Auburn Wins First NIT Championship, Beats Tulsa 92-86 in OT Thriller
Auburn just claimed its first NIT title, and it took a clutch baseline three and some late-game chaos to get there. The Tigers beat Tulsa 92-86 in overtime Sunday night in Indianapolis, turning a potential collapse into a tournament championship.
Overton Takes Over When It Matters
Kevin Overton was the guy Auburn needed when the game was on the line. He finished with 26 points and went absolutely nuclear from deep, hitting 7 of 13 shots and 7 of 8 free throws. When the moment got real late in regulation, Overton buried a baseline three with eight seconds left to force overtime after Tulsa couldn't inbound the ball. Then in the extra period, he buried his fifth three to push Auburn ahead 89-84, and the Tigers never looked back.
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👉 Claim Your Free $10 at KalshiTahaad Pettiford was Auburn's other star, dropping 24 points with four three-pointers and eight assists. He had 15 of those points by halftime when Auburn jumped out to a 34-13 lead and took a 48-31 advantage into the break. Keyshawn Hall added 11 points and 12 boards. Sebastian Williams-Adams chipped in 13 off the bench and Filip Jovic scored 12.
Tulsa Fought Back But Couldn't Finish
Auburn looked like it might run away with this thing early, going up 55-35. But Tulsa (30-8) had other plans. David Green took over with six straight points in a 12-0 run that cut it to 57-51 with 12:18 left. Green finished with 25 points and was the Golden Hurricane's engine all night. Tylen Riley scored 20 and Ade Popoola added 13.
Tulsa's comeback was real. A 24-2 run got them their first lead at 61-59 with 10:26 remaining. But Auburn tightened up when it mattered most, especially down the stretch when Tulsa couldn't execute late. Auburn's finish to regulation and dominance in OT ended Tulsa's night.
Auburn finishes 22-16. Tulsa ends with 30 wins, the second most in program history. For Auburn, this first NIT championship changes the narrative of their season. For Tulsa, they can be proud of the run, but this one stings.
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