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Injured Auburn forward Chuma Okeke returns to cheer for Tigers during Elite Eight win

Auburn v North Carolina

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - MARCH 29: Chuma Okeke #5 of the Auburn Tigers is helped off the court after suffering an injury against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the 2019 NCAA Basketball Tournament Midwest Regional at Sprint Center on March 29, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

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Auburn advanced to the Final Four without starting forward Chuma Okeke on Sunday but the Tigers still had the sophomore on the sidelines despite his recent knee injury.

Suffering a torn ACL in the win over North Carolina in the Sweet 16 on Friday night, Okeke was wheeled into the arena for the second half as he watched Auburn close out SEC-rival Kentucky to advance to the Final Four for the first time.

After the Tigers and head coach Bruce Pearl secured the win to advance to Minneapolis, Okeke also added the Auburn name to the next part of the bracket -- something he also did on Friday after the win over the Tar Heels.

Okeke is out for the rest of the NCAA tournament, as he’s scheduled to have surgery early this week. It’s hard to say if Okeke will be in Minneapolis if he’s scheduled for an operation, but the Tigers have used the injured forward to give them an emotional lift.