Pryce Sandfort Isn’t Looking Back — And Nebraska Needs Him Not To

HOUSTON — The question was always coming. Maybe not from one of the more than 40 credentialed media members from the Nebraska contingent making the trek, or even from one of the Iowa counterparts.

But someone was going to ask Nebraska forward Pryce Sandfort about his time as a Hawkeye and what the experience will be like playing against Iowa on Thursday.

Would the All-Big Ten sharpshooter discuss the vulgarities hurled his way in Iowa City during the first matchup, a place where his brother, Payton Sandfort, won Sixth Man of the Year as a sophomore and earned third-team All-Big Ten honors as a junior?

Nebraska forward Pryce Sandfort hits a three-pointer against Iowa at Pinnacle Bank Arena. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Would Sandfort mention the sheer physical fight the two games have been — the constant grabbing of his jersey, the holding of his arm, the lack of space for him to run? Or the second matchup in Lincoln, when Nebraska decided to have him post up a little and give the Hawkeyes a different look?

Would the Iowa-to-Nebraska transfer mention growing up with a dad who played at Hastings College, attending Fred Hoiberg’s camps as a kid, or touch on how important Fran McCaffery was to the family?

Turns out it would be none of those things. Instead, Sandfort stared ahead and, with no vocal inflection, simply said his attention isn’t on any of it.

“It's not something I'm focused on,” he said. “We're treating the game as any other game. Same approach as we've had all season and just kind of block out that outside noise.”

Nebraska Cornhuskers forward Pryce Sandfort speaks during a practice session press conference ahead of the South Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Toyota Center. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

With anyone else, it might sound hollow. Given what we’ve seen from Sandfort in 2025-26, it might just fit.

The forward arrived amid speculation that existed before a commitment was ever announced. It seemed like a strong fit — a shooter for a coach and a program that needed one after some inconsistencies a year ago.

The conventional wisdom was that Nebraska added a nice player. Instead, now almost 12 months later, it is clear the Huskers got a clear-eyed assassin — a deadly hired gun with a quick draw, a willingness to fire from anywhere and the ability to shut out everything and everyone while on the basketball court.

Sandfort Nebraska — Nebraska's Pryce Sandfort celebrates a 3-point basket in front of Vanderbilt's Chandler Bing during a second-round game in the NCAA men's basketball tournament between Nebraska Cornhuskers and Vanderbilt Commodores at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Saturday March 21, 2026. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

No player on Nebraska’s team draws more defensive attention than Sandfort — ask Vanderbilt, which collapsed multiple defenders on him at the end of the game because no opponent wants to see the forward get a shot off in transition. The result was a game-winning layup for Braden Frager, but no one could blame the Commodores.

Illinois, a possible Elite Eight matchup, learned what happens if you don’t defend Sandfort. In one of, if not the best, games of the season for him, the forward exploded for 32 points and knocked down shot after shot against the Illini.

And he continued doing that even when teams started grabbing and holding him. Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg, about as reserved as one is going to find among Big Ten coaches, got after officials over how Sandfort is defended.

Pryce himself said little about it and kept trying to find ways to attack — defense to offense, more looks in transition, hitting shots against even tighter coverage.

The challenges keep coming, and Sandfort keeps finding a way to rise above them and, like Nebraska basketball has done this season, take the win and move on.

To find that win on Thursday against the Hawkeyes in the Toyota Center, the Huskers will likely need Sandfort to go to that mental space where he shuts everything off and finds success despite past results.

Nebraska Cornhuskers forward Rienk Mast and forward Pryce Sandfort react during the first half against the Troy Trojans during a first-round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center. | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Hawkeyes have forced Sandfort, normally a 41% 3-point shooter, into 31% shooting, limiting his impact in both games and rarely allowing him to get comfortable.

Nebraska has other players who could go off. Jamarques Lawrence pulled out of a late-season funk with two strong games in Oklahoma City. Rienk Mast is playing better basketball than he was in either of the first two matchups against Iowa. The aforementioned Frager might have renewed confidence after two important games a week ago.

But more than likely, the Huskers will need their sharpshooter in Sandfort, as both he and Nebraska basketball have buried the past and fixed their eyes on the future.