Mast's Triple-Double, Sandfort's Offensive Outburst Lead Nebrasketball Past FIU

LINCOLN—Two players who weren't on the floor for Nebraska last year showed up big for the Big Red on Saturday.

At the under-12 media timeout of the second half, Rienk Mast and Pryce Sandfort had a combined 38 points. That was also the total for Florida International to that point in the game.

The Panthers would score another 28 points as Nebraska (2-0) cruised to a 96-66 win.

Nebraska Cornhuskers forward Rienk Mast shoots a three-point basket against Florida International Panthers forward Hamed Olayinka (5) and forward Eric Dibami (9) during the first half at Pinnacle Bank Arena. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Mast's 18 points are the most by a Nebraska men's basketball player in a triple-double effort. He added 12 rebounds and 10 assists. The team, and everyone in the arena, knew the situation as he stayed on the floor to hunt that final assist midway through the second half.

"We talked about it at half," Mast said after the game. "I had five (assists) at half and they were like, 'Go get it.' I had three quick ones to start the half. Then you got to find the other two, which was a little bit of a challenge. But everybody was saying, 'Yeah, go get it.'"

The only other Husker men to notch triple-doubles are Cam Mack (11 points, 12 assists, 10 rebounds vs. Purdue in 2019) and Dalano Banton (13 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists vs. Doane in 2020).

Nebraska Cornhuskers forward Pryce Sandfort shoots a three-point basket against Florida International Panthers forward Hamed Olayinka (5) during the second half at Pinnacle Bank Arena. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

After scoring three points and going 0-for-5 on three-pointers in the season opener, Sandfort erupted for a game-high 20 points against FIU. The Iowa transfer made 6-of-9 from deep. He had 14 points in the first five minutes of the second half, including his own 8-0 run in just 28 seconds.

"It was fun to see Pryce get it going the way that he did with that little stretch that he had to open up the second half," Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg said in the postgame. "It was just a matter of time before he had one like this."

Three other Huskers scored in double figures: Braden Frager (15 points), Connor Essegian (13 points), and Berke Buyuktuncel (11 points).

As a team, Nebrarska shot 55.2% from the floor, including 17-of-34 on 3s. The school record for three-pointers made in a game is 18, set in 2002 against Kansas.

Nebraska Cornhuskers forward Braden Frager and forward Rienk Mast celebrate after a three-point basket by Mast against the Florida International Panthers during the first half at Pinnacle Bank Arena. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

"We got so many shooters," Mast said. "We shot it insanely from three today. That makes it fun to try and find shooters."

Of Nebraska's 37 made. baskets, 29 came on the back of assists. That's seven shy of the school record, which came in 1977 with 36 assists against Montana State.

FIU shot 39.4%, making 6-of-23 three-pointers. The Panthers put four players in double figures, led by 12 points each from Hamed Olayinka and Julian Mackey.

Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Fred Hoiberg watches play during the first half against the Florida International Panthers at Pinnacle Bank Arena. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Nebraska stays home Tuesday to host Maryland-Eastern Shore. Tip is set for 7 p.m. CST with the contest streaming on B1G+.

Box score

Nebraska Athletics Notes

Rienk Mast posted the third triple-double in school history with 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists in 25 minutes of work. Mast was 8-of-10 from the field, had 14 points and 10 rebounds in the first half.
Mast joins Cam Mack (2019) and Dalano Banton (2020) as the three Huskers in school history with triple-doubles. All three triple-doubles have come during Fred Hoiberg’s seven seasons at Nebraska.
Mast now has eight double-doubles as a Husker and 28 in his college career
Pryce Sandfort finished with 20 points for his second career 20-point game and first as a Husker.
Sandfort’s six 3-pointers tied his college career high (vs. Southern while at Iowa last season). Nebraska’s 17 3-pointers are one shy of Nebraska’s single-game record and the most by a Husker team since hitting a school record 18 3-pointers against Kansas on Feb. 24, 2002.
Nebraska finished 17-of-34 from 3-point range and has hit 27 3-pointers in its two games.
Braden Frager posted his second straight double-figure effort off the bench with 15 points.
Nebraska’s 29 assists were the most since at least the 2001-02 season. The high for a Husker team since the 2001-02 season was 28 against North Carolina A&T on Dec. 19, 2005.
Nebraska put five players in double figures for the first time since Jan. 16, 2025.

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

Nebraska Men's Basketball 2025-26 Schedule

Oct. 18 Nebraska 90, BYU 89
Oct. 27 Nebraska 91, Midland 50
Nov. 3 Nebraska 86, West Georgia 53
Nov. 8 Nebraska 96, Florida International 66
Nov. 11 Maryland-Eastern Shore 7 p.m. B1G+
Nov. 15 Oklahoma (Sanford Pentagon) 6 p.m. BTN or B1G+
Nov. 20 New Mexico (Hall of Fame Classic) 6 p.m. Peacock
Nov. 21 Kansas State/Mississippi State (Hall of Fame Classic) 6/8:30 p.m. Peacock
Nov. 25 Winthrop 7:30 p.m. BTN
Nov. 29 South Carolina Upstate 1 p.m. B1G+
Dec. 7 Creighton 4 p.m. FS1
Dec. 10 Wisconsin 8 p.m. BTN
Dec. 13 Illinois 3 p.m. Peacock
Dec. 21 North Dakota 7 p.m. BTN
Dec. 30 New Hampshire 8 p.m. BTN
Jan. 2 Michigan State 8 p.m. Peacock
Jan. 5 Ohio State 5:30 p.m. FS1
Jan. 10 Indiana 11 a.m. BTN
Jan. 13 Oregon 8 p.m. BTN
Jan. 17 Northwestern 3 p.m. BTN
Jan. 21 Washington 8 p.m. BTN
Jan. 24 Minnesota 11 a.m. FS1
Jan. 27 Michigan 6 p.m. Peacock
Feb. 1 Illinois 3 p.m. FS1
Feb. 7 Rutgers 11 a.m. BTN
Feb. 10 Purdue 6 p.m. FS1
Feb. 14 Northwestern Noon BTN
Feb. 17 Iowa 8 p.m. BTN
Feb. 21 Penn State 1 p.m. BTN
Feb. 25 Maryland 6 p.m. BTN
Feb. 28 USC 3 p.m. BTN
March 3 UCLA 10 p.m. FS1
March 8 Iowa 4 p.m. FOX
March 10-15 Big Ten Tournament in Chicago

Home games are bolded. All times central.

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