Auburn and New Mexico Advance to Quarterfinals in NIT Bracket
Auburn and New Mexico have secured their spots in the quarterfinals of the 2026 NIT bracket after winning their respective second-round games. The No. 1 seeds took care of business, with Auburn defeating Seattle University 91-85 and New Mexico dominating George Washington 86-61. Auburn's Kevin Overton led the charge with 23 points, while New Mexico's offense was fueled by multiple contributors.
In other action, No. 4 seed Illinois State upset No. 1 seed Wake Forest 78-75 in a thrilling matchup. Johnny Kinziger's go-ahead three-pointer with 2.7 seconds remaining sealed the win for Illinois State. The team will now face No. 2 seed Dayton in the quarterfinals. Dayton advanced after defeating UNC Wilmington 80-61 behind 20 points from guard De'Shayne Montgomery.
Nevada also made a statement in the Auburn Region, defeating Liberty 73-63 behind 15 points from Elijah Price. The team will face Auburn in the quarterfinals next week.
Auburn's Kevin Overton is making a strong case for himself as a top player in the NIT. His 23-point performance in the win over Seattle University was crucial in securing his team's spot in the quarterfinals. With Auburn set to face Nevada next, fans can expect an exciting matchup between two of the top teams in the bracket.
