Analytical only (have not watched a game since Baylor):
Broome (F) - 6'10 Jr who carries the load for Auburn. Under 30% career 3P% and plays anywhere from 25-32 mpg in last 2 years. Has shot above 55% from the field in 5/7 games this year, adding 4 dbl dbl's this year. Draws quite a few fouls, though FT% is not concerning for IU.
Holloway (G) - 6'1 FR who leads Auburn in 3P%, though he is 0-8 in last 2 games. A/TO rate is not great. 178lb Fr. This year has played 22+ mpg in each game, predominately shoots 3's.
Mazara (G) - 6'7 Jr, listed as a G but expect him to play the 3. Only shooting 23% from 3 this year, though last year shot nearly 40%. Good FT shooter career 89%. Stats point to semi-routine foul trouble limiting PT but averages around 20mpg
Williams (F) - 6'8 presumably plays the 4. GA kid and at 245lb Sr. Not a great 3P% at 29% this year, 35% last year while averaging more MPG. 8ppg, 6rpg, 5-14 from 3 on the year, though FG% + attempts would lead me to believe he plays a similar role to Race Thompson last year.
K. Johnson (PG) - 6' Sr from Atlanta. Shooting only 19% from 3 this year, seems to have the same trajectory as Galloway with 3P% deteriorating as his career progressed. As a Fr/So his outlook seemed to point at an All Conf level player but just hasn't matriculated for him or Auburn. Don't know anything about injuries but one would have to assume. 6ppg, career 1apg avg, though he has cut down on TOs every year at Auburn. Steady PG, not sure if he adds much value offensively scoring. 0-6 on 3's in his 2 games. Based on his Mins and 3P attempts, when Johnson is in he is going to throw some up at a rapid pace.
Jones (G) - 6'4 Jr from Alabama. Another bewildering stat line as he avgs 7ppg, 2apg, 2reb in 20mpg. Last year he saw 34MPG with a higher FG% and 3P%. Sitting at 36% 3P% on the year where he has stayed near his entire career. Last year he averaged 3 TO/game but this year in reduced PT only .9 TO/game. 0-5 in last 2 games from distance. 8-22 on the year. Assuming Galloway will be matched up with him defensively.
Donaldson (G) - 6'3 SO. 44% from 3 this year on 16 attempts. 4-4 from the stripe on the year, only had 20 FT attempts last year at 55%. Last year he shot 44% from 3 on 32 attempts. Has cut down from 1.9 TO/game last year to .6 this year. 7ppg on 50% FG% with 38 attempts. Of all the G stats, he seems to be the most willing to drive it in the arc.
Cardwell (C) - 6'11 Sr from Augusta GA. Avgs 1 block and nearly 4rpg through his upperclassmen life. Had a stellar game vs Baylor earlier in the year (5pts, 4assists, 4 reb, 5 block). 9/14 from the stripe this year and has yet to shoot under 50% from the field on the year. Expect him to be off the bench and get up 3-5 shots in about 15mpg. Interestingly, he has more OR than DR. Good depth piece for Auburn front court.
Moore (F) - 6'6 Sr. A second unit player who averaged 40% from 3 last year but has regressed to 20% on the year with 5 attempts. Doesn't seem to look to score often at 3ppg in 20mpg.
C. Johnson (G) - 6'7 Jr from Alabama. Too lazy to search where he played last year but it wasn't Auburn. Avg 17mpg , 4ppg, 5rpg, hosting a 14% 3P%, 50% FT%, 1 TO/game. Only has attempted 7 3's on the year. Seems like a slashing wing figure, but once again have not watched Auburn play enough to know his true fit.
Auburn in General: They have 10 players averaging over 15mpg. Not a terrible A/TO team, and outside 2 players 3P% is very suspect. They seem very comparable to Indiana's current roster through construction, strengths, and usage. Holloway, Jones, and K. Johnson hoist up a considerable amount of their 3's. Broome has lived at the line and dominated the boards for Auburn this year. Outside of Cardwell there is seemingly nobody with height to guard Kelel (I will be taking his pts over tomorrow). Good matchups with size for Reneau, Mbgako. Their guards are smaller, giving Cupps a good defensive matchup. Galloway should have his work cut out for him defensively. They don't seem to have overwhelming size. Unless they have a non-characteristic shooting game, I'm expecting Indiana's defense to really stifle them. Worst case scenario for IU is getting Ware/Reneau in foul trouble in 1H, outside that I think IU wins by 6+. The real X factors in this game to me will be Banks, Gunn, Walker, and Sparks and how their production levels compare to the 2nd unit of Auburn. Anticipating another underdog W by the Hoosiers.
Body language in 2H was assessed correctly by NashvilleHoosier - dejected maybe even 'salty'. Gunn and Banks need Santa to raise their spirits before the New Year. They are two + athletes and I want to root for them.
