Auburn vs. Tulsa Battle for NIT Championship

The championship game features Auburn, which has dominated non-Power Conference teams with a perfect 10-0 record, against Tulsa, which has had multiple close calls with three of their four NIT wins coming within five points. Auburn enters the game after a convincing 88-66 semifinal victory over Illinois State, while Tulsa has defeated SFA, UNLV, Wichita State, and New Mexico to reach the final.

Both teams have NIT tournament history, with Auburn appearing seven times previously and Tulsa 11 times. The winner will claim the NIT championship title in a matchup that could have been argued as NCAA Tournament teams leading up to selection Sunday.