Auburn Just Blew a 21-Point Lead and Still Won the NIT Championship in Absolute Chaos
Kevin Overton hit a corner 3-pointer with regulation tied at 78 to force overtime, then dropped 26 points total, including crucial shots down the stretch. Auburn survived absolute madness on Sunday night to win the NIT title 92-86 over Tulsa in Indianapolis, with Charles Barkley watching courtside as the Tigers clawed back from near disaster.
Let's be real: Auburn (22-16) had this thing locked up. The Tigers were up 21 at halftime, 48-31, and cruising. Then Tulsa (30-8) flipped the script completely. The Golden Hurricane went on a devastating 22-2 run that flipped the entire game on its head. David Green's three-point play, Tylen Riley's spinning layup, Miles Barnstable's three, more free throws. By the time the dust settled, Tulsa was up 61-59 and Auburn looked dead.
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But Auburn wasn't done. Down three with regulation winding down, the Tigers forced a five-second turnover on an inbounds play, and Overton answered with a corner three to tie it at 78-all and send this thing to overtime. Suddenly you're looking at a completely different game.
In the extra frame, Auburn took over. The Tigers outscored Tulsa 14-8 in OT to seal the first NIT championship in school history. Overton's 26 points led the way, but Tahaad Pettiford was huge with 24 points and eight assists. Elyjah Freeman grabbed 14 rebounds and hit two free throws late in OT. Sebastian Williams-Adams added 13 points.
Tulsa Had Every Chance
For Tulsa, David Green had 25 points and six rebounds, and Tylen Riley added 20. Ade Popoola chipped in 13. The Golden Hurricane, a two-time NIT champion, had momentum and the lead. But they couldn't finish when it mattered.
Auburn's 6-foot-8 freshman Filip Jovic came out flying with back-to-back dunks early, helping the Tigers build that massive early lead. That firepower, plus Pettiford and Overton going off in the first half when Auburn shot 51.7 percent, set the tone before the collapse.
Auburn's first NIT title is in the books, but what a way to get there. That's the kind of game you don't forget.
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