Auburn dominated the first half, racing to a 48-31 lead behind an early 9-2 surge. But Tulsa refused to quit. The Golden Hurricane unleashed a devastating 22-2 run in the second half, flipping a 57-39 deficit into a 61-59 lead and sending shockwaves through Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Tigers' offense stalled during a brutal seven-possession drought, putting their Elite 8 hopes in serious jeopardy. The final five minutes turned into a three-pointer duel. Kevin Overton hit clutch shots from deep—including a ridiculous 32-footer with 2:06 left—to keep Auburn afloat as Tulsa clawed back repeatedly. Trailing 76-71 with just over a minute remaining, Overton drilled another three to tie it at 78. From there, Auburn's free-throw execution down the stretch proved decisive. The Tigers closed out the NIT Elite 8 matchup 92-86, advancing behind Overton's heroics and Tahaad Pettiford's relentless playmaking in crunch time.