Auburn Completes Sweep of No. 1 Seeds, Defeats Michigan State 70-64 to Reach Final Four

Auburn’s Johni Broome held his injured right arm tightly through much of the Tigers’ postgame celebration, but that didn’t stop the star forward from climbing the ladder and cutting down the net—one that draped proudly around his neck. His dominant 25-point, 14-rebound performance powered Auburn past Michigan State, 70-64, in the Elite Eight on Sunday, securing the Tigers’ second-ever Final Four berth.

With the victory, Auburn (32-5) became the last of the No. 1 seeds to punch its ticket to the national semifinals, completing an unprecedented sweep alongside Florida, Duke, and Houston. The Tigers, the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, will now face fellow SEC power Florida in an all-conference showdown on Saturday in San Antonio.

The game’s pivotal stretch came early in the first half, as Michigan State (30-7) held a narrow 8-6 lead before Auburn erupted for 17 unanswered points. The Spartans endured a brutal 5:46 scoring drought, missing 10 consecutive shots as Auburn surged ahead. A Broome 3-pointer capped the run, giving the Tigers a commanding 23-8 advantage.

Michigan State, led by Jaxon Kohler’s 17 points and 11 rebounds, managed to trim the deficit to single digits by halftime, trailing 33-24. Jaden Akins contributed 15 points, but the Spartans never drew closer than five points the rest of the way.

Auburn’s star forward provided a defining moment midway through the second half. With 10:37 remaining, Broome fell hard while attempting to block a shot, injuring his right arm. He left the game and was briefly escorted to the locker room for evaluation.

The Associated Press SEC Player of the Year and first-team All-American returned to an immediate ovation from Auburn fans with 5:29 remaining. With his elbow heavily wrapped, Broome wasted no time making an impact—draining a clutch 3-pointer less than a minute later and securing a key rebound with just one hand.

Broome’s efficiency was remarkable, finishing 10-of-13 from the field, including both of his attempts from beyond the arc. Auburn’s tournament dominance also continued, as the Tigers became the only Elite Eight team to win each of their first three March Madness games by double digits, including their 78-65 Sweet 16 victory over Michigan.

For just the second time in NCAA Tournament history, all four No. 1 seeds advanced to the Final Four, mirroring the historic 2008 tournament. The selection committee’s decisions were further validated as higher-seeded teams went a perfect 12-0 in regional semifinals and finals—a feat not achieved since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985.

Despite falling short of a ninth Final Four appearance, Michigan State coach Tom Izzo expressed pride in his team’s journey. “The connectivity and camaraderie of this group were special,” Izzo said. The legendary coach, who led the Spartans to the 2000 national championship, was making his 27th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance with Michigan State.

While the Spartans’ season ends, Auburn’s continues, as Bruce Pearl seeks to guide the Tigers to their first-ever national title. With a rematch against Florida—who edged Texas Tech 84-79 in the West Region final—Auburn will look to prove why they were the tournament’s top overall seed.

The stage is set for a thrilling Final Four in San Antonio.

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