Auburn Tigers Triumph Over Michigan State, Secure Place in Final Four

Johni Broome delivered an impressive performance with 25 points and 14 rebounds, leading Auburn to a decisive 70-64 victory over Michigan State on Sunday. The Tigers took control early with a 17-point streak in the first half, securing their spot in the Final Four by sweeping the No. 1 seeds. This marks Auburn’s second trip to the Final Four, with their previous appearance in 2019 also under the guidance of coach Bruce Pearl. The Tigers, crowned South Region champions and the top seed in the NCAA Tournament, were the final No. 1 seed to advance, joining Florida, Duke, and Houston. It’s notable as the first occasion since 2008, and only the second time in history since seeding began in 1979, that all top seeds have reached the Final Four. Remarkably, higher-seeded teams recorded a sweep, going 12-0 in regional semifinals and finals since the tournament expanded in 1985. Auburn is set to clash with Florida in an all-Southeastern Conference semifinal on Saturday in San Antonio, after Florida’s victory over Texas Tech with a score of 84-79 in the West Region final. Jaxon Kohler topped Michigan State’s performance with 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Jaden Akins contributed 15 points. A tense moment arose when Broome fell on his right arm attempting to block a shot with 10 minutes remaining, forcing him to temporarily leave the game. Broome, recognized as the Associated Press SEC Player of the Year and a first-team All-America honoree, appeared to injure his right elbow but made a triumphant return with 5:29 on the clock, receiving a warm welcome from Auburn fans. With the elbow bandaged, he quickly sank a 3-pointer. “It was a scary moment,” Broome admitted. “I went down but my team had my back.” Auburn was the only team in the Elite Eight to win its first three March Madness games by double digits, highlighted by their 78-65 triumph over Michigan in the Sweet 16. Meanwhile, Michigan State advanced with a narrow 73-70 victory over Mississippi in the Sweet 16. The Spartans initially led 8-6, but the Tigers took over with that decisive 17-0 run, rendering Michigan State scoreless for nearly six minutes while they missed 10 straight shots. Broome capped the run in style with a 3-pointer, leaving Auburn ahead with a 23-8 lead. Auburn maintained a 33-24 advantage at halftime. Although the Spartans managed to close the gap to five points at 35-30 early in the second half, they couldn’t close in further.