NCAA Tournament 2019: Top takeaways from Elite Eight games

Auburn 77, Kentucky 71 (OT)

Auburn doesn’t have to play fast and make an obscene number of threes to win

That has been the recipe for Auburn during this March Madness run. They had made at least 12 three-pointers in their previous eight games prior to facing Kentucky and averaged 90 points per game in wins over Tennessee, Kansas, and North Carolina.

Kentucky succeeded in forcing the Tigers to play at a slower pace and defended the three well – Auburn went only 7/23 from beyond the arc in the game.

Instead, Auburn won with their defense and tough play inside. They hung right with a much bigger Kentucky team on the glass, forced 14 turnovers, blocked more shots, and were able to routinely get to the rim on drives.

The Tigers out-gritted and out-toughed their way to this win. It may not be sustainable for them given the injury to Chuma Okeke (they’d certainly love to get back to their up-tempo pace) but this game did show that, if Virginia succeeds in slowing the tempo against them in the Final Four, they can still win.

Bryce Brown and Jared Harper are the most explosive backcourt left

We talk all the time in March about guard play and how it’s crucial to a team’s success, and Auburn has two of the best that are capable of going off at any time.

Down at halftime, Brown came out on fire and spearheaded a 10-0 run to start the second half. He carried the load during their comeback effort and finished with 24 points.

Harper took over the reins late, hitting the game-tying layup to force overtime and then scored 12 of Auburn’s 17 points in the extra frame to preserve the victory.

There might be more talented players at the NCAA Tournament Final Four but, as far as backcourts go, there might not be a duo playing as well as these two are right now.