No. 2 Seed Auburn Popped by 10 Seed Miami, 79-61, Leaving Only Arkansas From The SEC Dancing – OutKick
One might hear the sarcastic chants from Miami followers on the tv – “SEC … SEC … SEC.” Or was that – “ACC … ACC … ACC?” It could have been a bit of of each. However it didn’t matter, the Southeastern Convention is down to 1 workforce. The Atlantic Coast Convention has three –…
One might hear the sarcastic chants from Miami followers on the tv – “SEC … SEC … SEC.”
Or was that – “ACC … ACC … ACC?”
It could have been a bit of of each. However it didn’t matter, the Southeastern Convention is down to 1 workforce. The Atlantic Coast Convention has three – Duke, North Carolina and Miami.
The SEC, billed as among the finest leagues within the nation all season with a number of groups within the high 10 many of the yr, together with Auburn at No. 1 in February, is all the way down to Arkansas within the NCAA Event after 5 of six groups have been eradicated within the opening weekend.
No. 2 seed Auburn seemed like a double-digit seed in falling to No. 10 seed Miami of the ACC, 79-61, within the second spherical in Greenville, S.C., Sunday night time. It was probably the most lopsided lack of the season for Auburn (28-6), which received the SEC regular-season title at 15-3. Miami completed fourth within the ACC at 14-6.
No. 4 seed Arkansas (27-8) is the SEC’s final hope because it reached the Candy 16 spherical on Saturday with a win over New Mexico State, however it should play No. 1 total seed and top-ranked Gonzaga (28-3) on Thursday in San Francisco.
Miami (25-10) advances to play No. 11 seed Iowa State (22-12) on Friday in Chicago. Iowa State upset No. 3 seed Wisconsin, 54-49, earlier Sunday in Milwaukee.
Auburn All-American sophomore heart Walker Kessler, who injured his elbow in a collision with teammate Jaylin Williams within the Tigers’ win over Jacksonville State on Thursday, didn’t look himself the entire sport. And it could have solely partly been due to the harm. Miami’s protection stored Kessler out of the paint, and when he was at shut vary, he couldn’t purchase a bucket.
Kessler scored a season-low two factors on 0-for-6 capturing with two rebounds after coming in averaging 11.7 factors and eight.2 rebounds. He missed many of the first half with two fouls and by no means received going within the second half. Within the last minutes, coach Bruce Pearl took him out of the sport for ineffectiveness.
The nation’s blocked photographs chief with 4.6 a sport, Kessler managed solely two.
Auburn star ahead Jabari Smith, one other All-American, additionally didn’t look proper as he missed 13 of 16 photographs for simply 10 factors after coming into averaging 17 a sport. He was 1 of 8 from 3-point vary. He added 15 rebounds. Guard Okay.D. Johnson and ahead Jaylin Williams led Auburn with 12 factors.
“If I knew I most likely might’ve prevented it,” Pearl mentioned when requested about Kessler’s and Smith’s lackluster play. “Typically once you discuss to the shedding coach, and he doesn’t have the solutions, it’s as a result of I didn’t have the solutions within the sport both.”
Miami’s swarming protection swallowed up Kessler and Smith and pushed them out.
“We put in a brand new protection referred to as the scramble this yr, and these guys did it to perfection tonight,” Miami coach Jim Larranaga. “Very glad second.”
Miami’s protection gathered 12 turnovers from Auburn, whereas the Hurricanes dedicated solely 4.
Guard Isaiah Wong led Miami with 21 factors, and guard Kameron McGuston added 18 with seven rebounds. Guard Charlie Moore can be going residence to Chicago for the following spherical. He scored 15 factors with 9 rebounds, eight assists and three steals.
