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Nebrasketball Fights Off New Mexico to Advance to the Hall of Fame Classic Championship

The Husker men held off a second-half charge from the Lobos in Kansas City to remain undefeated on the season.
Kaleb Henry|
Nebraska Cornhuskers guard Connor Essegian celebrates after scoring against the New Mexico Lobos during the first half of the game at T-Mobile Center.
Nebraska Cornhuskers guard Connor Essegian celebrates after scoring against the New Mexico Lobos during the first half of the game at T-Mobile Center. | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

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Nebraska CornhuskersNew Mexico Lobos

An early cushion proved to be the difference Thursday night in Kansas City.

Nebraska men's basketball used an 11-2 start to go on to an 84-72 victory over New Mexico in the opening game of the Hall of Fame Classic at the T-Mobile Center. NU stays undefeated at 5-0 while UNM falls to 3-2.

The longest active win streak in the nation is extended to nine games, with the Big Red having closed last year with a 4-0 run in the College Basketball Crown. In neutral-site games, the Huskers are on a nine-game win streak that goes back to the Diamond Head Classic last December.

Nebraska's lead in the first half stretched to as many as 20 points before New Mexico tore off on a 12-3 run. But the Lobos would be held without a point for the final 4:35 of the half.

In the middle of that stretch, New Mexico's leading scorer on the year was ejected after a flagrant two foul against Deyton Albury. The Bahamas native punched Nebraska guard Connor Essegian in the head.

After having time to make adjustments to life without Albury, the Lobos got some stuff figured out. While Nebraska started the second half cold, New Mexico tore off on a 22-8 run to cut the deficit to just four points with 12:31 to go.

Nebraska pushed the lead back up, but not by much, for the rest of the game. Although it stretched to as many as 15 points, it was back in single digits in the final minute before the final difference of eight points.

Herbie Huskers
The Nebraska Cornhuskers mascot performs against the New Mexico Lobos during the first half of the game at T-Mobile Center. | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Jamarques Lawrence led all scorers with 21 points. The senior made four three-pointers, adding four assists, three rebounds, and a steal.

Braden Frager came off the bench to pitch in 20 points, also making four three-pointers. Rienk Mast added 17 points.

Nebraska shot 47.4% for the game, including 13-of-25 from deep. New Mexico made 38.8% of its shots, including 13-of-44 three-pointers.

Neither team took care of the ball particularly well. After just five turnovers in 40 minutes against Oklahoma on Saturday, Nebraska committed 18 on Thursday, leading to 14 Lobo points. New Mexico committed 16 turnovers, leading to 20 Husker points.

Nebraska Cornhuskers guard Jamarques Lawrence
Nebraska Cornhuskers guard Jamarques Lawrence shoots a layup as New Mexico Lobos forward Tomislav Buljan defends during the first half of the game at T-Mobile Center. | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Nebraska will play in the championship game of the event on Friday at 8:30 p.m. CST. The Huskers will take on Kansas State, which topped Mississippi State in the late game, 98-77. The game will be streamed on Peacock.

Have a question or comment for Kaleb? Send an email to kalebhenry.huskermax@gmail.com.

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
  • Nov. 21 Kansas State (Hall of Fame Classic) 8:30 p.m. Peacock
  • Nov. 25 Winthrop 7:30 p.m. BTN
  • Nov. 29 South Carolina Upstate 1 p.m. B1G+
  • Dec. 7 Creighton 4 p.m. FS1
  • Dec. 10 Wisconsin 8 p.m. BTN
  • Dec. 13 Illinois 3 p.m. Peacock
  • Dec. 21 North Dakota 7 p.m. BTN
  • Dec. 30 New Hampshire 8 p.m. BTN
  • Jan. 2 Michigan State 8 p.m. Peacock
  • Jan. 5 Ohio State 5:30 p.m. FS1
  • Jan. 10 Indiana 11 a.m. BTN
  • Jan. 13 Oregon 8 p.m. BTN
  • Jan. 17 Northwestern 3 p.m. BTN
  • Jan. 21 Washington 8 p.m. BTN
  • Jan. 24 Minnesota 11 a.m. FS1
  • Jan. 27 Michigan 6 p.m. Peacock
  • Feb. 1 Illinois 3 p.m. FS1
  • 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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Kaleb Henry
KALEB HENRY

Kaleb Henry is an award-winning sports reporter, covering collegiate athletics since 2014 via radio, podcasting, and digital journalism. His experience with Big Ten Conference teams goes back more than a decade, including time covering programs such as the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Oregon Ducks, and USC Trojans. He has contributed to Sports Illustrated since 2021. Kaleb has won multiple awards for his sports coverage from the Nebraska Broadcasters Association and Midwest Broadcast Journalists Association. Prior to working in sports journalism, Kaleb was a Division I athlete on the Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Track and Field team where he discussed NCAA legislation as SIUE's representative to the Ohio Valley Conference Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. 

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