• No. 2 Auburn defeats South Carolina 66-63 despite **Johni Broome** suffering a significant ankle injury.
• Tahaad Pettiford played a crucial role, assisting on a game-changing dunk and securing free throws in the last seconds.
• The outcome places Auburn in a strong position for the top rank in the upcoming AP Poll.
• Broome, a leading contender for national player of the year, will undergo an MRI after the game.

In a tense battle at Colonial Life Arena, the No. 2 Auburn Tigers managed to rally past the South Carolina Gamecocks with a final score of **66-63** on Saturday. However, the victory was marred by an unfortunate injury to leading scorer **Johni Broome**, who suffered a **“significant sprain”** of his left ankle during the contest.

With just under 13 minutes remaining, Broome landed awkwardly while attempting to secure a rebound, causing him to roll his ankle after stepping on a South Carolina defender’s foot. The 6-foot-10 fifth-year senior, who averages over 18 points and is a frontrunner for national player of the year honors, was visibly in pain, relying on trainers for assistance to exit the court. Coach **Bruce Pearl** announced that Broome will undergo an MRI to assess the true extent of the injury, raising concerns about his status moving forward [AP News](https://apnews.com/article/auburn-johni-broome-injured-3a43dddf73df8efd2e4e8212a7cc0f4b).

Despite Broome's absence, Tahaad Pettiford stepped up for the Tigers, contributing **15 points** and assisting on **Dylan Cardwell’s** crucial go-ahead dunk in the final moments of the game. With the score tied, Pettiford set up Cardwell, who executed the backdoor cut flawlessly to put Auburn ahead 64-63, ultimately sealing the victory with two decisive free throws just **4.4 seconds** before the buzzer. The Tigers improved their overall record to **15-1** and **3-0** in the SEC, which positions them to potentially ascend to the top of the AP rankings following the recent loss of top-ranked Tennessee [AP News](https://apnews.com/article/auburn-south-carolina-t25-score-228b77ec4475531c8bcbefc059921ac3).

As the Auburn team looks toward their next game against **Mississippi State**, they must grapple with the potential absence of Broome, who has been a vital component of their offense. Pearl emphasized the need for other players, including Cardwell, to rise to the occasion, stating, **“Got to be the next man up.”** For South Carolina, this defeat marks a tough start to their conference play as they now sit at **10-6** and **0-3** in the SEC, facing a challenging road ahead due to injuries and internal struggles.

For more basketball updates, follow the AP Top 25 throughout the season.