Auburn’s player of the year candidate Johni Broome suffers ‘significant’ ankle sprain

Johni Broome suffered a “significant sprain” of his left ankle in No. 2 Auburn’s win over South Carolina on Saturday, and Tigers coach Bruce Pearl said his team’s leading scorer will have an MRI to determine the extent of the injury.

Broome, a 6-foot-10, 240-pound fifth-year senior and preseason Associated Press All-American who is considered a contender for national player of the year, landed on the foot of a South Carolina defender and rolled his left ankle while going for a rebound in the second half of Auburn’s 66-63 Southeastern Conference win. He was gripping his left ankle and could not stand without assistance, requiring the help of two trainers to get to the locker room.

“He’s got a significant sprain,” Pearl said. “When we get back to Auburn tonight, we’ll get him an MRI and see if it’s anything else going on there.”

Broome had six points and three rebounds in 24 minutes before leaving the game with 13 minutes remaining. He entered Saturday’s game averaging more than 18 points and an SEC-leading 11.2 rebounds.

“Without our player of the year, it’s going to be hard to find offense down there. Johni’s unstoppable down there,” Pearl said after the Tigers improved to 3-0 in the SEC and 15-1 overall. “We’ll just see what the doc says, and it’s going to be just like it was for us in the second half. Got to be the next man up.”

Dylan Cardwell scored a go-ahead dunk to lift the Tigers over the Gamecocks and was mentioned by Pearl as being one of the players that will have to replace Broome. Chaney Johnson, Chris Moore and Ja’Heim Hudson could also fill in.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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