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

Kentucky Basketball and Auburn will clash Sunday afternoon for the third time this season. This time, the stakes are as high as ever, as a shot at the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament is on the line

Kentucky Basketball has already beaten Auburn this year twice already in SEC play. In the first matchup, Bryce Brown caught fire in the second half and led the Tigers to a 17-point comeback where they even took the lead in the final moments – only to wind up losing by one. The second go-round in Rupp Arena went a little differently.

The Cats, behind a barrage of three-pointers, raced out to an early lead and never looked back in a thorough 27-point trouncing of Bruce Pearl’s club. Since that debacle, Auburn hasn’t lost and boasts the longest winning streak in the nation. It’s an all-SEC regional final. IT JUST MEANS MORE. And if Kentucky wants to emerge the winner, here are some areas of focus.

Limit the Threes

Any conversation about Auburn’s offense starts and ends with the three-pointer. They shoot it, a lot. It’s the sole reason for their remarkable NCAA Tournament run thus far. And they snipe the long ball by committee: Bryce Brown, Jared Harper, Malik Dunbar, Anfernee McLemore, Samir Doughty, and Danjel Purifoy can all stroke from deep – and did in the Sweet Sixteen against North Carolina. Kentucky has been excellent defending the arc since conference play, and that trait has been a difference-maker in games against season-long three-point powerhouses Wofford and Houston. In fact, those squad’s best shooters from deep (Fletcher Magee and Corey Davis) went a combined 1-19 from three. Another perimeter defensive performance of that caliber and Kentucky should be set for a trip to Minneapolis.

Hit the Glass

With the unfortunate news that sophomore forward Chuma Okeke tore his ACL in the regional semifinal, Auburn’s frontline will be–for the second straight tournament run–partially depleted. The rangy and extremely versatile forward was amidst a breakout campaign and was whipping NBA scouts’ heads in his direction with his terrific play in the postseason. With him out, Kentucky must sustain their dominance on the glass. Reid Travis, P.J. Washington, Keldon Johnson, and Tyler Herro are all tremendous rebounders at their position. Continued success on the boards will be key for Kentucky’s chances of surviving the Elite 8 sure-to-be bloodbath.

Take Care of the Basketball

Kentucky was sloppy in the second half Friday versus Houston. Very, very sloppy. Hagans and the entire guard ensemble struggled mightily with the Cougars’ pressure-heavy defensive scheme. Auburn plays a similarly on the perimeter but isn’t as stingy as Houston – as Kentucky’s proved twice this year. However, Auburn’s scoring prowess is stronger than Houston’s and hemorrhaging possessions due to lackadaisical ballhandling and miscommunicated passes will dig Kentucky in a deep offensive hole.

Control the pace, control the boards, diffuse Auburn’s three-point attack, and Kentucky should sail to the Land of a Thousand Lakes.