Auburn Defeats Seattle in NIT Second Round

Kevin Overton's 23 points lead Tigers to 91-85 victory

Mar. 23, 2026 at 6:49am

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Top-seeded Auburn held off a late rally from Seattle University to defeat the Redhawks 91-85 in the second round of the NIT. Kevin Overton scored 23 points and Elyjah Freeman added 19 to lead the balanced Tigers attack. Auburn shot 50% from the field and made 24 of 32 free throws to clinch the victory.

Why it matters

The win advances Auburn to the quarterfinals of the NIT, where they will face Nevada. The Tigers were able to overcome the absence of starting forward KeShawn Murphy, who decided not to participate in the tournament.

The details

Auburn took a 42-31 lead at halftime and extended their advantage to as many as 16 points in the second half. Seattle made a late push, pulling within 4 points in the final seconds, but could not complete the comeback. Brayden Maldonado scored a game-high 25 points for the Redhawks, including 7 three-pointers.

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

The players

Kevin Overton

A key player for Auburn, scoring 23 points in the win.

Elyjah Freeman

Contributed 19 points to Auburn's balanced scoring attack.

Brayden Maldonado

Led Seattle with a game-high 25 points, including 7 three-pointers.

KeShawn Murphy

Auburn's starting forward who decided not to participate in the NIT tournament.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

What’s next

The Tigers will face Nevada in the quarterfinals of the NIT.

The takeaway

Auburn was able to overcome the absence of a key player and hold off a late Seattle rally to advance in the NIT tournament, setting up a matchup with Nevada in the quarterfinals.