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Auburn basketball nearly collapsed in the NIT championship game.
However, the late-game heroics from Tahaad Pettiford and Kevin Overton led Auburn to the 92-86 victory over Tulsa in overtime at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Auburn claimed its first ever NIT championship and finished the season with a 22-16 overall record.
Here’s how Auburn survived a rollercoaster game against the Golden Hurricanes.
Tulsa makes late push in 2nd half, Auburn forces OT
Tulsa put together a 22-2 run on Auburn to take its first lead of the game in the final 10 minutes of the second half. David Green led the Golden Hurricane with 25 points to help orchestrate Tulsa’s comeback.
Auburn shot just 32% from the floor in the second half and was outscored by Tulsa 36-21 in the final 20 minutes of play.
Overton led Auburn with 26 points and connected on his third 3-pointer to put Auburn back in front with 4:15 left on the game clock.
After Keyshawn Hall and Filip Jovic fouled out in the final minutes of regulation, Overton drilled a corner 3-pointer with eight seconds left on the clock to send the game into overtime.
Pettiford finished the game with 24 points and eight assists. He made four of Auburn’s 11 3-pointers, while Overton had five.
Auburn guard Kevin Overton (1) celebrates with teammates after the NCAA college basketball NIT Championship game against Tulsa, Sunday, April 5, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)AP
Auburn makes program history
Auburn becomes the first SEC team since South Carolina in 2006 to win the NIT. They are also the first team from the state of Alabama to win an NCAA postseason tournament.
The Tigers are the fourth SEC team to win the title. Prior to Sunday’s game, two current SEC schools — Mississippi State in 2021 and Texas in 2022 — lost in the championship in back-to-back years.
This was also Tulsa’s first NIT championship loss after winning it all in 1981 and 2001.
Auburn comes out swinging in first half
Auburn wasted no time taking control of the NIT title game, leading Tulsa by as many as 21 points in the first half.
Tulsa connected on only two shots from the floor in the first 10 minutes of the game. The Golden Hurricanes also entered the break with only one made 3-pointer.
Pettiford and Overton combined for 29 of Auburn’s 48 points at halftime. The Tigers started the game shooting 52% from the floor and drained six shots from beyond the arc.
However, Auburn also had some early foul trouble with its starts as Overton, Elyjah Freeman and Hall all picked up two fouls in the first half.
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