Auburn Settles for No. 1 NIT Seed After NCAA Tournament Snub

Tigers to host South Alabama in first round of NIT after missing out on NCAA Tournament

Mar. 17, 2026 at 7:25am

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After being left out of the NCAA Tournament field, the Auburn Tigers will host South Alabama in the first round of the NIT as the No. 1 seed in their region. Auburn had a strong resume with a top-3 strength of schedule and wins over 7 NCAA Tournament teams, but ultimately fell short of making the Big Dance. The Tigers will be led by third-team All-SEC honoree Keyshawn Hall and Tahaad Pettiford, while South Alabama makes its first NIT appearance since 2007 behind Sun Belt Player of the Year Chaze Harris.

Why it matters

Auburn's exclusion from the NCAA Tournament despite a strong resume has raised questions about the selection committee's criteria and the challenges mid-major programs face in earning at-large bids. The NIT provides the Tigers a chance to continue their season, but missing out on the NCAA Tournament is a disappointment for a team that felt it deserved a spot.

The details

After being left out of the 68-team NCAA Tournament field, the Auburn Tigers will host South Alabama in the first round of the 32-team NIT as the No. 1 seed in their region. Auburn had a resume that included the nation's No. 3 strength of schedule and victories over 7 NCAA Tournament teams, including a win over No. 1 seed Florida. However, the Tigers dropped 8 of their final 10 regular-season SEC games and lost in the second round of the SEC Tournament, which the selection committee felt was not enough to earn an at-large bid.

  • Auburn will host South Alabama on Tuesday night (March 17, 2026) in the first round of the NIT.
  • Auburn last appeared in the NIT in 2009 and last missed the NCAA Tournament in 2021.

The players

Keyshawn Hall

A third-team All-SEC honoree who averaged 19.8 points and 6.7 rebounds per game for Auburn this season.

Tahaad Pettiford

Averaged 15.5 points and 3.6 assists per game for the Tigers.

Chaze Harris

The Sun Belt Player of the Year who led South Alabama with averages of 18.9 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game.

Richie Riley

The head coach of South Alabama, who is taking the Jaguars to their first NIT appearance since 2007.

Steven Pearl

The head coach of Auburn, who argued that his team deserved an NCAA Tournament bid.

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What they’re saying

“This team deserves to be in the (NCAA) Tournament. It's a team that can win games in the tournament.”

— Steven Pearl, Head Coach, Auburn

“It's an honor for our team to be invited to play in the NIT. This group has battled adversity all season and is truly deserving of this opportunity. I'm thankful that I'm going to get to coach these guys for a little longer.”

— Richie Riley, Head Coach, South Alabama

What’s next

The winner of the Auburn-South Alabama matchup will advance to face the winner of the first-round game between Clemson and Wichita State in the second round of the NIT.

The takeaway

Auburn's exclusion from the NCAA Tournament despite a strong resume highlights the challenges mid-major programs face in earning at-large bids, even with impressive wins and a top-ranked strength of schedule. The Tigers will look to prove the selection committee wrong as they begin their NIT run, while South Alabama seeks to make the most of its first postseason appearance since 2007.