Tigers of the Game: Broome, Donaldson kick off west coast trip with a bang
The west coast expedition did not begin the way that Auburn had hoped, but two players played roles in a close game.
The No. 18 Auburn Tigers fell in a tight game at USC on Sunday, 74-71. In what was a strange turn of events, Auburn struggled to hold on to its’ halftime lead in the final 20 minutes due to foul trouble, turnovers, and poor shooting.
Despite the loss, there were bright spots in the game in the form of newcomers Johni Broome and Tre Donaldson. It was business as usual for Broome, who was strong in all aspects. For Donaldson, he followed up a stellar game against Georgia State by playing the best game of his career to this point.
Were there performances enough to earn a vote for the “Tiger of the Game” award?
Here is a look at who writers Taylor Jones, J.D. McCarthy, and River Wells voted for as their “Tigers of the Game” following Auburn’s loss to USC.
Taylor Jones: Tre Donaldson
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The freshman played the best game of his young career on Sunday. He ended the game with 12 points, scoring 10 points in the first half. Donaldson could not keep momentum going in the second half due to foul trouble, but it was great to see a preview of what he can bring to this program.
J.D. McCarthy: Johni Broome
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Broome joined Donaldson by reaching double-digits in scoring. He led the team with 16 points, with 11 of those coming in the first half. His impressive statline was headlined by shot selection. He made 7-of-8 shots from the field, and succeeded on his only three point attempt.
River Wells: Johni Broome
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Broome was solid defensively in the game. In addition to stellar shooting, Broome led the team in rebounds with eight, and blocks with two. Sunday’s game was the sixth game where Broome recorded eight or more rebounds.
Leaderboard:
Johni Broome | 11 |
Wendell Green Jr. | 6 |
Jaylin Williams | 6 |
Allen Flanigan | 2 |
K.D. Johnson | 2 |
Chris Moore | 2 |
Tre Donaldson | 1 |
