Duke vs. Auburn: 2018-19 college basketball game preview, TV schedule

Duke and Auburn will face off in the first semifinal at the 2018 Maui Invitational. Who will win this top-10 matchup and advance to the title game?

TV schedule: Tuesday, Nov. 20, 8:00 p.m. ET, ESPN
Arena: Lahaina Civic Center in Maui, HI

Both Auburn and Duke won their respective first-round matchups in the Maui Invitational on Monday to meet in this much-anticipated semifinal showdown, but they got here in different ways.

The Tigers, ranked No. 8 in the country, needed overtime to sneak past a pesky Xavier team 88-79. Star point guard Jared Harper led the way with 25 points, eight assists, and six rebounds, and also threw down one of the better dunks you’ll see this season.

Harper’s play was the story and he has been the key for Auburn all season long, averaging 17.5 points and 7.5 assists per game. He runs head coach Bruce Pearl’s patented high-octane offense, but it’s this group’s defense that has made them so tough.

Led by their press, the Tigers rank seventh in the country in turnover rate (28.1 percent of possessions).

That defense will need to be firing on all cylinders against Duke, who has the nation’s most efficient offense thanks to their four star freshmen in R.J. Barrett, Zion Williamson, Cam Reddish, and Tre Jones.

That quartet combined for 63 points in Duke’s blowout 90-64 win over San Diego State, which was punctuated by this windmill slam from Williamson.

Those freshmen have been four of the very best players in the country, specifically Barrett and Williamson, who are probably the two frontrunners for National Player of the Year at this point.

The Blue Devils present so many matchup problems for opponents because of their size, athleticism, and the way their stars complement each other (just ask Kentucky). Barrett is an elite scorer who can do a little bit of everything on the court, Jones is a great distributor and defender, Reddish is a knockdown shooter, and Williamson is a man-child who might be the most athletic player we’ve ever seen in college basketball.

They’ve been running through everyone this year – but Auburn presents a very unique test because of their press and style of play. The Tigers want to push the pace and play as fast as possible. Unfortunately for them, that plays right into Duke’s hands as their fast break is the most lethal thing in the sport.

With a team full of reliable ball-handlers, I expect the Blue Devils to have little trouble with Auburn’s press and have a field day in transition as they win this high-scoring affair.

Prediction: Duke wins 102-86