Bama Beats #1 Auburn
Jaime Halstuch
Staff Writer
Alabama takes Auburn down in an electric game as Duke celebrates. #7 seed Alabama beat #1 seed Auburn in overtime with a game winning floater by Mark Sears. This is Auburns second loss in a row after losing to Texas A&M just 4 days before. These two losses take Auburn out of the #1 seed as Duke takes it after beating North Carolina. Alabama on the other hand cuts a two-game losing streak in which they lost to two strong teams in Florida and Tennessee.
A #1 seed against a #7 seed, a historic rivalry, the expectations were high, and the game did not fall short. After a high scoring first half Alabama went back to the locker room with a 3-point lead. Auburn came in better shape into the second half and took the lead after just one minute. With 2 minutes left, Alabama took the lead, and Johni Broome tied it with only one minute left. Chris Youngblood had the opportunity to take the lead for Alabama with 32 seconds left on the clock, but he missed a lay-up. Broome got the ball with 13 seconds left and pressured by the possession clock; he went for a fadeaway winner with 5 seconds left and missed. The second half ended 79-79 forcing overtime.
Overtime was nothing short of exciting. Both teams were going basket for basket. Alabama had a one-point lead with 33 seconds left in the game, Labaron Philon made it a three-point lead after making two free throws with 30 seconds left. And it was once again up to Johni Broome who made a clutch 3 pointer with only 15 seconds left in the game. Right after Alabama called a timeout and Mark Sears subbed in. In a perfect play, Mark Sears took the ball with 3 seconds left, drove into the paint, and hit a buzzer beater floater. And just like that Auburn lost the #1 seed at home against their biggest rivals.
Johni Broome gave another impressive performance and solidified his case as Cooper Flagg’s main competitor for player of the year awards. Broome finished the game with 34 points, 15 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 5 blocks and only one turnover. He went 15-28 on field goals, 2-4 from three, and 2-5 in free throws. His season has not fallen short of amazing as he ranks second in the nation for plus minus; he was recently unanimously named for The Associated Press’s College Basketball All-American first team. Broome became the first tiger to make it to the All-American first team. Together with Cooper Flagg they were the only two players in the nation to be unanimously named for this honor. Broome, a fifth-year senior, is currently projected for the 31st pick in this year’s NBA draft by the NBA, no one doubts about his talent, but his age (22) plays against him.
Both teams made it to the big dance, Auburn as one of the four first seeds and Alabama as a second seed. Both teams have high expectations for the tournament. Auburn finished the regular season as the fourth seed in both the Coaches and AP polls, Alabama finished eighth in the Coaches poll and seventh in the AP poll.
Contact Jaime at jaime.halstuch@student.shu.edu