Auburn vs. North Carolina: Key storylines in the Sweet 16 matchup

CHAPEL HILL, NC - FEBRUARY 09: Head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels reacts in the second half of their game against the Miami Hurricanes at Dean Smith Center on February 9, 2019 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. UNC won 88-85 in OT. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images) /

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NASHVILLE, TN – FEBRUARY 16: Bryce Brown #2 of the Auburn Tigers reacts with teammate Malik Dunbar #4 after sinking a basket during the second half of a 64-53 victory over the Vanderbilt Commodores at Memorial Gym on February 16, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images) /

1. The offensive abilities of these teams

So far in this tournament, we’ve seen a range of different games, in terms of the number of points scored. This one looks destined to be a high scorer from the off. UNC’s offense has managed 86.0 PPG on the year, while Auburn’s tally is 79.8. These numbers are extremely inflated and signify the abilities of these two offensive teams. It’s going to be very exciting seeing them go head to head.

In terms of points scored, Auburn’s offense ranks No. 33 in all of Division I, while UNC ranks No. 3, overall. Auburn’s defensive game has been partially stronger, as a whole, but these numbers should make for an entertaining display.

UNC’s transition into offense will be the most impressive thing to keep an eye on. This was shown perfectly in their second-round win over Washington, where they were able to score so efficiently. UNC shot 50.8% against the Huskies, with 42.9% from beyond the arc – something, if managed again, would be hard to counter if you were Auburn or any other team for that matter.

When UNC get into their groove, there’s no stopping them. With their transition game’s ability, it’s going to be a tough task for Auburn to keep up a solid counter performance for the whole of regulation. There’s no doubt that the Tigers are talented enough to make a real run at the Tar Heels, as they are good offensively, and can play at a high tempo, but it’s going to be hard keeping it up for the entirety of this matchup.

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