Breaking news:5 star Guard, Cooper Flagg Duke Flip his commitment to Auburn tigers men Basketball over Kentucky and Alabama basketball..

Breaking news:

Breaking news:5 star Guard, Cooper Flagg Duke Flip his commitment to Auburn tigers men Basketball over Kentucky and Alabama basketball…

ATLANTA – Johni Broome produced the Tigers’ first 20-point, 20-rebound game in 35 years to help No. 2 Auburn overpower Ohio State 91-53 Saturday at State Farm Arena in Holiday Hoopsgiving.

“Our guys respected them,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said. “We saw what they did to Texas and Rutgers and as a result, we had a great preparation.”

Broome scored 21 points and grabbed a career-high 20 rebounds, the first Tiger to see 20-20 since Kelvin Ardister accomplished the feat in 1989.

“Playing my hardest for my team,” Broome said. “The ball just came to me. I had a rhythm. My teammates came to me and I was able to deliver.”

“He’s so incredibly talented,” Pearl said of Broome.

Dylan Cardwell nearly registered his own double-double, scoring 10 points and pulling down eight rebounds.

Auburn’s big men – Broome and Cardwell – combined for 31 points, 28 rebounds, eight assists, seven blocked shots and zero turnovers in 51 minutes.

Broome departed Atlanta quickly to return to the Plains for Auburn University’s Commencement Saturday evening.

“It’s a special day, definitely one to remember,” Broome said. “Getting a 20-20, first time ever, and then going to graduation, that’s even better.”

Denver Jones scored 14 points and Jahki Howard added 11, combining for six of Auburn’s 13 3-pointers.

Leading by 28 at the half, Auburn kept its foot on the gas in the second half, doubling the score at 74-37 on Cardwell’s dunk’s as chants of “Let’s go Auburn” echoed through the NBA venue.

“That’s Auburn being Auburn right there,” Pearl said. “Our Atlanta kids have done really well. Why wouldn’t you want to come to Auburn and play? I’m grateful for our fans.”

Broome needed less than a half to record his seventh double-double of the season, compiling 17 points and 14 rebounds by halftime.

“They may be the best team in the country right now,” Ohio State coach Jake Diebler said. “They’re certainly playing as one of the best in the country. They have a lot of experience, and they made us pay when we made a mistake.”

Broome got Auburn on the scoreboard with a 3-pointer, followed soon after by 3-pointers from Miles Kelly and Tahaad Pettiford during a 15-2 run that gave the Tigers a 10-point lead at the first media timeout.

Broome’s steal and layup put Auburn ahead 22-8, forcing an Ohio State timeout during which State Farm Arena sounded more like Neville Arena than a neutral site.

Jones’ second 3-pointer capped a 7-0 run that gave Auburn a 25-8 lead before the Tigers went cold during a drought that lasted 6 minutes, 41 seconds.

The Buckeyes shaved only six points off Auburn’s lead before Broome’s bucket and free throw ended the dry spell and started a 9-0 Tigers run.

Associate head coach Steven Pearl left the team hotel early Saturday morning to return to Auburn where his wife Brittany, gave birth to their first child, Lainey Marie.

“We’ve got great things to celebrate,” Bruce Pearl said. “Steven Pearl had a great defensive gameplan set up. Our team is pretty locked in to how we guard. The only way we can control our destiny is by locking in on the defensive end.”

Jones added two more 3-pointers late in the half, including one from well beyond NBA range that made him 4-for-4 in the first half from deep.