The Auburn Tigers have had a dream season so far, delivering everything their fans could have hoped for. There wasn’t even a moment where they looked vulnerable—well, except for that tough 6-point loss against Duke in early December. But now, things might be taking a different turn. Bruce Pearl, the head coach, finally has something to worry about, and it’s arguably his most important asset this season. Let’s dive into what’s challenging Pearl’s path to what could be a championship run.

The 6′ 10″ forward Johni Broome was going for a rebound against the Gamecocks when he twisted his ankle. Sources reveal that he is diagnosed with a non-surgical ankle sprain following an MRI this morning..”Broome has a rough, sprained ankle” acknowledged analyst John Fanta in a recent episode of ‘The Field of 68 After Dark podcast’. The injury seems serious as he laid down for minutes before he was attended by his team staff. “Even if you’re out a month.. That’s the kind of thing that can linger”, Added Rob Dauster implying that the pain can linger even after some recovery.

Broome’s injury can be very costly to Bruce Pearl as he’s literally a candidate for National Player of the Year.Broome has been averaging almost 18 points and grabbing about 10 rebounds a game. “Man, Mississippi standing at home.. Georgia, who just beat Oklahoma in Kentucky.. Then you get Tennessee at home”, added Dauster emphasizing on Auburn’s schedule. Indeed, the Tigers can’t afford to face the tough schedules of January and February without their most dependable scorer.

“The thing that makes him special is because of his size.. His mobility and his touch and his ability to kind of read defenses.” Said Dauster to remind what Broome’s absence can mean for the team. “Auburn has enough talent to still finish” Added Terrence Oglesby. However significant Broome is to the tigers, they are still a formidable force as a team. The possesses the talents of Miles Kelly, Chaney Johnson among many others who can possibly step up to the opportunity.

“He’s not a young freshman.. So it’s going to take a little bit of time for him to get back” said Oglesby. Bruce Pearl and Auburn fans are going to miss their star player, at least for some time. Meanwhile, what exactly was the injury that has everyone worried for Auburn’s future and what Bruce Pearl has to say about it?

The moment that leave a lasting impact on Bruce Pearl’s Auburn Tigers

Six minutes into the second half, Broome leapt to contest a layup by Murray-Boyles. He landed awkwardly on his teammate Chaney Johnson’s foot, with all his body weight seemingly on the turned ankle. Broome was quickly escorted to the locker room and did not return for the remainder of the game.

Pearl has called this injury a “significant sprain”. “We’ll get him an MRI and see if there’s anything else going on there,” added Pearl. This reminds us of the December game against Georgia when Broome had a shoulder injury. Although that wasn’t as serious as Pearl said that the shoulder “came out and came right back in” and Broome didn’t have to miss any games because of it.

Fans can expect an update on Broome’s injury after the MRI results come in, and the best they can hope for is a speedy recovery, even if it’s not as quick as the last one. In the meantime, all eyes will be on the Tigers as they take on Mississippi on Tuesday, likely without their star forward Johni Broome.