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Recap
In his most important game of his illustrious career as an Auburn Tiger, Johni Broome was absolutely sensational.
The forward, who told CBS reporter Tracy Wolfson he came into Sunday's contest with the goal to "dominate", did just that in the first 20 minutes against Michigan State. Broome registered 17 points and 11 rebounds in a first half Auburn won 33-24. It was the second-straight contest Auburn's leading scorer accumulated a first half double-double.
The Tigers never trailed in the opening frame, opening a lead as high as 15 points thanks to a 17-0 run fueled mainly by the aforementioned National Player of the Year co-favorite. Miles Kelly (7 first half points) and Tahaad Pettiford (5 first half points) provided momentum shifting shots of their own, helping Bruce Pearl's top-ranked Tigers hold off Michigan State freshman Jace Richardson (9 points) and company.
Richardson, who eventually found success slashing his way through the Auburn front court, was the only Spartan to make more than 2 field goals in the first 20 minutes. His back court mates of Jaden Akins and Tre Holloman were largely ineffective, leading to a 26.7% clip from the field for Tom Izzo's team in the first half.
Auburn's lead held steady throughout the third quarter of the game, although foul trouble along with a lack of made jump shots allowed the 2-seed Spartans to hang around. Auburn made just 4 of its first 19 3-point shots, as Miles Kelly and Denver Jones struggled to find a rhythm with whistles going in the other direction.
The Tigers fifth 3-point make, which came from freshman Tahaad Pettiford, sent State Farm Arena into a frenzy. With the fantastic freshman standing directly in front of his bench, Pettiford swished home a corner 3-pointer following mesmerizing ball movement around the perimeter. The shot gave the Tigers a 12-point lead, though the Big 10 champion Spartans did not go quietly into the night.
A Johni Broome injury with just over 10 minutes remaining gave Jace Richardson and company new-found life. That life was taken out of Tom Izzo's team when Broome made his triumphant return by swishing his second 3-point shot of the game. Broome and the Tigers finished off another double-digit win, earning their way back to the Final Four for the first time since 2019.
Reaction
After Auburn lost three of its final four contests heading into the NCAA Tournament, the discourse around the No. 1 overall seed was mostly pessimistic. All Bruce Pearl's Tigers have done since is win every single one of their tournament contests by at least 6 points. This team has proven its legitimacy as the top dog in the tournament, and has every chance in the world to cut down another pair of nets next Monday.
What's Next
Auburn will take on SEC Tournament Champion Florida in the Final Four next Saturday. The stakes surrounding the rivalry have never been higher.
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This article originally appeared on Auburn Wire: Auburn vs Michigan State in March Madness: Auburn advances to Final 4
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