Auburn -6.5 Over Tulsa in 2026 NIT Championship
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- Auburn (21-16) and Tulsa (30-7) meet in the 2026 NIT Championship Sunday at 8 p.m. ET at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, televised on ESPN2.
- Tulsa seeks its third NIT title (previously won in 1981 and 2001) while Auburn chases its first; Auburn holds a 2-1 all-time series edge.
- Auburn is a 6.5-point favorite (money line -264, Tulsa +213) with the over/under set at 159.5.
- SportsLine's model, which simulates every game 10,000 times, is backing the Over, projecting 162 combined points and hitting in 53.1% of simulations — driven by both teams' porous defenses: Auburn ranks 40th in scoring (82.8 ppg) but 309th in points allowed (78.6), while Tulsa is 16th in scoring (85.1 ppg) but 157th in scoring defense (73.2 ppg allowed).
- The Over has cashed in 23 of Tulsa's 35 games this season (65.7%, second-most in Division I) and 21 of Auburn's 37 (21-16).
- Auburn reached the final by routing Illinois State 88-66; Tulsa advanced by holding off New Mexico 74-69.
Why it matters: Both squads rank top-40 nationally in scoring but bottom-third in points allowed, and the Over has hit in nearly 66% of Tulsa's games this season — making the 159.5 total the analytically favored play. Auburn's 6.5-point spread carries real risk against a 30-7 Tulsa team that has been one of college basketball's most consistent Over teams all year.
