SAN DIEGO (AP) No. 4 seed Auburn (26-7) vs. No. 5 Clemson (24-9).
Second Round, Midwest Region, San Diego; Sunday; tip approximately 7:10 p.m. EDT.
FOOTBALL COUNTRY: This matchup would really stand out on the gridiron in autumn, but it's going to be played at San Diego State's Viejas Arena in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
GUARD ON GUARD: Both teams feature guard-oriented offenses. ''They have good guards,'' Clemson guard Gabe DeVoe said of the Tigers. ''We have to limit their offensive rebounds, second-chance points and do a good job on their three guards.'' Clemson's guards, meanwhile, ''are good off the bounce,'' Auburn guard Bryce Brown said. ''They can pull it off the bounce as well. Just being able to contain them, keeping them in front, and not allowing them to get their shot at the same time is going to be a tough matchup for us.''
TIGERS VS. TIGERS: Auburn of the SEC leads the series 15-12 against Clemson of the ACC. Clemson won the last meeting 72-61 on Dec. 14, 2015.
QUOTABLE: ''He's a chucker,'' Clemson coach Brad Brownell said about Tigers football coach Dabo Swinney, who plays pickup hoops at the basketball facility. ''He's going to get his shots up and there is really nobody in the gym, unless I'm there, that is going to tell him he's shot too much. ... He does love basketball. He was a good player in high school.'' Brownell said Swinney, who coached Clemson to the national football championship two seasons ago, buys jerseys for the NTBA, the Noontime Basketball Association, ''and he's obviously the chairman.''
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