Auburn Basketball: Keys for Tigers to beat Kentucky in Elite Eight

By Dakota Cox | Mar 30, 2019

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - MARCH 29: Bryce Brown #2 of the Auburn Tigers celebrates against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the 2019 NCAA Basketball Tournament Midwest Regional at Sprint Center on March 29, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

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NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – MARCH 17: Jared Harper #1 of the Auburn Tigers dribbles the ball during the 84-64 win against the Tennessee Volunteers during the final of the SEC Basketball Championships at Bridgestone Arena on March 17, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

2. Auburn has to dictate the pace of the game

Part of what makes Auburn so successful is the fact that they are able to push the tempo in any game. They have a deep rotation, and all of their guys love to run the floor.

When the Tigers get a steal or rebound, they immediately look for outlets to score in transition. It’s what makes them so good at scoring so fast. Teams simply can’t run with them for 40 minutes. North Carolina tried, but they failed.

Kentucky can play fast if they have to, but I’m sure they would prefer to slow it down against this Auburn team. They thrive on tempo. Kentucky should try their best to keep the score low by working into the shot clock.

For Auburn, they are going to have to dictate the pace. They need to have quick-fire plays and push the tempo. If they can get Kentucky tired, they will have the upper hand. They usually run seven players with quality minutes. With PJ Washington already limited, this becomes even easier for the Tigers. Auburn can run up to nine players if they decide to.

Also, Kentucky has a tendency to foul. If the game speeds up, they are more likely to commit a few silly fouls. Putting just one or two players in foul trouble for the Wildcats would be a huge advantage for Auburn.

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