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Nebraska Men's Basketball Remains in Top 10 Despite 0-2 Week

Despite going 0-2 against a pair of top-10 opponents, Fred Hoiberg's squad continues its historic season, still viewed as one of the best teams in the entire country.
Trevor Tarr|
Pryce Sandfort and guard Sam Hoiberg celebrate after a three-point shot against the Illinois Fighting Illini.
Pryce Sandfort and guard Sam Hoiberg celebrate after a three-point shot against the Illinois Fighting Illini. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

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Nebraska Cornhuskers

A historic week for Nebraska men's basketball comes to an end, leaving the Huskers showing the first two blemishes to their resume of the season.

Regardless, the Big Red still has a place within the top 10. After a three-point loss to No. 3 Michigan on the road, a game in which Nebraska held the lead for the vast majority of the night, the Huskers returned home to host No. 9 Illinois. A lead at halftime showed promise, but the Huskers eventually went on to fall for the second consecutive time.

Now, after the Week 15 Associated Press Poll was released, Fred Hoiberg's squad finds itself ranked No. 9 in the land. Their two opponents, Michigan (No. 2) and Illinois (No. 5), have both moved inside the top 5 nationally.

Heading into last week, the Huskers were set to take on two teams within the top ten. The first, on the road on Tuesday night against the No. 3 Wolverines, saw Nebraska drop its first game of the year. Hoiberg's squad went into the matchup without starter Rienk Mast or sixth man Braden Frager and still managed to show their worth. It was a game in which the fan base, and many nationally, felt more confident in this team despite suffering defeat, due to their impressive performance given the circumstances.

Back home on Sunday afternoon, the Big Red had the chance to rebound against No. 9 Illinois. Having already beaten the Fighting Illini earlier in the year, there was plenty of reason for optimism going in. However, Illinois proved that beating a team twice is hard to do. After heading into halftime up 39-33, the visitors outscored the Huskers by 15 points in the second half to win convincingly.

Despite going 0-2 on the week, Nebraska is still immensely respected on a national scale. Dropping just four spots to No. 9 not only keeps the Huskers in the top 10, but it also continues what has now become a school record for consecutive weeks inside the top 10 in a season in school history. The streak formerly dated back to the 1965-66 season.

History is still being made, and from comments offered following the loss on Sunday afternoon, Hoiberg's squad is ready to get back to making the plays required to come out on top. Becoming healthier by the day, Nebraska will look to return to full strength this upcoming week as well.

This week, Nebraska gets a bit of a break, playing only one game over the next seven days. However, it will be a trip out to Piscattaway, NJ, to take on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. Currently 9-13 (2-9 Big Ten), Rutgers is expected to have its hands full with the Big Red.

The Huskers enter the matchup as clear favorites; however, with two consecutive losses, the Scarlet Knights have reason to believe that victory is obtainable, especially at home. As of Feb. 2, Rutgers has lost five consecutive conference matchups, but will look to change that on the road against UCLA on Tuesday night.

Having to travel to the other coast before coming back home to host the nation's No. 9 team isn't easy, and Nebraska will have every opportunity to get back into the win column this week. Regardless, their best effort will be required to do that, despite being more highly thought of on the national scale.

With Frager and Mast back in the rotation this week, Nebraska will finally return to full force, assuming both players continue their recovery process before Feb. 7. Without making excuses, the Huskers would've inarguably been more suited to take down one or both opponents had they been at full strength; however, hypotheticals don't get anyone very far.

Because of that, the Big Red are where they are and will need to put their best foot forward to keep momentum on their side to end the year. Every game on the schedule remaining is winnable, and this squad has proven that through its play to this point in the year. Now, they'll have to prove their resiliency before earning back the respect they believe they deserve.

It is possible, and if any Nebraska team was capable of doing just that, it's this 2025-26 squad. So don't be surprised if they come out determined on Saturday night. Until then, they get back to focusing on what got them to become the No. 5 team in the country, and slowly try to work their way back to that spot.

Men's Week 15 AP Top 25

  1. Arizona
  2. Michigan
  3. UConn
  4. Duke
  5. Illinois
  6. Gonzaga
  7. Iowa State
  8. Houston
  9. Nebraska
  10. Michigan State
  11. Kansas
  12. Purdue
  13. Texas Tech
  14. North Carolina
  15. Vanderbilt
  16. BYU
  17. Florida
  18. Virginia
  19. Saint Louis
  20. Clemson
  21. Arkansas
  22. Saint John's
  23. Miami (OH)
  24. Louisville 25. Tennessee

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 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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Trevor Tarr
TREVOR TARR

Trevor Tarr is the founder of Skers Scoop, a Nebraska football media outlet delivering original coverage through writing, graphics, and video content. He began his career in collegiate athletics at the University of South Dakota, producing media for the football team and assisting with athletic fundraising. A USD graduate with a background in journalism and sports marketing, Trevor focuses on creative, fan-driven storytelling in college football.

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