Auburn Wins NIT Championship in Overtime Thriller

Kevin Overton's heroics lead Tigers to first-ever NIT title

Apr. 6, 2026 at 3:09pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the chaotic final moments of the Auburn-Tulsa NIT championship game, with fragmented, overlapping shapes and planes of color representing the intense action on the court.Auburn's thrilling overtime victory in the NIT championship game showcased the team's resilience and ability to make clutch plays when it mattered most.Auburn Today

In a thrilling overtime game, the Auburn Tigers defeated the Tulsa Golden Hurricane 92-86 to win the 2025-26 National Invitation Tournament (NIT) championship. Kevin Overton hit a game-tying 3-pointer with 8 seconds left in regulation to send the game to overtime, where he then hit a deep 3-pointer to give Auburn the lead for good. Tahaad Pettiford led the Tigers with 24 points and 8 assists, while Overton finished with 26 points. Auburn overcame foul trouble and a late Tulsa comeback to claim the first NIT title in program history.

Why it matters

This NIT championship represents an important milestone for the Auburn basketball program under coach Steven Pearl. After a challenging regular season, the Tigers showed tremendous resilience and team chemistry to win five straight games and capture the school's first-ever NIT title. The victory provides positive momentum heading into the offseason and sets the stage for an exciting 2026-27 campaign.

The details

Auburn built a big lead in the first half, going up by as many as 21 points. But Tulsa stormed back in the second half, taking the lead late before Overton's heroics sent the game to overtime. In the extra period, the undermanned Tigers - with Keyshawn Hall and Filip Jovic having fouled out - found a way to prevail, with Overton and Elyjah Freeman making key free throws down the stretch.

  • Auburn led by 20 points with 17:34 remaining in the second half.
  • Tulsa used a 12-0 run to pull within 6 points with 12:18 left.
  • Tulsa took its first lead of the game midway through the second half.
  • Overton hit the game-tying 3-pointer with 8 seconds left in regulation.
  • Auburn secured the NIT title with free throws in the final 40 seconds of overtime.

The players

Kevin Overton

The Most Outstanding Player of the NIT, Overton hit the game-tying 3-pointer late in regulation and a deep 3 in overtime to lead Auburn to the title.

Tahaad Pettiford

Scored a team-high 24 points and dished out a game-high 8 assists for the Tigers.

Keyshawn Hall

Recorded a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds before fouling out in overtime.

Filip Jovic

Scored 12 points and had a career-high 4 assists before also fouling out late.

Steven Pearl

The Auburn head coach led his team to the first NIT championship in program history in his first season.

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What they’re saying

“Trusting my work. My teammates trust me to make shots. I try to do what I can for these guys.”

— Kevin Overton, Most Outstanding Player of the NIT

“I'm really proud of these kids. They found a way to stay together and beat five pretty good teams.”

— Steven Pearl, Auburn Head Coach

“We stayed together. We needed stops, we had to break them down and that's what we did in overtime.”

— Tahaad Pettiford

What’s next

The Tigers will look to build on this NIT championship as they prepare for the 2026-27 season, which will be an important year for the program under coach Steven Pearl.

The takeaway

Auburn's NIT title run showcased the team's resilience, toughness and ability to stay together through adversity. The Tigers' performance over the last five games proved they have a talented, well-coached squad that can compete at a high level, providing optimism for the future of the program.