The Nebraska basketball team has at last secured an NCAA tournament victory.
On Thursday, the fourth-seeded Cornhuskers decisively ended a four-decade-long drought that had plagued their basketball history, achieving a 76-47 triumph against the 13th-seeded Troy in the initial South region matchup. This victory marks Nebraska’s inaugural success across its nine total March Madness entries, commencing from its first invitation in 1986.
The team from Lincoln ensured there would be no question this ninth tournament bid would conclude with yet another opening-round defeat. Nebraska concluded the initial half with a dominant 17-6 scoring streak during the final seven minutes prior to the intermission, establishing a 16-point advantage.
Pryce Sandfort played a crucial role in this success. During the first half, he contributed 17 points, making 5 of his 8 attempts from long range.
Pryce Sandfort achieved this feat with his sibling Payton present, shortly after Payton recorded his initial career points in the NBA. Payton Sandfort, a newcomer under a two-way agreement with the Oklahoma City Thunder, debuted for five minutes in OKC’s decisive victory against Brooklyn on Wednesday evening. He then took an early flight back to Oklahoma City on Thursday to witness Nebraska achieve a significant milestone for the institution.
Pryce Sandfort concluded the match with 23 points, enjoying the final moments from the sideline as a result of the wide margin.
Troy managed a mere 28% shooting accuracy from the floor, as the Trojans’ offense sputtered significantly towards the conclusion of the first half. While Troy initially competed closely with Nebraska, the Cornhuskers gradually extended their lead as Troy connected on only 4 of 17 field goal attempts following their initial three successful shots.
For the first time in their institutional background, the Cornhuskers are slated to participate in a second-round contest, facing either the fifth-seed Vanderbilt or the 12th-seed McNeese.
Earlier NCAA Tournament Outcomes for Nebraska
Prior to Thursday, the history of Nebraska in the NCAA tournament was largely unsuccessful. Below is an overview of the university’s initial eight participations in the NCAA tournament.
1986
The Cornhuskers entered their inaugural tournament four decades past, seeded ninth, during coach Moe Iba’s final season managing the squad. Nebraska concluded the regular season with a 19-10 record, ultimately falling 67-59 to the eighth-seeded Western Kentucky.
1991
At that juncture, the 1991 campaign represented the pinnacle of contemporary Nebraska basketball achievements. Under coach Danny Nee, the Cornhuskers compiled a 26-8 standing, trailing Oklahoma State and Kansas by a single contest for the Big 8 championship. This performance secured Nebraska a third seed in the NCAA tournament, however, the team suffered an unexpected 89-84 defeat to Xavier, with the Musketeers recording 54% shooting from the floor and 43% from three-point range.
1992
The subsequent season saw Nebraska experience a decline in performance, yet they still secured an eighth seed in the tournament with relative ease. Nevertheless, this particular contest was not tightly contested. The ninth-seeded UConn Huskies established a 15-point lead over the Cornhuskers by halftime, leading to a final score of 86-65.
1993
Following a regular season record of 20-10, Nebraska earned a spot in the tournament as a tenth seed. Yet, they were matched against a ranked New Mexico State squad in the opening round and experienced a significant defeat during the second half, resulting in a 93-79 loss.
1994
The Cornhuskers participated in their fourth consecutive tournament appearance in 1994, coinciding with star player Eric Piatkowski’s senior year. This Nebraska icon recorded an average of 21.5 points per game during his concluding season, while Nebraska secured the fourth position in the Big 8 conference. However, Piatkowski completed his entire career without an NCAA tournament victory, as the sixth-seeded Nebraska team was unexpectedly defeated by the 11th-seeded Penn, after the Quakers had established a 12-point advantage at halftime.
1998
The 1998 campaign marked the final occasion a Nebraska squad under coach Nee qualified for the NCAA tournament. Nebraska claimed the fourth spot in conference competition – at this point, the Big 8 had transitioned into the Big 12 – and was spearheaded by Tyronn Lue, now the head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers. The outcome is predictable. Nonetheless, Nebraska did not face an upset; instead, the 11th-seeded Cornhuskers were defeated 74-65 by the sixth-seeded Arkansas.
2014
In his second year, coach Tim Miles guided the Cornhuskers back to the NCAA tournament following a hiatus of 16 years. The Huskers secured their spot by winning eight of their final nine regular-season contests, entering as an 11th seed. Nevertheless, Nebraska suffered a 74-60 loss to the sixth-seeded Baylor.
2024
Two seasons prior, under Fred Hoiberg, the Cornhuskers concluded with a victorious record for the initial time, placing third in the Big Ten conference. Subsequent to their defeat by Illinois in the Big Ten tournament semifinals, Nebraska entered the NCAA tournament as an eighth seed and was pitted against former Big 12 adversary Texas A&M in the opening round. The Aggies quickly established a 58-44 lead by the half, paving the way for a 98-83 victory.
