No. 1 Virginia vs. No. 5 Auburn — which team has the edge?
Scott Gleeson USA TODAY
Published 9:31 AM EDT Apr 1, 2019
Virginia vs. Auburn?
For those who picked this Final Four matchup on their bracket, kudos.
The Cavaliers might've been the least likely of No. 1 seeds to get to the NCAA tournament's final weekend after historically losing to a No. 16 seed last March and looking shaky in the ACC tournament.
And even though the fifth-seeded Tigers had won the SEC tournament heading into the NCAAs, they had a gauntlet path to get to the Final Four in a Midwest Regional in which many envisioned Kentucky or North Carolina winning.
Tip-off: Saturday, 6:09 p.m., CBS
Virginia's path to the Final Four:
The anxiety-ridden Cavaliers (33-3) got a scare in their first round matchup against Gardner-Webb and trailed at halftime one year after stunningly losing to Maryland-Baltimore County. But coach Tony Bennett adjusted in the second half and that game officially got the nerves out.
Then came a stifling defensive effort to turn a hot-shooting Oklahoma team cold in the second round.
In the Sweet 16, Virginia limited the Ducks to 49 points in a narrow victory.
And, of course, the Cavs' Elite Eight win over Purdue will live on in March Madness lore with Mamadi Diakite's game-tying buzzer-beater helping UVA get to overtime where they prevailed by finally stopping Carsen Edwards (42 points).
Auburn's path to the Final Four:
The Tigers (30-9) might not even be here if New Mexico State made its free throws in a first-round near-upset.
But after escaping the classic No. 12-over-No. 5 upset bid, they transformed into the blue-blood slayer of the tournament by hammering Kansas by 12, drubbing North Carolina by 17 and then surviving Kentucky in overtime without starting big man Chuma Okeke (the 6-8 forward tore his ACL vs. UNC and is out for the season).
► How Virginia has the edge:
The Cavaliers are all about pace, using a pack-line defense that leads the nation in opponents points allowed (55) and slowing the game down in an ever-patient offense that often looks like a game of hot potato. While most teams get sped up when the shot clock is winding down, that's when Virginia is at its finest, feeding the post with just enough time or using high pick-and-rolls for penetration to get the guards a high percentage shot.
► How Auburn has the edge:
Coach Bruce Pearl's team is playing with a fire that no team in this Final Four has matched, and Xs and Os aside, the Tigers are good enough to beat anyone when they're making three-pointers and getting to the rim at will. That's where this game will be interesting — in the lane.
The premise of Bennett's pack-line defense is to keep teams out of the paint. And a sagging man-to-man defense will work much different than Kentucky's that saw Jared Harper continually blow by some of John Calipari's best defenders.
Virginia's defense is a collaborative effort that was built to contain more athletic ACC teams, so Pearl will have to draw up a game plan that allows his dynamic backcourt to score inside and out, with this group continuing to ride the swagger that's helped them bust brackets this whole tournament.
► Key player for Cavaliers:
Ty Jerome (13.3 ppg). While sharpshooter Kyle Guy broke out of a shooting slump with 25 points and four huge 3-pointers against Purdue, Jerome has been steady all tournament and has a nice intuition for when to score and when to distribute. He's one of the best ball handlers in the country and is crafty in keeping defenders off-balance, illustrated by him drilling an NBA-range three or getting an and-1 jumper in the lane vs. Purdue. De'Andre Hunter is the team's NBA talent who can get a bucket when the game's on the line. And Diakite was the hero of the Purdue game. But Jerome, who leads the team in assists and steals, is the guy who can ultimately carry this team to a national championship with his all-around prowess.
► Key player for Auburn:
Jared Harper. Although leading scorer Bryce Brown is the high volume shooter on the roster and can go on an offensive tear from beyond the arc, it was Harper's knack for getting to the paint that helped the Tigers drop Kentucky. The point guard scored 12 of his 26 points in overtime and made several game-changing plays; his assist to Anfernee McLemore with two minutes remaining in overtime was the play that took the air out of Kentucky's Final Four push.
Which team reaches the title game?
Virginia's pace will prove to be the difference-maker in this game. While Auburn has gotten the best of blue-bloods by beating them at their own high-tempo game, Virginia is hardly your typical top seed with five-star talent. Bennett's methodical style wears teams down and offsets their rhythm. When high tempo meets slow tempo, expect Virginia to not stray away from what makes them elite.
Follow USA TODAY Sports' Scott Gleeson on Twitter @ScottMGleeson.
Published 9:31 AM EDT Apr 1, 2019
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