Johni Broome had game highs in scoring (21), rebounding (20) and assists (six) as No. 2 Auburn routed Ohio State 91-53 on Saturday in the Holiday Hoopsgiving in Atlanta.
Broome, among the leaders in the national player of the year conversation, got whatever he wanted as Ohio State was without 7-foot-1 center Aaron Bradshaw. Broome was the biggest reason the Tigers outscored the Buckeyes 38-20 in the paint and crushed them on the glass, 49-28.
Denver Jones added 14 points and was 4 of 5 from 3 for Auburn (9-1), while Dylan Cardwell scored 10 and added eight rebounds and four blocks. Jakhi Howard scored 11 points, all in the second half.
The Tigers held the Buckeyes’ Bruce Thornton, who led the team in scoring (16.2) and assists (5.4) coming in, to three points and one assist.
Devin Royal (14 points) and Micah Parrish (10) led Ohio State (6-4) in scoring.
The Buckeyes scored the game’s first three points but did not lead again.
The Tigers, who led by 28 at halftime and held a double-figure lead for the game’s final 34:21, had their first 30-point lead with 19:05 left on a Cardwell dunk.
They were never challenged in the second half as the lead soared to 84-43 on Howard’s 3 with 3:24 remaining.
Auburn survived a 6:41 scoring drought, plus putting the Buckeyes in the double bonus, and still led 49-21 at the break. Broome scored 17 points, dished out four assists and had as many rebounds (14) as the Buckeyes had as a team to that point. Ohio State shot 25 percent (6 of 24) in the first half.
The Tigers’ temporary scoring difficulties lasted until Broome’s three-point play with 5:41 left, which came off the Tigers’ second offensive rebound on the possession.
Broome assisted Miles Kelly’s 3, followed by Chad Baker-Mazara’s lay-up on Auburn’s third board of that trip, made the lead 20 for the first time with 4:22 left.
Jones’ 3 — his fourth on four tries in the half – pushed the lead to 27.
Before that, things clicked almost seamlessly for Auburn on offense.
The Tigers jumped out to a 15-5 lead thanks to seven points and three rebounds from Broome.
After a Broome steal and lay-up, the Buckeyes took a timeout with 12:53 left in the half, trailing 22-8.
Bradshaw traveled with the team, which he rejoined after a five-game suspension, but didn’t dress.
–Field Level Media
