Expert prediction
NIT First Round: South Alabama vs Auburn Preview, Odds, Predictions (March 17)
Pick rationale
Analysis & key factors
- The Jaguars reached their fifth NIT in program history.
- The Tigers make their seventh NIT appearance in program history.
- This marks the 13th all-time matchup between the two squads.
The NIT will have a matchup involving a trending SEC powerhouse when the Auburn Tigers host the South Alabama Jaguars in the first round. The hosts stand out as the dominant favorite, meaning that South Alabama will be quite busy in attempting an upset.
How to Watch
- When: Tuesday, March 17, 10 pm ET
- Where: Neville Arena, Auburn, Alabama
- How to Watch: ESPN2
NCAA Matchup Odds & Lines
| Team | Odds | Spread | Totals |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Alabama | -105 | +18 | O153 |
| Auburn | -115 | -18 | U153 |
Game Preview
The Jaguars (21-11) pulled off another impressive regular season, getting another campaign of winning 20 or more games. They secured back-to-back 20-win campaigns for the first time since the 2008–09 season. The Jaguars are led by Sun Belt Player of the Year Chaze Harris, who paced the conference in scoring at 18.9 points per game and elevated that mark to 22.0 points per game in league play. Meanwhile, Adam Olsen earned Second Team All-Sun Belt honors after scoring 502 total points, ranking fifth in the conference while averaging 16.7 points per game.
The Tigers (17-16) dealt with a difficult schedule as they didn’t have enough wins to warrant an At-Large bid to the NCAA Tournament. Instead, they will take part in the seventh NIT of their program history. In the SEC Tournament, they beat Mississippi State in the first round before losing to Tennessee in the second round. Keyshawn Hall leads the Auburn attack with 19.8 points per game, while Tahaad Pettiford averages 15.5 points per contest this year.
South Alabama vs Auburn Head-to-Head
The two programs have had 12 meetings in their history, and the result is 8-4 for the Tigers. The last matchup was in December 2020 when Auburn won 90-81 at home.
South Alabama vs Auburn Predictions
The winner of Auburn and South Alabama will get the winner of No. 4 Seattle University and No. 5 St. Thomas (MN). If Auburn defeats South Alabama, round two will also be played at Neville Arena. Unlike the Jaguars, the Tigers do have the benefit if having some wins over top-ranked opponents like Florida. This paves the way for the gap in quality to stand out to many observers, making this game difficult for South Alabama to pull away. Our betting pick here is the Tigers to cover an 18-point spread.
- Free NCAAB pick: Auburn Tigers -18
NCAAB
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