No. 12 Huskers Travel West to Face USC on Saturday
The No. 12/10 (AP/Coaches) Nebraska men's basketball team embarks on its final trip of the regular season this weekend, as the Huskers travel to USC this Saturday afternoon. Tipoff from the Galen Center is set for 3 p.m. (Central) and the game will be televised on BTN, broadcast on the Huskers Radio Network, as well as on Huskers.com and on the official Huskers app. The game will also be available on the Fox Sports and Fox One apps.
The Huskers (23-4, 12-4 B1G) come off a 74-61 win over Maryland on Wednesday night. Nebraska used an 18-3 second-half run to seize control of the contest in the final 10 minutes to pick up its 13th Big Ten win. Braden Frager's 21 points led four Huskers in double figures, as he posted his sixth 20-point game off the bench. The redshirt freshman also tied his career high with eight rebounds. Pryce Sandfort had 16 points, eight rebounds and four assists, while Rienk Mast (13) and Sam Hoiberg (12) joined Frager and Sandfort in double figures.
With three games left in the regular season, Sandfort is making a push to become the Big Ten's single-season 3-point leader in conference play. He enters Saturday's game needing 10 to match Shawn Respert's single-season mark of 80 set in 1994-95.
The Huskers will be looking for a school-record 14th conference win, as the 2025-26 Huskers matched the school record with 13 conference wins set in 2017-18. NU is also 6-2 in Big Ten road games heading into the final two-game West Coast swing.
USC (18-10, 7-10 B1G) comes off an 81-62 loss at crosstown rival UCLA on Tuesday. Chad Baker-Mazara had a team-high 25 points, including 5-of-9 from 3-point range, and eight rebounds while Alijah Arenas added 10 points in the loss. USC was held to 35 percent shooting and committed 14 turnovers.
Numbers to Know
.379 - Nebraska has held its last five opponents to a combined 37.9 percent shooting. On the season, NU ranks 17th nationally in field goal percentage defense at 39.6 percent shooting.
2- Nebraska Head Coach Fred Hoiberg and USC Coach Eric Musselman are two of only six active coaches in Division I who have coached in the NBA.
.692 - Nebraska is 9-4 in its last 13 Big Ten road games dating back to last season. The Huskers are also 13-2 away from Pinnacle Bank Arena since March 31, 2025.
54.1 - Nebraska's top four scorers (Rienk Mast, Pryce Sandfort, Braden Frager and Jamarques Lawrence) are combining for 54.1 points per game. None of them were in the Husker lineup last season.
80+ - Nebraska is 51-10 (.836) under Fred Hoiberg when scoring 80 or more points, including a 42-7 mark over the last three-plus seasons. Of those seven losses since the start of the 2022-23 season, four came in overtime.
1,063 - Rienk Mast now has 1,063 career rebounds and is one of only three active players with at least 1,000 career rebounds, joining Notre Dame's Carson Towt and Gonzaga's Graham Ike.
12 - Pryce Sandfort has 12 20-point games on the season, which ties for the fourth-most by a Husker in the Big Ten era. The only Huskers with more 20-point games in a season in the Big Ten era are Brice Williams (20, 2024-25), James Palmer (18, 2018-19) and Terran Petteway (13, 2014-15).
2 - According to Stathead, Sam Hoiberg is one of two players - and the only power conference player - nationally at 6-0 or under averaging at least five rebounds per game this season. Over the past six seasons, only two power conference players 6-0 or under have grabbed 5+ rebounds per game.
Huskers Move to 12th in AP Poll
Nebraska fell out of the top 10 in the AP Poll for the first time since January, as the Huskers checked in at No. 12 on Monday. NU is also ranked 10th in the coaches poll this week.
• The No. 12 AP ranking ended a school-record streak of seven weeks in the top 10 dating back to Jan. 5.
• The Huskers have been ranked for 11 straight weeks dating back to Dec. 8.
• On Jan. 26, Nebraska earned its highest ranking in school history, moving to No. 5 in both the AP and Coaches polls following a 20-0 start.
• The Huskers are 53-26 (.670) all-time when ranked in the AP poll following Wednesday's win over Maryland.
• Prior to this season, the 1965-66 season was the only other season where Nebraska was ranked in the top 10. NU spent four straight weeks in the poll (Feb. 7-28) in 1965-66, reaching as high as eighth on Feb. 21, 1966. That season, the Huskers went 20-5, including 12-2 in the Big Eight to finish second to Kansas, but did not advance to postseason play. That Kansas team that won the Big Eight lost to eventual NCAA Champion Texas Western, 81-80, in double overtime in the Midwest Regional Final.
• Prior to its 2025-26 poll debut on Dec. 8, the Huskers had not been ranked in the AP poll since Dec. 31, 2018.
Worth Noting
• This weekend's trip to USC marks the first time the Huskers have played in California since the 2016 Wooden Legacy.
• Nebraska went 2-0 on its West Coast swing last season, posting wins at both No. 16 Oregon and Washington.
• Nebraska's 24-4 record marks the first time that Nebraska has won 24 of its first 28 games in a season.
• Nebraska's 24 wins marks just the second time in program history that Nebraska has won 24 or more games in a season (also 1990-91). With a win on Saturday at USC, Nebraska will be one win away from matching a school record for wins in a season.
• The Huskers now have three straight 20-win seasons for the first time in school history. Nebraska's 24 regular-season wins ties the school record for regular-season wins set by the 1990-91 team, which entered the Big Eight Conference Tournament with 24 wins.
• Nebraska has 45 wins over the past two seasons, matching the highest consecutive win total in school history. NU also won a combined 45 games spanning the 1990-91 and 1991-92 seasons.
• Nebraska is 6-2 on the road in Big Ten play in 2025-26. The six road wins in conference play is already a program record, as NU still has two road games remaining (at USC, at UCLA). Prior to this season, the record was five conference road wins set four other times, the most recent in 1965-66. NU is 9-2 away from Pinnacle Bank Arena this season.
• Nebraska’s 13-4 Big Ten record ties the most conference wins in school history. The Huskers went 13-5 in 2017-18.
• Nebraska is 15-2 at home this season and is 54-13 (.806) at Pinnacle Bank Arena over the past four seasons. The regular season finale vs. Iowa on March 8 will be the ninth straight sellout in Big Ten play.
• Nebraska's 20-0 start marked just the third time in the last 30 years a Big Ten team has started 20-0 and the first since Ohio State opened the 2010-11 season with 24 straight wins.
• Nebraska is 2-3 vs. ranked teams in 2025-26 following the overtime loss to Purdue on Feb. 10. Since March 1, 2022, the Huskers are 11-14 in the last 25 games against ranked teams, including 5-4 against top-10 teams. Prior to that, NU had lost 24 straight against ranked teams dating back to the 2019 Big Ten Tournament.
• Nebraska is 12th in the NET rankings released on Feb. 27. The Huskers are one of five Big Ten teams in the top 15 of the NET (No. 2 Michigan, No. 4 Illinois, No. 7 Purdue, No. 11 Michigan State, No. 12 Nebraska).
• As of Feb. 27, Nebraska's is 12-4 in the first two quads (7-4 in Q1, 5-0 in Q2) with all four losses currently to teams in the top 30 of the NET.
• Nebraska saw its school-record 24-game win streak snapped on Jan. 27. It nearly doubled the previous mark of 14 set two other times (1912-13 and 1990-91) and was the longest win streak by a Big Ten team since Ohio State won 24 straight to open the 2010-11 season.
• Since the start of the 2023-24 season, NU is 68-29 (.701) while the 68 wins are tied for fourth among Big Ten teams in that span (Purdue-80; Illinois-73; Michigan State-73; Wisconsin-68; Nebraska-68) as of Feb. 26.
Noting the Husker Offense
• Nebraska is averaging 78.5 ppg, which is the Huskers' highest scoring average after 28 games since the 1995-96 season (81.1 ppg). The 1995-96 team marked the last time Nebraska averaged 80.0 ppg in a season and one of just six teams in school history to average 80.0+ ppg. Nebraska's highest season average under Hoiberg is 77.7 ppg in 2024-25.
• The Huskers are third in the Big Ten and 13th nationally with 10.9 3-pointers made per game as of Feb. 26. NU is on pace to break the single-season record of 9.54 set in 2001-02. Nebraska is one of three teams on pace to break the Big Ten's single-season mark for 3-pointers per game (10.4 by Penn State in 2022-23). NU led the Big Ten with 9.4 3-pointers per game in 2023-24, the fifth time a Hoiberg-coached team led the conference in 3-pointers per game.
• Nebraska's 304 3-pointers ranks second in school history, trailing only the school record of 319 set in 2023-24.
• Nebraska has made 10-or-more 3-pointers 19 times this season, including four games with at least 15 (17 vs. Oregon and FIU; 15 vs. Oklahoma and Illinois). The 17 3-pointers was one shy of the school mark of 18 set against Kansas in 2002.
• The seven 3-pointers by Braden Frager and Pryce Sandfort vs. Oregon on Jan. 13 marked the first time in school history that NU has had multiple players hit seven 3-pointers in a game. According to Stathead, it was the third Big Ten game since 2010-11 where multiple teammates hit seven or more 3-pointers in a game.
• The Huskers rank fifth nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.92-to-1) as of Feb. 26. It is on track to shatter the school mark of 1.81 set in 1984-85. The Big Ten has three of the top five teams nationally in that category (Purdue-1st; Northwestern-2nd; Nebraska-5th).
• Nebraska enters the USC game ranked fourth in the Big Ten and 14th nationally with 18.2 assists per game. It is an increase of 4.0 assists per game from last season. Nebraska's highest assist per game total under Hoiberg is 15.3 per game in 2023-24.
• The Huskers are sixth in the Big Ten and 17th nationally in turnovers per game at 9.5 per contest. The 9.5 turnovers per game is on pace to break the school mark of 9.96 per game set in 2018-19.
Noting the Husker Defense
• Nebraska has been stout defensively this season, ranking second in the Big Ten and 17th nationally in field goal percentage defense (.396).
• The Huskers are second in the Big Ten and 16th nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 65.4 ppg. The 65.4 ppg allowed is 7.2 points per game fewer than last season and on pace to be NU's lowest scoring defense since the 2014-15 season (63.1 ppg).
• The Huskers have held 17 opponents to under 1.00 points per possession and have a 16-1 mark in those games. Over the last four seasons, NU is 57-4 (.934) when holding foes to under 1.00 PPP and 59-6 when holding opponents to under 70 points.
• Nebraska is second in the Big Ten with 7.2 steals per game.
• The Huskers are second in the Big Ten and 14th nationally in turnover margin at +3.6 per game.
• Nebraska has improved its KenPom defensive efficiency in each of the past three seasons and are fifth nationally as of Feb. 26. Nebraska's best KenPom rank on defense was 15th nationally in 2008-09. That is the last time Nebraska ranked in the top 20 nationally in defensive efficiency.
This and That
• The Huskers have excelled in close games this season, going 4-2 in games decided by one possession, including a 3-2 mark in Big Ten play. Last year, NU was 0-6 in games decided by one possession.
• The Huskers posted their third double-digit comeback of the season against Indiana on Jan. 10, overcoming a 16-point second-half deficit (also 16 vs. Oklahoma and 12 vs. USC Upstate). It marked the 12th time under Hoiberg NU has overcome a double-digit deficit, including seven times in the last two seasons. Nebraska nearly erased a 22-point deficit in the overtime loss to No. 13 Purdue on Feb. 10.
• As of Feb. 26, there have been 25 triple-doubles in Division I basketball this season while NU is the only school with multiple players recording a triple double. Over the last seven seasons, only five schools - NU (2025-26), Iowa State (2023-24), Western Kentucky (2021-22), Portland (2021-22) and Utah (2019-20) - have had multiple players record triple-doubles in the same year.
• NU has 28 double-digit scoring runs this season, which is tied for 11th nationally according to EvanMiya.com as of Feb. 26.
• Nine Huskers have posted double-figure efforts this season, while four players have had at least one 20-point performance (Pryce Sandfort-12; Braden Frager-5; Rienk Mast-4; Jamarques Lawrence-2).
• Nebraska completed its non-conference slate with a perfect 11-0 record, marking the first time since the 1928-29 season where NU posted an unblemished non-conference mark (6-0). The Huskers are 31-2 in regular-season non-conference play since the start of the 2023-24 season (10-1 in 2023-24; 10-1 in 2024-25).
Maryland Recap
Braden Frager’s 21 points and eight rebounds led four Huskers in double figures, as No. 12 Nebraska used a second-half surge to earn a 74-61 win over Maryland Wednesday evening.
The Huskers (24-4, 13-4 Big Ten) trailed 48-45 with just over 10 minutes remaining before Frager and Rienk Mast combined for 11 points in a decisive 18-3 second-half run to put the Huskers in control over the feisty Terrapins. Mast, who had 13 points, got NU going with a basket before Frager scored five straight points to give NU a lead they would not relinquish at 52-48. Maryland got to within 52-51 after a David Coit 3-pointer, but two straight Mast baskets started an 11-0 run that gave the Huskers a 63-51 lead with 4:44 remaining.
The Huskers held Maryland (11-17, 4-13) to one field goal over a seven-minute stretch after the Terrapins went 8-of-14 from the field in the first eight-plus minutes, turning 33-27 deficit into a three-point lead. Frager came off the bench and led all scorers with 21 points for his sixth 20-point game off the bench and matched his career best with eight caroms. Pryce Sandfort added 16 points, eight rebounds and four assists, while Sam Hoiberg added 12 points and had seven rebounds for the winners.
Notes from the Maryland Game
• The 24 wins match the highest regular-season win total in school history and rank second overall, trailing the 26 games won by the 1990-91 team.
• The Huskers also improved to 13-4 in Big Ten Conference play, with the 13 victories tying for the most in a conference season in program history.
• Nebraska made 10 3-pointers in the season giving the Huskers 304 triples this season. This year’s squad is just the second team in school history to make 300 3-pointers in a season.
• Nebraska limited Maryland to 38 percent shooting marking the 15th time this season the Huskers have held their opponent under 40 percent from the field.
• The Huskers hit 18 free throws in their win. The 18 made free throws were the most for Nebraska in a Big Ten game this season, eclipsing the previous high of 14 at Ohio State.
• Braden Frager had a game-high 21 points off the bench. Frager posted his sixth 20-point game of the season, all of which have come off the bench. Frager also tied his career high with eight rebounds.
• The 13-point margin is NU’s largest in the 19-game series with Maryland, and NU won for just the second time in the last 10 meetings dating back to the 2019-20 season.