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Bruce Pearl and No. 2 Auburn escaped upset-minded South Carolina on Saturday, but concern was with Johni Broome, who was forced to exit due to an ankle injury just past the 6-minute mark of the second half.
Unfortunately for Broome and the Tigers, it’s a “significant sprain”, Pearl told Jeff Goodman following the contest, with the star forward “likely” set to miss “some time”.
“That’s what we think,” the Auburn head coach told Goodman. “We will get tests tomorrow to make sure.”
Broome has been a massive part of the Tigers’ roster since his arrival. He transferred to Auburn after 2 seasons at Morehead State and averaged 14.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks in 2022-23 as the Tigers appeared in the NCAA Tournament’s second round. In 2023-24, he gathered first-team All-SEC and 3rd-team All-America honors after posting 16.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks as the Tigers won the SEC Championship before a first-round exit in the NCAA tournament.
He’s on pace for a career season in 2024-25, averaging a double-double (18.7 and 11.2) while totaling 2.7 blocks an outing. The Tigers are 15-1 (3-0 SEC) and return home on Tuesday to face Mississippi State, likely without their big man available for at least the next few games.
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
