Holloway improving 'game by game'
It's been an up-and-down freshman season for Aden Holloway.
In the first 13 games of SEC play, Holloway went through an extended slump, posting 5.5 points per game on 25 percent shooting and 20 percent from deep.
And then Auburn went to Athens where, after coming off the bench for the last month, Holloway returned to the starting lineup and put up 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting from deep.
"It was definitely a good feeling, just being able to see the ball go in the basket," Holloway said. "Especially after going through something like that; I've never experienced that ever in my basketball career. Just a little adversity this year, (it) never hurt nobody."
Since that point Holloway is averaging 6.6 points per game but on 46 percent shooting and 41 percent from deep to go along with 2.4 assists and one turnover per game.
They're not numbers that will wow anyone, but it's what Auburn needs from its freshman point guard for now.
"I've just been seeing how our team is and how we operate," Holloway said. "I really don't have to do as much scoring, just having Johni, J-Will, Denver... all those older guys who can just get buckets. I've been trying to just focus on other things that you need in the game, which is getting them the ball."
For most of the season, it has been a struggle to score the ball, but for everything else, Holloway has done at a positive level.
Holloway has an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.7/0.9 and an assist rate of 22.4 compared to a turnover rate of 11.4.
"I would say all other facets of the game that's not scoring," Holloway said. "Just trying to bring more stuff to the game than that. We've got Johni, an All-American, JayWill, All-SEC. You've got to find other ways to be productive on the court."
Coming into the season, defense was a massive question mark for Holloway, and it wasn't invalid reasoning; He's 6-foot-1 and 178 pounds. Small freshmen guards typically struggle defensively.
Well, Holloway has exceeded expectations in that area.
Per Synergy, Holloway allows 0.771 points per possession which ranks him in the 80th percentile. On the season, players guarded by Holloway shot 48-of-146, 33 percent.
"Just trying to have fun on defense," Holloway said. "I feel like that's where I'm most productive, really — when I'm just having fun. I'm just trying to take that approach. On the court, on the ball, I've gotten a little better. Off the ball, it's just buying into BP's system and being lower to the ball and in gaps and stuff like that. I feel like I'm getting better game by game."
His efforts didn't go unnoticed by the league as Holloway earned a spot on the SEC All-Freshman team, and it's something he isn't taking for granted and it's something to build on as his freshman year wraps up.
"It's definitely a blessing," Holloway said. "Nothing but God. God showing me that you've got to go through some things to get rewards at the end. It's been a great season for me individually, but this award kind of just says something in that way. I'm definitely nothing but grateful for it."