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NIT Second Round Takes Redhawks to SEC's Auburn

Seattle University men’s basketball marches onto the second round 2026 National Invitational Tournament (NIT), traveling to Auburn, Ala., for a first-ever meeting with Auburn University on Sunday, March 22. Tip off from Neville Arena is set for 5:30 p.m. Central Time, 3:30 p.m. PT. The game will broadcast on ESPN2

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NIT Second Round Takes Redhawks to SEC's AuburnNIT Second Round Takes Redhawks to SEC's Auburn

SEATTLE – Seattle University men’s basketball marches onto the second round 2026 National Invitational Tournament (NIT), traveling to Auburn, Ala., for a first-ever meeting with Auburn University on Sunday, March 22. Tip off from Neville Arena is set for 5:30 p.m. Central Time, 3:30 p.m. PT. The game will broadcast on ESPN2. The winner between the Redhawks and Tigers will advance to the NIT third round to face the winner of Nevada/Liberty on either March 24 or 25 at a site to be determined.

FOLLOW THE REDHAWKS

QUICK HITS

  • Seattle U made the most of its first NIT appearance since 1957, downing St. Thomas, 67-52, in a first round match-up at the Redhawk Center on Tuesday, March 17.
  • The win moved the Redhawks to 21-13 on the season, which ties for ninth most wins in a season in program history. Seattle U also moved to 2-0 all-time against the Tommies, having previously met in 2021.
  • Balanced offense and lock-down defense were the keys to the Redhawk win. Five players scored in double figures for the third time this season – Brayden Maldonado (15), Will Heimbrodt (13), Junseok Yeo (12), John Christofilis (10) and Jojo Murphy (10).
  • On the defensive end, the Redhawks held the sixth best shooting (percentage) team at 51% to just 37.5% from the field and 30% from three. The Tommies scored just 21 points in the second half and 52 total points was a season low. The Redhawks also forced 21 turnovers, the most by an opponent this season.
  • Maleek Arington tied his career high with nine rebounds. The senior guard also had three steals, the 15th game this season he has had 3+ steals.
  • Will Heimbrodt had three blocks against St. Thomas, the 18th game this season with 3+ blocks for the Seattle U single-season record holder (86 and counting), WCC leader and fifth best in the nation.
  • The Redhawks have now won five consecutive postseason tournament games, dating back to their 2024 Ro CBI title where they won four games in five days in Daytona Beach, Fla.
  • Seattle U has secured the program’s fourth 20-win season in the past five years. The three straight 20-win seasons from 2022-24 had not been done since 1957-59 and now a fourth in five years dates back to the same time frame as the feat last occurred from 1955-59.
  • In their first season in the league, the Redhawks finished 8-10 in the West Coast Conference regular season, good for a tie for fifth place. They eared the seventh seed in the Credit Union 1 WCC Championship, which earned them a first round bye. They outlasted 11th-seed San Diego, 58-56, in the second round on March 6, then dropped a 61-58 decision to fifth-seed Pacific on March 7.

ABOUT THE SERIES VS AUBURN

  • This will mark the first ever meeting between Seattle U and Auburn.

AGAINST THE SEC

  • Seattle U has just five all-time meetings against members of the SEC, holding a 2-3 record against the conference members. The most notable of the five games is the 1958 National Championship game where Seattle U, led by Elgin Baylor, came up just short against the University of Kentucky.
  • 12/27/56 - vs. Tulane, W 94-76
  • 3/22/58 - vs. Kentucky, L 84-72 (NCAA National Championship game)
  • 12/28/63 - vs. Louisiana State W 92-84
  • 11/28/86 - at Georgia, L 103-58
  • 11/19/19 - at Ole Miss, L 65-52

POSTSEASON HISTORY

  • Seattle U holds a 23-24 all-time record in all Division I postseason competitions.
  • In the program’s modern-day DI history, the Redhawks are 8-4 in six postseason appearances. That includes one NIT, four CBI tournaments and one appearance in the CIT.
  • This year marks Seattle U’s first in the NIT in its modern DI history. The Redhawks earned a first round, 67-52 win over St. Thomas on March 17.
  • In 2018-19, the Redhawks accepted a berth to the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament, dropping a close 73-68 decision to Presbyterian in the first round.
  • In 2017-18, Seattle U competed in the CBI for the third time in four years, falling 93-90 in overtime to Central Arkansas in the first round.
  • In 2015-16, the Redhawks returned to play in the CBI, earning a home win over Idaho (68-63) before losing to Vermont (73-54) in the quarterfinals.
  • In 2014-15, after the team’s run to the final of the WAC Tournament, Seattle U competed in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI), defeating Pepperdine (62-45) and Colorado (72-65) before falling 63-48 to Loyola Chicago in the tournament semifinals.
  • Seattle U’s first ever postseason tournament was the 1951 National Catholic Invitation Tournament, held in Albany, N.Y. Seattle U defeated Iona (69-67) and Mount St. Mary’s (102-85) before losing to St. Francis (N.Y.) in the title game, 93-79.
  • Seattle U has made two previous appearances in the National Invitational Tournament, losing to Holy Cross in 1952 and to St. Bonaventure in 1957.
  • From 1953 through 1969, Seattle University advanced to the NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament 11 times, a remarkable feat for an independent school to continually receive at-large berths into fields of 16 to 25 teams. The pinnacle of Seattle University’s NCAA Tournament history came in 1958, with a dramatic run to the national title game before losing to the University of Kentucky.

RECORD BREAKERS

  • Will Heimbrodt tallied three blocks versus St. Thomas on March 17 in the first round of the National Invitational Tournament (NIT), bringing his season total to 86, which leads the WCC and ranking among the nation’s best in the statistical category.
  • Heimbrodt became Seattle U’s single-season record holder on March 7 versus Pacific, surpassing Aaron Menzies’ record of 79 blocks in 2017-18.
  • Meanwhile, Heimbrodt’s 102 career blocks is third all-time at Seattle U.
  • Maleek Arington’s 75 steals this season is the fourth most in Seattle U single-season history.
  • Arington’s 146 career steals at Seattle U is the fifth most in program history.
  • John Christofilis knocked down a pair of threes on March 17 versus St. Thomas, bringing his Seattle U career total to 158. He sits in seventh all-time in the Seattle U record book.

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