Johni Broome is either the most important or second-most important player left in the NCAA Tournament. It's fair to say that Broome's success relative to Auburn's overall is on par with Cooper Flagg's relative to Duke's.
Both teams are still among the cream of the crop without the stars, but with them, they could be the best in the country.
Saturday Down South's David Wasson recognizes that truth. Wasson deemed Broome a "force multiplier" while deeming him "precisely" the kind of weapon a championship team needs.
"Johni Broome is a force multiplier for the Tigers, literally enhancing the effectiveness of his teammates and allowing them to accomplish more than they could without him. He is the reason Auburn has advanced beyond the NCAA Tournament’s first weekend for the first time since the Tigers’ Final Four run in 2019 and will likely be the catalyst should the Tigers win 2 more games this weekend in Atlanta," Wasson wrote.
"Yes, Broome’s Player of the Year candidacy took a hit earlier this season when he sustained an ankle injury on Jan. 11. Up to that point, it was Broome and not Duke superstar freshman Cooper Flagg that was earning all the POY kudos. On the same night, Flagg dropped 42 points on Notre Dame and the race was really on.
"Broome only missed 2 games due to the injury, but it was enough for Auburn to feel what basketball life is like without him. Broome is at full strength heading into the Sweet 16 against Michigan, and at has 18.0 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.4 blocks per game this season is precisely the kind of versatile weapon that championship teams need."
Broome has yet to have a dominant performance throughout March Madness. Certainly not the 30-point outburst Flagg had against Arizona on Thursday Night in the Sweet 16.
But against the Wolverines' vaunted frontline of Danny Wolf and Vladislav Goldin, Broome could have that signature performance that solidifies his greatness.