If there was one way to describe the overall season for the 2025-2026 edition for the Auburn Men’s Basketball team and Coach Steven Pearl, it could probably be summed up in four simple words:
“What Could Have Been.”
After falling in nine of the last ten games, the Tigers were left out of the NCAA tournament field as the first team out. The committee didn’t see overall body of work for the team as enough, even though the Tigers had the #3 toughest schedule in the nation, along with some solid quality wins against the likes of St Johns and Florida. At the tail end of Selection Sunday, Auburn settled for the #1 overall seed in the NIT tournament. Unlike other teams, the challenge was accepted and Coach Pearl and the Tigers began the journey with bonus basketball in the postseason.
With the #1 overall seed, the Tigers were guaranteed the first three games at Neville Arena. Upon the announcement that Keyshawn Murphy would opt out of the tournament, lineups had to be shifted and adjustments made. That proved to be zero issue for the squad.
The path kicked off with the South Alabama Jaguars making the trek up Interstate 65 for competition. Auburn had a challenge from them, but made quick work with a 78-67 victory. Round two brought in the Seattle University Redhawks on a cross country journey to Neville Arena. Round two was victorious for the Tigers, sending Seattle out of the tournament with a 91-85 victory over them. Round three shaped up to be even tougher, with Coach Steve Alford bringing his Nevada Wolfpack squad across country for a date with Auburn at Neville Arena. The red hot shooting of Kevin Overton from the first two games continued in this game, with Auburn securing a spot in the NIT final four in Indianapolis with a 75-69 victory.
Auburn’s NIT semifinal opponent was now set to be the Illinois State Redbirds. As we all know, cats love to prey on birds. The Tigers made QUICK work of ISU with a decisive 88-66 win. That victory would setup a match against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane in the NIT finals on Easter Sunday night. Coach Pearl and the team walked into this matchup knowing it would be a street fight at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Late in the game with Tulsa up 78-75, Kevin Overton nailed a 3 with less than 10 seconds left to tie the game and send it to overtime. Auburn struck first and never looked back. When the clock hit zero, it was the Tigers walking away with the first NIT championship for the program, with a 92-86 victory over Tulsa.
You have to give Auburn total and complete credit. When they could have ended their season and went home after not being selected to the big dance, they took the opportunity to get better and work more. That decision paid off, and hardware came back to Auburn and Neville Arena. The Tigers ended their 2025-2026 campaign with a 22-16 record, and Coach Steven Pearl etched his name into the history books with the most wins for a head coach in his inaugural season for the program. Auburn now looks forward to the 2026-2027 campaign with offseason work in recruiting and the transfer portal.
