Film Room: Tahaad Takeover vs. Creighton
Auburn knew it was going to ask a lot out of its freshman point guard in the NCAA Tournament. And, as usual, he had all the answers.
LEXINGTON, Ky. — In what was Auburn’s first big game of this historic season, Tahaad Pettiford rose to the occasion, leading all scorers and delivering clutch plays down the stretch to secure the win.
In what could have been Auburn’s last big game of this historic season, Tahaad Pettiford did it again, leading all scorers and delivering clutch plays down the stretch to secure the win.
The former came on a fall Saturday against Houston, Pettiford’s second collegiate game. The latter came on the first Saturday of spring against Creighton, his second NCAA Tournament game.
Auburn won the first to prove it belonged among the nation’s elite this season, sparking a dream season to come. Auburn won the second to keep its season and that dream alive — advancing to the Sweet 16 for the first time in six years.
In both moments, the kid from Jersey City was an undeniable star.
“It means a lot, just seeing the trust my teammates and my coaches have in me,” Pettiford said. “Just putting the ball in my hands in such a big game just felt amazing.”
This is just who Pettiford is: A freshman who thrives under the pressure of major matchups. In Auburn’s Quad 1 games this season, Pettiford is averaging 13 points and 2.7 assists per game, while shooting a remarkable 43.1% from 3-point range.
“Y’all gotta double-check that kid’s birth certificate,” senior Chad Baker-Mazara said.
Pettiford is second on the team in all three of those categories — points, assists and three-point percentage. The only players ahead of him? A trio of ultra-experienced seniors.
He’s a freshman, doing it all off the bench. And none of his teammates are surprised.
“I mean, I knew that since I came in this summer and I first laid my eyes on him,” senior Miles Kelly said. “Since I got in the gym with him, he's been a dog.”
Pettiford poured in 23 points to lead Auburn’s 82-70 win over Creighton, shooting 7-14 from the field, 2-3 from deep and a clutch 7-8 from the free-throw line.
“Man, Tahaad Pettiford,” senior Chaney Johnson said. “Freshman of the Year. The National Freshman of the Year. He's a bucket, man.”
Pettiford recorded a career-high six rebounds — breaking the high-mark he had set just two days earlier in the first round — and dished out three assists. He also played the final 17:15 of regulation and didn’t commit a turnover in the last 14 minutes of a pressure-packed game.
“I haven’t been surprised by Tahaad since the summer, man,” senior Denver Jones said. “First time I watched him, that was my moment right there to be surprised. Ever since the season started, I already know what type of player he is. So I’m really not surprised when he steps up in big moments.”
While Creighton played multiple freshmen Saturday, Pettiford was rarely matched up against one. Instead, he spent most of the night going toe-to-toe with a battle-tested veteran — fifth-year point guard Steven Ashworth, a 25-year-old husband and father.
But Auburn knew it had to have Pettiford on the floor as much as possible. His quickness was too much for the Bluejays’ backcourt. His command of the offense was absolutely essential to retake the lead and protect it. And his composure under pressure killed off any hope of a Creighton comeback.
That’s why he barely left the floor after his first substitution in the first half — and why he played nearly every second of the second half. Auburn used him to take full advantage of the way Creighton was playing defense, with Bruce Pearl and Mike Burgomaster expertly unleashing him over and over again on offense.
Pettiford, simply put, was in takeover mode.
“We knew the shots that we were going to get,” Pettiford said. “It’s just getting in the gym and working on those types of shots and being ready for the situation. My guys helped me get the ball, get open and helped me find the shots that I wanted to get.”
In this special March Madness edition of the Film Room, let’s break down 11 plays that showcased how Auburn turned Pettiford loose against Creighton — punching its long-awaited return ticket to the Sweet 16 in Atlanta.
Snake Step-Back 3 vs. Drop Coverage
After back-to-back 3s gave Creighton an early 12-10 lead, Pettiford came down the floor and immediately answered for Auburn.
On this set, the initial Flex action results in an overload look halfway into the shot clock, with Auburn’s 2, 3 and 4 all outside the arc on the right side of the floor.
Johni Broome is the lone Tiger to the left, defended by Ryan Kalkbrenner. The floor is spaced for a wide open two-man game to Pettiford’s dominant left, so Broome steps over into the slot to set him a clear-side ball screen. With the Creighton big man predictably dropping, it’s a 2-on-1 situation at the top.
Notice how Pettiford gets low and tight while maneuvering around the screen from Broome here. Drop coverage principles, as you might remember from Auburn’s masterclass against the strategy at Alabama earlier this season, have Ashworth going over the screen and chasing from behind.
Pettiford knows this, and his expert positioning leaves no room for the defender to wedge back inside and cut him off. So, while turning the corner on the screen, he pounds a dribble out with his left hand, selling the downhill drive and forcing Ashworth to angle even wider out to his left on the chase.
The freshman then hits the brakes, crosses over to his right hand at the left slot and side-steps right into a 3-pointer at the top of the key. The amount of separation he generates is textbook.
It’s pure. It’s effortless. And for Pettiford, it’s just the beginning.