Auburn Basketball: Loss against Arkansas implies short tournament run

Here we discuss how Auburn basketball, following a loss against Arkansas 67-79, will not be making a long run through the SEC Tournament or the NIT.

It has been a rough run for Auburn basketball, falling to Arkansas as of late. The story has been how inexperience and youth has brought the Tigers to four losses out of the last five games played. There has been a reliance on 3-point shooting, which has been both efficient and a scapegoat, while post play and inside shooting has fallen off.

Utilization of the entire roster has also been an issue, with one or two players — Mustapha Heron, Jared Harper — often being the ones to take over when shooting isn’t working for the unit. Despite the skillful scorers bringing in solo performances that are worth the time to marvel at, they mean nothing to winning in a team game.

Austin Wiley hasn’t been what he was since getting started in January, having just three points in the loss against the Razorbacks. It hasn’t been entirely his fault, however, as it appears that when the entire team realizes they have to get the ball down low, they force it. They force it, a lot.

It hasn’t been so much of finding the open man instead of finding your own spot off the dribble. I’m all for taking the outside shot and attempting to dominate with 3-pointers, but for a team effort in college basketball, you have to bring in all the talent available. Even as Duke will make or miss several outside shots, they consistently stay into games by incorporating inside basketball. It is essential to bring in all aspects of the basketball court, not just rely on one.

I do believe Auburn has the capacity to go on a run in the SEC Tournament and upset some big names, but there’s a few things that must happen first.

1. Wiley and Anfernee McLemore must become more of the game plan. This does not mean attempting to throw it down low on every possession, rather, finding the hole on the post while still utilizing guard movement to find their shot. There’s a relationship between guards and forwards that must develop; they cannot exist in harmony without the other.
2. Playing defense should always be necessary, but once Auburn gets ahead, the whole notion seems to disappear. Auburn can get hot right off the gate, but then allow 63, 64 points in the second half to make the game look like the Tigers collapsed. Tying in with my first point, it is essential to keep everything running at once; not attempting to do the same thing over and over keeps scoring consistent and efficient.

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I don’t think Auburn can get out of the first round in the SEC Tournament or the NIT. There are many winnable games for the Tigers to take on, but it never seems to go in the right direction.