Tigers eyeing first NIT title, set for tough clash with sharp-shooting Tulsa

No. 1 Auburn is seeking its first NIT championship in program history on Sunday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, but an extremely dangerous Tulsa squad stands in the Tigers’ way of a banner and some hardware.

Steven Pearl and company are coming off an 88-66 victory over Illinois State in the NIT semifinals on Thursday, in which Auburn drained 12 triples and shot over 60% from the field en route to a championship game appearance.

“Our guys have done a really good job of respecting our opponents up to this point, and it's shown the last couple games. And Tulsa is going to be no different,” Pearl said in Friday’s press conference. “Phenomenal three-point shooting team. They have multiple guys that can get it going, and they have four guys that can average double figures. It can be a different guy every night.”

The Golden Hurricane enters Sunday night at 30-7 overall, most recently coming off victories over Stephen F. Austin, UNLV, Wichita State and New Mexico. They finished second in the American Conference at 13-5 in league play, sitting just behind South Florida, which earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament.

“They are one of, like, 11 teams with 30 wins this year and that's significant,” Pearl said. “They have done an unbelievable job, Coach Konkol has done an unbelievable job getting that thing turned around in his fourth season. Impressed with what they have done and it's going to be a great matchup.”

Tulsa currently has four players who average double-figures, including three who post 14.7 points per game or better. Senior forward David Green headlines the Golden Hurricane in scoring with 15.7 PPG, while guards Tylen Riley and Miles Barnstable trail closely behind with 14.8 and 14.8 PPG, respectively.

Barnstable is a massive threat from behind the arc, as the senior leads the team in 3-pointers made with 102 on the year, while guard Ade Popoola has knocked down 97 of his own.

For the sake of comparison, Auburn’s Kevin Overton trails both of them with 90 made triples this season. 

“As a team, they shoot close to 40 percent from three, and that's something that's been a struggle of ours and something we're going to have to look into,” Pearl said.

Perimeter defense has proven to be one of Auburn’s biggest flaws in Pearl’s inaugural year, but for the most part, the Tigers did a solid job of limiting Illinois State’s most lethal shooting threats on Thursday.

The Redbirds went 10-for-25 from downtown, but Auburn held their top two 3-point shooters to just 3-for-11 from three.

“Our guys have to be in a stance for 40 minutes in this one because the second you stand up, Popoola comes up for a three, Barnstable comes up and hits a three. They have two guys that have made over a hundred threes this year, and they have four guys that are shooting well over 40 percent with 50-plus makes this year.”

Tulsa has won 30 games this season, a mark most teams in the country haven’t accomplished, and one of the most prominent reasons has been its offensive production.

The Golden Hurricane sits second in the American and No. 16 nationally in total offense, as they average 85.1 PPG on the season, while also ranking in the top 40 in KenPom’s offensive efficiency ratings.

If the Tigers wish to bring another championship home to the Plains, they must play with relentless effort and energy on the defensive end, especially when guarding the 3-point line.

“They are going to present their challenges but our guys have to continue to stay locked in to what we are doing, stay connected, and if we are able to do that, obviously our chances of winning will go up,” Pearl said.

Auburn and Tulsa are set to tip off at 7 p.m. CDT inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Sunday as the Tigers look to claim their first-ever NIT title. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2.