Auburn Basketball: 2018-19 keys to beating Kentucky at home

LAHAINA, HI - NOVEMBER 21: Bryce Brown #2 and Malik Dunbar #4 of the Auburn Tigers flex after Brown scored during the second half of the game against the Arizona Wildcats at the Lahaina Civic Center on November 21, 2018 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images) /

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SAN DIEGO, CA – MARCH 16: Jared Harper #1 of the Auburn Tigers battles for possession of the ball against Cameron Johnson #12 of the Charleston Cougars in the second half in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Viejas Arena on March 16, 2018 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

1. Force Kentucky into making mistakes

One big key for Auburn in this one will be their ability to turn the Wildcats over. Kentucky has been vulnerable to turning the ball over this season, averaging 13.6 per game which ranks 7th in the SEC and 200th in the country. In their first four league games that turnover number has gone from 13.6 to 13.0, not much improvement.

When it comes to turnovers, Auburn is among the cream of the crop in the sport, like Kentucky, they commit 13 per game, but on the defensive end, the Tigers are relentless. They force 19.94 per game, which is tops in the SEC by nearly four per game and 3rd in the nation. Because of those numbers, their turnover margin of 6.6 is bested only by Florida International and their 10 steals per game is also top-5 in the sport.

Auburn has seven players on the roster that are averaging at least one steal per game, led by junior forward Chuma Okeke and junior guard Samir Doughty who average 1.8 and 1.5 thefts per game respectively. If Auburn can exploit their advantage as an elite team when it comes to forcing turnovers, it will not only limit the Wildcats’ possessions but give Auburn the chance to score in transition.

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