Auburn Advances to NIT Quarterfinals, Set to Host Nevada

Auburn basketball secured a 91-85 victory over Seattle U on Sunday, advancing to the quarterfinals of the 2026 National Invitation Tournament (NIT). The Tigers will now face Nevada at Neville Arena on Wednesday at 8 p.m. CT, with the game broadcast on ESPN2. The winner will move on to compete in the NIT Final Four in Indianapolis.

Close Contest with Seattle U

Auburn faced a late challenge from Seattle U, leading by 11 points with just 34 seconds remaining. The Redhawks narrowed the gap to four points with a three-pointer from Brayden Maldonado with 28 seconds left. However, Auburn sealed the win with free throws from Tahaad Pettiford.

Kevin Overton led Auburn with 23 points, shooting 7 of 13 from the field and 4 of 9 from beyond the arc. Elyjah Freeman contributed 19 points and seven rebounds, while Sebastian Williams-Adams added 15 points, shooting a perfect 6 of 6 from the field. Brayden Maldonado paced Seattle U with a game-high 25 points and five assists.

Nevada Defeats Liberty to Advance

Auburn’s opponent, Nevada, earned their spot in the quarterfinals with a 73-63 win over Liberty on Saturday. Four Nevada players scored in double figures, led by Elijah Price with 15 points. Corey Camper Jr., Vaughn Weems, and Tayshawn Comer each added 10 points. Price and Camper combined for 23 rebounds.

Despite trailing for most of the game, Nevada closed out the victory with a 15-2 run over the final 3:58.

NIT Tournament Outlook

The winner of the Auburn-Nevada matchup will face the winner of the Illinois State-Dayton game on April 2 in Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The NIT Championship game is scheduled for April 5 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, also in Indianapolis, home of the Indiana Pacers.