ATLANTA — Johni Broome looked like the nation’s best player in Auburn’s 70-64 victory over second-seeded Michigan State in the Elite Eight on Sunday before he went down with what a appeared to be an elbow and leg injury.
He went to the locker room with 10:37 left in the game, but returned with his arm wrapped about 5 minutes later. But Broome immediately silenced any doubts about his well-being with a 3-pointer in front of Auburn coach Bruce Pearl.
Pearl said he didn’t get a diagnosis from the team doctor, but asked Broome if he could play.
“He said, ‘I am,’” Pearl said. “I said, ‘Well, get your (expletive) in there.’”
Broome, who had an ice pack on his right arm in the postgame news conference, finished with 25 points and 14 rebounds, working Michigan State’s big men on the baseline and interior with ease on several occasions.
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Pearl said the team would likely know more about Broome’s injury on Monday.
The senior forward posted a double-double in the first half and added to that in the second half, despite the injury, to lead the Tigers to a Final Four matchup against top-seeded Florida on April 5 in San Antonio.
He scored Auburn’s first six points, forcing the Spartans to focus on shutting him down.
“We did most of the things we wanted to do except guard Broome a little bit better,” Michigan State men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo said. “He did a helluva job.”
Broome found his footing behind the arc, wound up and drilled a 3-pointer that saw Auburn go up by 15 points with 10:29 left in the first half. He then sprinted the court flexing a “call God” sign while teammates ran on the floor.
In the second half, he blocked a shot on the baseline before finishing a tough and-one on the other end of the floor, putting Auburn up 45-34 with 15:04 remaining in the game.
Broome, on the ensuing play, caught a bounce pass and bullied his way inside before punishing the rim with a two-handed dunk.
Broome’s 3-pointer with 4:40 remaining gave Auburn a 60-48 advantage. Dylan Cardwell said Broome showed chutzpah with his performance.
“That shot alone, just getting hurt and then coming back and his first shot really got the crowd into it,” he said.
Andy Mathis is a student in the University of Georgia’sSports Media Certificate program.
