No. 4 seed Seattle travels to No. 1 Auburn for a second-round NIT game on Sunday, March 22.
NIT games, like minor football bowls, often come down to motivation. Teams can treat it as both a reward and a showcase, or they can fume about being passed over for something better. Auburn appears to be in the latter category.
That’s why my Seattle U vs Auburn predictions and college basketball picks call for Seattle to cover as a road dog.
Seattle vs Auburn prediction
Who will win Seattle vs Auburn?
Seattle: Auburn missed out on the last NCAA tourney spot to mid-major Miami (OH), and starter KeShawn Murphy no-showed the NIT opener, opting out without telling anyone.
Seattle beat power conference teams Stanford, Washington, and Washington State and took Gonzaga to overtime. It’ll be looking to make a statement and could pull the upset over the disappointed, distracted Tigers.
Seattle vs Auburn best bet: Seattle +13.5 (-110)
The Seattle Redhawks are one of those teams that are impossible to prepare for in March. They have an elite defense, but are one of the worst-shooting teams in basketball.
Seattle ranks No. 15 in defensive efficiency, No. 6 in turnovers forced, No. 14 in shot blocking, and defends both 2- and 3-point shots well.
The Redhawks made fewer than half of their 2-point attempts this season and a third of their threes. Lucky for them, Auburn is even worse on defense, ranking No. 224 against the two and No. 326 against the three.
Seattle's scrappy D will keep this game within a lofty spread.
COVERS INTEL: Seattle held its last two opponents to 29 of 68 two-point shooting for a .426 percentage
Seattle vs Auburn same-game parlay
When teams miss a bunch of shots, announcers often wonder if it's due to poor offense or good defense. The answer for Seattle is both, which will mean a lot of misses on both ends.
Both teams are middle of the pack for tempo, so look for this one to go Under because of prolonged scoring droughts on both ends.
Auburn has only led at the half in 15 of 34 games and trailed by six in the NIT opener against South Alabama. The Redhawks will be a tough team to adjust to and should get the early edge.
Seattle vs Auburn SGP
- Seattle +13.5
- Under 146.5
- Seattle first half +7.5
Our beyond the arc SGP: Wire to wire
When asked about playing Auburn, Seattle coach Chris Victor had this to say:
Really, I'm just worried how we're going to get out there.
When asked about playing Seattle, first-year Auburn coach Stephen Pearl mentioned how his guys have to show up and be excited about playing, which — as the KeShawn Murphy situation underscored — is not a sure thing.
Seattle wants to be here. Auburn doesn’t. In March, that is often the only information you need to pick an upset.
Seattle vs Auburn SGP
- Under 146.5
- Seattle moneyline
- Seattle first-half moneyline
Seattle vs Auburn odds
- Spread: Seattle +13.5 | Auburn -13.5
- Moneyline: Seattle +650 | Auburn -1000
- Over/Under: Over 146.5 | Under 146.5
Seattle vs Auburn betting trend to know
Auburn has hit the team total Under in nine of its last 11 games. Find more college basketball betting trends for Seattle vs. Auburn.
How to watch Seattle vs Auburn
| Location | Neville Arena, Auburn, AL |
| Date | Sunday, March 22, 2026 |
| Tip-off | 6:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN2 |
Seattle vs Auburn key injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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