Nebraska Moves Closer to Clinching an NCAA Tournament Berth

But even at 17-0, the Huskers have plenty of work ahead of them.

Nebraska forward Pryce Sandfort drives against Oregon center Nate Bittle during the first half at Pinnacle Bank Arena. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

After Nebraska’s men’s basketball team routed Oregon on Tuesday, a friend asked a not-serious question.

Has Nebraska clinched a spot in the NCAA Tournament?

Well, the Huskers are 17-0 — one of three unbeaten teams in the nation. They are ranked eighth in the latest AP Top 25 Poll. They are a projected 3-seed in ESPN’s latest Bracketology.

If the season ended today, absolutely. Plan the travel; book the hotel.

But in the real world? Clinched? Not quite, of course. No team clinches an NCAA invite in January. Well, maybe Duke does.

Is Nebraska getting closer? Yes, with every game. It might take a total collapse for Nebraska to miss the NCAAs at this point. Have the Huskers shown anything to indicate that could happen?

Just the opposite, in fact. As a 3-seed, if seedings hold, Nebraska is targeted as an Elite Eight team. But seedings never hold; such is the beauty of March Madness.

But Nebraska continues to play itself into the story of the year in college basketball.

What’s left on Huskers’ schedule

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Two months remain in the regular season. The Huskers have 14 games remaining. Then, at least one game in the Big Ten Tournament.

The remainder of the Huskers’ schedule is mostly a minefield:

Road games at Northwestern, Minnesota, Michigan, Rutgers, Iowa, USC and UCLA.

Home games against Washington, Illinois, Purdue, Northwestern, Penn State, Maryland and Iowa.

It’s impossible to know how many wins and losses there are in the remaining 14 games, but it’s safe to say the Huskers will not remain undefeated. A loss or two isn’t going to ruin the season, not this season.

ESPN’s College Basketball Power Index projects Nebraska will finish with 25.9 wins and 5.1 losses. In the Big Ten, ESPN projects 14.9 wins and 5.1 losses. Those numbers will get you into the NCAA Tournament.

Nebraska has quality wins over Illinois, Michigan State and Indiana, with the possibility of more on the way. The Huskers are 6-0, in first place in the Big Ten. The Huskers and Purdue are the Big Ten’s only undefeated teams in conference play.

Fans storm the court to celebrate after the Huskers defeated Michigan State at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Jan. 2. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Big Ten teams that got into the NCAA Tournament in 2025

To see where the Huskers currently stand, we need to look at recent history of Big Ten teams making the NCAA field.

Michigan earned the conference’s automatic bid last season by winning the Big Ten Tournament over Wisconsin.

Seven other Big Ten teams made the 2025 NCAA field, with records:

* Michigan State: 30-7
* Wisconsin: 27-10
* Oregon: 25-10
* Maryland: 27-9
* Purdue: 24-12
* UCLA: 23-11
* Illinois: 22-13

Nebraska was 3-6 against these NCAA Tournament teams last season. Every Big Ten team with 20 victories made the field, except one.

Nebraska.

The Huskers were 21-14 last season but hurt themselves with losses in six of their final seven games. When grinding over the final teams to choose for the field, the fickle selection committee looks for teams trending upward.

Indiana won 19 games and didn’t get in. Ohio State was 17-15 and was excluded.

Moving forward to 2026

Nebraska is in a wonderful position to make its ninth NCAA Tournament. The Huskers might be in a good place to win their first NCAA Tournament game. They are 0-8 in the tourney.

Nebraska guard Jamarques Lawrence shoots the ball against Oregon guard Drew Carter. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Bracketology’s Joe Lunardi said after the Huskers defeated Wisconsin, 90-60, on Dec. 10, they looked like an NCAA Tournament team.

“I think that the metrics all indicate to me that they [Huskers] have staying power,” Lunardi exclusively told Huskermax.com. “Now, you know, they’re not going to go 16 and 4 in the Big Ten. They can go 12 and 8. A 12-8 Big Ten team is going to the tournament.

“This year they’ve already got a couple [of big wins]. And they’re going to win home games against other tournament teams.

“They might not win a home game against, and I don’t know: Do they play Purdue and Michigan at home? [Purdue at home; Michigan on the road.] But they’re going to be over .500 in the Big Ten. And that will get them in and probably get them an 8 [seed] or better seed.

“Now the league is brutal at the top, obviously. But I mean, they [Huskers] don’t need to be in the top three.

“They just need to be in the top half. Now there’s a couple borderline [teams]. But, they’re [Big Ten] going to have the most teams this year.”

In his latest Bracketology, Lunardi had 11 Big Ten teams in the field of 68.

Former Nebraska coach Danny Nee signs an autograph for a fan before the game against Northwestern last season. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

With 17 wins already, and 14 games to play, Nebraska has an opportunity to set a school record for wins. Danny Nee’s Huskers won 26 games in 1990-91, going 26-8 and losing to Xavier in the NCAAs first round, 89-84.

Nebraska needs to go 10-4 down the stretch for a school-record 27 wins.

Nebraska making the NCAA field feels inevitable. Let other teams sit around and sweat out Selection Sunday.

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