By ADAM ZAGORIA
Johni Broome returned from an ankle injury Saturday night to help lead No. 1 Auburn to a 53-51 victory over No. 6 Tennessee.
His teammates called him a “bad man,” while coach Bruce Pearl joked about his faux triple-double and praised the courage of the 6-foot-10, 240-pound fifth-year senior and preseason Associated Press All-American.
“He had a triple-double tonight. 16 points, 13 rebounds, and he missed 12 shots…I think the team really respected their leader for putting it on the line and I don’t know that we win if he doesn’t come back,” Pearl said.
"You a bad man" 🤝
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) January 26, 2025
Johni Broome's teammates had high praise for him đź’Ş pic.twitter.com/rzkFslas99
Miles Kelly hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 30 seconds remaining and Broome had 16 points and 13 rebounds as No. 1 Auburn extended its winning streak to 11 games.
Auburn (18-1, 6-0 SEC) was held to its lowest point total of the season by Tennessee’s physical defense. Kelly’s 3-pointer off a feed from Broome turned a two-point deficit into a one-point lead.
Tennessee had a chance to take the lead in the final seconds, but a 3-point try the Vols’ Zakai Zeigler missed the mark.
Broome, who was back in action for the first time since suffering what coach Pearl called a “significant sprain” to his left ankle two weeks ago in a road win at South Carolina, secured crucial defensive rebounds on Tennessee’s final two possessions.
(The AP contributed reporting)
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