Auburn salvages disappointing season with NIT championship win over Tulsa

Overton finished the game with a team-high 26 points (7-of-13 FG), while sophomore guard Tahaad Pettiford had 24 points (8-of-22 FG) and eight assists. 

Entering Sunday's NIT title game, Auburn had only trailed for eight minutes in its three tournament games. However, Pearl knew the Golden Hurricane would present a stiff challenge.

"This will probably be the best offensive team we've played in the tournament," Pearl said, per Sports Illustrated's Brooks Crew. "Our guys have got to be in a stance for 40 minutes in this one. ... They're going to present their challenges. Our guys will have to continue to stay locked into what we're doing and stay connected."

Tulsa only won 13 games last season and had one of the best turnarounds in all of college basketball this season. Entering the game, it had already made 105 more threes than its previous record, which was set when it last won the NIT in 2001.

The Golden Hurricane were no slouch coming in and proved that with their resiliency in the second half. However, if Auburn had lost this one and ended Pearl's first season with another devastating loss, that would have only added to the frustration.

After all, the Tigers were 3-4 in games decided by five points or less. They were also the first team out of the NCAA Tournament on Selection Sunday, which sparked a lot of debate about whether or not they should have been included.

With wins over St. John's, Arkansas and Florida, Auburn proved that it could beat some of the best teams in the nation. Those nail-biting losses along the way and a one-point loss to Houston could have easily swung a different direction and improved their record and overall resume enough to earn one of the 68 spots.

Ultimately, there was just too much inconsistency and missed opportunities along the way for Auburn to get invited to the Big Dance. Still, they took advantage of a second chance in the NIT and made the most of it.

It was not without its challenges and the threat of another dramatic game with Tulsa's best effort on Sunday. With that said, Auburn withstood the second-half collapse and made the key plays when it needed to late to end its up-and-down season with a NIT title.

Whether the momentum carries over to next season remains to be seen.