NIT Win Spoke Volumes About Auburn's Competitive Drive

Despite a disappointing regular season and finishing as one of the first four teams out of the NCAA Tournament, the Auburn Tigers will return to the Plains with some hardware from this season in the form of the NIT Champions trophy. 

Many were initially surprised when the Tigers accepted a bid to the NIT, but the Tigers have made the most of their postseason. After a close-fought win against Tulsa in the NIT Championship, Steven Pearl and his players recapped their season, detailing their mentality throughout the tournament.

“I think we all had that moment of doubt in the year,” NIT Most Outstanding Player Kevin Overton said. “Like, truthfully, we really didn’t want to play. We could have packed it up, but we came together… It’s still basketball at the end of the day, we’re still competitors.”

Later on in the press conference, Auburn head coach Steven Pearl was asked how he would like for this year’s squad to be remembered.

“It’s a group that was put through a tremendous amount of adversity,” Pearl said. “With the coach retiring, the schedule that was put in front of them, only having one returner, nine underclassmen, 10 new guys. I want the Auburn family to remember this group for their resilience.”

It was certainly a difficult season for the Tigers, who, as Pearl said, returned just one starter in Tahaad Pettiford after former Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl retired just weeks before practice began. The team was faced with the 13th-hardest strength of schedule in basketball, per KenPom, and made the most of their opportunities whenever they could.

“Their toughness, and their ability to stay together through tough stretches,” Pearl said. “It’s a group that really appreciated what the Auburn family gave them and the support that they gave. I think they wanted to do the fanbase proud and the university proud, and I feel like they’ve done that over the past couple of weeks.”

The Tigers did not have to wait long to see what the future of their roster could look like, as Filip Jović, one of the Tigers’ big men, announced he would be entering the Transfer Portal just two days after the Tigers hoisted the NIT trophy. 

If he decides to transfer elsewhere, the door will be open for Auburn big men Sebastian Williams-Adams, Emeka Oporum and the incoming Narcisse Ngoy to make their presence known in the paint next season.

Though it is far too early to say what Auburn’s lineup in the future will look like, it is clear that Steven Pearl has shown an ability to succeed even when presented with a nearly entirely unique roster, which bodes well for the future of the team in the modern era of the Transfer Portal.

A NIT championship victory, though not exactly what the team was looking for, may be enough to persuade other top players like Tahaad Pettiford and Kevin Overton to stay for another year, though only time will tell exactly what the team will look like next season.

Sign up for our free Auburn Tigers newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news!