In Defining Moment, a Pryce Sandfort Pass Pushes Huskers Past Vanderbilt

With the season on the line, Nebraska’s biggest star made the biggest play by trusting a teammate instead of taking the shot himself. That decision led to Braden Frager’s game-winner and sent the Huskers to their first Sweet 16 in program history.

In the most pivotal moment of the game, it was a Pryce Sandfort assist that kept Nebraska's dream season alive. | William Purnell-Imagn Images

With the game on the line and Nebraska’s season hanging in the balance, the ball fell into the hands of the player you would most want to have it.

Pryce Sandfort has been one of the most prolific shooters in the country this season, carrying Nebraska’s offense all season long. He’s piled up 609 points, 369 of them coming via three-pointers, which is good for the second-most in Big Ten history by the way.

So, if Nebraska’s needed a shot, he’s usually the one to take it. In the biggest moment of the biggest game in program history, everything pointed to him doing it again.

Pryce Sandfort scored a team-high 15 points in Nebraska's win over #16 Vanderbilt Saturday night, but it's his decision to not go for more that won the game. | William Purnell-Imagn Images

Instead, he saw something else.

“I came off that ball screen and saw Braden standing there wide open,” Sandfort said of the pivotal moment. “He was screaming at me for the ball, so I knew he was about to go make a play.”

With nine seconds left, the season on the line and a defense collapsing exactly how it should, Sandfort made the one decision that defined the night, the game, and perhaps this entire season.

He passed it, and what happened next will live in Nebraska basketball history forever. Redshirt Freshman Braden Frager — coming off the bench, playing in just his first NCAA Tournament — caught the ball with a clear lane and he didn’t hesitate.

The final seconds of Nebraska's win over Vanderbilt aren't for the faint of heart, but the Huskers celebrated the historic victory. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“I saw all five guys ran at Pryce because I think everybody expected him to shoot that,” Frager said. “I was just calling for the ball, and it was all him. He made the unselfish play, and I just had a wide open lane to the rim, and I just went and made a play.”

After a heart-stopping half-court heave that rattled in and out for Vanderbilt, Nebraska escaped with a dramatic 74-72 win over No. 16 Vanderbilt, sending the Huskers to their first Sweet 16 in program history.

It capped a night where Frager scored 15 points — his 19th double-figure game of the season — continuing a steady rise that had been building long before the spotlight found him Saturday night in Oklahoma City. But the final Husker play told a deeper story about what this Nebraska team has become.

Braden Frager's game-winning lay-up to beat Vanderbilt will likely be immortalized for decades to come | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The game-winning play wasn’t just a moment (albeit an immortalized one), it was a reflection of who Nebraska’s been all season long. The Husker offense has been built on space, movement and trust.

The numbers back it up. The Huskers have hit a school-record 360 three-pointers this year, becoming the first team in program history to surpass 1,000 attempts from deep. They’ve also piled up 611 assists — one of the top three marks in school history — and repeatedly emphasized sharing the ball over forcing shots.

On Saturday, those principles showed up when it mattered most as Nebraska finished with 16 assists, including 10 in the first half. Senior guard Sam Hoiberg dished out a game-high six assists, pushing his season total to 149 and into the top 10 for a single season in program history. Even in a high-pressure environment against one of the nation’s most disruptive defenses, Nebraska stayed true to who they are.

“They make you play a different way,” Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg said of Vanderbilt. “But we were very efficient. I think we shot 55% or 56% when we were able to get a shot on the board.”

Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg couldn't say enough good things about Vanderbilt after NU escaped with a 74-72 win. | William Purnell-Imagn Images

Nebraska’s efficiency is ultimately what won them the game, but it certainly wasn’t easy getting there. Vanderbilt’s defensive pressure, as expected, made life difficult throughout the night. The Commodores forced Nebraska into 12 turnovers on the night and repeatedly disrupted rhythm, especially during a second-half surge that threatened to flip the game.

“They pressure — very difficult on a one-day prep to get the game plan put in,” Hoiberg said. “But our guys got off to a great start. I thought that was very important.”

Even with the hot start, Nebraska had to withstand multiple runs. At one point, Vanderbilt grabbed momentum and briefly took control, forcing the Huskers to regroup in a hurry.

Normally reserved, Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg admitted his temper flared on multiple occasions against Vanderbilt. | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

“I thought we were getting a little frustrated out there,” Hoiberg said. “We talked in the huddle. I said ‘Guys, look up there, we still have a lead. We’re not doing great right now. Hang in there, we’ll get it going again.’”

They did thanks to a reliable friend that’s treated them well this season – composure. On the other side, Vanderbilt coach Mark Byington saw the same thing. He saw a team that never panicked, never broke and ultimately made the right play at the right time.

“They’re hard to score against,” Byington said of Nebraska’ s stifling defense.  “That’s a unique, really good defense, and that’s one of the best environments or toughest environments I’ve ever coached in.”

Vandy coach Mark Byington said Nebraska's defense is one of the most unique groups he's ever coached against. | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

That kind of environment is what make’s Sandfort’s unselfish play at the end all the more impressive. In all reality, who wouldn’t want to take a shot in front of thousands of Husker fans to send the school to its first-ever Sweet 16. The historians had their pens in the ready position, and Sandfort’s season numbers easily suggested he had every reason to take that shot.

He currently ranks 6th in Nebraska single-season scoring history, passing names like Dave Hoppen, Andre Smith and Tyronn Lue. On Saturday night, he had already scored 15 points in the game, but that’s what made the decision more meaningful. It wasn’t about who should take the shot, it was about what the game gave him.

“They all ran at Pryce probably rightfully so with what he does offensively,” Hoiberg said. “He just made a great play.”

Pryce Sandfort gave Vanderbilt every reason to think he'd be the one taking the shot with the game on the line in the final seconds. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Frager’s readiness for the moment also didn’t start with that possession. It started months ago, with consistent contributions off the bench and a growing role in Nebraska’s rotation. His 15 points against Vanderbilt, which tied Sandfort for the team high, proved to be just the latest example.

Frager’s now scored in double figures 19 times this season, including 17 games coming off the bench like he did Saturday night. He’s also quietly built one of the best freshman shooting seasons in program history, with 52 made three-pointers — tying for second all-time among Nebraska freshmen.

So when the moment came, it didn’t overwhelm him.

“I was just calling for the ball,” Frager said. “I knew I had a wide open lane, and I just went and made a play.”

Senior guard Jamarques Lawrence and redshirt freshman forward Braden Frager celebrate Frager's game-winning layup against Vanderbilt. | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The unselfish play highlights the same identity that has helped Nebraska pile up 28 wins this season, breaking the previous school record of 26 set in 1990-91. Over the last two years, Nebraska’s won an unthinkable 49 games, which is the most in any two-year stretch in program history.

This same identity has carried Nebraska through six consecutive postseason wins dating back to last year’s Crown Championship, building a level of sustained success the program has never seen before.

“We’ve been doing this all year — just sticking together,” Frager said. “I think that’s what makes us so special.”

After Frager’s basket, Vanderbilt still had a chance with a little more than two seconds left on the clock and coming out of a timeout. It was one last shot that could have erased everything Nebraska’s built this season in one sweeping moment.

Nebraska's Cale Jacobsen embodied his team's reaction to watching a half-court heave at the buzzer nearly go in. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The half-court heave certainly elicited plenty of reactions from the Huskers Saturday night.

“I had a perfect shot on it from the bench, and I was just froze for two seconds,” Frager said. “I thought it went in. I didn’t know how to react, and just everybody started celebrating. I just about died.”

“My heart sank as that ball went in the hoop, and then it went out, and I think it took me half a second to register that it didn’t’ go in, and then I just screamed in elation,” Sam Hoiberg said. “I thought it was in.

“I just went completely blank like Braden said on the bench,” Mast said. “We had a perfect view, it was right on line, and it luckily rolled out.”

After a tense, but brief moment on the final shot of the game, Husker coach Fred Hoiberg could finally celebrate his team's berth to the Sweet 16. | William Purnell-Imagn Images

For a brief second, everything stood still. When the ball somehow rattled out, Nebraska’s sideline erupted — not just in celebration, but in an exhaustive release.

“It took my breath away,” Fred Hoiberg said of the shot. “When that thing was up in the air, I was like ‘oh man, that’s going in.’ Thankfully it bounced out.”

And with that, Nebraska will face the winner of Iowa and Florida following their Sunday showdown. In March, as we all know, it’s moments that define teams. For Nebraska on a Saturday night in Oklahoma City, it was a star player’s willingness to trust his teammate in the most pivotal point of the season.

The hero of the game ended up being a redshirt freshman who was ready when his moment came, and somewhere in between, in that split-second where Sandfort saw the floor, saw the defense and made the pass, Nebraska showed exactly who it is.

For the first time in program history, Nebraska is heading to the Sweet 16. | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

A team that, for the first time in program history, is headed to the Sweet 16.

---

Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.