Nebrasketball Outlasts Kansas State to Win the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City

Just like on Thursday, Nebraska men's basketball built a solid lead in the first half. But unlike Thursday, the opponent on Friday did not relent as the second half wore on.

In the championship game of the Hall of Fame Classic at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Nebraska outlasted Kansas State, 86-85. The Huskers stay unblemished at 6-0 while the Wildcats fall to 5-1.

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— Nebraska Men's Basketball (@HuskerMBB) November 22, 2025

This was the 224th meeting between the two teams, with Kansas State leading the all-time series 129-95.

Thanks to 11-straight from Pryce Sandfort, Nebraska blitzed K-State early with a 15-point run to go up 19-7. The Huskers held a double-digit lead for the next nine minutes, ultimately taking a 10-point lead into halftime.

Out of the break, just like with New Mexico in the previous game, Kansas State got hot.

The Wildcats opened the half on an 11-0 run to take a 46-45 lead. The teams would exchange the lead 10 more times, with neither side holding an advantage of more than five points the rest of the way.

Nebraska Cornhuskers forward Rienk Mast and Kansas State Wildcats guard Abdi Bashir Jr. fight for a rebound during the first half of the game at T-Mobile Center. | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

With a minute to go, the game remained level. Rienk Mast gave Nebraska a two-point lead before PJ Haggerty answered on the other side.

Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg called a timeout with 22.1 seconds to go, and the shot clock turned off. Sam Hoiberg took the inbound and let the clock run down inside of 10 seconds before a dribble hand off to Pryce Sandfort, who missed the three-pointer from the right wing, but Hoiberg grabbed the rebound and got fouled on the shot.

Hoiberg made the first free throw to put Nebraska up 86-85 with 0.6 seconds remaining. He intentionally missed the second, with the Wildcats grabbing the rebound and calling timeout.

A review put the clock back up to 0.9 seconds, citing that there should have been 1.2 seconds remaining on the foul. Kansas State's last-second effort was a full-court pass off the hands to run out the clock and keep the Big Red undefeated.

Nebraska Cornhuskers forward Pryce Sandfort celebrates against the Kansas State Wildcats after scoring at T-Mobile Center. | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Nebraska's nation-leading active win streak is now at 10 games. The Huskers also hold nation-leading active win streaks for non-conference games (17) and neutral-site games (10).

Four players scored at least 20 points on the night, with the Huskers getting 21 from Pryce Sandfort and 20 from Rienk Mast. P.J. Haggerty led the Wildcats with 27 points, while Abdi Bashir Jr., a Nebraska native, poured in 26 on seven made three-pointers.

Nebraska shot 54.1% for the game, including 8-of-32 from deep. Kansas State made 43.5% of their shots, knocking down 12-of-35 three-pointers.

The teams were simliar in the amount of turnovers committed, with 13 for Kansas State and 12 for Nebraska. The difference there, and ultimately in the game, was NU getting 24 points off of those turnovers and KSU scoring just 18.

Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Fred Hoiberg gestures to players against the Kansas State Wildcats during the game at T-Mobile Center. | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Nebraska returns home from this three-game stretch of neutral-site games on Tuesday to face Winthrop. Tip at Pinnacle Bank Arena is set for 7:30 p.m. CST. The game will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.

Box score

Nebraska Athletics Postgame Notes

Nebraska has now won 10 straight, dating back to last year, and 17 straight non-conference games dating back to last season. Both streaks lead the nation.
Nebraska’s 10 straight wins are the program’s longest win streak since 2010-11 and just the 11th time in school history NU has won 10 or more consecutive games.
Nebraska improved to 3-1 in the Hall of Fame Classic and now has won in-season tournaments in each of the past two years.
Nebraska had multiple 20-point scorers for the third straight game with Pryce Sandfort (21) and Rienk Mast (20).
Rienk Mast (18.5 ppg on 52% shooting and 4.0 rpg) and Braden Frager (18.0 ppg on 72% shooting were named to the all-tournament team, with Frager earning MVP honors.
Mast posted his second 20-point effort of the season and 14th of his career with 21 points
Pryce Sandfort led NU in scoring for the fourth time this season with 21 points. He has a team-high three 30-point games this season.
Frager posted his fourth double-figure game off the bench with 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting on Friday.
Sam Hoiberg reached double figures for the second time this season with 13 points, including the go-ahead free throw with 0.6 seconds left. Hoiberg went 6-of-6 from the field and added three steals.
Nebraska improves to 43-10 under Fred Hoiberg when scoring 80+ points, including 34-7 over the last three years.
Nebraska’s posted its ninth double-figure run of the season with a (15-0) in the first half, including 11 straight points from Pryce Sandfort.
Nebraska shot 54.1% from the field, the third time in six games NU shot 50%.

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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 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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