AUBURN, Ala. — Auburn University announced on Sunday that Johni Broome, the team’s key player, will not need surgery for his sprained left ankle. This news follows the injury he sustained during Saturday’s game, where the No. 2 ranked Auburn team secured a narrow 66-63 victory against South Carolina.

Broome, who stands at 6-foot-10 and weighs 240 pounds, is a fifth-year senior and has been recognized as a preseason Associated Press All-American. He is also regarded as a frontrunner for the national player of the year. An MRI conducted on Sunday confirmed that his injury is a non-surgical ankle sprain, though the timeline for his return to the court remains unclear.

The injury occurred in the second half while Broome was attempting to rebound; he landed awkwardly on a defender’s foot, which caused him to roll his ankle. Team trainers assisted him off the court, as he was unable to stand unassisted while clutching his injured ankle.

Prior to his exit from the game, Broome had contributed six points and three rebounds in just 24 minutes. He has been averaging over 18 points per game along with a leading 11.2 rebounds in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Coach Bruce Pearl highlighted the challenge the team would face without their star player, emphasizing Broome’s dominance on the court. The Tigers currently boast a record of 3-0 in the SEC and 15-1 overall, and they are expected to ascend to the No. 1 rank in the Associated Press Top 25 following the loss of the top-ranked Tennessee team to Florida last week.

With Broome sidelined, Pearl pointed to Dylan Cardwell, who made a pivotal go-ahead dunk during the matchup against South Carolina, as a player who will need to step up. Other players such as Chaney Johnson, Chris Moore, and Ja’Heim Hudson are also among those who may need to fill the gap left by Broome’s absence.