I would argue that it was a top-heavy region. Our path was still a nightmare. A 30 win team on 4 days of rest in a different time zone after having played 4 in 4 days, a weaker than usual and probably over seeded, but still a blue-blood, KU, a UNC team that was very deserving of its 1 seed, and a talented and very much deserving of its 2 seed UK.
Auburn had a hard time hitting 3's during a portion of the first half, but so did Kentucky at the same time. I never felt Kentucky was comfortable hitting the 3 against Auburn.
I chalk a lot of that up to Samir and his defensive work on Herro. He blanketed him all night, giving him very few looks.
Who is Samir? Is that Porter? I know when Porter was guarding Herro that Herro rarely if ever got a decent look from outside or driving for a jumper.
No Porters on our team going back to 99-00 lol. Samir is Samir Doughty, #10. He absolutely owned Herro on our end all night. Dunbar may have gotten the start at 3, but once we found that matchup, Doughty was the guy that put the brakes on anything Herro attempted.
Ha! Harper was who I was thinking of. I know he had Herro a few times; don't know if it was mainly after switches but Herro couldn't shake him. And yes, if it was Daughty that covered Herro the most he really helped Auburn out.
It was a game that took us a bit out of our comfort zone. Bryce Brown, #2, the guy that hits all of the threes, is our best on ball defender, but he was preoccupied with Hagans (who he destroyed, by the way, forcing a ton of turnovers). Without Chuma, the next guy to mark the knock ‘em dead 2 needed to step up, and Doughty absolutely nailed it.
