Observations: Auburn 85, UCF 68

In their first home game in a while, the Tigers took full advantage of their frontcourt and finished off a "dangerous" UCF team with authority.

C Walker Kessler (Jacob Taylor/Auburn Athletics)

Basketball is a game of matchups. Individually, it’s often about a player trying to get the better of his man, whether on offense or defense. From a team perspective, coaches try to come up with the best game plans and adjustments to take advantage of what their players have over their opposition — or limit the opponent’s own edges.

Sometimes, those matchups can be pretty simple. On Wednesday night, Jabari Smith won his matchup repeatedly on both ends of the floor, because he’s a potential top-three NBA Draft pick. Walker Kessler did the same, because he was several inches taller than anyone else in Auburn Arena.

Those two matchups in particular went a long way Wednesday, when Auburn got revenge on one of its ugliest losses from last season by knocking off UCF by 17 points at home. Auburn had the clear size advantage with Smith and Kessler in the frontcourt, and that power in the paint went a long way.

“You know, UCF is a dangerous team,” B…