Murphy's Absence Sparks Auburn's NIT Run

0:00On March 18th, Auburn forward, Keeshawn Murphy has chosen to sit out the rest of the Tigers postseason in the national invitation tournament. The 6-foot-10 senior who transferred from Mississippi State started 29-31 games this season, averaging 10.7 points and 6.8 rebounds while shooting 56% from the field. Auburn learned over the weekend they missed the NCAA tournament and accepted a top seed in the NIT. He skipped practice on Monday and removed himself from the roster without telling coaches ahead of Tuesday's opener. Head coach Steven Pearl shared his confusion after the Tigers 78-67 win over South Alabama, praising Murphy's contributions, and wishing him well academically. Fans might recall Murphy's career high 25 points in a home upset over Kentucky back on February 21st, without Murphy, younger players stepped up big time. Keeshawn Hall and Kevin Overton each scored 21 points, while freshman guard Caden Magwood,

1:03who hadn't played since early January, added 14 points and 3 assists in just 17 minutes. Auburn advances to the second round, showing depth despite the shake-up as they push forward in this postseason run.