Auburn forward Johni Broome is listed as questionable in the SEC’s Friday night injury report before the Saturday slate of games.
Broome has been dealing with an ankle injury since Jan. 11 and missed the Tigers’ next two games. Auburn did not have a mid-week contest leading into the Tennessee game on Saturday night.
Broome’s questionable status lines up with what Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl told Jeff Goodman on Friday afternoon. Goodman’s report stated that Broome would be a game-time decision on Saturday after he was able to practice “some” with the team on Thursday.
The Tigers’ senior has established himself as one of the nation’s best players this season. The 6-foot-10 forward is averaging 17.9 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game in 16 contests this season, leading the Tigers’ veteran-heavy roster to a 17-1 record so far. Auburn took the nation’s No. 1 ranking away from Tennessee two weeks ago after the Vols’ blowout loss against Florida in Gainesville and has held it since.
In three career games against Tennessee, Broome has totaled 51 points and 25 rebounds. The Vols are 2-1 in games against Broome and the Tigers.
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Auburn hasn’t missed too many steps with Broome sidelined, though. The Tigers ended up inching out a win over South Carolina in the game that Broome got hurt in but then rallied to destroy No. 15 Mississippi State by 22 points in the following contest. Auburn then narrowly beat No. 23 Georgia in a great game from Athens last weekend.
Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl started senior forward Chaney Johnson in the two games Broome has been sidelined. Johnson, averaging 23.9 minutes on the court in 18 games this season, is averaging 10 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. While coming off of the bench, Johnson was more in the 18-22 minutes per game range.
Johni Broome was the only participant on Auburn’s injury report on Friday night but Tennessee did have two notable players listed. Tennessee guard Jordan Gainey is questionable with illness while forward Igor Milicic Jr. is probable with a leg injury.
No. 1 Auburn (17-1, 5-0 SEC) will host No. 6 Tennessee (17-2, 4-2 SEC) in an SEC heavyweight clash on Saturday night at 8:30 p.m. ET in Neville Arena.
Stay tuned to Rocky Top Insider for live, on-site coverage of the game from Auburn, AL.
