Auburn basketball will be Johni Broome-less in its first game since his ankle injury against South Carolina, coach Bruce Pearl said Monday.
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Broome, who suffered a “non-surgical” ankle sprain against the Gamecocks, won’t play against No. 15 Mississippi State on Tuesday, but he’s also out indefinitely, as Pearl added there’s still no timeline for his return.
In 15 games this season, Broome’s been an early contender for the National Player of the Year, leading Auburn in points (18.2), rebounds (11.2), assists (3.4) and blocks (2.7).
This isn’t the first injury Broome has faced this season, suffering a shoulder injury against Georgia State. While the injury looked to be significant, he returned for Auburn’s next game, against then-No. 16 Purdue, and hasn’t missed a game since.
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How did Auburn basketball’s Johni Broome injure his ankle?
Broome left the game at the 13:45 mark of the second half after appearing to roll his left ankle while going for a rebound. He left the court with the help from two team trainers and put no weight on his left foot, and a program spokesperson later told the Montgomery Advertiser he wouldn’t return for the contest.
Who replaces Johni Broome in Auburn basketball’s lineup?
Without Broome, Auburn will lean heavily on starting center Dylan Cardwell, but reserve forward Chaney Johnson is the next Tiger up at the four position. In 15 games, Johnson is averaging 10.1 points and 5.4 rebounds.
It’s also likely SMU transfer Ja’Heim “Turtle” Hudson would see elevated minutes without Broome. Hudson has played in just nine contests this season, and he’s averaging 6.9 minutes a game and 1.9 points.
Adam Cole is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at acole@gannett.com or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @colereporter.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Bruce Pearl: Auburn basketball’s Johni Broome won’t play against MSU
