“Give him the Wooden award”: Fans thrilled as Johni Broome drops 18th double-double of the season as Auburn wins close game vs Ole Miss

Johni Broome and the third-ranked Auburn Tigers advanced to the semifinals of the SEC Tournament on Friday, defeating the Ole Miss Rebels 62-57 at Bridgestone Arena. Broome was one of four players to score in double figures for the Tigers, who will next face the eighth-ranked Tennessee Volunteers in the semifinals on Saturday.

SEC Network posted on its Instagram page a couple of the Tigers' clutch plays in the closing stages of the contest, including Broome’s tough basket with 11.1 seconds remaining that sealed the win. Broome dominated for the Tigers, scoring 23 points on 8-for-14 shooting. He also grabbed 15 rebounds to record his 18th double-double of the season.

College basketball fans flooded the post’s comments section to praise Broome and the Tigers. One fan even suggested awarding Broome this year’s John Wooden Award following his performance against the Rebels.

Fans took to Instagram to react to Johni Broome and Auburn's win over Ole Miss in the SEC Tournament. Source: Instagram/@secnetwork

"Give him the Wooden Award," one fan wrote.

"Dribble Drop move to ice the game is next level," one fan commented.

"I have a strong distaste for Broome but man he's good," one fan said.

"Auburn is just getting started," one fan claimed.

"Auburn solid!" one fan chimed in.

"NPOY," one fan wrote.

Johni Broome has established himself as one of the leading candidates to capture the National Player of the Year Award, averaging 18.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 2.4 blocks through 30 games this season.

Johni Broome gets offensive help from Denver Jones in win over Ole Miss

Johni Broome wasn’t the only Auburn player to punish the Ole Miss defense. Denver Jones also scored in double figures, finishing with 13 points in 31 minutes. He shot 5-for-8, including 2-for-5 from beyond the arc, while adding two rebounds and two assists.

Auburn Tigers forward Johni Broome (4) dribbles past Mississippi Rebels forward Malik Dia (0) during the first half at Bridgestone Arena. Photo: Imagn

Jones and Broome accounted for the majority of Auburn’s offense in the first half, combining for 19 points to give the Tigers a 29-22 lead at the break. Jones scored 10 points, while Broome recorded nine points and seven rebounds in the opening period.

Broome took over in the second half, scoring 14 points and grabbing eight rebounds to help the Tigers snap their two-game losing streak.