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Final Four 2019: Sleeper impact player from each team

By Jacob Lane

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 30: Davide Moretti #25 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders celebrates after a play against the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the second half of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament West Regional at Honda Center on March 30, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 30: Davide Moretti #25 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders celebrates after a play against the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the second half of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament West Regional at Honda Center on March 30, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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KANSAS CITY, MO – MARCH 31: Samir Doughty #10 of the Auburn Tigers looks for a pass around Immanuel Quickley #5 of the Kentucky Wildcats in the Elite Eight round of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament held at Sprint Center on March 31, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ben Solomon/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MO – MARCH 31: Samir Doughty #10 of the Auburn Tigers looks for a pass around Immanuel Quickley #5 of the Kentucky Wildcats in the Elite Eight round of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament held at Sprint Center on March 31, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ben Solomon/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) /

Auburn – Samir Doughty – Guard

  • 7.2 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 1.7 apg

Auburn has the most dynamic backcourt of the four remaining teams in the country (not the best, but most dynamic). Jared Harper and Bryce Brown are both always looking to get out in transition with their eyes on attacking the basket or getting a good look from three, averaging nearly 36 points combined per game.

So far it’s the biggest reason Auburn has made it to its first Final Four in school history. But one guard who might not get the attention he should be the x-factor in Auburn advancing to the title game over Virginia.

Bryce Brown and Jared Harper have accounted for the majority of those three’s but one player who could steal the show for the Tigers on Saturday is junior guard Samir Doughty. Though he’s averaged just five points and three rebounds in the NCAA Tournament, Doughty shoots the ball from deep at a 43 percent clip, making 101 total three’s on the season.

Coming off the bench, Doughty has gone 50 percent from three but has only shot six shots in four games during the 2019 NCAA Tournament, three of which came against UNC. Against Virginia, expect that to change as the Cavaliers will try to do everything to keep the ball from Harper and Brown. In games this season where Doughty has made two or more three-pointers the Auburn Tigers hold a record of 10-2, an indicator of the impact he can provide in games.

Virginia forced opposing offenses to shoot just 27 percent from behind the three-point line in their first 31 games of the season. However, during the NCAA Tournament, they’ve allowed that number to shoot up to nearly 40 percent while giving up almost 10 made threes per game.

If Auburn has any chance of advancing past the no. 1 seed, they’ll have to continue to knock down three’s at the rate they have during the Tournament. Against New Mexico State, Kansas, and UNC, Bruce Pearl’s Tigers managed to hit 12, 13 and 17 three’s respectively, shooting a combined 43 percent.

Virginia has been extremely weak around the three-point line defensively which could give Doughty the ability to put together a sneaky good game.

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