AUBURN — Auburn fast, meet North Carolina fast.
The Tigers put on a show last Saturday, running up and down the floor at will. Kansas couldn't keep up. Not many teams can. Auburn has made a living in transition this season, firing up 3-pointer on fast-breaks, turning opponents over and turning the game into a track meet to the opposite baseline.
Many other teams — even elite ones — aren't up to the challenge.
North Carolina will be. The Tar Heels treasure the same style of basketball. They run as well as anyone.
It makes for a fascinating clash of like-minded styles.
"When I was on with Paul Finebaum last night, I used the terminology that we're not afraid to run with North Carolina. It wasn't a challenge or trying to say we're not afraid of North Carolina. We've got a good, healthy fear and respect of North Carolina," Bruce Pearl said. "It's just that's how we play too. For us to not try to play fast would go against how we play best also. Even though historically, the way to beat Carolina is to get them in a half-court game and not let them beat you in transition. That's going to be difficult to do because of the way we like to play."
What North Carolina does well, Auburn also does well.
Oftentimes the Tar Heels do it even better, which is why Pearl says North Carolina "might be the best team left in the field."
When the two teams meet up Friday night, it's hard to deny it'll be the two most exciting teams left in the Sweet 16. They both play with pace. They both launch it from deep. They both have a lot of fun doing it. The Tigers have their fair share of disadvantages — size-mismatched backcourt, unfavorable rebounding margins.
But when these two teams square off in Kansas City it's expected to be an offensive showcase.
"We are one of the smallest teams in the SEC going against one of the biggest teams in the country that plays fast. I think there are a lot of pundits that are excited about the game because you’ve got the two highest scoring teams in the tournament playing each other for the chance to go to the Elite Eight." Pearl said.
North Carolina's backcourt includes 6-foot-5 Coby White and 6-foot-9 Cam Johnson. That will make life tough for Auburn's severely undersized guards. Auburn won't be able to lean as much, if at all, on speed advantages as it did against Kansas. White is as quick coast-to-coast as anyone in college basketball.
Simply put, Auburn will have to beat North Carolina by playing North Carolina's game better than North Carolina does.
Not many teams can do it. But the Tigers are the hottest team entering the Sweet 16. They haven't lost in March, and nobody who has tried to keep pace with them has been successful.
So, despite Pearl's comments about historical precedent against UNC, it'd be unwise for Auburn to get way from its game. The Tigers will play as fast and fluid as they always do. The Tar Heels will have to match it.
"I don’t have anymore confidence doing it the way we do it other than the fact you have to be who you are. You know, we’re not going to go crazy trying to run, but we’re not gonna not play the way we play — because I know we can’t beat them that way," Pearl said. "Whether we can beat them the way we play them, I don’t know, and that’s why we’ll match up and see."
