There was a lot of disappointment when the Auburn Tigers didn't make the NCAA Tournament following the 2025-26 season, but playing in the NIT is providing valuable play time for the team's younger guys.
As the first team out of the NCAA Tournament, the Tigers were named the No. 1 overall seed in the NIT and have won two games on their home court so far. Auburn took down Seattle 91-85 in the second round over the weekend, and the Tigers' young players stood out as major contributors throughout the matchup.
Auburn Tigers head coach Steven Pearl spoke to the media about the value of these extra post-season games for the underclassmen.
"Oh, it's great," Pearl said, per Auburn Undercover. "Filip played really well tonight. He was aggressive, 12 and 5, made six out of nine free throws. I thought KO played well again. Elyjah, obviously, had one of his better offensive games. (Magwood) stepped into his role and two assists to no turnovers against a really good defensive team.
"And SWA did a great job in his minutes as well. So, it's incredibly valuable for me as a coach because I'm able to get extra reps in my first year, but then also like, these younger guys that need more game experience, this has been really good for them, and it's something that we can hopefully turn into a positive and build towards the future."
One of the most impressive players in the game was sophomore Elyjah Freeman, who recorded four three-pointers in the second half of the game in addition to seven rebounds and two blocks.
"Yeah, I told him that Heimbrodt was not gonna guard him," Pearl said. "He was just gonna rover around the paint and try to block shots, and he had four of them tonight. I told Elyjah, 'You've gotta be aggressive, and you've gotta make him pay.' He sure did that with 4-of-5 from 3, and I thought he did a great job of attacking the rim. He had seven rebounds. He played great, and he took advantage of the situation that he was put in. It was great to see him knock down shots. Would love for him to continue to do that, because when he makes shots, he's a different ballplayer."
The Tigers will continue their NIT run in Neville Arena against Nevada later this week.