AUBURN, Ala. - Johni Broome logged 31 points and 14 rebounds as Auburn (25-2) took down the Georgia Bulldogs (16-11), 82-70. Despite a rough shooting performance in the first half, in which both teams scored less than 30, the Tigers kicked into third gear and put up 52 in the second half behind Broome’s dominance in the paint. This victory extends Auburn’s current win streak to four in a row.
Although Auburn began the game on a nine-to-nothing run, the match ended up being similar to Wednesday’s slugfest against Arkansas. Both teams shot 30% in the first half, struggling from both beyond the arc and leaving several points at the charity stripe.
“[Georgia] played a 1-2-2 zone, and haven't played it hardly all year. I told Coach White I thought that was a great call because it caught us so off guard”, said Bruce Pearl. Auburn struggled to get looks at the rim due to Georgia’s defense, and four out of the five starters for the Tigers were held to less than five points at the half.
The SEC's physicality, which we’ve come to expect, was another major factor in the slow pace of this game. Foul trouble kept Chaney Johnson, a major factor in recent contests, glued to the bench for the final 13 minutes of the half. By the end of the half, each team was in the bonus.
With the Tigers in need of an offensive sparkplug, Johni Broome had no issue stepping up to the occasion. At the eight-minute mark, Broome would score on an and-one putback, which was the start of seven straight points from Broome alone. This individual run toward the final stretch of the game was nothing short of complete dominance, as Georgia’s highly touted NBA prospect Asa Newell had no answers. Johni scored 19 of his 31 points in the second half, on a perfect 7 for 7 from the field.
When asked about Broome’s second-half performance, Coach Pearl simply responded, “That’s why he is National Player of the Year”. Broome’s sole competition for the coveted Wooden Award would be Duke’s Cooper Flagg, however, performances like this against tough SEC competition have many believing this title is Johni’s to lose.
Denver Jones had a quiet but spectacular performance in tandem with his starting forward. Jones scored 17 while shooting 55% from the field despite having limited minutes due to foul trouble.
Chad Baker-Mazara and Miles Kelly each added 11, including a combined 7-7 from the free throw line. Clutch free throws from each extended Auburn’s lead to double digits down the stretch and ultimately put away the game.
Auburn extends its record to 13-1 in the SEC, with sole possession of first place. Auburn’s last four opponents, Ole Miss, Kentucky, Texas A&M and Alabama, will all be ranked matchups. As the regular season comes to a close, Auburn has the opportunity to hold the record for most quadrant one victories in a season, assuming they win out.
The first of the Tigers' tough matchups will be a rematch against the Ole Miss Rebels. Tipoff will be on Wednesday, February 26th, at 6:00 pm. The game can be streamed on ESPN2 or listened to live on the Auburn Sports Network.
