2022 NCAA Tournament First Round: No. 2 Auburn Tigers vs. No. 15 Jacksonville State Gamecocks
How to Watch:
- Date: Friday, March 18
- Time: 12:40 p.m. ET
- Location: Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, SC
- TV: truTV
- Live Stream: NCAA.com
Tale of the Tape:
| No. 2 AUB | STAT | No. 15 JSU |
| SEC | Conference | Atlantic Sun |
| 27-5 | Record | 21-10 |
| 78.7 (26th) | Points Per Game | 73.9 (T-115th) |
| 67.0 | Points Allowed Per Game | 66.8 |
| 0.6362 (7th) | RPI | 0.5073 (158th) |
| 32nd | Strength of Schedule | 138th |
| At-Large Bid | Bid | Automatic Bid |
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Auburn leaders:
- Jabari Smith, F, FR: 17.1 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.2 SPG, 42.8% 3PT
- Wendell Green Jr., G, SO: 12.1 points, 3.8 RPG, 5.0 APG, 1.6 SPG
Jacksonville State leaders:
- Darian Adams, Sr., G – 15.6 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 1.5 SPG, 83.3% FT
- Demaree King, G, Jr. – 10.7 PPG, 2.1 AST, 46.2% 3PT
Odds, Lines, and Past Performance:
- AUB Moneyline: -2000
- JSU Moneyline: +1000
- Spread: AUB -15.5
- Over/Under: 139.5
- ATS Record: AUB 19-13, JSU 17-12
- Over/Under Record: AUB 18-14, JSU 14-15
Odds courtesy of Draftkings. For the latest odds, click here.
The Pick:
- The Tigers were likely headed for a number one seed in the tournament before falling to Texas A&M in the SEC tournament. This is an incredibly well-rounded team that ranks 10th in KenPom thanks to a 24th-ranked offense and 8th-ranked defense.
- The Tigers also play at the 40th-fastest adjusted tempo in the league, which is not at all how the Gamecocks like to play (276th in pace). The Gamecocks are going to need to slow the game down considerably to have any chance here, but it’s hard for a team stepping up in competition this much to also dictate the style of play.
- This game might be all about watching Jabari Smith, who is seemingly now the favorite to the best first pick in the draft. We also didn’t even talk about his teammate Walker Kessler, who is another project first-round pick and large human. The Gamecocks just don’t seem to have the size and athleticism to hang here.
