Auburn turns offensive rebounds, turnovers into points to top Hokies
AUBURN, Ala. — Virginia Tech spent the bulk of Wednesday night scrapping and clawing its way back from double-digit deficits against Auburn. As soon as the Tigers seemed like they had momentum, the Hokies strung together defensive stops and began chipping away.
Then Johni Broome corralled an offensive rebound and finished around the rim. Chad Baker-Mazara swooped into a passing lane and turned a steal into an emphatic dunk.
The Hokies’ set defense caused fits for the Tigers. The second chances and transition baskets by the Tigers’ two key contributors were more than enough for Auburn to pull away in the second half.
Broome posted a double-double, Baker-Mazara had 15 points off the bench, and Auburn secured a 74-57 win over Virginia Tech in the inaugural ACC-SEC Challenge before an announced crowd of 9,121 inside Neville Arena.
“I think their transition and their energy comes from getting steals and stuff like that,” Tech freshman guard Jaydon Young said. “Once they start getting in the passing lanes, start getting rebounds, putback dunks and stuff like that, I feel like that energy amps up and the crowd definitely gets into it. That definitely helps.”
The Tigers (5-1) needed the effort from Broome and Baker-Mazara on a night they shot a season-worst 38.7% from the field and converted on 2 of 16 attempts from 3-point range.
Tech’s set defense forced contested shots and limited the Tigers’ second through fifth leading scorers (Aden Holloway, Jaylin Williams, Denver Jones and K.D. Johnson) to a combined 13 points on 3-for-21 shooting.
Broome and Baker-Mazara more than made up for it on the offensive end.
Broome finished with 30 points and 13 rebounds. He had 14 second-chance points on seven offensive rebounds to help Auburn finish with 26 second-chance points.
Baker-Mazara shot 5 of 10 from the field and added four rebounds, three assists and two steals.
“It’s when the ball gets to the second level, when the ball beats the initial defender and you’re stepping up now with a post player, and there’s Broome and [Dylan] Cardwell and 10 [Baker-Mazara],” Hokies coach Mike Young said. “That’s something we’ve done a pretty good job of to this point but must continue to improve upon.”
For as well as the Hokies (5-3) played at times on the defensive end, they could never find an offensive rhythm against Auburn’s length and willingness to play for the steal.
Tech shot a miserable 27.5% from the field to mark the second-worst showing in the Young era. It also committed a staggering 21 turnovers for the most in Young’s five seasons at the helm.
Auburn had 30 points off turnovers.
“They get with it. Their length is real. We didn’t handle it very well,” Young said of Auburn’s defense. “I will look forward to going back and looking at it. We had the same kind of performance Sunday in Orlando [against Florida Atlantic]. We’ve got to improve. I’ve got a good offensive team. I got to coach it better.”
Hunter Cattoor led the Hokies with 16 points on 4-of-11 shooting. He shot 1 of 6 from 3-point range and added six rebounds.
Jaydon Young finished with a career-high nine points and shot 3 of 4 from 3-point range in a career-high 24 minutes.
“Really just staying ready. Not really dwelling on it and just being ready when my number’s called,” Young said. He hadn’t gotten into the scoring column since tallying eight points in the season opener against Coppin State. “I feel like I prepared enough so when my number was called I was ready.”
John Camden added nine points and six rebounds off the bench.
Tech point guard Sean Pedulla struggled against the Auburn pressure and never got into a rhythm leading the Hokies’ offense. He shot 0 of 9 from the field, scored a season-low four points and committed a career-high seven turnovers.
“Just a great defensive effort to turn that team over 21 times and to do such a great job on Pedulla — who is a real key for them,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said.
Pedulla, a junior, committed six turnovers in last season’s loss at Miami.
“You know how good he is, you know how important he is to our team,” Mike Young said of Pedulla. “I take a lot of responsibility there. I’ve got to get to him. He’s tough. He has great intentions. He’s pressing. He’s struggling.
“We all go through tough spells as players. I went through more than others; I wasn’t very good. I’ll get him taken care of. He’ll be in the gym tomorrow working on it. We need the best of Sean Pedulla. We both know that.”
Lynn Kidd was held below double digits for the second straight game with six points and seven rebounds.
He had nine points in the loss to FAU in the ESPN Events Invitational championship game.
“Me and Dylan, we really keyed in on the scout. And just trying to not let him get the ball,” Broome said. “... The coaches wanted to front him the whole time and not make it easy. ... I don’t think he did much on Dylan. You front him to a fault. Once he gets it, just be physical with him and just make him take tough shots.”
Tech cut the deficit to seven points twice in the second half. The first came on Cattoor’s 3 early in the second half and the second instance came on Kidd’s contested layup in the paint.
Auburn methodically pulled away both times before ending the game strong.
The Tigers scored on 17 of their final 24 possessions, including a string of six straight trips, and led by as many as 21 points.
“It’s draining, for sure. But I feel like we kept fighting,” Jaydon Young said. “We didn’t really dwell on it too much.”
Dribbles: MJ Collins traveled with the team but did not dress while recovering from a knee injury he suffered falling to the floor against FAU. “I expect MJ Collins to be back in uniform on Sunday,” Young said. ... North Carolina transfer Tyler Nickel made his first career start in place of Collins. Nickel did not score and went 0 of 5 from the field in 19 minutes. ... Robbie Beran fouled out after playing less than 11 minutes. He was held to two points and attempted only one field goal. ... The teams combined to shoot 67 free throws. Beran and Mekhi Long both fouled out for the Hokies. “We fouled incessantly. They foul a lot, too,” Young said.
Damien Sordelett (540) 981-3124
ACC-SEC CHALLENGE
Auburn 74, Virginia Tech 57
NEXT GAME
Louisville at Virginia Tech
Sunday, 4 p.m., ACC Network
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