Bruce Pearl and top-ranked Auburn are 2-0 without star forward Johni Broome, who hopes to make his return on Saturday night.

The Auburn Tigers needed a Johni Broome sized spark to get by the 6th-ranked Tennessee Volunteers on Saturday night

Bruce Pearl's Auburn Tigers grabbed a 66-63 win over South Carolina on Saturday, but victory came at a steep price.

While all eyes will be on Galopin Des Champs in his bid for a third Irish Gold Cup at the weekend, one horse – Florida Pearl – stands out on his own, with an unparalleled four victories in the Leopardstown race that has had so many great winners down the years.

Bruce Pearl is hopeful that Auburn forward Johni Broome will make his return for Saturday night's top-10 showdown against No. 6 Tennessee.

Credit for the recent renaissance of the Florida basketball program lies mostly on the shoulders of its current head coach, Todd Golden, who came to Gainesville three seasons ago to turn around a team that was mired in mediocrity.

Auburn's Bruce Pearl and Tennessee's Rick Barnes (Photo ... Auburn took over the No. 1 spot when Tennessee got shellacked at Florida on Jan. 7, but no team in college basketball has more wins ...

Auburn forward Johni Broome is set to undergo several medical procedures, including an MRI, to determine the extent of his ankle injury.

ATHENS — Bruce Pearl has a No. 1-ranked team at Auburn, but the veteran coach knows that playing in the SEC will make it hard it hold its place at the top.

Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl provided the latest on Broome's injury. When asked about Broome's status, Pearl didn't rule him out.

On the court, Golden and the Gators are a national championship contender. They opened the season with 13 straight wins, then pummeled a then-undefeated and top-ranked Tennessee by 30 points in early January. They were ranked No. 21 in the preseason AP poll, but Golden supplemented five key returnees with Florida Atlantic transfer Alijah Martin.