ATLANTA | It was the only time the 16,000-plus fans, mostly wearing orange and blue, were quiet. Johni Broome had gone to the floor with an apparent injury, taking his time getting up before Auburn's trainer had to come and check on him.
The All-American sat for a while, got up, said something to Bruce Pearl, a couple of teammates, his father in the stands and disappeared into the locker room.
The clock read 10:24. Auburn held a 10-point lead over Michigan State, and the Tigers were looking to secure a spot in the program's second-ever Final Four. For nearly five minutes, Broome wasn't seen, missing as his teammates fought Tom Izzo's team, hoping their star player could return.
Broome returned. Oh, he returned.
As he walked to the scorer's table to check into the game, the pro-Auburn crowd erupted, happy to see their MVP back on the floor. Broome didn't disappoint. He grabbed a rebound on his first defensive possession and then, in a scene taken from the script of your latest sports movie, nailed a three with 4:40 left to give Auburn a 12-point lead.
There was no possible way the Tigers would lose after that.
"All glory to God," Broome said." When I came back out, when I hit that 3 ball, I called on him again. You got to always call on him. He's always going to deliver."
Broome played possibly his best game of the season, scoring 25 points with 14 rebounds while shooting 10-of-13 from the floor, including 2-of-2 from three. He dominated from the start, scoring Auburn's first six points of the game as the Tigers took an early lead they wouldn't give up.
"Johni Broome stepped up again," Bruce Pearl said in an understatement. "Just keep doubting him and keep thinking that he's not going to be able to get to another gear. One of the reasons why I'm on him, and my son Steven's on him pretty well, is because I know what he's capable of, I know what he's capable of."
In a game where Michigan State tried to impose its will inside, Broome, along with Dylan Cardwell and Chaney Johnson, held up. And, in the end, it was Broome cutting down the last piece of the net and hanging it over his shoulders that has carried Auburn to two games from a national title.
"Man, words can't even describe it," Broome said." The fact that this team, who's been working so hard from the time we got here to even the first time I told the Coach, this was a part of our plans, a part of our goals. To stand on top of the ladder in front of all the Auburn fans still being there traveling and witnessing it as well and looking down and seeing my teammates, the whole Auburn family, it just means the world to me."
