Nebraska Basketball Left Out of 2026 NCAA Tournament in Latest Projections

Early 2026 projections have Nebraska basketball on the outside looking in for the NCAA Tournament.

Mar 1, 2025; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Fred Hoiberg watches action against the Minnesota Golden Gophers during the first half at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

The college basketball offseason is not even halfway over yet, so there is not much for fans to latch on to in the summer months. One thing that can wet fans' appetites is projections about the next NCAA Tournament.

March Madness is a sore subject for Nebraska fans, but under Fred Hoiberg the Huskers have at least made some strides towards becoming a steady program. However, after missing the NCAA Tournament last season, Nebraska is already on the outside looking in for 2026.

The Huskers find themselves absent from ESPN’s projected 2026 NCAA Tournament field, instead landing in the “Next Four Out” category of Joe Lunardi’s latest Bracketology update.

Last season the Huskers had a wild ride. They finished 21–14 overall, went just 7–13 in Big Ten play, and didn’t qualify for the Big Ten Tournament. Yet they rebounded by winning the inaugural College Basketball Crown in Las Vegas.

Still, that's not the same as the NCAA Tournament. Nebraska fans and players alike want to take the next step.

Mar 9, 2025; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers guard Brice Williams (3), guard Sam Hoiberg (1), center Braxton Meah (red polo) and guard Gavin Griffiths (12) walk off the court after falling to the Iowa Hawkeyes at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Historically speaking, Nebraska has appeared in eight NCAA Tournaments—all ending in first‐round exits. They remain the only power‑conference school yet to win a game in the Big Dance. Their most recent NCAA appearance in 2024 saw them as an 8‑seed, only to fall to Texas A&M in Round 1. Other tournament bids came in 2014, 1998, and through the 1990s, but no victories followed.

With the season still months away, there's plenty of time for Nebraska to shift the narrative. Offseason Bracketology is more of a conversation starter than a final judgment, but it does reflect how the Huskers are viewed nationally heading into 2025–26.

For a program still chasing its first NCAA Tournament win, being in the “Next Four Out” is both a sign of progress and a reminder that the next step forward hasn’t been taken yet. The pieces may be in place, but Nebraska will have to prove it can be done.

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