Auburn sails past Seattle to advance in the NIT

March 22, 2026 - AUBURN, Ala. - The Auburn men's basketball team delivered a high‑energy, high‑scoring performance on Sunday night, defeating the Seattle Redhawks 91 to 85 in the second round of the National Invitation Tournament. The win came in front of a lively Neville Arena crowd and marked another step forward for first‑year head coach Steven Pearl's squad.

Kevin Overton scored 23 points. This was the fifth 20‑point performance for Overton in the month of March. He shot 7‑for‑13 from the field and was 5‑for‑6 at the free throw line. His points provide crucial second‑half scoring to keep Auburn ahead of the Redhawks.

Elyjah Freeman contributed 19 points and 7 rebounds. Freeman went 4‑for‑4 from three in the second half and played the entire game.

Sebastian Williams‑Adams scored 15 points. He was a perfect 6‑for‑6 from the field, while contributing three assists and two steals in one of his most complete outings.

Keyshawn Hall led everybody with 15 rebounds. He also added nine points and five assists.

Auburn dominated the boards early, outrebounding Seattle 23 to 11. Auburn finished the first half 42 to 31. Auburn led despite atrocious shooting the three ball in the first half (2 for13).

"Our rebounding effort was the difference," said Auburn head Coach Steven Pearl. "When you control the glass like that, you control the tempo. Keyshawn set the tone physically, and everyone else followed."

The three point shooting turned around for Auburn in the second half. Overton and Freeman combined to go 7‑for‑9 from long range in the second half, stretching the lead and keeping Seattle at arm's length despite a late push.

"Elyjah and Kevin were huge," said Pearl. "Those threes in the second half changed the entire feel of the game. That's what March basketball is about-big players stepping up in big moments."

Seattle's Brayden Maldonado kept the Redhawks competitive with 25 points, but Auburn's offensive efficiency and team athleticism proved to be too much for the Redhawks.

The 91 to 85 win improved Auburn's record to 19–16. Seattle's year ends with a 21 and 14 record.

The Tigers advance to the NIT quarterfinals, where they will host Nevada. Auburn plays tonight, Wednesday, March 25, 2026, at 8:00 PM CDT, when the Tigers host Nevada in the NIT quarterfinals at Neville Arena in Auburn.