This is what you should know about No. 2 seed Auburn, UM’s next NCAA Tournament opponent
GREENVILLE, S.C. – University of Miami fans wondering what the Hurricanes can expect from No. 2 seed Auburn in Sunday’s NCAA Tournament second-round game need only do a quick search for a replay of Jabari Smith’s high-flying, one-handed Tomahawk dunk on Friday night.
The 6-10 and 220-pound freshman went sky high with the ball in his extended hand and slammed it over the head of Jacksonville defender Brandon Huffman as the Tigers bench erupted and Auburn fans in the Bon Secours Wellness Arena went wild.
Smith had 20 points, 14 rebounds and four assists in the 80-61 win, but it was that dunk everyone was still asking about on Saturday.
“I watched it a lot, everybody tagging me in it,” said Smith, a projected NBA Lottery pick. “I watched it probably more times than anybody else really. I’m still shocked by it. It’s something I’m going to show my kids. One to remember.”
When Miami players Jordan Miller, Kam McGusty and Sam Waardenburg were asked Saturday if they had seen the dunk and what they thought of it, they smiled. Miller replied: “Yeah, we saw it. It was a good basketball play.”
Waardenburg, who often is called upon to guard the opponent’s biggest man, tried to downplay the matchup against Smith, pointing out that Duke’s big men Paulo Banchero and Mark Williams are similar to Auburn’s Smith and shot blocker Walker Kessler, a candidate for national Defensive Player of the Year.
“We’re in a league that has a lot of high talented guys, we’ve seen guys make plays like that all season long,” he said. “It’s nothing new to us. He’s a very talented player, but we’re going to have a game plan for him.”
Miami coaches will try to neutralize the Auburn duo with heady guard play and a scrappy scramble defense. That strategy has worked for them all season and compensated for their lack of size. They forced USC into 18 turnovers – 12 in the first half – and had only three turnovers themselves.
But Larranaga says Smith and Kessler present unique challenges in Sunday’s game (7:45 p.m., truTV).
“Walker Kessler is having a sensational season, he rebounds, blocks shots, alters shots, and Jabari is the perfect complement, a tremendous shooter, a very athletic 6-10 Kevin Durant type player, and the two of them together give them a one-two punch most teams just don’t have,” he said.
Auburn coach Bruce Pearl was equally effusive about 10th-seeded UM. He said the Hurricanes are “a nightmare” to guard, “one of the most efficient teams in the country,” their guards don’t get fazed, and they win a lot of close games.
“They’re running (Davidson coach) Bob McKillop’s five out with just the kind of athletes you can get in the ACC. It’s really hard to guard and it’s not something that you see all the time,” Pearl said. “We’ve guarded it, we’ve played Davidson a couple of years ago in a tournament at Navy, so we have an idea, but it’s tough on a short prep.”
Pearl said Miami’s defense is unlike any they have played during their 28-5 season.
“They turned USC over 18 times and had 22 points off turnovers. Turnovers has, at times, been an issue for us,” Pearl said. “They had three guys in the top five in the ACC in steals and they’re going to try to get after us and be really handsy. In the NCAA Tournament, generally speaking, they let you play so we’re going to have to play through all the hands, strips and rips and be strong with the ball.”
Auburn guard Zep Jasper echoed Pearl’s concerns about UM’s penchant for forcing turnovers and expects a handful from the Canes guard trio of Charlie Moore, McGusty and Isaiah Wong.
Jasper added that he expects a tough night against the Miami guards.
“They’ve got three guards that can go, three guards that can score, they all can get downhill, all can shoot,” he said. “We haven’t seen a team like this in a while, but we hang our heads high on defense. I believe they’ve never seen a defense like us, where we come out and one through five can switch.”
Pearl gushed about Moore, the sixth-year senior who transferred into the UM program this season and scored the winning free throws Friday against USC.
“Man, he’s a really, really special player,” Pearl said. “He’s the head of the snake now. He’s the guy. He makes them all better. He makes them all go. He’s got great courage. He reminds me of (Auburn guard) Wendell Green except four years old and more experience.
“Unbelievable range, great hands, great feel. Reminds me of when you go to a playground and it’s time to pick sides. He might not be the first guy picked because he’s the littlest guy out there, but his team is going to win every single time. Those little guys are the best players on the floor.”
Will the little guy’s team beat the NBA Lottery pick’s team on Sunday? Who knows? It’s March.