LEAD STORY: Tigers Outlast Tulsa for First NIT Championship
INDIANAPOLIS – The Auburn Tigers are bringing home a championship trophy. In a dramatic, back-and-forth contest, Auburn defeated the Tulsa Golden Hurricane 92-86 in overtime on Sunday night to capture its first-ever National Invitation Tournament (NIT) title. The victory provides a triumphant end to a season that saw the Tigers narrowly miss the NCAA Tournament, finishing with a 22-16 overall record.
Auburn appeared to be in complete control, building a lead as large as 21 points in the first half before Tulsa mounted a furious second-half comeback to force the extra period. Junior guard Kevin Overton, named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, delivered the game's most crucial shot—a three-pointer with just eight seconds left in regulation to tie the game and send it to overtime. Overton finished with a team-high 26 points, including five 3-pointers.
Freshman guard Tahaad Pettiford also had a standout performance, pouring in 24 points for the Tigers. The win at Gainbridge Fieldhouse marks a significant accomplishment, making Auburn just the fourth SEC program to win an NIT championship. The hard-fought victory gives the Tigers valuable postseason experience and significant momentum heading into the offseason.
QUICK HITS
- Mizzou Baseball Nabs Key Road Series: The Missouri Tigers secured a significant series win on the road, taking two out of three games from the No. 24 Kentucky Wildcats in Lexington. The 5-2 victory on Sunday marked the Tigers' first SEC series win of the season and their first road series victory over a ranked opponent since 2021.
- Alabama Gymnastics' Season Ends in Tough Regional: The No. 5 Alabama gymnastics team's season concluded in the Corvallis Regional Final on Sunday. Despite posting a solid score of 197.175, the Crimson Tide finished fourth in a highly competitive field. Alabama ended its 2026 campaign as one of only two programs in the nation to score 197.000 or higher in every meet of the season.
- Georgia Golf Finishes Fifth in Augusta: The Georgia men's golf team finished tied for fifth at the Augusta Haskins Award Invitational. The Bulldogs posted a team score of 28-under par for the tournament. LSU also had a strong showing, finishing fourth with a score of 32-under par.
PORTAL WATCH
The college basketball transfer portal officially opens on Tuesday, April 7th, but the action is already heating up. Notre Dame freshman forward Jalen Haralson, who entered the portal last week, is drawing early interest from the Kentucky Wildcats. The 6-foot-7 Indiana native was a standout for the Fighting Irish, averaging 16.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game as a freshman. Haralson was a 4-star, top-20 prospect in the 2025 recruiting cycle and is expected to be one of the most sought-after players in the portal.
RECRUITING BUZZ
There have been no new football or basketball commitments across the SEC in the last 12 hours as programs prepare for the upcoming open transfer portal window.
GAMES TO WATCH
There are no SEC games scheduled for today, Monday, April 6th. The next scheduled conference matchup is Missouri State at Missouri in baseball on Tuesday, April 7th.