Broome’s return raises top-ranked Auburn past Vols

Jan 25, 2025, 10:27 AM ET

Miles Kelly struck a go-ahead 3-pointer with 30 seconds staying and Johni Broome had 16 points and 13 rebounds in his return to the lineup as No. 1 Auburn extended its winning streak to 11 games by outliving No. 6 Tennessee 53-51 on Saturday night.Auburn (18-1,

6-0 SEC) was held to its lowest point overall of the season by Tennessee’s physical defense. Kelly’s trey off a feed from Broome turned a two-point deficit into a one-point advantage.Tennessee had an opportunity

to retake the lead in the last seconds, but a 3-point shot by Zakai Zeigler missed the mark.Broome, a 6-foot-10, 240-pound fifth-year senior and preseason Associated Press All-American, was back in action for the very first time considering that suffering what Tigers coach Bruce Pearl called a “considerable sprain” to his left ankle during a win at South Carolina on Jan. 11. The forward protected vital protective rebounds on Tennessee’s final two possessions.

“I simply want to thank my fitness instructors and my medical professionals and Johni Broome for living in the training space for two weeks. I didn’t believe he was going to come back tonight, in the middle of the week. And even here the day previously, I understood he wanted to go,” Pearl stated after the success. “I didn’t think he was going to work. And he had a triple-double tonight: 16 points, 13 rebounds– and he missed 12 shots.Editor’s Picks 2 Associated”However I believe the

team truly appreciated their leader for putting it on the line, and I don’t understand if we win if he does not return. “Tennessee coach Rick Barnes didn’t take any opportunities. He had his Volunteers prepared to see Broome, although, in the end, that didn’t stop him.” There was no doubt in our mind [

Broome] was going to play,”Barnes said.”We knew he was going to play. So we prepared all week for him to be there.”Zeigler had 14 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists

to lead the Volunteers(17-3, 4-3). Chaz Lanier included 10 points, consisting of a set of clutch 3-pointers in the second half.Both groups shot less than 32%from the field in the protective slugfest.”The last thing is that we’ve won four games now in the last ownership– four of the last six,” Pearl said.”In 2015, we had 20 wins by double digits. Therefore, whether this team is much better or not or whatever we are, this league is better. And so, it’s going be a fight every night. But we enjoy with this one, because that’s a terrific team. “Auburn will dip into LSU on Wednesday. Tennessee will want to bounce

back when it hosts No. 9 Kentucky on Tuesday.”I thought they fought all night long,”Barnes stated of his Volunteers.

“And we went through just a couple minutes where we didn’t quite adhere to the details and gave them a few baskets that we would not want to give them.”The Associated Press added to this report.