NCAA Tournament 2023: 5 bigest early stars through 1st days of games

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 10: Boo Buie #0 of the Northwestern Wildcats reacts after scoring against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the second half in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament at United Center on March 10, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images) /

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No. 5: Johni Broome, Auburn

Auburn entered their first-round contest with Iowa as a slight favorite, and the Tigers did not disappoint. They looked like the far superior team the entire way, and their physicality down low played a major role in downing the Hawkeyes.

Sophomore forward Johni Broome set the tone for that stifling interior defense, affecting Iowa every time they got into the paint. He blocked five shots and even when he didn’t get his hands on the ball, he forced Iowa into awkward shots.

Beyond his defensive presence, Broome was active all day on the glass and on offense. He finished with a double-double, scoring 19 points and adding 12 boards. The performance marked his tenth double-double on the season.

Next up for Broome and the Tigers is a date with the top seed in the Midwest Region, Houston. It marks a great opportunity for Auburn, as the Cougars looked underwhelming against Northern Kentucky and could be without star Marcus Sasser.

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