Nebrasketball Gets It Done, Wins NCAA Tournament Game Over Troy

OKLAHOMA CITY — Not since Homer has a destruction of Troy been so historical.

The No. 4 seed Nebraska handled the No. 13 seed Troy in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Oklahoma City at the Paycom Center on Thursday, 76-47. The Huskers improve to 27-6, while the Trojans end their season at 22-12.

This is the first NCAA Tournament win in Nebraska men's basketball history, improving the program record to 1-8.

The Game
The Stats
What's Next
Notes
Nebraska Men's Basketball 2025-26 Schedule

The Game

Nebrasketball didn't suffer a slow start, as had been typical of the past month-plus of the season. The issue at the beginning of this one was Troy getting its shooters going.

Victor Valdes and Campbell Cooper made a pair of three-pointers each, helping the Trojans to a 15-12 lead at the 10:34 mark. That's when the tide turned as red as Paycom Center.

Pryce Sandfort made two triples to jumpstart a 20-4 run to go up 32-19. The Huskers extended the lead to as many as 18 points before the 41-25 score at halftime.

Nebraska Cornhuskers guard Sam Hoiberg dribbles beside Troy Trojans guard Cooper Campbell. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Troy opened on a 5-0 run as Nebraska's first three possessions of the half were a missed shot and two turnovers. But, just like in the first half, Sandfort delivered the start to a run.

The junior sharpshooter made his sixth three-pointer of the game to spark an 11-2 run. That stretched the difference to 20 points with 14:06 to play. Less than eight minutes later, that lead was at 30 points.

Nebraska was able to cruise the rest of the way to the 29-point victory.

The Stats

Nebraska shot 43.1%, including 14-of-39 on three-pointers. Troy made 28.3% of its shots, making 8-of-28 from deep.

Troy won the Sun Belt with the help of its rebounding, but that wasn't a strength in this one. Nebraska won the rebounding battle 37-33. The Huskers also turned 13 offensive rebounds into 19 second-chance points, a category that netted the Trojans just three points.

Nebraska Cornhuskers guard Jamarques Lawrence drives to the hoop past Troy Trojans guard Cooper Campbell. | William Purnell-Imagn Images

Sandfort's big day ended with a game-high 23 points. He made 7-of-11 three-pointers, adding five rebounds. Jamarques Lawrence was also hot from deep, making three triples as part of his 13 points.

Rienk Mast filled out the stat sheet with 11 points, six rebounds, and seven assists. Sam Hoiberg led all players with nine rebounds.

Box score

What's Next

Nebraska advances to the second round on Saturday against the winner of No. 5 seed Vanderbilt and the No. 12 seed McNeese. That game does not yet have a tip time and television destination.

Notes

Nebraska picked up its first NCAA Tournament victory in school history. The Huskers had been winless in their previous eight NCAA Tournament games.
Nebraska improved to 27-6 on the season setting a school record for single-season victories. Nebraska’s previous record of 26 wins was held by the 1990-91 team.
Nebraska Head Coach Fred Hoiberg picked up his fifth victory in the NCAA Tournament as a head coach, after previously winning four tournament games at Iowa State.
Nebraska has now won its last five postseason games in national tournaments dating back to winning four straight games at the 2025 College Basketball Crown.
Nebraska has won 11 of its last 12 neutral-site games dating back to the 2024 Diamond Head Classic.
The victory over Troy marked the first meeting between the schools. Nebraska improved to 10-5 against current members of the Sun Belt Conference.
Junior Pryce Sandfort scored a team-high 23 points for his 29th double-figure scoring game of the season and his 14th 20-point game.
Sandfort connected on seven 3-pointers, including five in the first half. It marked his 10th game of the season with at least five 3-pointers, and increased his school-record season 3-point total to 120.
With his 120 3-pointers on the season, Sandfort is now tied for second on the Big Ten’s single-season 3-pointers list. Carsen Edwards (Purdue) made 135 in 2018-19.
With his 23 points, Sandfort increased his season scoring total to 594 points moving him up to ninth on the single-season scoring list.
Senior Jamarques Lawrence scored 13 points to surpass 1,000 career points (1,006). Lawrence’s double-figure effort was his 16th of the season and his first since scoring 11 points at Iowa on Feb. 17.
Freshman Braden Frager scored 13 points, marking his 18th double-figure game of the season, including 16 off the bench.
Senior Rienk Mast scored 11 points, marking his 23rd double-figure scoring game of the season.
Senior guard Sam Hoiberg had four assists against Troy, increasing his season total to 143.
Nebraska had a 10-0 run in the second half to extend its lead to 70-40. That marked Nebraska’s 30th double-figure scoring run of the season.
Nebraska made 14 3-pointers, marking its 22nd game this season with at least 10 3-pointers. Nebraska is 18-4 this season when making at least 10 3-pointers in a game.
Notes courtesy of Nebraska Athletics

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 (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 72, Nebraska 52
March 8 Nebraska 84, Iowa 75
March 13 Purdue 74, Nebraska 58 (Big Ten Tournament)
March 19 Nebraska 76, Troy 47 (NCAA Tournament)
March 21 vs. Vanderbilt/McNeese (NCAA Tournament)

Home games are bolded. All times central.