By Ken Cross
ATLANTA – Auburn star Johni Broome scored 25 points and latched onto 14 rebounds and the Tigers used some timely shooting when Broome went out with an injury to take down Michigan State, 70-64, on Sunday in State Farm Arena.
Broome scored the Tigers’ first three baskets and then he posted 11 points as Auburn took a decisive 23-8 lead with 10:29 remaining in the first half. Auburn hit a 17-0 run as Broome made 5-for-5 shots to begin the game posting 11 points as a key supplement in the run. He finished 10-of-13 for the game as he had two assists, a block, and a steal in 29 minutes.
All right, I mean, we won, so I’m happy we’re still in this,” said Broome. “All glory to God again for allowing me to be healthy.”
Flip back to the 78-65 win over Michigan in the Sweet 16 as Broome helped Auburn stay the course although the Tigers trailed, 48-39, with 11:57 to play.
He finished with 22 points and 16 rebounds and his presence allowed for Denver Jones to scored 10 points in a row and Tahaad Pettiford to score 15 of his 20 points in those final 12 minutes.
In both wins, Broome was poised with his turn-around jumpers off the glass, his drop steps off of the boxes for layups, and then his three-pointers which make him an even tougher matchup. His continual rebounding and his presence in being a key assist-man make Johni Broome an obvious National Player of the Year.
Sunday afternoon, he worked the boards for scores off of offensive rebounds and then just before halftime, he took the ball into the lane where he was fouled and made two free throws. His presence was insurmountable in the first half with 17 points as the Tigers led 33-24 after 20 minutes.
“Johni Broome stepped up again,” said Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl. “Just keep doubting him, and keep thinking that he’s not going to be able to get to another gear.”
After Michigan State cut the score back to 50-40, Broome went down as he blocked a shot from behind Spartans forward Frankie Fidler. This produced a hyper-extended elbow.
He went to the lockerroom for x-rays and was off the floor for 5:13. He came back into the game and received a standing ovation and cheers from a NevilleArena-esque Auburn crowd which surrounded the Atlanta Hawks’ home floor.
“I was sitting on the sidelines before, and I was going to do it,” Broome said of his return to action. “I came back out. Dylan (Cardwell) needed a break, so I went in for a couple minutes just to help us win.”
Broome nailed a clutch three with immediacy as he scored from the right wing off of an assist from Miles Kelly to give the Tigers a 60-48 lead.
Cardwell and Chaney Johnson manned the paint in Broome’s absence. Johnson scored on a spin-off of the right box while Cardwell was key on the boards and in his leadership status with Broome in the locker room. Both used a strong defensive effort against a solid Michigan State post game led by 17 points from Jaxon Kohler.
“When Johni went out, my heart dropped, but he came to me and Dylan and was like, you might have to finish for us,” said Johnson. “We were just like, all right, we’ve got to lock in and continue being tough because toughness wins in March.”
The post play with Broome, Cardwell, and Johnson sets up an incredible quintet of guards in the defensive stopper and clutch shooter Denver Jones, talented freshman Tahaad Pettiford, the versatility and leadership of Chad Baker-Mazara, sharpshooter Miles Kelly, tenacious forward Chris Moore and key contributors in Ja’ Heim Hudson and Jahki Howard.
Baker-Mazara was stellar with five assists and zero turnovers in 32 minutes.
Auburn’s depth of talent and then the myriad of different types of game plans by coach Bruce Pearl and his staff are why the Tigers are currently 32-5. Those are also a signature in how they finished 15-3 as the outright regular season winner in the gauntlet that has been 2024-25 SEC Basketball, the best single season of any conference in the history of college basketball.
“You bring in Chaney Johnson, you bring in Denver Jones, you bring in Chad Baker-Mazara, and it tells the guys that are left, ‘he did bring in good guys and guys that were willing to make sacrifices and want to try to become a great team,’” explained Pearl.