the SEC are going to work the officials on it.