Auburn has earned its right to play for a NIT title after taking down Illinois State on Thursday night.
After a complete performance in the NIT semifinals, the Auburn Tigers have earned the right to play in the title game.
After handling business in the first three rounds, Auburn punched its ticket to the final four at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.
There, the Tigers came across Illinois State, another team that earned a No. 1 seed in the tournament.
When the semifinal matchup came to a close, Auburn had taken care of business, earning an 88-66 victory that gave it the right to take the floor one last time this season.
The first half was tightly contested for the first seven minutes, but a 3-pointer by Sebastian Williams-Adams gave Auburn an 18-16 advantage with 12:41 remaining in the opening period and it never looked back.
By the time the first half came to a close and the teams returned to the locker room, Auburn owned a 13-point advantage.
Similar to the last 12 minutes of the first half, Auburn maintained complete control during the final frame.
Keyshawn Hall led the way for the Tigers on the scoreboard, putting up 24 points. He also led the team on the glass by coming away with six rebounds. Tahaad Pettiford — who crossed the 1,000-point threshold for his college career — led the Tigers in assists with five.
Auburn was also aided by its efficient shooting performance. The Tigers finished 34-of-56, 60.7%, from the field, 12-of-21, 57.1%, from 3-point range and 8-of-11, 72.7%, from the free-throw line.
Tulsa picked up a 74-69 win over New Mexico prior to Auburn's matchup with Illinois State, meaning the Tigers will take them on for a chance to lift up a trophy.
The NIT championship game is set to take place on Sunday, April 5. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CT, and the television broadcast will be carried by ESPN2.