Basketball <\/p>\n
ATLANTA (AP) \u2014 Johni Broome held his injured right arm through most of Auburn\u2019s Elite Eight postgame celebration.<\/p>\n
That didn\u2019t keep the star forward from climbing a ladder to cut down the net<\/a><\/span> he then wore around his neck.<\/p>\n Broome had 25 points and 14 rebounds and Auburn took command with 17 unanswered points in the first half to beat Michigan State 70-64 on Sunday and complete a sweep of No. 1 seeds advancing to the Final Four.<\/p>\n \u201cYou talk about delivering again at the biggest moments,\u201d Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said of Broome.<\/p>\n Auburn (32-5) earned its second Final Four trip, while Michigan State (30-7) fell short in its bid to send coach Tom Izzo to his ninth national semifinal. Pearl also led Auburn to its only previous Final Four appearance, in 2019.<\/p>\n The South Region champion Tigers, the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, became the last of the No. 1 seeds to advance to the Final Four \u2014 joining Florida, Duke and Houston.<\/p>\n Auburn will face Florida, which beat Texas Tech 84-79<\/a><\/span> in the West Region final, in an all-Southeastern Conference semifinal on Saturday in San Antonio.<\/p>\n \u201cUnfortunately there will only be one SEC team playing for the national championship,\u201d Pearl said, also wearing a net around his neck.<\/p>\n Jaxon Kohler led the Spartans with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Jaden Akins had 15 points.<\/p>\n Broome fell on his right arm<\/a><\/span> while attempting to block a shot with 10:37 remaining and left the game. He was escorted to the locker room for a quick examination. Broome, the Associated Press SEC player of the year and a first-team All-America selection, appeared to hurt his right elbow on the fall.<\/p>\n Broome returned with 5:29 remaining, drawing an immediate ovation from Auburn fans. He had the elbow wrapped and sank a 3-pointer less than a minute later. He also grabbed a rebound with one hand.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a scary moment,\u201d Broome said. \u201cI went down but my team had my back.\u201d<\/p>\n Broome said he was told by a team doctor \u201cnothing serious\u201d was wrong with the elbow, which appeared to bend at an ugly angle on his fall.<\/p>\n \u201cI bet he\u2019ll be sore tomorrow,\u201d Pearl said.<\/p>\n Broome made 10 of 13 shots from the field, including each of his two 3-pointers.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s why he\u2019s an All-American,\u201d Izzo said. \u201cThat\u2019s why he\u2019s a player of the year candidate. Did a hell of a job. … We did most of the things we wanted to do except guard Broome a little better.\u201d<\/p>\n Auburn was the only Elite Eight team to win each of its first three March Madness games by double digits, including its 78-65 Sweet 16 victory<\/a><\/span> over Michigan. Michigan State rallied for a 73-70 win<\/a><\/span> over Mississippi in the Sweet 16.<\/p>\n The Spartans led 8-6 before the Tigers took command with the 17-0 run. The Spartans were held scoreless for 5:46 while missing 10 consecutive shots during the Auburn run. <\/p>\n A 3-pointer by Broome capped the run for a 23-8 lead.<\/p>\n Auburn led 33-24 at halftime. The Spartans pulled within five points at 35-30 early in the second half but got no closer.<\/p>\n It\u2019s the first time all top seeds have reached the Final Four since 2008, which was the only previous year of all No. 1-seeded semifinalists since seeding began in 1979. And higher-seeded teams went 12-0 in regional semifinals and finals for the first time since the tournament expanded in 1985.<\/p>\n \u201cThat means the people that get the criticism … the selection committee, must have done a damn good job,\u201d Izzo said.<\/p>\n Added Pearl: \u201cI think the four teams that advanced are the four best teams in the country and that doesn\u2019t always happen.\u201d<\/p>\n Izzo, who won the 2000 national championship and was participating in his 27th consecutive NCAA Tournament with Michigan State, said he was proud of his players\u2019 \u201cconnectivity and camaraderie.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFor the 30th year (as coach), I don\u2019t know if I\u2019ve ever been prouder of a team,\u201d the 70-year-old Izzo said. \u201cIt was a tear-jerking locker room because they knew they spilled it all and yet we started off poorly. … We just couldn\u2019t recover from that 17-0 run.\u201d<\/p>\n Michigan State: Coen Carr, who received his first career start<\/a><\/span> against Ole Miss, was back in the lineup against the Tigers. The forward, a native of Stockbridge near Atlanta, earned the nod after scoring 15 points against the Rebels, while 7-foot center Szymon Zapala, normally a starter, returned in a reserve role against Auburn after not playing against Ole Miss. Carr scored four points against Auburn while Zapala had two points in 14 minutes.<\/p>\n Auburn: Miles Kelly had three field goals in the 17-0 run. After making back-to-back jumpers to start the run, Kelly added a steal and 3-pointer. He finished with eight points. Tahaad Pettiford scored 10.<\/p>\n AP March Madness bracket: https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/ncaa-mens-bracket<\/a><\/span> and coverage: https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/march-madness<\/a><\/span>. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here<\/a><\/span>. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nBasketball Top seeds \u2014 and selection committee \u2014 shine <\/h2>\n
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