Running the point: Auburn’s Holloway, Donaldson proving 2 are better than 1

AUBURN, Ala. – There might be point guards across college basketball this season who are averaging more points and assists per game than Aden Holloway and Tre Donaldson, but good luck finding a better duo at the position than the two Auburn point guards.

Through the first 15 games, Holloway and Donaldson have combined to score 261 points and dish out 107 assists while only turning it over just 36 times. That’s seven assists to two turnovers per game. As a result, the Tiges are 13-2 and ranked No. 16 in this week’s AP Top 25.  

“We’re just trying not to do too much and make a statement,” Donaldson said. “We talk about trying to make a statement around the country that we’re the best point guards in the country.”

“Just being a competitor, I’ve got to put us first,” added Holloway. “I feel like we’re at the top.”

It took all of three games for Holloway, a decorated freshman and McDonald's All-American, to ascend into the starting lineup. He’s started the last 13 games, and his 9.9 points per game rank third on the team. What’s been more impressive is how well Holloway is taking care of the basketball. He has just 14 turnovers through his first 15 college games and leads all Division I freshmen with a 3.71 assist-to-turnover ratio.

But going to the bench wasn’t a demotion for Donaldson. He’s still seeing plenty of playing time – more than he did last year as a freshman – and if anything, head coach Bruce Pearl has leaned on the sophomore more in the team’s first two SEC games against Arkansas and Texas A&M.

“I feel like it makes us a lot better,” said Donaldson who leads the team with 55 assists while averaging 7.5 points per game. “There’s no drop-off. Your guard play from the starter to the sixth man is usually not as good. Just being able to not have that drop-off and sometimes have a better run with that second lineup, I feel like it’s one of our strengths.”

“It just gives you a feeling that you can go out there and play your game because no matter if you make a mistake or anything, I know Tre is going to pick it up,” Holloway said. “Whether it’s scoring or facilitating or running the offense or just guarding, I know there’s no drop-off at all. It’s really even with us.”

The improved point guard play has elevated the play of the whole team, specifically on offense where Auburn is averaging 83.5 points per game compared to just 72.1 points per game through the first 15 games a year ago.

Johni Broome has seen his play improve as well. The All-SEC big man is averaging a team best 15.3 points per game, up more than two points from where he was last year at this time.

“It’s great,” Broome said. “As a big, you love to have one good point guard. But we have two, so it makes it even better. Every time I’m on the court, I have someone who I can trust at the 1 position. They give me the ball whenever I need it, whenever I want it, whenever they feel like I’m in a good position to score to help the team out. But also, when I have the ball, teams can’t really help as much because they’re such great shooters. They space the floor out for me and allow me to make plays for my team.”

Across the board, Auburn has been much more proficient from deep this season connecting on 118 3-pointers. Holloway and Donaldson have converted nearly half of those with 46 combined 3s, and both are shooting over 35 percent from beyond the arc.

But the primary emphasis all year has been on valuing possessions, and Auburn’s point guards have taken that message to heart with only 36 turnovers between them.

“That’s the main thing I’ve been saying over and over since I got here,” Holloway said. “It’s the main thing BP instills in our brains. Just to value possessions. If you don’t have something, just pull it out and run something because our halfcourt offense is really good. I think we’ve been doing a good job of that.”

The key now will be whether Holloway and Donaldson can sustain their level of play as conference play ramps up and Auburn is facing an SEC team every time out.

“They’re not going to shy away from the moment,” senior guard K.D. Johnson said. “It’s nothing they haven’t seen before. They know they’re good players. They come in and focus on winning, not on themselves. I believe that’s big part of their games and the way they play.”

The point guard duo will be back in action Saturday night when Auburn hosts LSU.