Lior Berman injury update: What happened to the Auburn guard vs. Mississippi State?

Auburn has suffered a blow to its NCAA men's basketball campaign after shooting guard Lior Berman fell badly to the floor in the second half of the Tigers' home game on Saturday against Mississippi State and is expected to be out for the season.

The Tigers won their game against Mississippi State, but Berman tore his ACL in his left knee. He had an MRI the next morning and will soon see an orthopedic specialist.

Reports said Berman was driving to the basket when he fell to the floor. He stayed down for several minutes while grabbing his knee, wincing in pain.

The Tigers training staff helped the 6-foot-4 guard off the court. Berman received a standing ovation from the fans as he favored his right knee.

The fifth-year cager, who averages 1.6 points and 1.2 rebounds in 6.3 minutes in 27 games this season, has contributed well for the Tigers before the unfortunate incident. He played for 10 minutes and scored five points on 1-of-2 shooting before the injury.

His production helped the Tigers secure a 78-63 win over Mississippi State. They improved to 22-7 (11-5 in SEC) after the win.

The loss dropped the Bulldogs to 19-10 (8-8 in SEC).

Lior Berman #24 of the Auburn Tigers scores against Filip Rebraca #0 of the Iowa Hawkeyes during the first half in the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament

Lior Berman's injury saddens Auburn coach Bruce Pearl

Auburn coach Bruce Pearl expressed sadness over Berman's injury. Post-game, Pearl was concerned with his shooting guard's health rather than satisfied with their victory over the Bulldogs.

“He’s been playing so well … I’m a little down about that,” the coach said.

It was Pearl who handed Berman a full scholarship before his fifth season with the Tigers. The shooting guard is undergoing further examination and nothing has been disclosed about the extent of his injury.

If the results of the tests turn out worse than thought, it would be a tragic ending for the former walk-on who worked his way to be part of the team's rotation over the past four seasons.

It is possible that Berman could miss the remainder of the season, including the NCAA tournament, as the Tigers are on the verge of making it to the first round.

---

Tigers devour Bulldogs with torrid first-half attack

The Tigers dictated the tempo en route to an important victory over the Bulldogs. They grabbed a 39-22 advantage in the first 20 minutes and never gave Mississippi State a chance to make a comeback.

Four players scored in double figures, led by Johni Broome, who tallied 17 points and six rebounds. Denver Jones added 15 markers, while Jaylin Williams and Chad Baker-Maara contributed 10 points each. Williams added two blocks in his second game back from injury.

The Tigers will next play Missouri on Tuesday, March 5.

Recommended Video

Can You Guess These LA Lakers Players Using Just Emojis? | NBA Quiz Challenge!