Nebraska Isn't Running From Its Tournament History

History hangs over every Nebraska NCAA Tournament appearance.

It’s not a secret. It’s not whispered quietly inside the locker room or avoided by players in interviews. It’s part of the conversation every March — the fact that the Nebraska men's basketball team has appeared in the NCAA Tournament eight times and has never won a game.

At 0–8, Nebraska is the only power conference program without a tournament victory, and they’re very well aware of it. Yet, inside the program, the approach is simple: acknowledge the history but refuse to carry it on their shoulders.

“We’re not thinking about it that way,” Nebraska head coach Fred Hoiberg said Monday ahead of the Huskers’ first-round matchup with Troy. “Our guys have done a lot of really good things this year — some things that have never been done in the history of the program.”

Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg knows it's already been a year of firsts for the men's basketball program. — Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg knows it's already been a year of firsts for the men's basketball program, but the ultimate first awaits. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

In many ways, this Nebraska team has already spent the season rewriting parts of the school’s history. The Huskers enter the tournament with a 26–6 record and a 15–5 mark in the Big Ten, tying the program record for wins in a season while finishing second in one of the nation’s deepest conferences.

For a program that has spent decades searching for consistency, that kind of season alone is significant, but in Nebraska, March still defines everything.

“This is a fun time of year,” Hoiberg said. “I’ve talked to our guys about enjoying it, but at the same time, this is a business trip for us.”

The Huskers’ path to this moment has been built on discipline, defense and a roster that has grown older together. Nebraska averages nearly 78 points per game while allowing just 66 — ranking among the top 20 defenses nationally.

The Huskers have built a 26-6 record off of a stifling defense, leading to wins over some of the best teams in the Big Ten. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

The defensive efficiency numbers back that up even further. The Huskers have posted one of the top defensive ratings in the country this season, consistently forcing difficult shots while holding opponents under 47% shooting.

“That’s been the thing that’s carried us all year long,” Hoiberg said. “Being one of the most efficient defensive teams in the country. At this time of year, you’ve got to defend, you’ve got to rebound. If we want to advance at this time of year, that’s going to have to hold true.”

Inside the locker room, the Huskers understand exactly what’s at stake Thursday morning. The history of the program isn’t something players pretend doesn’t exist.

Nebraska senior guard Sam Hoiberg admitted NU's winless streak in the NCAA Tournament is "definitely a thing." | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

“It’s definitely a thing,” senior guard Sam Hoiberg said of Nebraska’s tournament drought. “It’s not like we don’t talk about it. Everybody knows it.”

The key, he says, is understanding what they can — and can’t — control.

“We can’t control the eight losses that happened before we were here,” he said. “You just go out and play it like a regular basketball game.”

That mindset has been central to Nebraska’s rise this season. The Huskers started the year with one of the best runs in program history, opening the season 20–0 — the fastest start Nebraska basketball had ever recorded in its more than 130-year history.

Nebraska's unexpected 20-0 start to the year included wins over Illinois, Michigan State and Wisconsin. | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

It was the kind of start that pushed Nebraska into the national rankings and changed the expectations surrounding the program, but it also brought something else with it – a heaping pile of pressure.

For the first time in decades, Nebraska didn’t simply try to make the NCAA Tournament. They were a lock before officially being announced as a No. 4 seed. In years past, the Huskers entered as hopeful Cinderella stories; now they’re expected to win at least their opener if not more.

Inside the locker room, the veterans have worked to keep the focus narrow.

“You have to control your emotions,” Fred Hoiberg said. “You can’t go out and all of a sudden try to do things that you haven’t done all year. (We need to) share it, make the simple play, communicate, get back in transition, don’t give up easy baskets – all the things that you really encourage your team from the first day of practice all the way through.”

Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg knows his team will need to control its emotions if they want to win. — Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg knows his team will need to control its emotions if they want to win their first-ever NCAA tourney game. | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

In March, he said, those fundamentals become magnified.

“It’s on steroids now,” Hoiberg admitted.

For players like Iowa transfer Pryce Sandfort, the tournament represents something even more personal. The junior forward, Nebraska’s leading scorer at nearly 18 points per game, has never stepped foot on the floor of a March Madness game.

“I’ve waited for this for a long time, it feels like,” Sandfort said. “Obviously didn’t get there my first two years, so being here now, it’s really special.”

Nebraska's Pryce Sandfort will be playing in his first-ever NCAA Tournament game Thursday against Troy. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

But like his coach and teammates, Sandfort insists the approach cannot change simply because the stage is bigger.

“It’s just another basketball game,” he said. “We’ll prepare the same way.”

That approach might sound simple, but it’s not easy in a tournament built on emotion. For Nebraska, the memory of the 2024 tournament loss to Texas A&M still lingers. For the seniors on this year’s roster, that loss still serves as motivation.

Sam Hoiberg remembers the feeling clearly.

Nebraska was in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, and Sam Hoiberg says the team thought a little bit more would have fell their way. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

“I remember just thinking we’re going to win because we wanted it more,” he said of that tournament experience. “But that’s not the case. Every team in the tournament is an amazing basketball team. It’s not going to fall in your hands.”

Instead, Nebraska’s seniors have emphasized preparation.

“You only get one chance at this,” Sam Hoiberg said of this outgoing class of seniors. “Especially for Rienk and I being seniors — it’s our last chance to get this tourney win for this program.”

Leadership has become a defining trait of this team. Hoiberg pointed to several players who have taken on larger vocal roles in recent days, including forward Rienk Mast and guard Sam Hoiberg, and for the younger players, those voices matter.

Sandfort said he’s leaned on teammates who have experienced the tournament before.

Nebraska's Pryce Sandfort says he's been leaning on team seniors this week given their NCAA Tournament experience. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

“Obviously, they’ve been there and played in the tournament,” Sandfort said. “You definitely listen to what they have to say about the tournament and how to go about it.”

That experience is one of the reasons Nebraska believes this team is different. The Huskers have balanced scoring, veteran leadership and defensive consistency — a formula that has carried them through one of the toughest schedules in the country.

Nebraska’s strength of schedule ranks among the top 50 nationally, and the Huskers have maintained a strong defensive rating throughout conference play. Still, March has a way of stripping teams down to their essentials.

Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg said the emotional discipline his team's had all year should help them Thursday. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Hoiberg says the biggest challenge is emotional discipline.

“You have to do it all year in the Big Ten,” the Husker head coach said. “If you don’t, you’re going to get smacked.”

Nebraska experienced that lesson firsthand. Their Big Ten Tournament loss to Purdue last Friday — a 74–58 defeat — exposed some of the vulnerabilities Nebraska must avoid in the NCAA Tournament.

Turnovers, rebounding and second-chance points allowed Purdue to pull away. Those same areas are now major points of emphasis in Nebraska’s preparation for Troy, but even with the tactical preparation, the psychological challenge remains.

The Huskers know the narrative surrounding them. They know the history. They know the questions, but the message inside the locker room hasn’t changed – focus on the next possession and the next assignment.

Eventual Big Ten Champion Purdue poured it on against Nebraska Friday, but coach Fred Hoiberg expects them to bounce back. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Hoiberg believes that mindset is why this team has been able to bounce back from adversity throughout the season.

“They haven’t gotten too far ahead of themselves,” he said. “All they’ve worried about is the next assignment.”

For a program that has spent more than a century chasing its first NCAA Tournament win, that approach may be the most important factor of all. The history will still be there when the ball tips, but Nebraska believes this team has already proven something.

They’re a program that can win consistently in the Big Ten and can compete nationally.

Thursday presents yet another opportunity for Nebraska to win its first-ever NCAA Tournament game. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Now comes the next step. One game. One opportunity.

And perhaps the chance to finally end a century-long storyline – which in turn would allow the program to start an entirely new one.