Watch and Dream | A Nebraska Men's Basketball Original

I could tell from an early part of the season when we put this group together, I knew we had something special.

The whole goal is to get a tournament win for this program. We're going down as the best team in Nebraska basketball history. Watch and dream. Well, you don't have to dream anymore. Hit is LAWRENCE PUTS IT OUT. MAKE ROOM FOR DADDY. Nebraska now ranked for the first time since 2018. We were like, "Yeah, we're a top team in the country."

They have not beaten an elite Big 10 team in quite some time. We didn't really care what the money said. Is this the year? Is this the season that Nebraska finally removed that burden from his shoulders?

All the guys who come back next year like this is an opportunity to still showcase like what they could do like you know it's an opportunity for still have fun still play with this group of guys but in the day you know me Bryson some other guys this is our last go run so we going to go out there play hard but in the day we know the guys come back next year they going to boost off of this so when the summer come around they know the the expectation of the new guys that's coming in they know what they need to get to they know we need to do and stuff like that. So, you know, the guys that's coming in next year, stuff like that, it's going to be a lot, but in today's confidence build, too.

The crowd was chaos and we kept our team together. That's one thing I really admire about that group from a year ago. And Bryce and Joan really were the catalyst and saying, "Guys, we're going to do this and we're going to be allin." We had multiple conversation internally as a staff on do we go and play the crown or not. And at the end of the day, coach was the one saying, "Listen, I'm going to talk to the guys. They want to go and play. I don't care what you guys think, staff, we we'll do what they want. If they want to play, we'll play."

I think everyone's a little bit iffy going into it. Just like, oh man, like we just lost six games in a row. I really want to go try to play in this thing. That event is like one of those events that you go there and you really do not know what to expect. Like you don't know our guys are going to play, if they're going to care about it, if they're not going to care about it. And I think we're down 10 or 15 points against Arizona State. And you know, you start thinking like it was a bad idea to come here.

And right now, Arizona State, they're the team with more energy, playing with better effort. And then just something happened. I don't know. Like the spark. Rebound. Hoyberg. Up and down we go. Hoyberg chest pass down low and a dunk. Hoyberg. Gary lays it up. Got it. Huskers 18 and 14 with the win. Advancing to round two. And that will be it. Nebraska's headed to the semifinals of the crown on Saturday against Boise State.

As important as anything was Kale was the emergence of Kale. Kale Jacobson from Ashlin, Nebraska. He got the opportunity to play and played really, really well in the crowd. HOLY SMOKES. WAYING OUT KALE. He was as important as anybody on the court. And that is what allowed us to get Kale back.

Kale, who I recruited, we talked about before the crown. He was going into the portal and um we cried in my office and talked about it, but at at that stage it was what was best for him and the only decision really was whether or not he was going to go into the portal while we were playing or wait until afterwards. As we got closer, it just kind of felt like I was going to get a chance to maybe show uh show what I could do. And that was the first time I got to step onto a court for consistent minutes.

Game here's a long three BY JACOBSON. HE'S GOT IT OUT. OUT. It comes TO JACOBSON, PUTS IT UP AND IN.

There's not very many teams that get to play that late into April and so um I think it really helped recruiting wise. People were watching us. I was watching Connor play obviously and they had some some really good guards with Bryce and Jawan. Williams Euroep finish with a right hand. Gary puts it up and in and one for Gary. You see the energy on the bench 25-footer. GOT IT. GOT IT. GOT IT. SEE just the offense flowing. Up by two. Here's a drive and another duck.

I was excited to see the guys, you know, just, you know, who's been here. It was just hooping. Yeah. I'm just like, I just can't wait to get back on campus in the summer workouts and just just build what I left off. Our staff was all in the same place at the same time and we can just, you know, talk through different players and I think being all together, they played a key role for us to get it done early and especially getting the players that we wanted.

It was Jamarcus Lawrence. He's coming back. Bryce Sanford has committed to Nebraska men's basketball. We got a lot of guys to sign and commit pretty early on in the in the portal process and we played a fun brand of basketball. Williams with the ball, pull up jumper up and got it again.

Could definitely envision myself. I was trying to pick up on stuff watching him play in the crowd. Felt weird being in Iowa City cheering on, you know, this new team that I just committed to, but it was awesome watching them play and win that tournament. Williams to Gary drives the ball, puts it up and in. Three-point ball game. Squares up left side is siege and good look. Got it. Bang. Kale drives the ball to the rack. PUTS IT UP. GOT IT. Huster hoops. College basketball royalty wins the crown. They grab the crown and if the crown fits, wear it, my boys. People kind of got to see what Nebraska basketball is. And obviously not the championship you want, but when you're winning in April, it always feels pretty good.

One more time. Bring it out. Bring it out. One more time. Everybody. Everybody in. Everybody. Come on in. Yep. Yep. Yep. We all in here. Okay. Okay. Hey, everybody got it. That's on three. 1 2 3.

We're really happy we participated and got a championship, but we never want to be in that position again. The whole goal is to get a tournament win for this program. We wanted to have a chance this season and we were going to do everything possible to take that positive momentum from winning the crown and going into this season.

I could tell from an early part of the season when we put this group together in our summer workouts that this was going to be a really fun group to work with. You could tell right away that this team was all about the right things. They were very unselfish. There was no distractions. You could see that they were connected and the chemistry was going to be on point. I knew that we were going to be really good. You can kind of see that just from how we we interacted and just the makeup of our team.

Everybody's just intensity level was like so high. I've never like seen that from the jump. There was never a day off and I think that's kind of what allowed us to be successful this year is uh we had prepared for many months leading up to November. 1.

Having such hard summers, it prepares you, especially mentally, for like the tough times that you're going to have during the season. You're going to get tired. You're going to feel little aches and pains and you're going to have to push through. So, if you're able to do that in the summer, that's so important going into a season.

As much as they were good on the court, this group was special off the court, too. Like, they were hanging out together. They were doing things on their own without us. Like because of that, I had the feeling that this team was going to be good. Fly, baby. Oh, I hit it.

I really liked how everybody wanted to hang out. That's when you know like, okay, we got a we got a good team that is going to be able to play together really well. I just think the guys really got along and that was something that I noticed in the past season is when we had good chemistry, we were much better team. The leadership that Rink had on this group comes from the work that he put in. Everybody saw him showing up every day when it wasn't easy. Like I don't know how many guys would have been able to go through what he had to go through. And because other players were there and they saw him doing that every day, they always respected him and they always will because of that. four go.

If he put Rank on that previous year's team, that could have been one of the best in the history of the program. But, you know, things happened and he did what was best for his long-term career. And it was 100% the right decision on Rank's part. I think going into the summer my main responsibility was like setting the tone like kind of lead by example in a sense of just be the hardest worker in the team and then also use my voice but definitely set the tone from a leadership aspect of of building that team work ethic.

If you want to be a leader by example then you need to be out there. That's what I struggled with so much like the whole year before cuz you're not out there. So I was happy that I was close enough to be able to at least kind of act out what I was. So yeah, with all that work he put in, he was so disciplined. He never complained and you knew he was going to come back better than ever just because of how disciplined he was. And you know that first practice back, I had been telling people about how good Rake was and how excited I was to play with him. And you know, the first drill we put him in a a drill where we were double teaming the post and I think he turned it over like four of the first times that he had the ball. a week and a half later, he's bombing threes. He's he's making plays and everyone's like, "Yeah, this guy is going to be really good for us."

You can see he was way more athletic. He can move better in the summer. I'm just like, "Yo, why is he he he's shooting better than he did before?" The work that he put in, it just put him in position to lead. Once he got on the floor in our second summer session, you know, it was almost like seamless for him. I like to share the leadership responsibility and give everybody a a voice. Like if everybody is bought into this process and everybody feels like they have ownership of this process, I think everybody is willing to work harder, is willing to work together. So, especially Sam just took a massive jump in in leadership.

And we really needed somebody to come in and help rank with the leadership and those two guys specifically I thought really set the tone and they make everybody else live up to the standard especially the young guys and the new guys that come into your program. They held each other accountable as good as any team I've ever had. And when you have player accountability like that, when you can look each other in the eye and have an honest conversation, you're ahead of the game when when your players can do that.

Well, who's who's taking who? When we didn't have like a good practice, we didn't have to raise our voices. Coach didn't have to do that. Nate didn't have to do that. But our guys, Rink and Sam, starting with those two guys, they were the ones making sure that we were on point and we were not around. Seeing what happened at the end of last season where we we lost those games, I I looked back and, you know, reflected wishing that I would have stepped up with my voice a bit more and I knew I wasn't going to let that happen this season. And, you know, I felt like the way I played was kind of a lead by example thing. But this year, I tried to be more of a vocal leader. You know, get on guys at practice, bring energy every single day. I think everyone kind of picked up from that, and that's all you can ask for as a leader. I knew I had to earn my right to be a leader. I wanted to prove that I wasn't just going to be a guy that was there just because his dad was a coach. I wanted to prove that I was good enough to play at this level. By, you know, the time of this season, I had earned that respect and earned the respect as a Big 10 player to where I could step into that leadership role and guys would follow. As a coach's kid, and I used to talk to Sam about this, you don't realize how your teammates are watching the interaction between you and your dad. And they're watching to see how much rope do you get. And I thought Coach Hoyberg as well as Sam did a tremendous job of bridging and handling that so that it never became an issue for our guys.

Just random white action for the threes. Getting Jar back was such a great thing cuz he's always been a great connector of people. When he went in the portal and we were talking, he he said to coach, "Coach, I watch all your games this year and I felt pain watching some of those games because I knew that if I was there, we would have been in the NCA tournament." And that's why I want to come back because I want to be there for you guys. I want to help this program get where this program has never been. And that process, I think, really helped him being a better leader.

It was moments where I was kind of just hesitant in moments cuz it's like, all right, I kind of don't know how, you know, the guys would kind of feel about me coming back. And then there's moments where I'm like, "All right, I can't like I can't think about that." You know, like team needs me to be this, so I'm going to do that. We all together were really able to create a good overall culture within the team.

All right, let's have a great ending to the summer right here. Okay, go out there and have some fun, guys. Come on. Go on. 3. 1 2 3.

We were shooting the [ __ ] out of the ball. I always thought like we're going to be able to score the ball because I think people underestimate how good Price was. The amount of shots we were hitting and then just seeing Price going crazy in the summer, I'm just like, "Yeah, he's our starter for sure. We got like a scrimmage and rank hit like five threes in a row. I'm like, yeah, we're going to we're going to be pretty good." I was like, we got this guy, we got some other pieces. Like, we're going to we're going to have a good year.

We put up numbers on each other. There was nothing our defense could have done. And we were just bucket, bucket, bucket, bucket. When you split the 15 guys, 16 guys up into three teams, and any day any of those three teams could win all the drills in practice. The biggest thing about this team is there was no guy who cared whose night it was. It was always whoever had it going had it going. I think that's what made us so special is we were one of the most selfless teams in the country. I showed up to the first practice in June. I'm like, "Okay, I think we got a good team here." Like yes, we have a lot of work to do, especially on the defensive end. Like there's a lot of jelling and a lot of coming together to do, but we've got some talent here. I was so excited.

That means we got to do a better job in the window of forcing a looping pass. And then your urgency's got to be on point when he gets. I liked our guys in the summer. I I thought we had guys that fit Fred offensively. I thought we had overall good good humans. But I felt knowing what was ahead that that that we were going to have to really really grow defensively to be able to to ultimately complete the mission that I know everybody in this room wanted to do. So to the guys credit, they bought in.

To achieve the numbers that we did and to have the eighth ranked defensive efficiency rating in the country on the defensive end of the floor. I thought we had a chance, but I don't think anybody in their right mind thought that we could have a top 10 defense in the country. Everybody knows how good we were defensively, but we really didn't have that great of a start and that was something we were kind of concerned with uh going into the year was the defense.

To accomplish things we wanted to accomplish. We would have had to be better defensively and that's what we talked about a lot. You understand that get lost in doing something for your teammate. Good things will happen from there. Leave it on the floor. Respect 94. Here we go. 1 2 3.

After my first year of being here, Coach Hyberg and myself, we talked a lot about some culture things. And when the Cubs broke the curse in 2016, Joe Madden, who was the manager in his book, which I had read his book, had a term for them, respect 90. When you hit the ball, you run 90 ft no matter what. When I kind of talked to coach about it, I'm like, what do you think of respect 94? There was a certain level of discipline and a certain level of standard that we were going to create within the program. When we start playing the game the right way and honoring the game the right way, then guess what? we'll start getting the results that we all want.

Team goals that we kind of talked about in the summer were you want to get that NCAA tournament win, you want to advance in the NFA tournament. We talked about like how do we get there? I think one of my like process goals was try and be a top four defense in the Big 10. So, I knew we had offensive talent, but if we were able to come together and guard and be a top four defense in our conference, that would set us up for that success going forward. First thing that I always go back to is we have those beginning of the year meetings with them and they have this piece of paper where they have to write down their individual goals or team goals and all of that and they start coming in and I see some of these goals is not just making the NCA tournament but like we're going to be one of the best teams in the country. And I think that sparked something in everyone in that room because we kind of had to match that level of confidence in our guys to make sure they're like, "Okay, they believe if we believe too, like this is going to happen." Getting that tournament win for the program and getting the monkey off the back, which is what we talked about all season long. Even before at media days, you can find clips of me talking about we want to get that monkey off the back for the program. We want to be that team that gets that monkey off our back and get that tournament win. And we're taking it day by day, but our goal is to battle through adversity much better than last year so we can kind of stay more steady the whole season.

There was a lot of just unknowns with this group and I think that's kind of why the expectations and the bar were set as low as they were where you know a lot of people thought it's Nebraska. You know what to expect from this team. They're going to you know give some teams some trouble at home but beyond that they are kind of are what they are.

When you see that like 14th in the Big 10 we kind of just laughed at it man. And it was just like ain't no way we're not finishing top five. Just wanted to use it as motivation. Everyone was pretty pissed off that we were projected 14th. I knew we had talent. I felt a little disrespected by the 14th, but I mean, you got you still got to go go out and play. I had a feeling uh I was I was running like I do every single day, especially in the season, and I ran 3 or four miles before we played BYU, and that was kind of the start of the season. My wife was running a marathon the day that we played BYU. She was going to run a back-to-back marathon. It felt like, you know, two years ago we ran the first marathon by getting to the NCAA tournament and we didn't have the juice to do the second one.

Buzz Williams and his Texas&M Aggies looking fierce as they eliminate Nebraska. Personally, in the back of my mind, I was always trying to prepare our guys and our team for being able to do that second marathon. If he gets all the way down, that's not the way our defense is set up in a pick and roll where a guy just gets right to the rim. Let's go.

And whatever happens on Saturday, we're going to learn from it. We're going to grow from it and we're going to get better from it. And you know, we can't overreact on what happens uh out there on Saturday being the first time. You always learn a lot about yourselves, the first opportunity you get when you get up and down against another opponent and just the challenges that they're going to face. It's going to be a really good first opportunity for us to get out there.

I think everybody's just excited to to play somebody else. We had been beating up on each other. I was just excited about just showing the nation what we can do. Oh man, it feels great to be here. It's excited to get going. Get to measure yourself against a a really good team. So you get a really good sense of where you're at, what you need to work on. We start with this exhibition game. Won't count in the one loss column, but these teams are both going to find out today where they stand developmentally and you can kind of feel it with this group. They are intent on delivering a special season.

This was my first game, you know, at Nebraska. You know, I wanted to have a big year and I wanted to to win these types of games where you're going against top teams and top players. Nebraska against the BYU Cougars. Obviously, a lot of people doubted us. you know, BYU, you know, potential number one drive pick, you guys are losing. We didn't really care what nobody said.

Mast, he's got an open look. Three. Got it. Rink Mast is back. Slick move. Drop step. Scored it. Three on the way in. Rhythm. Got it. When we started the season with that game against BYU, I knew we had something special.

AND GARCIA JAMS IT TO PUT NEBRASKA AHEAD. BYU shot blocked by Prager. Baseline gathers. Reverse layup in off the window. We competed at a high level even though it was an exhibition game. Trailers mass long NBA THREE. GOT IT. BANG. Mass drives. Mass finishes. Mass over 30 points. I mean before the game I'm just like all rights first game back. You know he's he's GOING TO SHRUG. MASS. HE GOT ANOTHER ONE. MASS. BINGO.

After the game like holy [ __ ] And people asked are you guys going to have a chance to be pretty good? I said well Frank go seven for eight from three and we're going to be really good. Those guys just went out and played the right way. Misses. Nebraska wins the game. Nebraska wins the game. Nebraska wins the game. And we have reason to be very hopeful of a lot of fun for the next 5 months after what we saw here this afternoon.

Every time we walk in this gym, we should expect to win the game. I don't care who the it is. Okay, number 18. I don't give a [ __ ] This cannot be the highlight of our season. I'm proud of you guys for doing this. Last thing, welcome back, Rick M. To go out there and play the way I did was definitely made all all that grinding for the whole year pretty worth it. And it yeah, just it's such a good feeling.

I thought it was a great start for us kind of getting getting out there and putting our names out there early like we're we're going to be good this year. We're going to compete. going out there and proving that right away was was awesome for, you know, not only outside this locker room, but inside this locker room knowing that we can beat these top teams, our crowd, and particularly for our newer guys, even though it was exhibition, that energy from there was a domino effect for our crowd that end up leading into all of the other big wins. They they were really talented. They were a really good team. So, I think just matching up, seeing how we compared to these other teams, it it was really good. But, you know, our goal wasn't to beat BYU in an exhibition game. We had much bigger goals than that.

Welcome back at the beginning of the 2025 26 college hoop season for the Big Red. These are just must win games. You know, we just can't lose these games or it's going to hurt our resume. Those buy games do a really good job of of kind of just finding who you are as a team. You got to go out and prove it in games that matter towards your record.

Frager shoots the three. Got it. First three of the game. Two on three. Three on two. Here's the siege. PUTS IT UP. GOT IT. BANG. AGO. Good ball game in the end. Didn't start off so hot, but uh Oscar's looking real sharp in the second half. Those early games is kind of when you set the foundation uh for what your team's going to be. And in this day and age, any team is good enough to beat us on our home court. And people get hungry to come play.

Jel to Mash shoots the three. Got it. Backto back trio's. You also got to use those games to every game get a little bit better going into some of the harder games. Nothing for him. Puts it on the boards the back of season with a dunk. Double-handed jam by Connor. Playing hard and and being the most together team. We kind of established that early in those games and and that helped us propel.

Well, we have just witnessed the third triple double in Nebraska basketball history. Final score in Lincoln, Nebraska over Florida International today. This is D1. Like everybody's going to come out and they're going to give you your best shot. Especially those type of teams. Like they don't play against that many power five conference teams. So that they're going to they're going to be playing hard. Another home game tonight as the Huskers play Maryland Eastern Shore. Hoyberg fakes. He drives. He's in the paint with a layup. Back cutting. Hoyberg layup. Good. And Hoyberg with 13. Two away from his careerhigh. Pinned in by two defenders. Out to Hoyberg. Shoots the three. Career high. Yes. Three ball. Tamo. The Shorehawks were down by as many as 31. Huskers win it by 19 points.

We took care of those games. It wasn't necessarily our best games. We knew we had a lot in the tank that we weren't really showing. The finish is very disappointing. The way that game ended, I I just didn't like it. I you know, it's unacceptable for this group. We took our foot off the gas those last 8 minutes of the game, guys. Okay, that can't happen. All right, we should have won that game by 40. And you go out there and you win by less than 20. That's going to hurt us come March. All right. The [ __ ] starts for real here on Saturday. All right. So, get your ass in there. I didn't think our prep was worth the [ __ ] the last 3 days. All right. So, [ __ ] the up and get in here and be ready to work on Thursday. All right. This is where the [ __ ] starts. IF YOU WANT TO PLAY IN MARCH AND YOU WANT TO ADVANCE IN MARCH, WE GOT TO WIN GAMES LIKE WE GOT coming in on Saturday. All right. Get yourself right. Let's go. Get up. Let's go. on three. 1 2 3.

Going into Oklahoma and that's your first big test. So, this is your first tough game that counts towards your record. Going into that undefeated, we knew that we were, you know, going to be good, but this was kind of like, you know, how good are we going to be type of game. You don't know until you see how do guys perform when they're being pushed beyond their comfort level. cuz Oklahoma pushed us beyond our comfort level and that was our first real test. We felt good about where we were at, but we also knew that we were playing a really good Oklahoma team.

The team that handles adversity in these types of games are the teams are going to come out on top. Okay, as important as anything, fellas. All right, get off to a fast start. All right, let's kick our ass. Let's go, baby. Have fun. Come on. Let's show on three. 1 2 3.

Yes, it's a neutral sided game, but we play at the Pentagon. Nebraska basketball from the Sanford Pentagon in Sou Falls, South Dakota is becoming a bit of a tradition. One of the most electric atmospheres I had been in up to that point. Knew the crowd was going to be great. I didn't think it was going to be that great. I mean, that was that was unbelievable how loud it was in there. My ears were ringing after that game. Listen to this crowd, folks. Listen to them. No one tell me that's a neutral game, please. Elite atmosphere and Husker fan base for this game. We had some incredible games in PBA, but like that Pentagon game, I mean, for years to come, I hope they keep scheduling it cuz that's just an incredible environment for us. Hi again, everybody and welcome to University of Nebraska basketball here in Sou Falls, South Dakota.

Over the summer, you see the firepower that you have on the team, but that was the first game where we would just plant crazy. Our offense really got clicking that night. 3-0 on the season. The Oscars taking on the Oklahoma Sooners of the SEC. Super super talented. Luckily, our offense came to play that game. So, we were we were scoring points with them. And this one simply has a way different feel to it. This is a big big deal game.

Early in the season, you're always trying to find your identity and I think for us it was more a competitive identity being able to win in different ways and I think it showed with that game. No team could get stopped. Price Sanford. He drives it right past his defender and the dunk by Price. The kick out. Brown steps into a three. Nails it. Sanford drives the ball, puts it UP AND IN AND ONE. And we're just having a tough time stopping them right now out of our rotations. Garcia right side long three IS CN GOT IT. CONOR, MY BOY. And the foresight on the perimeter and he nails the three. It's a 15-point lead now. 16 for OU. Kill us on the glass. I hit somebody.

Here is Price Sanford with the ball down to the baseline. Takes it in the paint. spins against Foresight. Puts it up. Fouled, no call. Out of bounds off Foresight. Nebraska's ball. The Husker fans behind the basket. Thought so. And so did we. They ran somebody out. They're They're escorting somebody out. What's that about? I don't know what's going on down there. Full M guy, you know, to this day. That's the guy who got kicked out, right? He he flipped it for us, you know, and that was really funny cuz I was right down there with him and I and he's like sitting there like this and and I was like, "Did you get kicked out?" I got one of his t-shirts. He he definitely started a trend. Who says he doesn't flip that season for us right there too in on the smaller pack. Puts it up, dunks it. It is Foresight with the ball. Drives inside. We got a player control foul. And Price has got it by Sanford on the hashmark right side. Guarded by Nigel Pack drives the ball. Defenders there, but Price makes the layup as the Huskers have rallied though to cut this puppy to seven points at halftime.

We had to fight like hell to get back into this thing. Now we're there. We're there. All right, but we can't repeat what happened in the beginning of that first half. That's not our defense. This doesn't work against NCAA tournament teams, which is what we're trying to do right here. Right. All right. We weren't ready for Big 10 basketball at that stage. We knew we weren't going to put up 105 points on the road in the in these environments. We were a tough spot defensively at that point. We hadn't shown necessarily anything that would prove to be a team that would finish top 10 in the country in defense. That was kind of the narrative out there was Nebraska can't defend. But if they can shoot it well, they can hang with anybody.

As the half went on, yeah, the big early game was Oklahoma cuz we got down double digits in that game and found a way to fight all the way back. Guys, if if it's our game if we want it, okay? All right. If we go out there and attack them and hit them and punch them in the mouth, all right, and and sustain that thing, keep throwing haymakers. All right, we win this game. Okay. On three. 1 2 3.

Nebraska trailing Oklahoma by seven at halftime. 51 to 44. Huskers trailed by as many as 16 with 518 to go in the half. Jamarcus comes the other way, pushes it, picked up by Pack left side three on THE WAY. GOT IT. AND TO see the fight in the team somehow found a way to battle back in that game. Everything was kind of clicking and moving in the right direction. Behind the back bounce pass. Jacobson three off the shot. Off the bounce pass. Got it. Side in front of the Husker bench. Stops. Shoots behind the screen. Got it. Got it. Got it. Got it. Got it. It's Bryce driving. PUTS IT UP. REVERSE LAYUP IS GOOD.

Having all those options like it spread them out so much they didn't really know what to do. It seemed like driving lanes were open. We were finishing. We were hitting threes. We were passing it. Jamarcus right side. THREE BALL. GOT IT. PRICE SANFORD CAREERHIGH. LOST IT. Got it back. Did Price Sanford mass three? Got it. OH MY GOD. OH MY LORD. This crowd has witnessed a remarkable basketball victory for their quarters. Final score 10599 over Oklahoma Nebraska 4-0 on the season.

Okay, I'm just going to say this one last thing. All right, there's going to be a lot of [ __ ] now. A lot of noise out there about our team. We can't listen to it though, but we can't listen to it. That was huge to get that one. They had a really talented team and to get a big win early in the non-conference was important for us. And then we go down to Kansas City.

Coming off the Oklahoma game, just felt confident. Our mentality was just whatever happens, whatever we go through, we can push through it. We had a pretty hard to hard in Kansas City. I knew we were capable. The question is how willing defensively. The Huskers get set for a couple of games here in the Hall of Fame Classic. Got off to a great start. I think we're up 20 at half. Cross over the behind the back. Dribble the step back and the three on the way. Got it. Pyberg drives right baseline. The cutter and the layup and good by Lawrence. Green pick and flopper turn pass. Masks three on the way. Got it.

We played a very good half defensively and then we played a very poor 4-minute start of the second half. Bounce pass behind him and Hall hits the three. Good look. Three ball. Yes. Three on the way. Got it. And we've got a four-point game. They came all the way back, cut it to three and then we ended up pulling away. Rebound into the hands of Prager down the port of a to the trailing Prager on A BOUNCE PASS. UP AND IN AND AN M1 is up. Reverses left side. Sanford's three on the way. GOT IT. BANG. A ring. And there's the horn. There's the game. Nebraska wins it 84-72.

All right, guys. We got to go win this championship now. Okay, step one check. All right, wasn't easy, but you found a way, guys. You found a way. That's what it's all about at the end of the day. championship teams find a way all right when things aren't going exactly the way you expect them. It's always good to to win those little tournament games as well because I mean it's it's something you be signed up for it. You never want to have the mentality to just like all right let's just get through these games. When you win championships like that, it does help you down the road when you play in the other tournaments that we played in over the course of the season.

Yes, you've won one tough game. Can you win one in in a road environment? Long three on THE WAY. SANFORD GOT IT to mass to Sanford across the timeline. He cuts across the key all the way to THE HOOP. PUTS IT UP AND IN. A three and now a two by Sanford and Nebraska's up to the trailer. Sanford puts it up and in. GOT IT. GOT IT. GOT IT. TIME OUT ON THE FLOOR.

We showed that, you know, we have a legit basketball team that's going to be able to to compete. Jamarcus headto head against Basher. The step back and the three on the way. GOT IT, MAN. BANG! BANG! A ring at the end of the first half knocks that puppy down and Nebraska's up by 10 at halftime. We let them get the lead back and the three is on the way and once again it's Basher and that's six threes for him. He had Lawrence on skates and he makes the goal.

We just kept fighting. We never hung our heads and I think that happening three times in a row where we faced a ton of adversity really tested us for the rest of the season. You know, I I I kind of learned that we just had a bunch of gamers like we were going to we were going to have dudes that when it came down to the wire that we're going to make some plays. Gives to Hoyberg coming left, reversing right. Long three. Sanford on THE WAY. GOT IT. OH. OH. OH. BANGER. Hagert's got it. Hagerty on the left side of the floor. Drives it. Puts it up to tie it at 85 apiece. 25.5 to go. Lawrence will begin the timeline. And Nebraska calls timeout with 22.1 to go and the score tied at 85. ran a little play to get Sam downhill. at seven. We're going to run our Kyrie play. Frank, you go get Braden right here. All right, Rick, you're wide. Okay, Prager, you're going to come and go. All right, look. Get downhill. You got Price right here. Be ready to dive to the rip. No good. PUT BACK UP. NO, FOUL LINE. HYBERG TO THE LINE. Sam Hoyberg can win this game with 610 of a second left to go. They ran a play. Dribbles it twice. Puts it up. Got it. baseball pass down the floor and Sanford hit it. There's the game. The Huskers win this. The Huskers win this game. Holy smokes. I've seen almost everything.

I think that kind of put everybody else on notice. We felt good about where we were at as a team, but I think that really brought more eyes to our program. People just kind of started to to realize what we had going here in Lincoln. Deserve it. AND NICE After such a high of winning the Hall of Fame Classic, Winthrop is a is a trap game.

We are back home again at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln with the Oscars taking on the Winthrop Eagles. We knew they were a good team even though they're not a bigname school. Clock winding down. BARRY WITH THE SHOT OFF THE MARK. ARKANSAS survives and they win by a point. So going into that game, that's that's one that I was very nervous for.

Of the circle to Mass. He's unguarded. Shoots the three. Got it. Three ball. Rick Mast. Three make by Cluitt. One-point lead. Jammarcus Florence answers with a three. Boy leaves it off. Sanford three ball. Got it. Bang. Jacobson runs it down to the streaking with a left-handed dunk in transition. Back left side. Rosir's three. Gosh, they are really good. Rosir nails the three. The switch defensively, the give and go, the return pass, extra pass, a season's three is good.

I didn't play my best ball by any means. I didn't think I played, you know, great, but it felt like that that groove was coming. inside. Wheeling, missing, rebound, and we got contact. Two players hit the deck. A sie, it was kind of a weird situation when it first happened because I went out and the first thing I was really worried about was my head. Checked out my head. I just had like a little bump and I was like, my head feels fine. like no symptoms of a concussion and then he started to check on my ankle a little bit cuz I just felt like a normal ankle roll and I went to take a couple steps like jogging and the back of it was like tight and he's like that's not that's not right. Next day I went and got MRIs um and when I woke up I mean I couldn't I couldn't put pressure on it. And the day after that was when we found out that I had torn three ligaments and that was going to be it. Um and it hurt especially cuz we were playing so well at the time. I was just like kind of so in shock. I didn't really It didn't feel real honestly like to hear the call be like you're you're done. Like your season's done. That sentence is just it kind of hit cuz I never heard that before ever. And so that definitely struck deep when he went down. You knew it was bad just because Conor's a tough kid and he's he's going to fight through. And then you get the MRIs and the pictures and it shows uh you know the likelihood that he's going to miss the season. The story of me getting the call is actually kind of funny. Me and Price went to Best Buy together. All of a sudden, I get the call. This was the the day after my MRI and my jaw just like I think I literally went like this. Like it's funny because like in a moment like that, like your heart drops, but then at the same time I look over and right next to the Metag Glasses section and Price has on the Ray-B band meta glasses. I was trying on the the Meta glasses and I was recording him. But yeah, so obviously that was a, you know, that was a funny moment there, but a terrible situation for him was, you know, heartbroken for him, you know, with the with the year that we had too and then we knew that, you know, we were going to be a tournament team. It sucks to not being on the floor, but it was a it was a unique experience to be able to to be with the guys off.

The floor, see things from a different viewpoint. When you go through an injury like that, a lot of times you can feel distant and away from the team, and I didn't feel that at all. He was able to stay so positive throughout everything. Maintain the ability to be a huge bench piece by just being one of the most vocal guys at the end of the bench. And that's such an important thing.

You're not going to make up what Connor gives you with one guy. He was really important the year before. He was great in the crown. And he's a guy that can take the lid off the basket for you. And you miss that. You take that out of the lineup. And I thought everybody stepped up in a big way. And that's what you have to do when you lose a big piece like that. We got a hell of a team in here, guys. And I hope you realize it, okay? We lost one of our soldiers here. All right? A guy that won a lot of games for us last year. Somebody's going to have to step up for him. But get back in this gym on Monday ready to prepare. Okay? Get your [ __ ] together. Let's go. Here we go. >> On three. 1 2 3.

With Connor out, especially Braden and Kale both did a huge job of just stepping up. And >> I think it was cool to see how in our different ways, we both were able to kind of fill that hole that the injury left. We really only played seven guys the whole year. So that was kind of the next mentality. >> We showed we were mentally tough. We weren't going to let that stop us from trying to reach our goals >> going into this week. Absolutely critical week to keep that momentum going. You're obviously 8 and 0, longest win streak in the nation, but things get real here now.

>> You know, the key week to me within the season was the Creighton week. You see that stretch around December, you know, you're going to have to play two Big 10 teams, but then to see Creighton around that time and and you know going in that's going to be a tough stretch. >> You're not thinking ahead like, oh, we got to win all three, but you're trying to get at least a couple wins out of that week and kind of prove to the nation that we're legit. >> On three. 1 2 3.

>> Welcome to University of Nebraska basketball. >> Come on, baby. >> The Huskers of Nebraska take their unbeaten record into play against the Creighton Blue Jays. >> Series the past couple years has gone back and forth. I was so excited for that game and I know I could tell the rest of the team is also so ready for the further your playing days. Get in that rearview mirror. These are the games you miss the most. These are why you play college basketball. You put in all that work. You feel the juices in in the arena already.

>> I thought back to two years ago. You know, we hadn't beat them at home in my college career. And, you know, they just had that game in control from the start of the game. That's what we wanted to do to them. >> This place is jam-packed. Here we go. Wrinkle jumping up. Freeman is on Mast. He takes him deep in the post. Puts it up and in. Two to nothing. Nebraska Huskers draw first blood. The three ball up by Sanford. Got it. We just came out and we threw the first punch and we didn't really let off the gas.

>> Prager three ball ON THE WAY. GOT IT. BIG ARANGO. >> There have been a lot of guys that have played in that game and that rivalry and just kind of knew what it meant to to this place and to these people. Fans were incredibly loud. >> Here's Mast. Another three on THE WAY. GOT IT. HOLY SMOKES. >> We had a really tough week of practice leading up to that one. So that preparation definitely helped us like set the tone early in that game.

>> Drives it, kicks it, long three on the way. Got it. Chryso from Samo. Inbounds pass. Mast. Oh my goodness. There's a drive by Prager. Puts it up and in. And an and one. The party is on. Nebraska 71, Creighton 50. Nebraska with 13 straight wins.

>> Two years ago, you you lose by 30 and then you kick the [ __ ] out of them to get revenge. That that was very sweet. The Huskers absolutely steamroll the Jays. Nebraska now ranked in the AP top 25 for the first time since 2018.

>> I can't say that we weren't excited, but then again, it's like, all right, we can also lose this [ __ ] quick. >> The leaders of our team definitely did a good job of just, hey, on to the next one. Doesn't matter that we got a number next to Nebraska now. We got to keep doing what brought us here. You know, we immediately start talking about keep your walls up, keep your walls up. You got to control what you can control.

>> You can't listen to the noise. And that's what we talk about keeping your walls up. If you do, you know, as soon as you get satisfied, as soon as you start believing all the things that are being said, that's when that run ends. Best piece of advice I ever got. My very first NBA practice, Reggie Miller, who called me Rook, said, "Rook, I'm just telling you right now, you keep your emotions in check. Don't let your highs get too high. Don't let your lows get too low." And I thought our guys really bought into that. We had such a mature group that it didn't affect us at all. As soon as we saw that rig, we're like, "Okay, cool. That's an accomplishment. Let's move on and let's go get ready for Wisconsin."

>> All right, let's keep this [ __ ] rolling, man. I'm proud of you guys. I really am. I'm proud of you. But we cannot be comfortable. We cannot be comfortable. All right, let's keep this home court every single time we play this. on 3. 1 2 3.

>> Right now, we're zero and zero in the Big 10, and that's what we're looking at as a team, and we get a great opportunity tomorrow to face a team that's absolutely rolling right now. We should expect to win every time that we're on that floor. I anticipate our guys coming out and playing well. Wisconsin and Illinois being those first two Big 10 games. You want to get off to a good start in league and that would be kind of the first real test of the season against teams that had shown the ability to beat other high major teams.

>> They're trying to get to 10 and 0 for just the second time in school history. They're trying to equal the longest win streak in school history. Could do that with a win tonight.

>> Heading into that next one, I think the focus was even dialed up another notch.

>> Out to Frerier. SHOOTS THE THREE. GOT IT. BANG ARANGO change of speed, drives the ball, puts it up and in and one. He was fouled.

>> Super challenging to play that many games in a short amount of time, but I think you just saw our fight as a team and we just continued to build on on the previous game.

>> Back cutting inside, DOUBLE PUNT. JACOBSON finishes it. Here's a long three. Got it. Scored it. And Mast is feeling it here.

>> We better guard at home. I mean, our fans show up. 15,000. They're there. That better show up at home. Winter driving. Shot blocked by Buchel. Bleeding to the crowd for more energy. He's in the locker room with a bloody lip in the right corner of the shot. Got it.

>> Cutting was Winter putting it up. Missing and a foul and an offensive foul. Up by 20 with the basketball.

>> After you play your rival and you have a big win, sometimes it's hard to get over that with all the emotions. But our guys were professional. They bounce back in the gym and they were really locked in to the game plan on a really hard Wisconsin to prepare for. Rebound. GARCIA PUTS IT BACK UP AND IN. And Nebraska wins it by 30.

>> We go to that game feeling good about ourselves and then we win by 30. And that kind of I think really showed the world how legit of a team we were. We weren't just a team that, you know, was a solid middle of the pack Big 10 team. We a team that can really put it on them and and win by a wide margin.

>> Is this the year? Is this the season that Nebraska finally removes that burden from its shoulders?

>> If Nebraska wins an NCAA tournament game, I at some point am going to fly to Lincoln, Nebraska. I'm going to put my credit card down at a bar for an hour because the program again has never advanced in March Madness. We will see if that changes in 2026 cuz you know as well as I do, this is only December.

>> Are we going to relax now? Are we going to drop a game or are we going to be even more focused? And then to get that win against Wisconsin, first game being ranked, getting the win the way we did, I'm like, "Okay, we have a we have a mature group."

>> The walls up message I thought made sense to our team going into Illinois cuz I knew that was going to be a very hostile environment. So, make sure you get your rest after this one to get ready to go out and do road dogs. Boys went at home, men went on the road. Okay, we got a bunch ofing grown men in here. All right, we're going to continue to prepare and go out there and play for each other. Okay, get your rest. Okay, good job, fellas.

>> 3 1 2 3. The level of competition is going to go up dramatically for Nebraska on the road in Champagne against Illinois.

>> We felt like we had an opportunity to erase that narrative that was going on. We were a really good team, but we couldn't win on the road.

>> To go on the road against a top 10 team, like you don't get that chance every day.

>> This is our first true road test. Let's see what we're made of. This defining week now continues with your very first true road game. The degree of difficulty only continues to increase. They've faced a variety of adversity and they've responded the right way every single time.

>> You have to be tough mentally to go out on the road and stay together. And you know, we say get our walls up, which is just kind of blocking out the noise, the outside noise.

>> Our mentality was just like, we didn't care. We didn't care what you said about us. We didn't care how you felt. You know, we were confident we were going to go in there and win. Timeline pressure is mass. The hand off to Hyberg. Left to right fakes left. Curling shot by Sanford up and good from 14 ft away. Takes it on the left side off the pass. It hits that three. Nebraska down the floor comes Lawrence. Lawrence to Sanford. Three ball. Got him.

>> You start the game and I mean Price just goes ballistic.

>> Reversal. Extra pass. Sanford again. Got it again.

>> Man, he's got to keep getting him catches. You just got to keep getting catches.

>> Driving, kicking, right corner. PRICE PUT IT UP AND DOWN.

>> PRICE. First 15 points. I never seen anything like that. That [ __ ] was crazy.

>> Drives the ball. Step back. 12-footer. Got it.

>> The night before the game, ordered in a a Culver's chicken sandwich and watched Rocky 4. I was I was ready to go.

>> Now Hoyberg driving, kicking right corner. PRICE PUT IT UP AND DOWN

>> IN that first half. I'll never forget that. Price just going an absolute heater.

>> Jump stop on two feet. Lawrence kicks it out. Sanford another one. He's unconscious. 26 first half points. Nebraska led by 14 at one point. They've cut the biggest lead in half. So that run that we said you could count on has arrived. Okay, we got to hit every possession. All right, we can't just turn. We're spectators. We can't just turn and look. All right, all that being said, guys, listen. We're kept even on the road. All right, let's go. Come on. 0 now. Come on. 1 2 3.

>> We knew we were in a good spot. This is a spot that we would have taken coming into this game as being tied at halftime. So, knew it was going to be an absolute battle in the second half.

>> They had their run. This is going to be a tough tough second half. You got to come out punch in and you got to keep punching for another 20 minutes.

>> Trailer Hoyberg drives. Hoyberg reverses on the kick out to Lawrence. Drives floater up. Got it. Lawrence with a huge goal there. Breaking the tie. 3937 the timeline to Boswell. Pulp. Step back. Three on the way. Got it. Nailed it. Ties the game at 45. And

>> you have to keep your walls up to be able to stay locked into that game.

>> Hyberg up top against the big the mass. Shoots the three. Got it. Bang! Bumps him takes it to the lane, scores it. He's killing Nebraska.

>> I thought we kept our walls up. We took some big time punches from Illinois. Our group did a great job of even reminding themselves

>> down underneath. Garcia puts it up and in. Garcia with a pump fake left side. Lawrence drives the ball, stops weak side BOUNCE PASS. GARCIA GARCIA SCORES IT AGAIN.

>> Best thing with Jared is he didn't know when his number was going to be called. He stepped in. He owned the moment and he won the moment.

>> Garcia drives the ball, REVERSES IT UP AND IN. GARCIA IS SAVING NEBRASKA'S BACON.

>> I wasn't really even thinking during the game. I was just like, "All right, you know what? If my name get called, I'm going just go out there and hoop."

>> Dancing around with it, driving it, spinning it in the lane. Puts it up. No good. AND THE REBOUND BY SAM. SAM TIPPED BY GARCIA. SAM MISSED IT. GARCIA PUTS IT BACK UP. He kept us in that game and he put us in a spot where we could even have Jammarcus' gamewinner.

>> Wagler with a basketball. Here's long shot. Evaich got it to tie the game 80 to 80. 14 seconds. 13 seconds. Hyberg across the division line.

>> All I was thinking was just make the right play. Make the simple play and see what's open.

>> Everybody flat along the baseline except for Sam out into the timeline. 5 seconds to go. Sam drives the ball. Once I seen Sam like drive opposite my way, if I touch the ball, like I it's going up. So when you know when you have to shoot it, it just gives you way more confidence as well. So I knew like when I shot the ball, it left my fingertips. I just knew it was cash.

>> It is. Lawrence puts it up. TWO SECONDS TO GO. I'M GOING TO PASS OUT. The game is over. Nebraska wins it. for me to do it like on the road. I wouldn't say like a villain type feeling, but I crushed a lot of crushed a lot of hearts that that day. Amar making that shot, being one of the guys that came back to do something special here, uh was such a cool moment.

>> That was such a big win for us. Like we were like, "Yeah, we're a top team in the country." I mean, there was nothing in front of us that we thought we couldn't do. to be able to win those games. It's like, "Okay, we're a really good team. Let's keep this rolling." Now,

>> we stay through adversity no matter what. Y I love y'all so much, man. Let's keep this going. Y satisfied. We're never satisfied. And

>> that's when I knew that, you know, our guys weren't going to be satisfied. And that's why I asked him the question after every game, are you satisfied? And every game I got the same answer from them.

>> That's good enough for me.

>> On three. 1 2 3. A TOP 10 team coming in looking to make you lose that first game of the season. We know we're going to get their best shot.

>> This was being talked about as the biggest game in program history. Undefeated playing a top 10 team uh with the toughness and the physicality that Tom Mizo's teams play with. A chance tonight to enhance and extend their record and sweeten the Husker basketball brand. Tonight, Nebraska hosting the ninth ranked 12-1 Michigan State Spartans.

>> You're top 15 in the country. You got a chance to play against the top 10 team in PBA.

>> If we're in PBA, we got to defend home court. And that's that's our focus. It doesn't really matter that it's there's going to be a little bit more cameras, but it's still we got to we got to defend home court.

>> We don't play at home to lose.

>> 8:00 game, national TV, and we knew the PBA was going to be rocking.

>> When you play in Lincoln, you are going into an absolute war zone.

>> We have to protect home court as much as possible and at a high level.

>> Got to be the more desperate team. No way they're coming in here playing more desperate. We are the desperate teeth that play with our hair on fire for 40 minutes or whatever the hell it takes.

>> This isn't a midterm. This is a final exam. That is a unique unique place and that crowd is sensational.

>> That was one of the more hyped up games I've ever seen. We knew it was going to be a super high energy uh environment.

>> Yeah, that's it's going to be a war.

>> I think we were still getting doubted. Oh, this just a fluke. It was a must-win game for us to kind of prove ourselves.

>> It's another attention-grabbing chapter in this book that is this season. It will propel Nebraska's basketball to an altitude where the air is thinner than thin. Because we talk about big games, big wins, important games, important wins. And yes, there's a bunch in the rearview mirror that we've described on the radio, but from the standpoint of Nebraska's fans here tonight, it's a sellout crowd. And those watching and you all listening tonight, when all is said and done, a win tonight for Nebraska is going to make you feel something tomorrow morning you've never felt before.

>> They're a really good team, one of the best defensive teams in the country going into that game. So, we knew it was going to be a gritty game. They look tough on on paper. They look tough on film. You know, their coach, they're going to they're they're going to do what they do. So, biggest game up to that point, 100%. comes to the left on the dribble. Gives it off and SANFORD SHOT IS GOOD. Demarcus Lawrence out to Mass. Measures the three. BANG. BANGO. BANGO. RANGO. Very even so far.

>> Husker is 12 to 10. Michigan State by two.

>> Another turnover. That's number six. Great defense by the Huskers.

>> ISO has had trouble solving Nate Wer's defense.

>> And that thing turned into a brawl. It was totally different than any probably other game we played leading up to that point with basically possession by possession in a rock fight. Beck the give and go and down inside it's Lawrence puts it up. Got the roll AND DROPPED FOR HIM. HE'S FOULED. IT COUNTS. Popping out the catch it is Mass. Fakes left. Comes left. Gives it off to Hoyberg. Drives the ball. Jump stop out back to Mass. Puts it up. Got it. Got it. GOT IT. GOT IT. ANOTHER THREE BY MASS. HE'S GOT THREE OF THEM. Leading up to that game, the whole week I was working with Charlie Horberg. He gave me some confidence going into that game of, "Hey, let's make some shots." Comes to the right, comes to the left, puts his head down, drives it, kicks it, mast another three, AND HE'S GOT IT. BANGO, BANGO, BINGO, BINGO. Holy smokes. Frank Mast go out in that first half and make five. I looked at Charlie, I'm like, did a good job here this week.

>> Royberg up in the air for it. It's tipped free. Bears and Hoyber going after it. Hoyberg wins the battle. It's Prager pulls up. LONG THREE. GOT IT. HOLY SMOKES.

>> WE PLAYED AN unbelievable game. It wasn't the highest scoring game, but everybody in that arena wanted us to win.

>> Shot no good at the buzzer. And we go into the locker room even at 33.

>> Guys, a tougher team's going to win this game. Okay, this must be even tougher here coming out the second half. Okay, what this game's going to come down to now, it's composure. Okay, they went on their run at the end of the half right after we went on our run. That's going to happen. Okay, now we got to get our composure back and let's come out here and throw the first punch. Okay,

>> it's going to be a war. A 20minute battle. Jab, step, jab, step, drives, throws it off to Sanford, PUTS IT UP. GOT IT. BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG. TWICE.

>> I got in foul trouble pretty early there. So coming out in the second half, I was going to try and, you know, not foul anymore and be in for the rest of the second half.

>> Hyberg in the left corner and this three by Sanford up. Got it. Got it. Got it. Got it from deep in the left corner and the Huskers have equal their biggest lead of six.

>> Got another third foul. Then I got my fourth foul. And

>> Sanford bumps off this pass. Offensive foul. That's also four fouls on Sanford.

>> The team did a really good job of playing, you know, without me really like the whole game.

>> Gives to Garcia now to Mast. Left side now. And the THREE BY FRAGER. GOT IT. HE SUNK THAT PUPPY. THIS place is lit.

>> Goes right corner three. Ker Tang hits it. Ties the game at 50. We got a nine-point Esther lead. Now it's tied.

>> We were able to get gritty with them against a team that that really is their identity.

>> Fears right side. Cooper in the paint. Shot blocked by Beck into the hands of Hoyberg. Nebraska has the ball. Tie game. Hoyberg comes left wing line DRIVE LAYUP AND GOOD. HUSKERS BREAK THE tie

>> with a basketball. Jeremy Ferris Jr. right side tang. Got a good look. Three ball on the way. Good. And he breaks the tie.

>> Regardless of we go through that game, you know, we just got to push through knowing that we got Husker Nation and we're at home. It just gave us more confidence.

>> Mass to Jammarcus. Fears is on him. Jammarcus bends now with over to Mass. shoots the three. HE GOT THAT PUPPY DOWN. ON THE verge of one of the biggest wins in Nebraska basketball history, I'll say categorically. Here's Cooper driving. It puts it up. No good. And the foul called. came down to that that last foul. I do admit I did foul him. Like that was I don't know what I was doing. I remember sitting on the bench and I was telling Nate, coach Nate, I was like, "Yeah, I foul him." He's like, "Yeah, I know you did." He said, "Uh, hope we can can learn from this with the win." So, we we'll see what happens.

>> And it'll be a free throws for Michigan State with a tenth of a second left to go in the game. Cooper free throw on the way. Oh, God. No. Good.

>> I mean, our fans helped the price out there.

>> I was like, "Oh my gosh."

>> Baseballs just down the floor and it is touched and it is There's the horn and THE HUSKERS KNOCK OFF MICHIGAN STATE. MOVE OVER TOP 10. MAKE ROOM FOR NEBRASKA BASKETBALL. MAKE ROOM FOR DADDY.

>> We're able to beat Michigan State at home. A top 10 team. You know, we we knew the sky was the limit. What made that game to me really special was that we won in a manner that we're not accustomed to winning.

>> That's when I think I found with this group when the ball maybe didn't go in the hoop, it went a real pretty offensive game that we could find a way to win a grimy, ugly game.

>> When you start to build that confidence, there's a bravado that you know, hey, we're going to win this game.

>> Fun to watch.

>> Oh, extremely fun. Let me find the step to a spot. They call that corner mask to three. Got it. Yeah. Yeah.

>> They're reading the press clippings. Everybody's talking about you.

>> This Nebraska team is the real deal.

>> Nebraska is now 5 and 0 in conference play. Every time we go on the road, every time we play anybody, we're going to get their absolute best shot. We definitely had that mentality where we're kind of being the hunted now.

>> Looking back at that, that was a pretty special time. Pretty much just kicking teams assault only unbeaten teams in the country.

>> Extending the best start in program history. How is this happening in Lincoln?

>> To enjoy the ride. I really did talk to them about that cuz you have to when you're going through a special run like we had. It's what this thing's all about. But at the same time, you can't listen to the noise. Get hat on half. Keep hat on hat. Contest. Keep playing. Get those.

>> Going into Assembly Hall is always a tough tough place to play. And that was a really talented Indiana team and we let him get way too comfortable in the first half.

>> Drives on Garcia helped defense comes. Foul and an and one kick out. Long three on the way. It's good. Nebraska down by nine points on the road at halftime. Everybody kind of had their big games up to that point with a lot of points. Better than Jammarcus. launches another long three. GOT IT AGAIN. FLORENCE IS ON A HEATER. FAKES. Pull up. Jump shot on the way. Got it.

>> What he did in the two games that he played in Assembly Hall was was incredible. Big shot after big shot.

>> Gives it up to Jamarcus. PUTS IT UP AND IN. OH HO HO. And now to Jar. Shoots the three. HE'S GOT IT. HE GOT THAT PUPPY DOWN.

>> GOT TO BE THE RIMS. It got to be the floor or something. The basketball guys love me play.

>> Jamarcus got the ball. Puts it up and in. He's got a careerhigh at 22 and Nebraska's cut it to two. Cut a 16point deficit to a deuce. He's got the breeze. Steps back, SHOOTS THE THREE. BANGO, BANGO, BANGO, BANGO, RANGO.

>> We all knew that Braden was going to be able to contribute a lot for us.

>> With the ball as Frager drives the ball, PUTS IT UP, DUNKS IT. FRAGER THE FINISHER. UP BY NINE.

>> Braden had a phenomenal season.

>> PUTS IT UP AND holy cow. YOU CAN SEE THE TALENT, the way that he could take over with a drive to the rim and the dock, LEFT-HANDED JAM.

>> Early on, you could see the confidence that he played with and we needed a guy like him.

>> Frager is named the Big 10 Freshman of the Week, third freshman of the week honors this season for him to have that trust in me and kind of go in there and like be that spark. I mean, brought us over that little hump.

>> Frager again with a three ball and it is good. Frager on fire.

>> You know, with Braden, I think the first word is patience. prior to him red shirting, he had illusions of grander that, hey, I was going to be a part of that rotation or whatever. So, he had to deal with the disappointment that he was going to sit out.

>> There were some things that Braden needed to experience and needed to have ahead of him so he knew exactly how to act. Took me a couple games to be the first guy off the bench as I started playing, proving myself uh to like be that spark.

>> It's not easy coming off the bench. You have to be ready to make a instant impact and that's why he was six man of the year in our league.

>> Kick out. PRAGER THREE BALL. GOT IT. BANGA. BANGA. BANGA. BANGA. RINGO. PRAGER. Three ball on THE WAY. GOT IT. BANG. Frager shoots the three. In and out. BACK IN AGAIN. AND THEN ONE. And it's loose on the floor. Picking it up as Frager getting a hand on it was Sanford. Frager the other way. Puts it up and in. It's 14 to 10. Frager with a euro step finish. And here comes Washington the other way.

>> Frager comes up limping a little bit. Boy, he's been good finishing. Really concerned about Frager right now. Injuries is the one thing that could really change our team.

>> I was coming off like back to back like 20 point games. I was just hoping it was like, okay, this is one like couple day ankle injury. It was tough to see Frager go down like that. After the game, everybody was like, how you feeling? How's your ankle? Like, we need you back. I just told the guys in the locker room, everybody's got to be ready. Braden's given us a lot obviously this season on both ends of the floor and everybody's got to be ready to step up in his absence and um and contribute.

>> They've had a few days to deal without Braden Frager. We don't expect them to play. You never know, but he's day to day. Michigan on the horizon, a showdown for first place, but they got to get this one first.

>> Nebraska trying to stay undefeated in Minneapolis facing what's been a really dangerous gopher squad. fact that they've now become the hunted, that's new territory for them, but I didn't get the sense at all that they're feeling the pressure.

>> The goal was to be 20 and 0 going into Michigan.

>> It's just about time to dig into chapter 20, a season to behold.

>> Minnesota, they'd beat two ranked teams at home. They'd stormed the court twice. We just weren't ready to go from the jump.

>> Three ball up good. Three to three. That's scored by Bobby Robbie Durkin out to Crocker Johnson. Makes the three. Chinholster three ball. Good. That's Durkin rather. There's the half and Minnesota up by six.

>> They're playing HARDER THAN US. THAT'S [ __ ] WAKE UP. WE'RE [ __ ] LUCKY IF YOU GOT TWO POSSESSIONS RIGHT NOW. GET BACK TO BEING US.

>> WE WEREN'T playing the type of basketball that got us to 19-0.

>> You think a team that's in this situation with them coming in with an undefeated team, you weren't going to GET THEIR BEST SHOT? GET OUT OF YOURSELF AND UNDERSTAND WE'RE IN THE STREET. YOU SHOULD STOP THAT SWEEP.

>> This is what we needed to turn this around. Passion can't turn into emotion, but passion is a price of admission.

>> Jacobson drives it. Jump stop. Puts it up with a left hand and scores it. Sanford saved the day. And they're going to call the ball out of bounds off Minnesota on the weak side. JACOBSON PUTS IT UP AND IN.

>> YOU need that maturity when you got to get a message across and those guys took it the right way and uh and got on the right page.

>> LEFT CORNER. JAMARCUS GOT IT. The weak side is Sanford puts it up AND IN. MONEY BALL. Here's Sanford again. PUTS IT UP. GOT IT AGAIN. BY GOLLY. 20 AND 0. Nebraska's 20 and 0. Can you believe it? 76 to 57.

>> I never thought we were going to be 20 and 0.

>> It's about dang time. This Nebraska team gets some respect.

>> Currently on a 22game win streak. That's the longest in the entire country. Ranked number seven in the AP poll. Highest ranking for the Huskers in program history. You look at the huge week that they have upcoming.

>> They have three ranked teams left the whole season. They come in their next four games.

>> We're really going to find out how good this Nebraska team is.

>> Is this the biggest week in the history of the Huskers program? It's nice for our guys to get some recognition for what they've accomplished, but again, you just you talk to them every day about putting up their walls, putting up their barriers, and not feeding into all the things that are being said. And that's what I give our guys all the credit in the world is how they bounce back after huge wins. So that as much as anything we've got going on this season, that's what I give our guys the most credit for.

>> They have put together something extremely special out there in Nebraska.

>> Their winning streak is now at 24. If they win against Michigan, it'll not only be the biggest win in Nebraska basketball since forever. It'll give them 25 straight victories. That's the longest streak by any Big 10 team. 1 2 3.

>> This Nebraska team was built to win. It starts in the locker room. It starts with that belief. It starts at the top with coach Hurryberg. Goes down to the players. The players have to believe they can do something special. Nebraska believed in it and here they are right now. Everybody kind of felt that we had to stay focused and had to stay with what had worked for us up to that point.

>> We had more to prove. We just always had the mentality where, you know, we just want to keep going. Like what's next?

>> Two teams in the top five. This is a final four game. This could be a preview of what we see in early April.

>> Being a top five team in the country, that was a huge milestone, but everyone talked about it like that's not what we care about. We want to just prepare well and go win games.

>> Okay? We're all we got in this thing today, guys. We're all we got. Let's throw every thing we got at him. Let's go out and shock the world. Okay, let's go. Come on. Yo,

>> on three. One, two, three.

>> That night before the game, I think I went to sleep with like a little weird feeling in my stomach, but I'm like, I'll just sleep it off. But then I think I threw up 15 times that night and they took me over to to the gym before the game pretty early. Got me uh an IV. I wanted to give it a shot and and and go out there and and see if I could play. So I tried to warm up, but it's just like there's like no energy in my body whatsoever. So it was a very tough decision in that moment. But I mean, yeah, it just my my body did not want to work with me. The presence of Rink Mass makes such a difference for Fred Hoyberg. Second leading scoreer, second leading rebounder is out with the flu tonight.

>> Rink was an absolute warrior to even go out and give it a shot. When he walked out, he said, "Coach, I don't know." I said, "Rank, you're not playing." I said, "Let's get you right. Let's get you healthy. We'll get you back next game. We'll go out and and do it without you." And we didn't have Braden either, who was still fighting back from the ankle. You know, we're going into this five versus three matchup without Braden and Rank. And you know, we're kind of looking around and we're we're pretty thin, but again, it just showed how talented and how good our team was at leaning into each other and just continuing to to believe and to buy into what our standards and our culture is all about.

>> It has been a season of seasons. There has never been anything like it since speaking into this microphone for the first time some 51 seasons ago. I can't put it into words.

>> Now, this is really like a, you know, screw it. We have nothing to lose. like this is go who

>> my mentality is just like I got to take a lot of shots. You know what I'm saying? I got to have a a great game in order for us to win.

>> And here we go.

>> They're going to have Kale jumping up against Mara 73 against 64 thrown up in the air and the tip is controlled by Nebraska.

>> It started with Kale winning the jump against Mara 6'5 against 74 and he went up and won the tip and we just put our foot on the gas and went up play with no fear. The bounce pass sideline. Jacobson back cutting and a layup and in. Gon Hoyberg skip pass left side. Lawrence has got a good look and he nails this one. Coming out from behind the screen to Sanford steps into A LONG THREE. GOT IT. And the Huskers are up 18 to 14. Up four points.

>> Michigan might have been our best game of the year. Understanding the adversity that we were playing with.

>> Off right side. Jammarcus shoots THE LONG THREE. GOT IT. MY GOSH.

>> Throws in the corner. Long three on the way. It is good by McKenna. The freshman fakes the pass left side and now he finds Price. PUTS UP ANOTHER ONE. HE GOT THAT PUPPY DOWN. Pump fake. Works on Lawrence. Drives in. Lobs it at the buzzer and it's halftime with the Huskers up by two.

>> Had a great first half. Like 50 points in one half against damn near the number one defense in the country.

>> We got got what we [ __ ] want right now. We got a lead on the road in a top fiveing game. Okay, they got a little rhythm going at the end of the half. We got to shut them off here coming out. First five here, fellas. First five. All right, believe. Believe we can do this. Go three. 1 2 3

>> on the right side of the board. Bernett and it's taken away. Here's Ly Bird. He's reluctant to shoot. Buton gel now inside. Puts it up. Blew another layup with the ball over to Kase. Kase drops it off. Johnson with a dunk.

>> We were just going blow forblow and you know I thought I thought we were going to pull it out.

>> Sanford and of Jacobson. Pump fake. Good drive. The floater. Got it. Line left extended. Double teamed into Cheddar. Puts it up and in.

>> Any kind of score here. Gives Michigan the lead at 72 a piece. A minute 44 to go. Pump fake. McKenny's got it to the rim and scores it. 7472. Timeout Nebraska. Husters to inbound it on the far side and Mara guards the ball. Price trying to open up. He gets it into Hoy Bird. Puts it up. No good at the horn. No good at the horn. And it's over. Huskers come up short on the road, losing their first game of 2526. It sucked to lose that game, but I think it really showed how much resiliency and fight this this team had. I thought Sam made a hell of a play at the end of the game, stepping in front of McKenna and took a char, took a shoulder right in the chest. And unfortunately, we didn't get the call and that was the deciding moment. I had a couple of good plays down the stretch, but we couldn't quite pull it off. The team that was the most impressive this week was a team that did not win a game. It was the Nebraska Huskers.

>> I think Nebraska probably has more believers at 20 and one after the performance it showed in this one than it had at 20 and 0 before this game was played.

>> Unfortunately, didn't fall our way, but I think we also felt like, hey, we just played against arguably the best team in the country with two of our rotation guys out. So, it also emphasized to us even more like, hey, we're we're one of the best teams in this country. After Michigan, you got to move on and you have a really tough opponent that we played them really well at their place, but it's still a really good team and they got better from that December matchup.

>> Welcome to University of Nebraska where the Huskers today take on the University of Illinois, the Fighting Ali. Game two. Illinois was playing like one of the best teams in the country at that point. We knew it was going to be really really tough to to beat him a second time too.

>> It is Mass hopping around with it on the elbow on the RIGHT SIDE. THREE BALL GOOD BY Demarcus Lawrence behind the back dribble in the paint. The kick out three ball got it ties it up.

>> You got to stay present. You can't let one loss turn into two, turn into three, turn into four. That was our that was our mindset.

>> The other way throws it over to Jacobson up top. Good look. Frager on THE WAY. GOT IT. It's LA playing the dunk to tie it up at 17.

>> They came out cry to them. They played really, really well and they were super physical.

>> Doubled for just a moment. Skip pass underneath and the lobasic with another dunk with a Sanford. ANOTHER THREE. ANOTHER MAKE. ANOTHER MAKE. THERE'S THE HORN. There's the half. A one and a half by the big run of Nebraska.

>> One of the first times of the season, we just lost a bit of focus. Kind of felt like the game was going to fall into our hands cuz we got that lead going into halftime.

>> Sexual pass. Davis step in, step back, three ball. Got it.

>> And the second half especially just kind of bullied us

>> down inside. Extra pass. Jake Davis.

>> They're doing whatever they want RIGHT NOW.

>> IT AIN'T US GUYS. That's not us. Edge. Discipline. Disruption.

>> They showed why they were playing like one of the best teams in the country.

>> Oscars ball. 8:30 to go in the game. Mast with a three ball on the way. IN AND OUT AND THE REBOUND taken down. my stomach cramps just from the dehydration, from the throwing up or so painful and there was nothing that was making it any better. So, having him out for the Michigan game and then kind of having him not 100% for those next coming games definitely hurt us and that's going to be it. Illinois will dribble it out and the Huskers will lose their first game at home all year long. You're always going to be disappointed when you lose cuz the competitive nature that you have, but you have to move on. And then for us at that juncture in our schedule, we were playing teams that are in the top quarter of our conference. So you you just say, "Hey, take a deep breath. Let's get back to work." There was some frustration, I think, in our locker room, but not at each other, just at the fact that we let two golden opportunities go to get big wins. You knew Nebraska was going to go one of two ways. They're either going to regroup and lean on all that veteran leadership or they're going to crumble. We knew we lost a really good team. So then you still have confidence like, "Hey, we're a good team. We just lost a couple tough ones."

>> Up top, Rink shoots up a three. GOT IT. SPLASH. RINK MAST.

>> Obviously 20 games is a lot of games. So the fact that we went 20 and 0, we were just so used to just winning.

>> Jacobson left side. Long three and splash for Lawrence.

>> You know, there wasn't necessarily a sense of doubt and all of our goals were still in front of us.

>> Fakes the bounce pass. Pull up Jay. Got it, Sammy. My boy. Huskers will dribble it out here. And the Huskers have recorded their 21st win of the season, my friends. Ninth ranked Nebraska. Even throughout the wins, the messaging was still the same. The reality of of that we weren't perfect.

>> We have returned to Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln where your Nebraska Cornusker basketball team will take on Boiler Makers, ranked number 12 in the country. You lose the the two against Michigan and Illinois and then you get a good win. But Purdue is tough match up

>> across the timeline. Two nothing Purdue. Smith's got it. Drains it five to nothing. Just like that. Jay Cox up top. Lawyer got a good look and drains it 14 to1. Timeout Nebraska.

>> That was probably the worst start we could have had for for Purdue.

>> We had to just kind of claw fight and claw back into that game.

>> Sanford with a basketball. The Hillong three. Got it. His first one of the game. I need a three right now. Cory Berg Mass shoots the three is ON THE MONEY. GOT IT. SMACK. SMACK DOWN THE HOLE.

>> We find a way to storm back and put ourselves in a situation where the game could fall either way.

>> Huskers with a two will tie the game. 20 seconds left to go. Hyberg changes speed, DRIVES IT. NO CALL. PUT UP. PUT UP. BUT UP AGAIN.

>> THE two points tie it for the game. And then I get a free throw. And

>> possible three-point play for the lead. Free

throw. Mast on the way. No good. We're going to play five more minutes.

>> And I still have nightmares from that free throw cuz I I rushed it and it clanked off and still tie game.

>> Bench now. Lawyer too good a look and he nails the three on the first shot of the overtime.

>> Go into overtime and um yeah, it was just they they play better in overtime and they get the win.

>> When the game is over and Purdue wins it in overtime, this was a gut check. Looked like they were dead and buried. Probably the most heart-wrenching loss of the regular season. And you know, there was doubt creeping in cuz we were not playing our best basketball season at that point. Win or lose, we're going to prepare the same way. This is the time to hang your head. Now, we had a tough emotional loss. How are we going to respond? How are we going to bounce back?

>> The schedule's going to get you at some point during the course of the season. That was that stretch. So, a lot of it wasn't us. It was the teams we were playing against. I talked to Painter after we lost that game. He said, "You're going to be who you are with your seed. Now the important time comes. Now go out and make history and win the first tournament game." And I really that helped me. I got a message from Ronda Rall. I'll never forget it how inspirational our guys were to what they were doing in their in their off season. You know, just to hear those things and to be able to relay that to our guys and our guys rallied. You find a way to get over the Big 10 loss.

>> We knew that was the level we wanted to be is is playing against those really good teams. And it was just another opportunity we had to learn from it. Sanford for three. Got it.

>> There was nothing internal that was going wrong. You know, we were such a mature group. We all got along so well that I think that we were still in a pretty good head space. We just knew we need to get out of that funk.

>> Martinelli now with eight in the game. Jacobson dials up the three, knocks it down.

>> The biggest thing for us was realizing that everything is not as bad as it was. You knew this team was different with the way that they responded from that stretch, the way they they were able to rally together and get back to full form. And there's Hoyberg again. Comes away. Sanford for the layup. Final seconds bleeding down here for Nebraska as they will pick up win number 22 on the season.

>> You guys all know, man. Okay. Are we satisfied? No. Okay. So, we got to bounce back here. Have a great day tomorrow. All right. Let's go. Ready to take this one on the road.

>> Fight. Ready to fight today. On three. 1 2 3. We are in Iowa City, Iowa tonight against the Iowa Hawkeyes. Another road game in the Big 10. Nebraska looking for its seventh win.

>> Rivalry games are always tough. You you throw records out the window and doesn't matter what the teams have done up to that point. It's always a tough game.

>> That was a good boo for Price coming back home.

>> It was a pretty hostile environment. I still have no idea what people are talking about with like the crowd noise and stuff.

>> So, it's going to be mass jumping it up for the Corn Oscars.

>> We knew it was going to be a battle, a hard-fought battle. And the emotions were high just with it being a rivalry with, you know, the return of Price. And there's a lot going on outside of basketball to St. Move right past Frager. Gathers, scores. Combmes with the ball. He's in the paint against Frager. Help defense comes and he scores it.

>> We had a tough time creating open shots and then the open shots that that we created, we didn't knock down.

>> You know, not a game that we look back on and and say we played really well. Jump pass left side. It's Telegraph. BS the other way. Puts it up and in. 4745.

>> Be tough. Be physical. Don't get caught up in any BS. Pass it. Not emotion. Pass it. Real reason that it stung so bad is cuz you want to get up for Price. Fans were being just brutal to him.

>> Climbing up underneath him. Stick on defense by Frager. Step back. Three on the way. Good splash.

>> We played probably our worst game of the year.

>> There's the horn. There's the game. Maybe for the first time in Nebraska's Big 10 history, an opponent storming the floor.

>> A court storm against you as Nebraska basketball. It's kind of in a weird sense an honor.

>> It's a testament to the program that coaches built here for us, for our guys. It really showed like, yeah, like we're the hunted teams are coming after us. I talked about it after we beat Purdue and the fans court storm.

>> And for the first time in 41 years, Nebraska knocks off the top ranked team in the country.

>> We don't want to be the team that's celebrating those wins all the time. Like we didn't expect to do it. We're expecting to win every single game.

>> That shows how far we've come as a program to be the team that was storming the court to getting courts storm. You know, we want to be that team that's respected that way. You try and take the good out of a situation like that with it being an honor that we got the court stormed on us, but everybody was was very mad after it.

>> Right now, what do you think is the biggest difference between the Husker team that we saw in that 20-0 run and the Husker team we see right now?

>> I think they're a little beat down. They have not beaten an elite Big 10 team in quite some time. But now when you look at what's ahead of them, these are games they should win. Get reset, take care of business.

>> We hadn't really beat a team that was playing well at the time. We needed to find a way to snap out of it. Listen, we had a a good film session the morning after and then we moved on. They've done a good job turning the page and continue to focus on on the task at hand. After losing three or four, you kind of try and find your identity back. Like we won 20 games in a row. How did we do that?

>> I don't think it was just like any doubt.

>> You know, we knew how special a group we were.

>> And another three-point attempt on the way. GOT IT. TALK ABOUT A HEAT CHECK.

>> The leadership of our staff, of our seniors, they just continue to pull people in the right direction.

>> You're passing. It's not good enough.

>> Comes right. Hands it off to Lawrence. Pick and roll. Return pass. And he jams up WITH A RIGHT HAND.

>> There's going to be tough stretches. Every team goes through them, but it's how you respond to that.

>> Maryland. And there's Roy Hoyberg on a steal and it is Ragger. He jams that puppy.

>> Everybody was like, we cannot let this happen again.

>> The drive, scoop, finish off the right side of the rim at Sanford the other way and a jam. There's our dunk OF THE GAME. GOT IT. GOT IT. Nebraska 25 and four.

>> Feel good going into a tough road trip west coast. You're far away from home. You're out there for a while. We are in Los Angeles, California with the Huskers of Nebraska being hosted by the UCLA Bruins.

>> UCLA was too good of a team to go into that not being fully locked into it.

>> And a second chance opportunity with a three by Daly after the offensive board goes to Booker. Shoots a long three and it's good. Huskers in an 11-point hole here.

>> THEY'RE DESPERATE. WE'RE SOFT. WE BETTER THROW UP NOW OR THEY'RE GOING TO SCORE 150.

>> WE couldn't make them uncomfortable. Well, it felt like we were always a step behind and that's not a place you want to be against a team that is that talented and that skilled and they really made us pay for it.

>> Kick out to Booker. Another three on the way. Got it. Bounce pass Jacobson. He throws it away into the hands of Daly and a dunk on the other end by Daly. And now you got an 18-point game.

>> Yeah, that was a that was a pretty rough game. We just came out flat. Never really in the game.

>> Sky Clark right side three. Got it. There's the horn. There's the game. And the Huskers get knocked around pretty good tonight on the road.

>> Yeah. No excuses that like we just didn't play well in that game.

>> Wipe it away. We had a chance to play Iowa again on a senior night.

>> Hi everybody and welcome to University of Nebraska basketball for the final time for the regular season for 2025 2026. the Huskers and the Iowa Hawkeyes.

>> Everybody got it how important those guys were, not just to winning games, but just to elevate the culture to where we wanted to wanted it to be. And it had never been before.

>> If >> I'm Fred Hoyberg, uh I might weep a little bit here uh before this day is over. I I wonder where these guys heads and hearts are right now. That was just a a really cool day to to remember all the things that this senior class had done. And we just knew that these seniors had poured too much into this program and into this place. As a group, we were going to do whatever it took uh to get them over that hump and to win that senior night game.

>> This group was able to develop a connection with the fan base that made them beloved.

>> Senior night was a very emotional even leading up to it. You know, I was having trouble getting through the night just thinking about the moment when not only Sam walked out, but when Rink walked out, Jammarcus and, you know, everything that Kendall and and Jared, what those guys did to help us get to a point to win 20 in a row and to be a part of that whole thing, that was such a special group of guys. This place has become my home. Looking back to my junior high school when we moved to Lincoln, didn't really expect to play here. Didn't realize the impact that Nebraska would have on me as a person. and it's really become my home. It's meant everything to me.

>> As a little kid, it was always a dream to come over to the US and play basketball here. After 3 years, you know, so many people here, it becomes a second home. My roots are in the Netherlands, but I think I've planted some roots here in Lincoln, too.

>> When you first come in as a freshman, you have your own expectations, and each year I'm just learning something new. Credit to Nebraska staff. They show me, you know, ways to, you know, become a better man. playing here is just is different and it's it's amazing that I was able to put this jersey on uh represent the school, represent the state and it's just like I said it's dream come true opportunity of a lifetime playing at the highest level. You know, I'm just forever grateful. I'm proud to be a Nebraska Corn Husker.

>> Seeing how they were, you know, treated as their last time in PBA was was really special. I ball like a baby almost every senior night. I mean, it's it is who I am. And obviously Sam Hoyberg for 5 years and Rink for what he overcame and Jammarcus coming back and and and Jared and Kendall, two guys that I recruited and their stories and their relationships.

>> You join a a a program, you join a a team, and you want to leave it in a better place than you found it. I can definitely say that we we left that program in a better place than than I found it and I'm I'm very proud to say that I was I was part of that. I wanted to be that walk-on story that was successful. It's just such a rewarding feeling knowing that all that work I put in doing it for my dad. It was just the greatest feeling.

>> There's emotions too. I wouldn't say I kind of wasn't fighting back a little tears as well. Then again, it was just like, you know, it's just time to play basketball as well. You know, I couldn't really hold on to those emotions. You know, I kind of had to let that go and focus on the game. There's always subplots for me. I try to make it another game and understand the task at hand that we don't lose at home. the rematch between these two teams after a game in Iowa City last month where the Hawkeyes beat Nebraska 57 to 52.

>> You know, let's celebrate after the win. You know, trying to focus on the win, trying to focus on the game, focus on the revenge stuff.

>> I know we still got a long ways to go and, you know, hopefully there's some special moments ahead, but you know, this team's already accomplished a lot. And, you know, are we satisfied? Absolutely not. But as as a special group of kids because of how easy they have been to uh to pull for. Look at these like alumni weekends and stuff where like these former players come back and you know those guys are still loved from people 30 years after the fact. I think this is going to be the case with this group and especially those seniors but probably 10fold.

>> How do you put into words that you're emotionally about to about to cry?

>> Taking aim at several momentous targets. Win number 26 to tie the best single season went total in Huster history. Displaying a brand of basketball that was the best I've ever seen behind this microphone going back a few years. And you savor the sweet taste of this season of seasons. And it's been a delightful flavor that will wet the appetite again for a trip to basketball's big party to the grand ball where Cinderella slippers will fit to a tea. Off to basketball's best buffet to a marvelous suaree for dancing and feasting like never before. How delicious the thoughts. But first things first, Nebraska and Iowa. Anticipation of tip off wearing their white uniforms. Here we go. Boy. And now it's Jamarcus Lawrence. The trailers. Price fakes, drives, kicks. Left side. Jamarcus three. GOT IT. HIGH BALL. GAME AT THREE.

>> Line extended is Stanford. Right side. Hooray. Steps into a three. HE'S GOT IT. SAMMY, MY BOY. PLUS THIRDS DOWN INSIDE TO THE CUTTER AND AND ONE FOUL.

>> No more second chance opportunities, guys. Right. We got to get him off the glass. All right. We got to finish off the possession. All right. Keep going. Keep going.

>> Change of speed in the left corner. Three ball on THE WAY. GOT IT. GARCIA TG. I LOVE YOU. Cash mark left side in front of us. The cotch to Stur open three. Drained it. close proximity into the passing lane and mass for the jam WITH A RIGHT HAND. THERE'S ONE AU chakalaka for Rico and the Huskers go to the locker room up by four in the season of seasons for big red basketball.

>> Anytime we can beat our rivals from over there uh across the state line. It's gratifying.

>> I was mainly just thinking about you know my last game in PBA really wanting to end it on a high note. Lawrence from wall bending down with it to a cutting Sanford. Extra pass. Mast with A THREE. GOT IT. BANG. BINGER RING RINGO.

>> I promised Sam before the game that we weren't going to lose that game on his senior night.

>> 36 to 30. Lots of motion on the baseline and just Sanford SQUARING SHOOTING. GOT IT. BANGO RANGO down to Lawrence. Back out on the pick and pop and THE JUMP SHOT. MASS GOT IT. RICO MY BOY. HOLY SMOKES. It's a 10-point game. You want to win on senior night and I didn't quite understand how much it could mean to a senior until I was in that situation.

>> Offensive board with it inside kick out. Intercept the pass and Hoyberg saw it coming. He smelled it coming. Stepped in the passing lane. Price down inside. Hoyberg layup. Good. SAMMY, MY BOY, DID IT ON THE defensive end.

>> Hello guys.

>> Jacobson dribbles it up top. Dancing around with it on the right side. Three ball BY J. JAMARCUS GOT IT. THE TIMING was everything. It's against Jacobson. He stripped him. He stripped him. HE PICKED HIS POCKET. Jacobson eludes a defender. Drives the ball in the paint. Abandoned. Out. It comes to Combmes. Fires one up. He got it to tie it with 2.7 to go. We're going into overtime. Extra 5 minutes.

>> Take back.

>> We weren't going to let that game slip away. Mast to the right side on the dribble. fakes the hand off to Hoyberg now gives it to him. Hoyberg right corner. Jacobson three ball. GOT IT. KALE, MY BOY, I MORE THAN LOVE YOU TODAY. Boyberg the kick out and the THREE BY JACOBSON GOT IT AGAIN. THE GAME OF THE CAREER FOR KALE JACOBSON. Here's Banks. Boybergs with A TAKE. PUTS IT UP. HE PUT THAT PUPPY IN OFF THE GLASS and an intercepted pass to Marcus Lawrence all the way in. Lays it in. That's going to do it. I want you to listen to this crowd. Say nothing. Just listen. The Huskers have done it. They have equaled the most wins in a single season in Nebraska basketball history.

>> I mean, it was just doing anything you can to just will that win. All the seniors today were saying, "We're not losing today. we can't go out in a bad way. And

>> I didn't think I was going to tear up after the game, but I I was definitely just very thankful to to be in that in that moment with with everything that was going on. And uh to play that last game in front of a home crowd like I I know I'm going to miss it. I'm so I'm so going to miss it.

>> Sweet home Chicago and the United Center. this year, the host of the 2026 TIAA Big 10 men's basketball tournament. Michigan State's loss, coupled with Nebraska's overtime win against Iowa on Sunday, giving Fred Hoyberg's team the number two seed.

>> It's one and done now. There's there's no doovers. There's no second chances. So, we really have to be on point.

>> Going into the Big 10 tournament, you kind of get a feel what the NCA tournament looks like.

>> You got to shift your mindset a little bit. You lose and you go home.

>> Welcome to University of Nebraska basketball with the Huskers diving head first into March Madness, a quarterfinal game in the Big 10 postseason tournament against the Purdue Boiler Makers.

>> We went into the into that tournament Chicago feeling pretty good and uh excited to hopefully make a run, but obviously we ran into a Purdue team that was hot.

>> Drop kick out lawyer three. Good. 13-3 just like that. It's tough cuz Purdue is just not the matchup we wanted.

>> Sanford's got Smith, the lawyer, off a curl on the screen and hits the three.

>> We just couldn't make them uncomfortable. We couldn't take them out of what they like to do. Buff in the corner over the lawyer, hits the three and got an 18-point lead just like that.

>> In that game, they put us in some very tough situations and I mean, we just didn't play well enough.

>> And Nebraska will bow out in its first game in the Big 10 tournament. you really got to feel what it what it was like to lose and to be done. And so I think it helped us prepare for for the NCA tournament and for for what was to come as a group.

>> You got to move on pretty quickly and you got to get ready like this is where legacies are made.

>> Three brackets down, one to go. Still several teams and their fans on the edge of their seats waiting to see if their school will make it into the big dance. It is time for the final region of the tournament.

>> In all the years that that I've been fortunate enough to make the tournament, I've always distanced myself. I've just kind of found a way to quiet myself and center myself and get in there and see the team.

>> It's pretty cool to be a part of it, you know, have the cameras up watching us. But there was a different feel this season.

>> Also in Oklahoma City, the four seed Nebraska who started 20 and0 and set a school record for wins including conference road wins.

>> To see that we were in Oklahoma City, the closest destination to Lincoln was like, "Okay, this is going to be fun." and they will have to do it against the Sun Belt tournament champs, the Troy Trojans.

>> Obviously, seeing your name up there was pretty cool, but I felt like that serious vibe helped us lead to have a really good week of preparation. And there was just no chance we're going to go into that without being fully prepared.

>> Once we got there, you know, it wasn't going to be a sigh of relief. It was like, hey, all hands on deck. Let's get this done. We understand what's at stake at this time of year and what's at stake for Nebraska. I know the first question is going to be Nebraska's never won a tournament game. We realize that. Is there pressure that goes along with that? Of course there is. But as I've said to the team, pressure is a privilege.

>> Nebraska faces a Troy team that Mike Dorsy tells me is a very dangerous first round matchup.

>> When you get a team like Troy who had just won their league, we knew we we'd have to be really focused going into the NCA tournament. I actually watched Troy play in the championship game. So, I saw that team. I knew how talented they were.

>> Every team in the tournament is an amazing basketball team. They've earned the chance to play in it. And it's not going to fall on your hands. You have to prepare really well. You can't get caught up in the distractions and uh you have to do what you did to to get there. They're tied for the school record for wins in a season. So, how fitting would it be for the school record for wins to come the same day that they win their first ever NCAA tourney game? Troy, you got to be kidding me, Troy. And then I'm thinking, this is it, man. Win number one, done deal.

>> And you had the band downstairs. you could hear him play in, but you could also hear the people cheering and you're on the 14th floor.

>> I didn't expect to see that many people in red. The season was Oklahoma City. My mouth just gapes open even thinking about it.

>> I think we all kind of felt at home a little bit. The nurse kind of settled. We're at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where your Nebraska Corn Huskers are getting set for the game of games in the seasons of seasons. I have seldom felt anything quite like this. The makers of the game's best story this year, set to tip it off against the Troy Trojans out of the Sun Belt Conference. that ever elusive first big dance win waiting in the wings here for the taking.

>> It's a tough game when you basically kick off the tournament. We were the second game, but when I went out for that anthem and I heard the go big red chance, I got goosebumps and, you know, really got a tear in my eye to see that support. I knew we were going to be fine. We ran out for the national anthem and I think they had to wait just cuz the go big red chants were echoing throughout the out the arena.

>> It's just unbelievable that we had 95% of the people that crowd represented every Nebraska basketball fan for the last for as long as I've been around. No nerves, no pressure. We knew we were going to win that game.

>> And here we go. NCA tournament Nebraska Corn Oscars in the left corner. Valdez got a good look. Puts it up and drains it. Two of those for him. Campbell brother puts it up and in. They've hit three threes there.

>> We didn't have our best start to that game. They're hitting some pretty crazy shots, but we were always hanging in there.

>> Screen set by Mass. Returns on the pick and roll. DOUBLE PUNT UP IN THROUGH THE FOUL AND AN IN ONE. Demarcus the other way. Drops it off the mass behind him to Sanford. HE'S GOT THE THREE.

>> That was the first time I'd seen pure raw emotion out of Price. That's when I was like, they're going to do it.

>> Bounce pass left corner. THREE BALL. SANFORD GOT ANOTHER ONE. FIVE OF THEM. SANFORD EXHORTING THE CROWD AND THEY OBLIGE.

>> YOU KNOW, that was pretty special getting the crowd into it early and helping us get that lead.

>> You got to hand it to for getting back and causing that. And he drives the ball and he puts it up AND IT IS GOOD. REBOUND BY MASS. Second chance out TO JAR. HE GOT IT. BANG. BANG. THE Huskers go to the locker room up by 16 points, my friends. We're halfway through it. Halfway through making history in Oklahoma City.

>> We got that big lead going into halftime. Never felt like anyone lost any bit of focus.

>> Lane line right extended in the corner. GOOD LOOK FOR PRICE. GOT IT.

>> I promised saying like we're not losing this game. like we're getting this win and and we're getting that monkey off our back.

>> Jammarcus, he's got the three. HE GOT IT. OH MY. THE SHOE'S going to fit for the Huskers today. THREE BALL. GOOD. HOLY SMOKES. LISTEN TO THIS.

>> Once we got to 30 points, you really kind of started to feel into that moment that you were doing the thing you had dreamed of and talked about so many times and do something for the fans that they've been waiting for for their entire lifetimes. JACOBSON THREE BALL. GOT IT. HE GOT THE BEAT DOWN.

>> WE WE got to celebrate the win with 5 minutes on the clock pretty much. Like that was so unique and such a such an incredible experience.

>> 9.4 to go. 76 to 47. Is this place going to erupt? It's going to absolutely erupt. And there they dribble it out. There's the horn. THERE'S THE GAME. NEBRASKA'S first NCAA win. It's all over. All the years going home from conference tournaments, sitting in front of the television and the ache in the pit of your stomach wishing you could be there. It wasn't just for this this team. And it wasn't just for this this season and the fans this year, but it was for every player, every coach, every manager, every fan that suffered this unrequited reality for all these years. and it just erupted as a demonstration of that finally having been achieved.

>> All that's history now. You don't have to go home and watch and and dream watch and dream.

>> To get that win was was super special for for the seniors who had had built a lot for this program, but also just for the state in general.

>> I had a smile on my face for probably an hour and a half after we won that game. Just seeing the fans reactions. They were they didn't want to leave the gym because we had just done something that they had never seen before.

>> The joy and relief and just like the appreciation for what they were experiencing. And there were grown men like weeping and hugging each other like it was unlike anything I've ever experienced.

>> OKC was one of the most fun weekends I've experienced in in 22 years. A lot of emotion came out at that time. Just thinking about not only me but all the all the support staff, just the hours put in and just the payoff to see a group of guys that they set these goals and they hit them. The amount of people that hit me up and said after we beat Troy that they cried because of all that they'd been through and you know to get over the hump finally and get the monkey off your back to hear all those stories has been pretty cool.

>> What are you feeling at this moment? a lot of emotions, Andy. It's just uh it's been a special group since the beginning, since we put them together. I've just loved coaching them. They've been all about the right things. They've been unselfish, and we're not satisfied. I can promise you that.

>> He joins this program. He has struggles, but now to actually have that legacy of being the coach that got it done for the program, like just so incredibly happy for Fred. All right, you guys understand now? You just made it at Nebraska. All right, great job. Last thing I'm going to ask, are we satisfied?

>> All right, I'm proud of you, P. I'm reallying proud of you guys. Let's keep this thing going.

>> You know, obviously this program was trying to get that first win, but I wasn't just trying to go there for one win. We we already wrote Nebraska basketball history, but then you're in the round of 32 with a chance to go to the Sweet 16. South region has three games and it begins with Vanderbilt, Nebraska and this is going to be, I think, as closely contested of a game as we have on Saturday's schedule.

>> We knew that they would cause us some problems and so we knew we'd have to be locked in if we wanted to not get embarrassed on that stage. When I watched that film of Andy, I was really worried because they were so talented.

>> It's going to be home court advantage for Nebraska. If you watched any of that game today, that place was filled with red.

>> Yeah, we fully expect to have another amazing crowd, but you can't rely on that to win a game. You have to still execute.

>> Nebraska, I think they're an unbelievable disciplined team, but Vandy to me, they just showed something a little different. And that duo at guards is Miles Tanner. Oh man, it's going to be hard for Nebraska to keep those guys in front of them.

>> You know, it's going to be a super tough game, but you also know that arena is for us.

>> Back at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where your Nebraska Corn Huskers are getting ever closer to tipping it off with Vanderbilt, the Commodores of the Southeastern Conference. the consequences of that game. I mean, you're talking about not just winning a second tournament game, going to the Sweet 16. Like, this is territory Nebraska basketball has never been in.

>> This one was emotional for all of us yesterday, finally getting that first win in the history of the program. But, I'll say this, our guys were locked in in the film session last night. So, it's been fun, but again, our guys have gotten over it and we're ready to move on to the next one.

>> It was similar to the Troy game. like it was another special environment.

>> Two programs having incredible seasons, but only one can advance to the Sweet 16.

>> Here we go. Yel bounce pass right side squaring shooting. GOOD THREE BALL MASS MASS. Nebraska's up 8 to Adus egg.

>> Got off to a great start. It was eight to nothing right out of the gate.

>> Pass left side. Mast off the pass. PUTS IT UP AND IN. BACK TO BACK CREASE BY MASS. I felt like we had kind of got our swagger back as a team. You know, we weren't playing against Big 10 team that knew us so well.

>> Tapping the top of his head. There's a back CUT AND ANOTHER LAYUP AND GOOD AND THEN ONE.

>> COMES RIGHT WITH one-handed pass. Picked off a dunk by the little itty bitty Tanner. That's exactly what you can't have happen against this team.

>> Tyler Tanner was absolutely frying us that game.

>> Little dribble weave action high left side draining the three. Tyler Tanner as Hoyberg takes it across the timeline. Out it comes to Mash. Shoots a long three. Got it. Bangaro Rico.

>> Playing with the lead is so important in a game like that. And the whole game it was just back and forth and back and forth.

>> Here's Hoyberg stripped of the ball by Tanner. And that's what he does. Jams it hard with a right hand. The back 10 on the shot clock. Here's Price with a drive and the step back and the three on THE WAY. MONEY BALL. AND THERE'S THE HALF. Oscars failed to score on that last possession, but they go to the locker room ahead by seven points trying to get to the Sweet 16 at halftime in Oklahoma City.

>> This is the best game I've ever broadcast in my life. This is just This is just surreal.

>> I feel like Rocky versus, you know, Paulo Creed for whoever is going to stand up first is going to win that game.

>> Sideline on the far side of the court. Gets it into Bber puts it on the floor all the way to the hoop. Layup good with a left hand. Sammy, my boy Smiles fumbled the ball. Out it comes to Nickel. Three ball. Yes. the way that the game unfolded and how high level and entertaining and dramatic of a basketball game. It doesn't get any better than that.

>> Gives it back to Sam. One-point lead. Nebraska 5049.

>> Nothing but net for Price Care. The big off on the sideline in the corner. Long three on the way. Nothing but net for MLTON. An extra fake, the drop step, the kick left side to Tanner and he nailed the three.

>> Nate came to me. What do you think about the 131? I was hesitant cuz they were on fire and I said, "You know what? Let's go with it. But we need to change the rhythm.

>> When teams get comfortable, you need to have some level of a change up. So the 131 is something that we've always kind of had in our back pocket.

>> Out it comes. Three ball on the way. Miles misses it. Rebound off of Cherokee. Nebraska's ball.

>> That really slowed down their offensive rhythm and their flow and it allowed us to just get enough stops to to keep us in it.

>> He drives him all the way to the hole. Puts it up. Missed it. PUT BACK UP AND IN by mask.

>> Thought back to the summer workouts and like this is why we do this. like you're not going to quit now.

>> We got a tie game at 72. 39.4 seconds left to go in the paint. Shot on the way. No good. Rebound. Nebraska. Huskers have 9 seconds left to go.

>> I'm coming down. I'm like, I'm I got to get one up. I come off the ball screen from rink and I got like three guys right there. And Frager's screaming at me, blah, blah, blah. The whole Vanderbelt team was just after prize looking for him cuz he was going to take the last shot. And I just knew I had a wide open lane in front of me.

>> The reason we didn't call the timeout is we had a five on four advantage. I saw Braden break and then Price as he went up to shoot it, two or three guys ran at him and he made a great play. Great unselfish play to Braden and he took care of the rest of time like Price. PRICE TO TRAGER. YES. YES. IT'S GONE. 2.2 NEBRASKA 74 72.

>> The arena explodes. Like that's the loudest I've ever heard in arena. I've moved like six people. The whole bench, you can just see the whole bench just shift. It was unbelievable. The play that just encapsulates the entire season. Just making the right play. Frager hits the shot. We go up, but I'm okay. What's next?

>> Gets it in. Two seconds. Half court shot on the way.

>> It goes up and it kind of heart just drops.

>> You could tell it was online. I'm just sitting there like, "Oh my god, that's online. That's online. That's online."

>> The silence for about 3 seconds when that ball was in the air and it looked perfect.

>> You could hear it in my voice. There's this hitch in my voice. It's a

>> I've never seen something like a half court shot look that perfect. I want to look back and I'm like, "Please look offline." And I look back and it's dead on line with the rib.

>> Oh my god. Snow burn. Oh my lord. IN AND OUT AT THE BUZZER. NEBRASKA TO THE SWEET 16. It is a miracle finish for Nebraska. And it was destined to happen. It was destined to happen. I think everybody froze for at least a second of like, wow, did that just happen? And then it's just insane happiness. And you sprint out on the court and you just try and hug anybody that you can find. I can't even describe my emotions after that one. I couldn't believe that shot didn't go in. I couldn't believe, you know, we're going to the Sweet 16. I just all the emotions kind of poured out from from the whole season.

>> Look at this crowd. Everyone is still here. They're going to be here for a while. Unbelievable. The support we have and doing it for them is what makes this so special.

>> Those guys walking around the arena. There'll never be another minute like this, another moment like that ever. I'd never been so happy to get a Gatorade shower after the game, but no, it was Listen, it was special. And again, to share that with our fans was uh was the ultimate on three. 1 2 3. It's the matchup everyone has wanted forever in the NCAA tournament and they're finally getting it. Iowa Nebraska. You cannot let this magical ride end at the hands of that other team. For Iowa, you can't lose to Nebraska. For Nebraska, you can't lose to the Hawkeyes.

>> Coming off an emotional weekend in Oklahoma City, we were just super excited to get to Houston and to go compete in the Sweet 16. We knew it was going to be a battle.

>> You're playing against a team that you were very familiar with. You don't like them, your rival.

>> The Huskers here at the Toyota Center against Iowa. Stairke one dribble right side. LAWRENCE STEPS INTO A THREE. GOT IT. OUT IT COMES SANFORD. ANOTHER one on the way. Bang. Huskers open up a 12-2 lead.

>> Start the game off hot. Take take control right away. Unfortunately, we couldn't get that up, but like they they've battled back. They did a great job. Three ball good off that offensive board by Isaiah Howard. Iowa possession whipped pass left corner. Cotch's three. Got it. Two-point game. At

>> the end of the day, basketball is a very simple game like got to make more shots than the opponent.

>> Cotch sturs three on the way. Got it. First lead of the game. 6865 Iowa. Jacobson the ball down the floor. Phil Garris has got it. And Phil Garris has a shot and makes it wants it. Fires it. Misses off the back of the rim. It's not going to happen here in the Sweet 16 for the Corn Ocars. And the Iowa Hawkeyes are going to advance and the season's going to come to an end, but it's been the season of seasons. But remember all 28 wins and remember the Sweet 16 achievement by this team.

>> In the moment, it it hurt and it hurt a lot of people. You kind of just get to to sit in the fact that, you know, it's the last time the team will play together. It didn't go our way there at the end of the game, but shouldn't take away from from the whole season that we had.

>> It stings. It hurts like hell. It should hurt like hell, but this is the most fun I've ever had in coaching. You guys understand what you accomplished for our program. You raised the standard. You raised the standard. You guys accomplished things that have never been done in this program. Okay? So, when we walk out of this locker room, you walk out of here with your head held high. It was really hard with the way that game ended, but also at the same time, those are the ones that give you motivation moving forward. And I know the guys that are back uh will always remember that as well. And it's going to add fuel to the fire going into next year. We're going to win these games in the future, okay? For those of you coming back, we are going to win these games. We are going to compete for championships, okay? But I promise you guys, you walk out of here with your head held high. This one's going to sting, but when we get back home, just realize what you did. Take a minute to sit back and take a deep breath and realize and understand what you did.

>> This team did things that have never been done before and they'll always be remembered as the first team to get that tournament win and set a lot of records that are going to be hard to beat.

>> It has been a season of seasons. There has never been anything like it.

>> The Nebraska brand for men's basketball now we are here.

>> Forever. Nebraska basketball has been trying to sell what it could be. Now, for the first time ever, they can sell what they are. You're not selling hypotheticals. You're selling tangible results.

>> MOVE OVER TOP 10. MAKE ROOM FOR NEBRASKA BASKETBALL.

>> This last year really set kind of an expectation for what we want this program to be. And you know, the NCA tournament is the expectation and to go on a run like that's the goal every single year. Now,

>> I don't have words for the phenomenon. This has just been like a dream this year. Nebraska 20 and 0. I think the sky's is the limit with this program. There's no goal that isn't out of reach.

>> I miss it right now. Like I missed it 2 days after. I missed it, you know, an hour after. It definitely hurts, but we're going to use that as motivation and GET BACK THERE.

>> NEBRASKA TO THE 316 and it was destined TO HAPPEN. IT WAS DESTINED TO HAPPEN.

>> We're going down as the best team in Nebraska basketball history. The team that finally got that first NCAA tournament win. We did what we had put out as a goal since this first season I got there. Just knowing I only had one chance left and being able to do it in this season. It was just so poetic. It just felt like a story book ending. You know, now that we've tasted it, uh we want to be back there and we want to surpass it and that's the next step. Heat. Heat.