No. 8 Auburn will look to get back to its winning ways when it takes on Arizona in the third-place game at the Maui Invitational on Wednesday night.
The Tigers fell 78-72 to No. 1 Duke in the semifinals, but Bruce Pearl’s team certainly had its chances to knock off the nation’s top team.
As for the Wildcats, they started well against No. 3 Gonzaga but ultimately lost 91-74 after a tough second half.
Let’s run through what to watch for in this matchup.
Game Details
- No. 8 Auburn (4-1) vs. Arizona (4-1)
- Location: Lahaina Civic Center – Lahaina, HI (Maui Invitational)
- Game Date: Nov. 21
- Game Time: 11:30 p.m. EST
- Watch: ESPN2
Players to Watch
Jared Harper (Auburn)
The 5-11 point guard has been the talk of the tournament thus far, as Harper scored 22 or more points in the first two games.
He made 6 of 10 attempts from beyond the arc in the Duke loss, and his overall game just keeps getting better and better.
Harper is one of the most relentless competitors in the game, so he should bounce back from the tough loss and put on another solid performance in this game.
Justin Coleman (Arizona)
The former Alabama guard has certainly found a rhythm in his past two games, scoring 28 points against Gonzaga and posting 18 points in the win over Iowa State.
With the Wildcats relying on several new faces this season, Sean Miller needs Coleman to offer a consistent scoring threat on the perimeter.
He’s shooting 47.8 percent from 3-point range in making 11 of 23 attempts, and that could be a huge asset against a sharpshooting Auburn squad.
Key Stats
Although the Tigers struggled out of the gate against Duke, they still feature a much more prolific outside scoring ability than the Wildcats.
Auburn is 67th nationally in 3-point field-goal percentage (38.2 percent), but Arizona has had some problems in that area in making just 30.4 percent of its shots from long range (262nd nationally).
Pearl’s team also boasts a lot more experience (37th nationally), which could be important in preparing for the scenario of playing its third game in three days and needing to be focused right from the opening tip.
And yet again, Auburn would love to find extra opportunities on offense, as the Tigers rank ninth nationally in offensive rebounding percentage at 41.0 percent.
Game Outlook
- Spread: Auburn -8.5
- Over/Under: 151.5
- KenPom Projection: Auburn, 75 percent chance to win
- ESPN BPI Projection: Auburn, 74.8 percent chance to win
The setup here is rather interesting.
You’ve got two teams that played well enough at times to advance to the championship game but just couldn’t put together complete performances.
That makes you wonder if we see a possible letdown from one of these teams.
I don’t always buy into the tired legs narrative in these types of tournaments, but both have played physical games that have featured up and down action. Perhaps that plays a role in shooting consistency, and it could just as easily lead to sluggish defense as well.
This is a tough game to predict, as Arizona is obviously talented enough to pull off the victory.
What may be the difference is the emergence of a player like Austin Wiley, who has really started to find a groove for Auburn since his return from injury.
He had 17 points and nine rebounds against Duke, and he has the ability to make things difficult on Arizona’s frontcourt due to his physicality in the lane.
Auburn has been extremely aggressive on the offensive boards (at least 18 offensive rebounds in four of its five games), and those extra shots may be important in what feels like a potentially high-scoring affair.
The Tigers have more depth and experience, so they feel like the better pick here in what should be an entertaining game.
Season Predictions Record (straight up): 44-9
Game Prediction: Auburn 82, Arizona 77
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