Five Observations on the Big Ten Schedules for Nebraska Men's, Women's Basketball

The Big Ten Conference unveiled the league schedules for all 36 teams on Thursday. Here are five thoughts on the draws for both Nebraska men's and women's basketball teams.

1. Double-play opponents

Nebraska and Iowa have battled five times over the past two seasons. — Nebraska and Iowa have battled five times over the past two seasons, with three of the games finishing within one possession or going to overtime. | Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In the Big Ten, women's teams have just a single double-play opponent. For Nebraska, this remains Iowa, and for good reason.

Over the past two seasons, Nebraska and Iowa have met on the court five times. Two of those matchups went to overtime, including the 2024 Big Ten Tournament Championship. Another contest was decided by just three points. This is a rivalry that matters, not only for the programs and their fans, but for the league.

On the men's side, three double-play opponents are utilized to reach the 20 league games. Nebraska's three double-play opponents are Iowa, Illinois, and Northwestern.

Last year, Nebraska went 2-2 against those teams, sweeping the Land of Lincoln schools but going 0-2 against Iowa.

2. West Coast trips

Nebraska huddles at halfcourt of Matthew Knight Arena during a game against Oregon on Feb. 2, 2025. | Nebraska Athletics

Every team east of the Rockies has to make a West Coast trip at some point during the season. For both Nebraska teams, those trips don't come until late in the year.

The Husker men went 2-0 on a trip to the Pacific Northwest last year, getting to face Oregon and Washington in early February. This year, the trip west will be to Los Angeles will be a few weeks later. Nebraska is at USC on Feb. 28 and at UCLA on Mar. 3, marking the third and second to last games of the regular season.

In the 2024-25, the Husker women had the unenviable task of traveling to face two of the top teams in the nation in USC and UCLA. The Big Red went 0-2 during that trip that took place over the holidays. This year, just like with the men, the trip west is during the third and second to last games of the regular season: Feb. 19 at Oregon and Feb. 2 at Washington.

Both Nebraska teams finish the regular season at home.

3. Starting at home vs. on the road

Nebraska Cornhuskers fans at Pinnacle Bank Arena. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Fred Hoiberg is entering his seventh season at the helm in Lincoln, and this year he'll do something he has yet to do with the Cornhuskers. Yes, hopefully that's an NCAA Tournament win, but before that, he'll have a home game to open Big Ten play—Dec. 10 vs. Wisconsin. In his first six seasons, every Big Ten schedule opened on the road.

Amy Williams and her squad begin with a road game at Penn State on Dec. 6. Over her first nine seasons in Lincoln, the opening game of the conference schedule has been at home six times and on the road three times.

4. Conference tournament expansion...or not

The Husker women have made at least the quarterfinals each of the past two years, while the men failed to make the field in 2045-25. | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

With the expansion of the Big Ten last year to 18 teams, that meant expansion of the conference tournament as well. Both the men's and women's events elected to go with 15-team formats, meaning the bottom three teams in the standings would be eliminated.

The Husker men were one of those teams.

This upcoming year will feature the same format for the women, but the men's side is expanding again, now to include all 18 teams. The decision came from the coaches, both for the men's expansion and the women's election to stay.

On the Big Ten Schedule Release Show Thursday, BTN analyst Autumn Johnson said the current format of 15 teams on the women's side "already highlights that depth and quality."

"Expanding to all 18 teams would put those top and middle seeds at unnecessary risk, while actually hurting tournament resumes," Johnson said. "The numbers tell the story. You had 12 teams who made the 2025 NCAA bracket last year. Just five conference wins separated that 13 and 15 seed, so keeping the field at 15 protects competitive balance moving forward."

5. Saturdays

Sam Hoiberg celebrates his steal to secure the win. — Sam Hoiberg is entering his senior season as a Husker. | Amarillo Mullen

What's your favorite day to take in a Nebraska men's basketball game? Is it on the weekend? Is it Saturday? You're in luck...if you like to travel to road games for those.

Nebrasketball will play eight Big Ten games on Saturdays this season. Only two of those—Feb. 14 and 21 against Northwestern and Penn State—will be in Pinnacle Bank Arena. The other six are on the road.

As for the Husker women, they'll have four Saturday league games this year. The Dec. 6 contest is at Penn State, but the other three are at home in Lincoln.

Have a question or comment for Kaleb? Send an email to kalebhenry.huskermax@gmail.com.

Nebraska Men's Basketball's 2025-26 Schedule

Oct. 18 vs. BYU (Exhibition)
Oct. 27 vs. Midland (Exhibition)
Nov. 3 vs. West Georgia
Nov. 8 vs. Florida International
Nov. 11 vs. Maryland-Eastern Shore
Nov. 15 vs. Oklahoma (Sioux Falls)
Nov. 20 at Hall of Fame Classic vs. New Mexico
Nov. 21 at Hall of Fame Classic vs. Kansas State/Mississippi State
Nov. 25 vs. Winthrop
Nov. 29 vs. South Carolina Upstate
Dec. 7 vs. Creighton
Dec. 10 vs. Wisconsin
Dec. 13 at Illinois
Dec. 21 vs. North Dakota
Dec. 30 vs. New Hampshire
Jan. 2 vs. Michigan State
Jan. 5 at Ohio State
Jan. 10 at Indiana
Jan. 13 vs. Oregon
Jan. 17 at Northwestern
Jan. 21 vs. Washington
Jan. 24 at Minnesota
Jan. 27 at Michigan
Feb. 1 vs. Illinois
Feb. 7 at Rutgers
Feb. 10 vs. Purdue
Feb. 14 vs. Northwestern
Feb. 17 at Iowa
Feb. 21 vs. Penn State
Feb. 25 vs. Maryland
Feb. 28 at USC
Mar. 3 at UCLA
Mar. 8 vs. Iowa

Nebraska Women's Basketball 2025-26 Schedule

Oct. 24 vs. Mount Marty (Exhibition)
Nov. 3 vs. Northwestern State
Nov. 8 vs. Samford
Nov. 12 vs. Creighton
Nov. 16 vs. North Dakota State (Sanford Pentagon)
Nov. 19 vs. Oral Roberts
Nov. 24 vs. Purdue Fort Wayne (Emerald Coast Classic)
Nov. 25 vs. Northwestern State/Virginia (Emerald Coast Classic)
Dec. 3 vs. Bradley
Dec. 6 at Penn State
Dec. 10 vs. Omaha
Dec. 21 vs. Cal Baptist
Dec. 29 vs. USC
Jan. 1 at Iowa
Jan. 4 vs. Purdue
Jan. 8 vs. Indiana
Jan. 11 vs. UCLA
Jan. 15 at Michigan State
Jan. 21 at Wisconsin
Jan. 24 vs. Illinois
Jan. 28 vs. Northwestern
Feb. 1 at Ohio State
Feb. 4 at Michigan
Feb. 7 vs. Maryland
Feb. 12 at Minnesota
Feb. 16 vs. Iowa
Feb. 19 at Oregon
Feb. 22 at Washington
Feb. 28 vs. Rutgers

Home games are bolded.

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