Hoops Primer: Brush up on Colgate

No. 15 Auburn gets a home date with the Colgate Raiders on Friday at 7 p.m. before Auburn (7-0) plays three of its next four games away from Neville Arena.

The Raiders (5-4) are an experienced team with recent NCAA Tournament appearances. Colgate lost by single digits to Tennessee in 2019’s tournament and was handled more easily by Arkansas 85-68 in 2021. In 2022, Colgate lost to Wisconsin 67-60.

Colgate is currently 5-4, but the Raiders aren’t strangers to early season upsets either. Colgate beat Cincinnati on the road in 2020, defeated Syracuse 100-85 on the road last season, and beat Syracuse again this season by 12 points.

This season’s Colgate teams features another lethal offense. Led by several returning starters, Colgate is No. 54 in offensive efficiency, No. 13 in minute continuity, and No. 53 in experience, per KenPom.

Colgate has been almost equally as easy to score on. So, I like how Auburn’s elite defense and recent string of late-game wins match up against the Raiders.

More on Colgate

The Raiders are No. 8 in effective field goal percentage, No. 16 in three-point percentage, and No. 32 in two-point percentage. They can be hard to stop on offense. However, initiating offense can be a problem with Colgate’s inconsistent ball handling and point guard play. 

Colgate is No. 305 nationally in possessions ended by steals and two spots worse in possessions ended by blocks. That’s a good sign for an Auburn team with two of the nation’s top five shot blockers and perimeter defenders such as KD Johnson, Allen Flanigan, and Zep Jasper.

Colgate does have rebounders who can bother Auburn if the Tigers are overactive on shot blocking, so I’m interested to see how Auburn adjusts its shot blocking-to-rebound philosophy for this game.

“It helps,” said Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl. “Obviously, they do a great job with their verticality. We teach it, they drill it. The challenge, though, is the backside rebounding. The challenge is if they leave, they’re going to block shots and they’re leaving the back side. So, our rotation on the backside — or rebounding down as we call it — is important.”

Colgate’s offense is good enough that it still poses a threat with Auburn’s poor shooting performances. Especially with Colgate’s heavy focus on shooting threes.  Still, I think Auburn will slow Colgate down enough to win this comfortably.

Syracuse’s defense (No. 97 in defensive efficiency) is the only top 100 defense the Raiders have faced this season.

Can Auburn’s offense find rhythm before road games?

Auburn’s offense has been hit or miss this season, but Colgate’s defensive efficiency and turnover numbers and Auburn’s depth and defense give Auburn a chance at having one of its highest scoring games of the season so far.

Colgate is in the bottom 110 in two-point and three-point percentages surrendered to opponents. The Raiders are also No. 347 nationally in block percentage. Auburn’s driving guards and bigs should feast in the halfcourt matchups in addition to Auburn having plentiful transition opportunities. 

I think Auburn has room to grow in the fast paced, transition scoring category and this game could be another springboard for the fast paced style. The same goes for Flanigan, Johnson, and other “downhill” scorers. Causing turnovers and playing in transition is also a weakness for a Memphis squad with a top 20 defense, Auburn’s next opponent after Colgate. Seeing Auburn find success there against Colgate would be a good sign. 

Lineups tightening

The Tigers played just 10 players and only eight of them reached double digit minutes against Saint Louis. The game also featured extended run for Auburn’s current closing lineup, consisting of Wendell Green Jr., KD Johnson, Allen Flanigan, Jaylin Williams, and Johni Broome. That lineup played smothering defense and made several big shots during the final two minutes, showing the kind of potential Auburn has once it truly masters its lineups and rotations.

Colgate could keep it close if the Raiders get hot from three. However, I think this is one Auburn will have an easier time running away with. So, I’m interested to see if the lineups stay tight or if Auburn uses a potentially more lopsided game to rest the starters extra.

The freshmen

Auburn’s freshmen have been quiet in recent games. Chance Westry is coming off an injury and Jaylin Williams and Wendell Green playing the best basketball of their Auburn careers take away potential minutes for Yohan Traore and Tre Donaldson, but Auburn needs its freshmen to step up for the Tigers to hit their ceiling.

Auburn’s competition will only increase from here on out. Seeing if the freshmen can show improvements and come along over the next two weeks will be something to watch.