Tahaad Pettiford and the Auburn Tigers did not have the 2025-26 college basketball season they were hoping for, just one year removed from a Final Four appearance. After finishing the regular season with a 17-16 record and a 7-11 mark in SEC play, Auburn missed out on the NCAA Tournament entirely, instead earning a spot in the NIT, where it defeated the Tulsa Golden Hurricane in the championship. Despite the team’s struggles, Pettiford helped lead the way for the Tigers in his first season as a starter.