Nebraska Men’s Basketball Makes NCAA Field in Early Bracketology

Nebraska’s men’s basketball team has jumped out to a strong start. The Huskers are 5-0 and have the nation’s longest winning streak at nine games, after ending last season with the College Basketball Crown title.

The Huskers started this season with wins over West Georgia (86-53), Florida International (96-66), Maryland-Eastern Shore (69-50) and Oklahoma (105-99), before defeating New Mexico (84-72) in the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City on Thursday.

The Huskers will play Kansas State (5-0) on Friday in the Hall of Fame Classic title game.

Nebraska has been rewarded for its early success with a speculative NCAA Tournament slot. On ESPN and CBS Sports, the Huskers are projected into the NCAA tourney. Bracketology by both media outlets was done before Nebarska’s win over New Mexico.

In Joe Lunardi’s Bracketology on ESPN, the Huskers are considered “last four in.” Georgia, Cincinnati and Utah State also are “last four in.”

Lunardi’s bracket has Nebraska as an 11 seed, playing Georgia in a First Four game in the 68-team field. Nebraska would play Georgia in UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio, on either March 17 or 18.

With a win over Georgia, Nebraska would play sixth-seeded Kansas — and old Big 8 foe — at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C. That game would be March 19 in the Midwest. Purdue is the No. 1 seed in the Midwest.

A quick caveat: It’s November, with a long way to go until Selection Sunday, which is March 15. Lunardi has an uncanny record of accuracy, but there are hundreds of games to be played. Lunardi’s Bracketology is a handy way to keep fans informed and adds to fun speculation about the NCAA field.

Since Nebraska recently has been a bubble team — a team that might or might not make the NCAA field — Lunardi’s Bracketology can keep Husker fans up to date on how their team is seen across the country and how they match up with other potential NCAA teams.

The Huskers missed Lunardi’s category of “last four byes.” Those teams are Creighton, Iowa, Texas and Georgetown and won’t have to play a First Four game.

Lunardi’s “first four out” teams includes Mississippi State, Clemson, Kansas State and Villanova.

Lunardi’s top-four national seeds are Purdue, UConn, Houston and Duke.

Nebraska’s last NCAA appearance was in 2024. The Huskers lost to Texas A&M, 98-83, in the first round in Memphis. Before that, the Huskers made the NCAA field in 2014 and lost to Baylor, 74-60, in San Antonio.

CBS Sports Bracketology

CBS Sports includes Nebraska as one of 12 Big Ten teams to make the NCAA field, with two No. 1 seeds in Purdue and Illinois. Duke and Houston are CBS Sports’ other top seeds.

CBS Sports’ Big Ten teams: Illinois, Purdue, Wisconsin, Michigan, Michigan State, Indiana, Iowa, USC, UCLA, Nebraska, Ohio State, Northwestern.

The Huskers are comfortably slotted as a 9 seed in the West. Nebraska would play 8 seed Ole Miss in the first round, with the winner playing top-seeded Purdue.

CBS Sports’ “last four in” are Northwestern, Creighton, SMU and Colorado State. CBS Sports’ “first four out” are Mississippi State, San Diego State, LSU and Cincinnati.

Tournament title for Huskers

In April, Nebraska won the College Basketball Crown tournament defeating UCF, 77-66, in Las Vegas.

Along the way, Nebraska defeated Arizona State, 86-78 in the first round, then defeated Georgetown in the second round, 81-69. In the semifinals, the Huskers defeated Boise State, 79-69, to advance to play UCF in the final.

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