MINNEAPOLIS – When Virginia and Auburn lock horns on Saturday night in the Final Four, one of the main storylines will focus on the contrast of styles between the two teams. The Tigers go for steals and try to get down the floor quickly for shots. The Cavaliers keep everything in front of them and try to make opponents work as they look for great shots.
The differences show up statistically too. Auburn plays faster at 71 possessions per game, while UVA plays methodically at 62 possessions per game. The Tigers rank seventh nationally in percentage of points from 3’s (43.4%) and eighth in 3-point rate (49.5%), meaning the percentage of 3’s among their total shots. The Hoos get 35.4% of their points from 3’s and their 3-point rate is at 39.5%.
How do those numbers translate into style? Auburn plays in transition 29.4% of the time where 51.2% of its shots are 3-pointers. UVA plays in transition just 13.6% of the time where only 41.1% of its shots are 3-pointers.
In other words, the Cavaliers know they can’t get lost in transition.
“You’ve got to get back,” Virginia senior Jack Salt said. “When the shot goes up, our guys have to get back as quick as they can. They’re an extremely fast team and they get a lot of their points off turnovers. So it starts even on that end not turning the ball over. Then after we get a shot up, sprinting back on defense and getting out to shooters. At the same time, you have to play in the Pack and be ready to rely on it and then get out to the shooters.”
“They’re quick an they are fast and they can really shoot it,” UVA freshman Kihei Clark said. “We’ll just have to use the best of our abilities to guard them as a team.”
On the flipside, the Tigers know they can’t rely solely on high tempo offense. Virginia allows teams to play in transition just 22.1% of the time. Plus, Auburn likes to create turnovers to fuel that transition offense. In fact, the Tigers lead the nation in opponent turnover percentage as foes have turned it over 24.3% of the time. UVA turns it over on just 14.4% of its possession, however, which ranks 12th nationally.
The Tigers will try to use their defense to shift some of those numbers.
“Just continuing to make plays, which starts with our defense and rebounding as well as forcing turnovers,” Auburn senior Bryce Brown said. “Virginia is a team that doesn’t turn the ball over often, so we will have to step up on defense to help our offense.”
Auburn coach Bruce Pearl had one of the more interesting takes from Thursday’s media sessions. There’s a fine line between staying with what got you 12 straight wins and the program’s first Final Four and doing what’s needed to match the Cavaliers when they make it hard to speed up the game.
“Also, trying to guard them. We try to turn people over. We turn people over almost 25 percent of possessions,” Pearl said. “They don’t turn it over but nine times in a game, and the more you try to turn them over, the better you make their offense. So the challenge for me is do we do what got us here, or do we play them the way you need to play them in order to be able to contain that system? So from that standpoint, it’s obviously a touch matchup.”
Quick Take Francisco Caffaro
Virginia freshman Francisco Caffaro is part of the international feel for the Hoos. He joined the program after growing up in El Trebo, Santa Fe, Argentina. He answered a few quick questions in the locker room.
Sabre Editor Kris Wright: I’m a huge Spurs fan and they just retired Manu Ginobili’s number. It’s been during this run, but as someone from Argentina what was that moment like?
Francisco Caffaro: “It was good. It felt good knowing Manu is such a good player and important for an NBA franchise and also all the things he gave to basketball. The way he made Argentina basketball grow and have a different picture for other people from different places on Argentina basketball, it feels good.”
Sabre Editor Kris Wright: You were probably too young when they won the Gold medal [in 2004], but those guys are legends in your country I think. Is that still talked about all these years later?
Francisco Caffaro: “Oh yeah. That’s the thing that matters most to Argentina basketball. People still tell us about that. I was four years old and didn’t play basketball until five years ago so didn’t really pay attention to that, but now that I’m into it, I realize how important and how big that was.”
Sabre Editor Kris Wright: What about all of this [attention at the Final Four]? Basketball’s not like this?
Francisco Caffaro: “Not at all. I came last year with the NBA Academy to watch the game and they’re coming again this year, but I was just watching from the outside and up top. It’s different living it from the inside. It’s good.”
Sabre Editor Kris Wright: Has it been an enjoyable experience the last month to be on this ride?
Francisco Caffaro: “Yeah, it’s been pretty good and I’m enjoying it.”
Philly Connection
While the Final Four is in Minnesota this year, there’s a little bit of Philadelphia in the air. Auburn’s Horace Spencer and Samir Doughty both are from Philly as is UVA’s De’Andre Hunter. Spencer suited up for Findlay Prep. Doughty played at Mathematics, Civics, & Science Charter. Hunter played at Friends’ Central.
“I played with De’Andre Hunter when I was younger and he has always been a good player,” Spencer said. “So I am ready to play against him again as an adult.”
Philadelphia came up in the media in another way as well. When asked what his favorite Final Four moment was, Hunter didn’t hesitate to spread some love back to hometown Villanova for the title game in 2016.
“When Kris Jenkins hit the 3-pointer to win it,” Hunter said. “I was at my house watching it and being from Philly, everyone was going crazy. It was a crazy thing to watch on TV.”
