Tiger fans, it’s time to Hang the Banner! Auburn Basketball claims theif First-Ever NIT Championship. This marks a historic first for the program. While the season had its share of disappointments, most notably missing out on the NCAA Tournament, this team showed the heart of a champion by finishing the year on top.
A Tale of Two Halves
The championship game was a true emotional rollercoaster for the Auburn faithful. The Tigers came out red hot, jumping to a massive lead of over 20 points. However, basketball is a game of runs, and Tulsa didn’t go away quietly.
Midway through the second half, the offense went cold, and Tulsa capitalized with a staggering 22-2 run. Between scoring droughts and a mounting foul count, the lead evaporated, and for a moment, it looked like another late-season collapse was imminent.
The Sequence That Saved the Season
With under ten seconds left in regulation and Auburn trailing by three, the Tigers’ defense rose to the occasion. They forced a critical five-second violation on Tulsa’s inbound attempt, giving Auburn one last gasp.
Photo by Zach Bland/Auburn Tigers
The Stars Who Shined
While several players stepped up, the night belonged to a few standout Tigers:
- Kevin Overton (Tournament MVP): Overton was the engine that kept Auburn alive, leading all scorers with 26 points. He buried a massive three-pointer to send the game into overtime and followed it up with a “heat-check” three from the logo in the extra period.
- Tahaad Pettiford: Pettiford dropped 24 points and set the tone early, though he credited his teammates for supporting him when his shot struggled midway through the game.
- Elyjah Freeman: Despite early foul trouble, Freeman was a force on the glass with 14 rebounds, including 10 defensive boards that Coach Pearl called “ridiculous” and vital late in the game.
- Sebastian Williams-Adams: The freshman contributed a vital 13 points, including a second-half three that helped stop the bleeding during Tulsa’s run.
In Their Own Words: Post-Game Quotes
Head Coach Steven Pearl on the team’s character: “Lesser-character young men would have folded it up and just gotten to the off-season. This group didn’t. They used this as an opportunity to compete and gain some positive momentum… I’m just thankful they are getting some reward for all the effort they put into the season.”
MVP Kevin Overton on the decision to play: “We all had that moment of doubt… truthfully we didn’t really want to play. But we came together. We made a decision… let’s just go make the best of it.”
Tahaad Pettiford on the overtime mindset: “We knew how important it was, especially letting them come back… we stayed together and knew that we needed stops and we had to break them down.”
Building a Culture Under Steven Pearl
This championship is about more than just a trophy; it’s about the foundation being laid by head coach Steven Pearl. In his first year, Pearl has focused on building a culture of resilience despite the adversity of a roster featuring ten new players and nine underclassmen.
Coach Pearl highlighted that the team “flipped the switch” during the Seattle game earlier in the tournament, proving they were one of the best teams in the country even while playing “undermanned” without a starting center.
Why This Matters
To the critics who say “it’s just the NIT,” the message from the locker room is clear: Winning matters. Ending the season with a trophy avoids the “close, but no cigar” narrative and gives the returning players a taste of championship success.
Auburn is going to hang a banner in Neville Arena. It’s a testament to a group of guys who decided to stay, play, and fight for their school when they could have easily opted out.
