Nebraska Men's Basketball Climbs Back into the Top 10 After 2-0 Week

Nebraska men’s basketball is back in the AP top 10 — and positioned to keep climbing.

After a 2-0 week to close out February, the Huskers rose three spots to No. 9 in Monday’s edition of the Associated Press poll. It was their eighth appearance in the top 10 over the last nine weeks.

The Huskers have already secured the most regular-season wins (25) in school history. With two games remaining in the final week before tournament play, they now have a chance to add to that record while improving their postseason positioning significantly.

No. 9 pic.twitter.com/x6bOl6hUL6
— Nebraska Men's Basketball (@HuskerMBB) March 2, 2026

Even though it wasn't always pretty, last week delivered what it needed to.

At home against Maryland, Nebraska handled business. The Huskers led by six at halftime, tightened things defensively after the break and pulled away for a 74-61 win — their 13th Big Ten victory. It wasn’t spectacular, but it was controlled.

The trip west was shakier.

At USC, Nebraska stumbled through a sluggish first half, shooting 12-for-34 with seven turnovers and trailing 36-31 at the break. But the response was decisive. The Huskers poured in 51 second-half points and turned a tight game into an 82-67 win, their ninth double-digit conference victory.

That’s been the pattern. Nebraska rarely plays a clean 40 minutes, but it finds another gear when needed. Against USC, that gear showed up after halftime. Against Maryland, it came in stretches of defensive pressure and timely scoring. The results count the same.

Still, the margin for error is about to shrink.

Nothing like some #GBR chants in LA 🗣️🔊 pic.twitter.com/fCp7ab94Ln
— Nebraska On BTN (@NebraskaOnBTN) February 28, 2026

Nebraska sits 14-4 in conference play, tied for second and trailing only Michigan. The Huskers own a head-to-head win over Michigan State and are jockeying with the Spartans for the No. 2 seed in the Big Ten Tournament. Illinois lurks a game back. A 2-0 finish would lock up second place outright and secure the coveted triple-bye in the Big Ten tournament.

Here's what Nebraska must navigate for that 2-0 finish.

First up: a road test Tuesday at UCLA. The Bruins are inconsistent but talented, 19-10 overall and dangerous at Pauley Pavilion. Nebraska’s slow start against USC served as a reminder that it isn’t immune to flat stretches. Digging out of a five-point halftime hole against the Trojans was manageable. Doing the same against UCLA might not be.

Then it’s Iowa in Lincoln on Sunday to close the regular season.

The Hawkeyes beat Nebraska 57-52 on Feb. 17, turning that game into a physical, grind-it-out battle at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Huskers struggled to generate offense and never found rhythm. A home rematch offers a chance for payback and greater leverage in the standings.

On paper, Nebraska should finish 27-4 overall and 16-4 in conference play. But nothing about this stretch feels automatic. UCLA can score, and Iowa won’t mind making it ugly again.

Both games will demand focus from the opening tip. The Huskers will need sharper starts, cleaner possessions and the urgency that too often shows up only after adversity hits.

This is March. pic.twitter.com/zGY9GUVZsl
— Nebraska Men's Basketball (@HuskerMBB) March 1, 2026

The reward for handling business is significant. A second-place finish keeps Nebraska away from Michigan until a potential Big Ten championship matchup and sets up a more manageable path through the tournament bracket. It also would reinforce what this season has already suggested: This group isn’t just chasing relevance. It expects to contend.

For now, though, expectations mean little without execution.

Nebraska has shown resilience and offensive firepower. The Huskers have shown they can win in different ways, even without their best performance for a full 40 minutes. What they haven’t often shown is dominance from start to finish.

That’s the next step. Two wins secure position, momentum, and a cleaner path toward a conference title and a higher NCAA seed.

The Huskers have already made history. Now they have a chance to shape how this season will be remembered.

Men's Week 17 AP Top 25

Duke
Arizona
Michigan
UConn
Florida
Iowa State
Houston
Michigan State
Nebraska
Texas Tech
Illinois
Gonzaga
Virginia
Kansas
Purdue
Alabama
North Carolina
St. John’s
Miami (OH)
Arkansas
Saint Mary’s
Miami (FL)
Tennessee
Vanderbilt
Saint Louis

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 Nebarska 69, Maryland-Eastern Shore 50
Nov. 15 Nebraska 105, Oklahoma 99 (Sanford Pentagon)
Nov. 20 Nebraska 84, New Mexico 72 (Hall of Fame Classic)
Nov. 21 Nebraska 86, Kansas State 85 (Hall of Fame Classic)
Nov. 25 Nebraska 80, Winthrop 73
Nov. 29 Nebraska 72, South Carolina Upstate 63
Dec. 7 Nebraska 71, Creighton 50
Dec. 10 Nebraska 90, Wisconsin 60
Dec. 13 Nebraska 83, Illinois 80
Dec. 21 Nebraska 78, North Dakota 55
Dec. 30 Nebraska 86, New Hampshire 55
Jan. 2 Nebraska 58, Michigan State 56
Jan. 5 Nebraska 72, Ohio State 69
Jan. 10 Nebraska 83, Indiana 77
Jan. 13 Nebraska 90, Oregon 55
Jan. 17 Nebraska 77, Northwestern 58
Jan. 21 Nebraska 76, Washington 66
Jan. 24 Nebraska 76, Minnesota 57
Jan. 27 Michigan 75, Nebraska 72
Feb. 1 Illinois 78, Nebraska 69
Feb. 7 Nebraska 80, Rutgers 68
Feb. 10 Purdue 80, Nebraska 77
Feb. 14 Nebraska 68, Northwestern 49
Feb. 17 Iowa 57, Nebraska 52
Feb. 21 Nebraska 87, Penn State 64
Feb. 25 Nebraska 74, Maryland 61
Feb. 28 Nebraska 82, USC 67
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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