If you were sitting in State Farm Arena in Atlanta on March 30, 2025, you felt the floor shaking. It wasn't an earthquake. It was the sound of nearly 17,000 people realizing they were watching one of the gutsiest performances in modern tournament history. The Auburn Tigers men’s basketball vs Michigan State Spartans men’s basketball Elite Eight matchup wasn't just a game. It was a 40-minute collision of two Hall of Fame-level philosophies that left everyone, including the players, completely exhausted.
Honestly, the "Johni Broome Game" is probably what we’ll be calling this a decade from now.
Auburn ended up winning 70-64, but the score doesn't tell you about the five minutes where the arena went silent because Broome was in the locker room with an elbow injury. It doesn't tell you how Tom Izzo almost pulled off yet another March miracle with a freshman point guard. Most people see the box score and think it was a comfortable win for the Tigers.
It wasn't. It was a war.
The 18-0 Punch and the Izzo Response
Bruce Pearl’s squad came out like they were shot out of a cannon. Auburn has this way of playing—this "Jungle" energy—that travels even when they aren't at Neville Arena. They started the game on an 18-0 run. Think about that for a second. In an Elite Eight game, a Tom Izzo-coached team went over five minutes without scoring a single point.
Miles Kelly hit back-to-back jumpers. Tahaad Pettiford, the freshman who played like a ten-year vet all tournament, drilled a three that made the Michigan State bench look like they’d seen a ghost.
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But you can't kill the Spartans that easily.
Izzo is the master of the "grind." Michigan State slowly clawed back, mostly because Jaxon Kohler decided he wasn't ready to go home. Kohler finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds, hitting threes that a guy his size shouldn't be able to hit with such ease. By halftime, that 15-point lead was down to nine. The momentum had shifted. You could feel it in the hallways during the break. Auburn was the better team on paper, but Michigan State was turning it into a street fight.
Breaking Down the Numbers
While the shooting percentages weren't exactly "pretty," the grit was there. Michigan State actually out-rebounded Auburn 41-39. In most Izzo games, if you win the glass, you win the game. But Auburn did something they’ve struggled with in the past: they took care of the rock.
- Auburn Turnovers: 6 (One off their all-time school record in the dance)
- Michigan State Field Goal %: 34.4% (They just couldn't buy a bucket inside)
- Johni Broome’s Line: 25 points, 14 rebounds, and a lot of ice on that elbow
The Johni Broome Injury Scare
Here’s the part the national highlights usually gloss over. Midway through the second half, Johni Broome—the SEC Player of the Year—went down hard. He was guarding a drive, hit the floor, and clutching his right elbow. When he walked to the locker room, the Auburn fans in Atlanta looked like they wanted to vomit.
Without Broome, Auburn's offense sort of wanders around. Michigan State smelled blood. Jeremy Fears Jr. started getting into the paint, and suddenly it was a five-point game.
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Then, the tunnel door opened.
Broome came back out with a massive wrap on his arm. He didn't just play; he dominated. Seconds after checking back in, he stepped into a three-pointer and drained it. That shot basically broke the Spartans' spirit. It was the kind of "star moment" that defines a Final Four run. Bruce Pearl said after the game that Johni "refused to let anything stand in the way." He wasn't exaggerating.
Why This Specific Matchup Matters for the Record Books
This game was significant for reasons beyond just a trophy. For one, it was the first time Tom Izzo had ever lost an NCAA Tournament game to an SEC opponent. He was 10-0 against the conference before this night.
It also marked Auburn’s 32nd win of the season, a program record. Only three other schools in the history of the SEC have hit that 32-win mark: Kentucky, Florida, and Arkansas. That’s elite company. Auburn isn't just a "football school that plays hoops" anymore. They are a legitimate basketball powerhouse.
The Freshman Factor
We have to talk about Jase Richardson and Tahaad Pettiford. In a game with this much pressure, you expect the seniors like Jaden Akins (who had 15 in his final game) to lead. But the young guys were the ones making the massive plays.
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Richardson kept MSU alive with 11 points and three steals, playing a physical brand of defense that bothered Auburn's guards. On the other side, Pettiford scored in double figures for his fourth straight tournament game. Usually, freshmen hit a wall in March. These two jumped over it.
Lessons from Auburn vs Michigan State
If you're looking at what this means for the future of both programs, there are a few "real-deal" takeaways.
First, the SEC has officially closed the gap on the Big Ten in terms of tournament toughness. For years, the narrative was that SEC teams were athletic but "soft" compared to the Big Ten's physical style. This game proved that Pearl has built a roster that can out-physical the most physical coach in the country.
Second, the transfer portal has changed how these matchups work. Auburn’s depth—guys like Miles Kelly and Chad Baker-Mazara—allows them to sustain runs even when their stars are out. Michigan State’s reliance on their core rotation meant that when the shots weren't falling (34% from the field is rough), they didn't have a "Plan B" to generate easy points.
What to Watch for Next Season
- Auburn's Interior Identity: With Dylan Cardwell and potentially Broome moving on, how does Pearl replace that rim protection? Watch the spring portal closely.
- Jeremy Fears Jr.’s Leap: He showed flashes of being the next great MSU floor general. If he develops a consistent jump shot, Michigan State will be back in the top 10.
- The Scheduling Trend: Rumor has it these two might look into a home-and-home series. After the ratings this Elite Eight game pulled, networks are going to be begging for a rematch in East Lansing or Auburn.
To really understand the Auburn Tigers men’s basketball vs Michigan State Spartans men’s basketball dynamic, you have to look at the coaching. It’s a chess match between Pearl’s "burn the ships" aggression and Izzo’s "grind them to dust" discipline. This time, the speed and the star power of Johni Broome won out.
If you want to keep up with the recruiting battles between these two—especially for five-star guards in the 2026 class—keep an eye on the local beat writers. The rivalry is just getting started, even if they only play once every few years. Go back and watch the second-half replay if you can find it; the defensive intensity in the final four minutes is a masterclass for any young player.
Don't just look at the 70-64 final score. Look at the floor burns. That's where the game was actually decided.