Tulsa vs. Auburn Picks and Predictions: NIT Championship
Written by: Nate Hornung
Published: Sat Apr 04, 2026, 1:20 pm ET
Read Time: 5 minutes
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The NIT has finally reached the final two teams and we get the championship on Sunday at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Sure, the buzz around Indianapolis will be focused on Saturday's Final Four in the NCAA Tournament and the National Championship on Monday. But sandwiched in between, two teams have a chance at a trophy as the Tulsa Golden Hurricane take on the Auburn Tigers. It's certainly not the hardware either team wanted at the start of the season, but both have played their tails off in the NIT to get to this spot. Let's check out our favorite picks from our CBB experts.
Check out our March Madness Betting Guide to get in on all the action this month!
Best Bet: Tulsa/Auburn Over 160.5 (-110) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
Go check out what else I've got on my daily card, and view the latest odds at the best online sportsbooks.
Tulsa Golden Hurricane vs. Auburn Tigers NCAA Basketball Insights
HEADED TO THE 'SHIP! ‼️
ONE. MORE. #ReignCane pic.twitter.com/CCZsKBnF8J
— Tulsa Basketball (@TulsaMBB) April 3, 2026
Both teams played the first three games of this tournament in the comfort of their own gym. Tulsa took down Stephen F. Austin in overtime, failing to cover the 5.5 point spread. However then they beat UNLV and Wichita State, covering both games, and also upset New Mexico on a neutral site in the NIT Semifinals. They've been playing well, but have only seen one Power Five opponent all year long, losing to Kansas State by one as 12 point underdogs.
As for Auburn, they beat South Alabama, Seattle and Nevada, but did not cover a single spread. However, they came to Hinkle Fieldhouse and annihilated the Illinois State Redbirds, winning by 22 as 7.5 point favorites. Will we see them make easy work of this AAC opponent?
Matchup Information – Tulsa vs. Auburn – April 5
- Venue & Location: Hinkle Fieldhouse (Indianapolis, IN)
- Date: Sunday, April 5, 2026
- Tip Off: 8:00 p.m. Eastern
- Broadcast: ESPN2
Tulsa vs. Auburn Betting Odds
Odds are courtesy of Lucky Rebel, one of our favorite online sportsbooks, as of April 4, 2026 at 12:42 p.m. eastern. Sign up today with and get a $1,250 deposit bonus, as well as 50 slot spins immediately. Lucky Rebel Sportsbook offers a wide variety of unique markets across nearly every sport imaginable.
Spread
- Tulsa +5 (-106)
- Auburn -5 (-115)
Moneyline
- Tulsa +185
- Auburn -230
Total
- Over 160.5 (-110)
- Under 160.5 (-110)
Tulsa vs. Auburn NCAA Basketball Picks and Predictions
Keyshawn Hall and Auburn are one win away from taking home a trophy from the NIT
Tulsa vs. Auburn Prediction: Auburn Wins and Covers, Over 160.5
Best Bet: Tulsa/Auburn Over 160.5 (-110) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
Personally, I do think Auburn runs away with this one, but ultimately I'll be backing the over. The Tigers have been playing much faster than normal in their last 10 games or so, and Tulsa is a team that isn't afraid to run. The Golden Hurricane are more than capable of putting up points, especially against this weaker Auburn defense.
Tulsa ranks No. 59 overall on Bart Torvik. However, they are top 100 in assist rate, top 40 in adjusted offensive efficiency and top 30 in effective FG%. Not to mention they shoot lights out from deep while also earning plenty of trips to the free throw line. Tulsa ranks in the top 45 in both FT Rate and 3P Rate offense, while shooting nearly 39% from beyond the arc, which ranks fifth in the nation. Auburn won't be able to stop them, but ultimately this Power Five school should flex their muscle and pull out a win.
Auburn is top 12 in adjusted offensive efficiency and top 20 in offensive rebound and FT Rate. So they earn plenty of easy points from the line or with second chance put backs. However, defensively, they are in the bottom 75 of the country in opponent eFG%, while ranking north of 200 in opponent 3P Rate and bottom 20 in opponent 3P%. We just watched Tulsa shoot 12/32 (38%) from deep against a top 10 perimeter defense. Imagine what they can do against one of the worst in the country.
But again, look for Auburn to find a way to get the job done anyways.
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Check Out the Other March Madness Content from Betting News
For college basketball bettors, March Madness is the most wonderful time of the year. And at Betting News, we have you covered for this festively fun season with expert picks throughout the tournament from Nate Hornung and Eddie Griffin, consensus picks for every March Madness game from the First Four to the Final Four, a rundown of the best March Madness betting sites, and more.
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Nate has been a recreational sports bettor for about 5 years. In that time, he has grown to love the pursuit of winners and sticking it to The Man. Nate loves data and uses his understanding of numbers to help him be a more profitable sports gambler, however he will be the first to tell you this game is about more than just stats.
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