Auburn Advances in NIT with Win Over Seattle

Tigers overcome defensive struggles to defeat Redhawks in opening round

Mar. 23, 2026 at 1:53am

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Auburn's men's basketball team defeated Seattle University 91-85 in the opening round of the NIT tournament. The Tigers overcame their usual issues with 3-point defense and late-game turnovers, relying on a strong frontcourt performance and solid shooting to secure the victory. Auburn will now attempt to advance further in the NIT tournament when they face Nevada later this week.

Why it matters

The NIT tournament provides Auburn an opportunity to extend their season and potentially make a deep postseason run, which could build momentum for the program heading into the offseason and next year. However, the team's defensive struggles remain a concern that will need to be addressed.

The details

Auburn's victory over Seattle was fueled by a strong performance in the frontcourt and solid shooting, despite the team's usual issues with 3-point defense and late-game turnovers. The Tigers were able to take advantage of their size and physicality advantage to control the paint and secure the win.

  • The game was played on Sunday, March 23, 2026.

The players

Steven Pearl

An assistant coach for the Auburn men's basketball team.

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What they’re saying

“Obviously, we aren't a good defensive team. That's something that we've got to improve in the offseason.”

— Steven Pearl, Assistant Coach

What’s next

Auburn will face Nevada in the next round of the NIT tournament, with the game scheduled for either Tuesday or Wednesday of the following week.

The takeaway

While Auburn was able to secure a victory in the opening round of the NIT, the team's defensive struggles remain a concern that will need to be addressed in the offseason if they hope to build on this postseason appearance and make a deeper run next year.