For the second time in six years, the Auburn basketball team is headed to the Final Four. The No. 1 overall seed, the Tigers will join fellow 1-seeds Duke, Florida, and Houston in San Antonio for the Final Four after defeating Michigan State in the Elite Eight 70-64.
For the first time, however, the Tigers are entering into the final stretch of the tournament with a National Player of the Year candidate. Over and over again, senior Johni Broome continues to show his dominance on the court and has been a major factor in the Tigers' deep run this year.
In the second half against Michigan State on Sunday evening, Broome went up for a block and landed awkwardly, appearing to hyperextend his right arm at the elbow and his left leg at the knee. The big man quickly left the game and went to the locker room, and the broadcast showed his parents crying in the stands.
But minutes later, Broome reemerged from the tunnel to raucous cheers from Tiger fans. He checked into the game, pulled down a rebound with one arm, and then hit a dagger three. Broome's uncertainty about his injury before heading to the locker room led to concern about his availability for the Final Four matchup against Florida.
"I will be (ready), but all glory to God," Broome said post-game when asked about his fall, per Auburn Undercover.
"I didn't get any diagnosis. When Johni came out of the locker room, I hadn't talked to any doctor," head coach Bruce Pearl added after the game. "I just asked him if he was good to go, he said I am, and I said get your ass in there."
Auburn basketball will face off against the Florida Gators for a spot in the championship game on Saturday, April 5 at 5:09 p.m. central time.