Nebrasketball Pulls Away from West Georgia for Season-Opening Victory

LINCOLN—The Huskers didn't exactly open the season firing on all cylinders, but they did do the most important thing by taking control of the game and beginning the 2025-26 campaign.

Nebraska topped West Georgia at Pinnacle Bank Arena Monday evening, 86-53. The win is the 200th for Fred Hoiberg in his coaching career, going back to his time with Iowa State.

Game won. ✅ pic.twitter.com/MFGlFfpNog
— Nebraska Men's Basketball (@HuskerMBB) November 4, 2025

Slow and ugly are kind descriptors of the beginning of this one. West Georgia led by as many as six points in the first half, with Nebraska needing a 17-6 run to take a five-point lead into halftime.

"I thought (West Georgia) did a really good job of bringing the physicality to the game and we didn't," Hoiberg said.

Through 20 minutes of play, the Huskers were shooting just 31.3% from the field and 3-for-14 on three-pointers. The Wolves had a matching shooting percentage, but made just 1-of-10 from deep.

"They set the tone on the glass off rip," Nebraska guard Jamarques Lawrence said after the game. "We came out a little sluggish. That led to some bad shots, some quick shots on our end."

Nebraska Cornhuskers forward Pryce Sandfort shoots the ball against West Georgia Wolves forward Kolten Griffin during the first half at Pinnacle Bank Arena. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Out of the break, Nebraska was like a different team, one that looked more like the one that went toe-for-toe in an exhibition upset of No. 8 BYU.

"At halftime, we talked about our pace," Hoiberg said. "We picked up; we pressured more, and that's what got us going."

An immediate 10-0 run from Rienk Mast, Sam Hoiberg, and Lawrence pushed the lead to 15 points. After a pair of West Georgia free throws, Berke Buyuktuncel, Connor Essegian, Lawrence, and Braden Frager posted another 10-0 run to take the difference beyond 20 points.

The bucket by Frager in that sequence was one of two dunks for him in the second half. His second dunk, which put Nebraska up by 35 points, was a beautiful transition bucket with a lob assist from Lawrence.

That boy got motion. pic.twitter.com/O2GUAoiOhf
— Nebraska Men's Basketball (@HuskerMBB) November 4, 2025

Frager finished with a game-high 22 points, adding five rebounds, two assists, and two steals. This was his first collegiate game after redshirting last year.

"Going back to that exhibition with Midland, just seeing that ball go in the hoop just kinda helped out a lot with (my confidence)," Frager said. "I don't really go at games different depending on the opponent; I just want to go out there and play and have fun. Kinda helped with the Midland game that I got it going that game."

"He does this in practice," Lawrence said of Frager's offensive abilities.

"What I really, really liked was (Frager's) physicality on the defensive end," Hoiberg said. "I loved that he was busting through, warring through screens, getting his hand on passes, creating deflections, pushing the ball down without hesitation. I thought he did a really good job at playing in attack mode."

West Georgia Wolves guard Josh Smith drives against Nebraska Cornhuskers forward Braden Frager and guard Jamarques Lawrence during the second half at Pinnacle Bank Arena. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Lawrence, making his return to Lincoln after a one-year detour to Rhode Island, was next up in the top scorers with 18 points, going 5-for-8 on three-pointers. He also had six assists, two rebounds, and one steal.

"He got in a really good rhythm," Hoiberg said. "I thought his balance was really on point. He ran the floor the way that we work on our habits every day."

Other double-figure scorers for the Big Red were Connor Essegian (12) and Rienk Mast (10). Mast's first game since the NCAA Tournament loss in 2024 came as a double-double, with 11 rebounds to his name.

The Huskers shot 63% in the second half to finish at 46.9% for the game. In all, Nebraska made 10-of-32 from deep, adding 16-of-25 from the free throw line.

Nebraska Cornhuskers forward Rienk Mast shoots the ball against West Georgia Wolves guard Josh Smith during the first half at Pinnacle Bank Arena. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

West Georgia shot 29.2% overall, making 4-of-24 three-pointers and 11-of-13 free throws.

"It was just one of those games where early on it was a rock fight," Hoiberg said. "Then in the second half, we opened up and got out. That's certainly when we play our best basketball."

Nebraska stays home Saturday to host FIU. Tip is set for noon CST, with the game streaming on B1G+.

Box score

Nebraska Athletics Notes

Nebraska improves its record in season openers to 89-41 and has won 23 of the past 25 season openers.
Braden Frager made his Husker debut, finishing with 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting and five rebounds in 22 minutes off the bench. His 22-point effort was the third-highest scoring debut by a Husker freshman and the most by a Husker freshman in his debut since Bryce McGowens had 25 against Western Illinois in 2021.
Frager’s 22 points marked the 12th time under Hoiberg that a player had at least 20 points off the bench
Rienk Mast posted his 27th career double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds in his first regular-season game since the 2024 NCAA Tournament
Jamarques Lawrence tied a career high with five 3-pointers. It marked the fourth time in his career that he had at least five 3-pointers. Lawrence also had six of the Huskers’ 20 assists *-Sa
Sam Hoiberg tied his career high with seven rebounds. He was also on two other occasions, most recently against Arizona State in the College Basketball Crown.
Nebraska went on three double-figure runs, including a 16-0 run spanning the end of the first half and the start of the second half.
Nebraska has won five straight games dating back to last season.
Tonight’s win was the 200th Division I win for Nebraska Head Coach Fred Hoiberg.

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 Florida International Noon BTN or B1G+
Nov. 11 Maryland-Eastern Shore 7 p.m. B1G+
Nov. 15 Oklahoma (Sanford Pentagon) 6 p.m. BTN or B1G+
Nov. 20 New Mexico (Hall of Fame Classic) 6 p.m. Peacock
Nov. 21 Kansas State/Mississippi State (Hall of Fame Classic) 6/8:30 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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