Maui Invitational takeaways: Auburn’s big-man connection is key to its domination; Michigan State edges UNC

LAHAINA, Hawaii — Auburn has its first Maui Invitational championship in school history. The fourth-ranked Tigers beat upset-minded Memphis 90-76 in the championship Wednesday, solidifying their status as the team with the best résumé in college basketball heading into November. Auburn defeated Houston earlier this month and beat No. 5 Iowa State, No. 12 North Carolina and red-hot Memphis over the span of three days in the islands. 

There are hundreds if not thousands of factors that go into building a really good team. Auburn’s a really good team. Probably on its way to being a great one. 

One of the most important factors is genuine trust and encouragement between teammates. Jealousy and friction can be the hidden things that tear away at a team’s potential. 

Which brings me to player of the year frontrunner Johni Broome and his teammate, fellow big man Dylan Cardwell. Cardwell is as Auburn as it gets. Last season, Auburn coach Bruce Pearl sat in his office with me and raved about Cardwell as a person. He could have transferred basically at any point if he wanted, considering how he took a back seat to Jabari Smith, Walker Kessler and Broome. Instead, he’s going to log five seasons at Auburn and leave as one of the most beloved players in school history. 

He wasn’t always so keen to be this way, though. 

“A year ago pretty much this week, Johni and I became friends,” Cardwell told CBS Sports. 

At first, he was resistant to Broome. There is so much pressure on college players to maximize every minute of their careers and pushing toward trying to make it as a professional. This environment invariably breeds insecurities and intra-team squabbles. Cardwell essentially gave Broome a cold shoulder after Broome transferred from Morehead State in 2022.

“The first year he was here, I looked at him as an opponent rather than my teammate, and that kind of showed on the court,” Cardwell…

Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/maui-invitational-takeaways-auburns-big-man-connection-is-key-to-its-domination-michigan-state-edges-unc/

Author : Matt Norlander

Publish date : 2024-11-28 06:55:00

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