Of the four potential matchups in the men’s NCAA National Championship game, there are two rematches of the regular seasonal competitions: Auburn-Duke and Auburn-Houston.
Big loan to Auburn for playing the schedule to find the Cougars in Houston and to defeat the state Iowa, North Carolina and Memphis in Maui Invitational. A trip to Duke was planned for the Tigers during the week after the SEC/ACC challenge.
If you prefer to stay away from the retirement in favor of a pairing that we have not seen yet, I do not accuse you. But after this competition in early December, I believe that the most interesting title game matchup Auburn duke, round 2, would be.
Duke defeated Auburn 84-78 that night in Durham, and until February 8th it was the only flaw in Auburn’s record when it came up as the best team in the country.
If you missed this game, you should start seeing college basketball long before the third week of March.
Auburn played an incredible game in the face of the Cameron Crazies and ended with more 3-horses, rebounds and assists as Duke. The tigers led most of the first 13 minutes before Duke climbed the top steadily and kept them in chess.
In a very well played game, in which the teams merged for only 12 sales, Duke Auburn forced seven shots in a row to miss. And Cooper Flagg received the best Auburn star Johni Broome in the battle of the player of the year in his eighth college game.
Flagg ended with 22 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, three steals, two blocks and zero sales, while Broome was falsified at night with 20 points, 12, but in the night. As CBS Sports found at the time, Auburn tried six different defenders on flag – and the freshmen phenomenon achieved a bucket on everyone.
Therefore, a reservoir could be so fascinating. Bruce Pearl probably doesn’t get enough recognition for his coaching. How could he try to cover flag this time? Duke is littered with 3-point protégémen who are willing to fire if you try to double a man.
Can Duke’s Strict Defense Broome, Chad Baker-Mazara, Miles Kelly and Tahaad Pettiford contain? The individual matchups on both ends are delicious.
“It was a damn two hours there,” giggled Duke trainer Jon Scheyer after defeating Auburn. “I thought it was a big college basketball game. We wanted to come in, AUBurn is just as good as everyone else. I think they showed this tonight, their shot, their physicality, their depth.”
Auburn has to get past the florida semi-finals for the first time after the Gators had won the only meeting during the second game with 90-81. It will be a great clock for itself when Florida and Tigers for the best teams in the country to talk to the Blue Devils and Tigers for the best teams in the country, by winning the Sec championship.
But I hope Duke and Auburn run back. An electric national title game could wait on Monday evening.
