Everything looked good heading into the final 10 minutes. The Tigers were up by 10 points, and it seemed almost certain they’d be advancing. But then, disaster struck.

Johni Broome took a hard fall on the court and sat in pain for several minutes. He got tangled up with Spartans forward Frankie Fidler and appeared to hyperextend his ankle. There’s been no update on his injury status yet, but the Tigers may have to finish the game without their best player.

The arena grew a lot quieter. The cameras caught his mom crying, and it felt like Broome might not return. But hold on, Tigers fans! Johni Broome came back on the court shortly after the injury. That’s what superstars do! However, he was clearly in pain. Broome was seen shielding his right elbow, using his left hand more, and avoiding contested plays. This could be a concern for Auburn moving forward.

Still, no matter what comes next for the Tigers, they’re celebrating their second Final Four in program history. And leading the charge was none other than Johni Broome.

Johni Broome shines as Auburn brushes past Michigan State

His day seemed done, but to everyone’s surprise, Broome jogged back out, checked in, and received the second-biggest cheer of the day. The biggest? When he hit a 3-pointer on the very next possession. At that moment, there was no doubt–Auburn just wasn’t losing this game.

Before injuring his ankle and elbow, he had already scored 22 points, with the Spartans trailing by 10. He also dominated the paint, grabbing 14 rebounds. If there were any doubts about Broome achieving legendary status, this game has sealed the deal. He is officially an Auburn legend!

Auburn will face Florida in the first game of the Final Four at 5:09 p.m. on Saturday, April 5, at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. Bruce Pearl will certainly be hoping Johni Broome miraculously recovers in time, as this may be their best chance to win the big dance with this core of players. Stay tuned for more updates as Auburn prepares for its second Final Four appearance.