In a tightly contested battle on Saturday night, the top-ranked Auburn Tigers secured a hard-fought 53-51 victory over the No. 6 Tennessee Volunteers. The low-scoring affair marked the return of Johni Broome, Auburn’s standout player and a leading candidate for national player of the year, who had been sidelined since January 11 due to an ankle injury.
Despite being listed as doubtful before the game, Broome found himself fueled by an unexpected motivator. On the morning of the game, he discovered his car had been decorated with Tennessee logos and symbols. When asked about the incident, Broome admitted it played a role in his decision to take the court.
“Actually, it did [motivate me],” Broome said, recounting the moment. “This morning, I go to my car, and I see two Tennessee signs. Pitchforks, like a ‘T’ logo. So, at that moment, I knew I was playing no matter what.”
Broome not only suited up but delivered a performance that underscored his value to the team. Coming off the bench, he logged 33 minutes and led all players with 16 points and 13 rebounds. His presence was crucial in every phase of the game, including his assist to Miles Kelly, who nailed the decisive three-pointer in the game’s final moments.
The road back to the court wasn’t easy for Broome. “It just felt amazing to go out there and compete with my brothers,” he said. “This week was very rough. Shout out to Clark [Pearson], Amber [Kressler], and Doc—they all put in a lot of effort and their time. Ultimately, I just wanted to be out there and help them win, help them grind it out. It was a rough one, but we got it done.”
The win improved Auburn’s record to 18-1 overall and 6-0 in SEC play, keeping them atop the conference standings, narrowly ahead of the Alabama Crimson Tide (6-1 in the SEC). However, the Tigers face a challenging schedule in the coming weeks. They’ll travel to LSU (12-7, 1-5 in SEC) on Wednesday before taking on No. 16 Ole Miss (15-5, 4-3 in SEC) on Saturday. After that, they return home for matchups against Oklahoma (15-4, 2-4 in the Big 12) and No. 5 Florida (18-2, 5-2 in SEC).
With Broome seemingly back at full strength, Auburn’s outlook remains promising. The star forward remains a frontrunner for player of the year honors, and his ability to deliver in clutch moments solidifies his reputation as one of college basketball’s top performers. While Broome typically doesn’t require added motivation, Tennessee’s playful provocation inadvertently gave him the push he needed to return in dominant fashion.
Future opponents may think twice before “poking the Tiger” after witnessing the outcome of Saturday’s showdown.
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