The selection committee said “No” to Auburn and then forward KeShawn Murphy said “No” to playing in the NIT.
The senior forward, without warning, no-showed the Tigers’ opening NIT game Tuesday night, with head coach Steven Pearl essentially saying Murphy’s time with the program is over.
“Murph has decided not to play in these games and I’m not sure why. But, listen, we love Murph and have a lot of love for everything he’s done for us and his commitments to this program. Wish him well,” Pearl said after Auburn’s 78-67 win over South Alabama in the quarterfinals.
“Want him still to finish up academically, but I got nothing but love for Murph. Came here and wanted to try to make history for Auburn, and he ultimately decided not to play. Just gonna pour into the guys that are here and want to hoop.”
Players sometime choose to sit out of postseason play that is not the NCAA Tournament, but it’s unusual to do so without a heads up.
Murphy played 27 minutes in Auburn’s previous game, a 72-62 loss to Tennessee in the SEC Tournament that ultimately sealed the Tigers’ fate.
While former coach Bruce Pearl tried to vouch for his son’s team, the committee ultimately opted against including the SEC team in the field of 68.
Auburn still accepted an NIT bid, and that’s when Murphy called it quits without telling anyone.
He did not practice Monday nor communicate to the coaching staff that he would be skipping the tournament, according to On3, and is the only Auburn player to do so.
“As of right now, no one’s called me or any of my staff saying that they’re not playing,” Pearl said Monday. “We visited (Sunday) night after the Selection Show, and obviously everyone was upset from not having made the tournament. I told them to sleep on it and I’ll be with them here in the next 30 minutes.”
Murphy averaged 10.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per game this season in his lone year with the program after transferring following a three-year run with Mississippi State.
He started 29 of the 31 games he appeared in, and scored a season-high 25 points in a 75-74 win over Kentucky on Feb. 21.
Auburn (18-16) next faces Seattle in the second round either March 21 or 22.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
