Auburn vs. Tulsa odds, time, spread, prediction: 2026 NIT picks for Sunday's Championship Game

The 2026 National Invitational Tournament has also reached its conclusion, with the NIT 2026 Championship Game taking place on Sunday. The Auburn Tigers (21-16) will take on the Tulsa Golden Hurricane (30-7), with Tulsa aiming for its third NIT Title after winning in 1981 and 2001, and Auburn seeking its first. The Tigers knocked off Illinois State, 88-66, in the semifinals, while Tulsa downed New Mexico 74-69 to reach the 2026 NIT Final.

Tipoff is at 8 p.m. ET from Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Auburn sports a 2-1 all-time record versus Tulsa. The Tigers are 5.5-point favorites in the latest Tulsa vs. Auburn odds, while the over/under is 159.5. Before making any Auburn vs. Tulsa picks, check out the Tulsa vs. Auburn predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every college basketball game 10,000 times. It entered the 2026 Final Four on a sizzling 11-1 run on its top-rated over/under college basketball picks dating back to last season, and is on a 28-22 run on top-rated CBB side picks. 

Now, the model has simulated Tulsa vs. Auburn 10,000 times and just revealed its college basketball picks and NIT predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are several college basketball odds and college basketball lines for Auburn vs. Tulsa:

Top Auburn vs. Tulsa predictions

After 10,000 simulations of Tulsa vs. Auburn, SportsLine's model is going Over on the total (159.5 points). Both teams have heavily trended to the Over this season, with the Golden Hurricane seeing the Over post a 23-12 record (65.7%). Those 23 games surpassing the total are the second most among all Division I teams. As for Auburn, the Over is 21-16 for the Tigers this season.

Both teams' offenses are far, far ahead of their respective defenses. Auburn ranks 40th in the nation with 82.8 points per game but is just 309th in points allowed (78.6). Meanwhile, Tulsa is 16th in the country in scoring (85.1 ppg) but is 157th in scoring defense (73.2 ppg allowed). SportsLine's model projects there being 162 combined points as the Over connects in 53.1% of simulations. You can get the spread pick at SportsLine.

How to make Tulsa vs. Auburn picks

Now, the model simulated every possession of Auburn vs. Tulsa 10,000 times and says one side of the spread hits almost 60% of the time. You can only see that pick at SportsLine.

So who wins Auburn vs. Tulsa, and which side of the spread hits in almost 60% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Tulsa vs. Auburn spread to back, all from the advanced model that just simulated this game 10,000 times, and find out.