All Huskers

Sam Hoiberg’s Career Night Helps Huskers Overcome Cold Shooting Against Maryland Eastern Shore

The Huskers struggled to shoot, but Sam Hoiberg’s all-around effort carried the night in Lincoln.
Trevor Tarr|
Sam Hoiberg shoots a three-point basket against the Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks.
Sam Hoiberg shoots a three-point basket against the Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

In this story:

Nebraska CornhuskersMaryland Eastern Shore Hawks

LINCOLN—After setting a new-career high in scoring, Sam Hoiberg says he's "feeling good" about seeing the ball go through the hoop.

The senior guard scored 18 points and tied career highs in both rebounds (7) and steals (4) in Nebraska’s 69-50 win over Maryland Eastern Shore, leading the Huskers on both ends in a night where shots didn’t always fall for the team around him.

With that in mind, here’s everything the veteran guard had to say following his career night.

Sam Hoiberg celebrates a steal to secure the win.
Sam Hoiberg celebrates a steal to secure the win. | Amarillo Mullen

While several Huskers struggled to find their shot, as only Hoiberg and fellow starter Pryce Sandfort connected on more than two field goal attempts the entire night, the coach's son provided the spark Nebraska needed to pull away.

“We were missing a lot of good looks, honestly, the entire game,” Hoiberg said. “I think it was just one of those nights where it’s not going in the basket... but when that happens, [and] you’ve got to guard.”

Even when Nebraska’s offense stalled, Hoiberg said the team trusted the process and adjusted to attack the paint more aggressively in the second half.

“We knew we weren’t getting in the paint enough, and we wanted to punch it inside,” he said. “We were just being opportunistic. We trust our offense.”

Hoiberg’s fingerprints were all over Nebraska’s win, on the glass, in passing lanes, and through hustle plays that don’t always show up on the stat sheet.

“I always want to bring great energy. That’s been my thing my entire career,” Hoiberg said. “I’ve never been a big stat-sheet guy, especially with points, but I know I’m capable of it. My main thing is just trying to affect winning, and I think I did that tonight.”

Sam's coach and father, Fred Hoiberg, praised his son’s defensive rebounding and all-around effort, noting that Sam’s seven boards all came in the first half, a stretch that helped Nebraska control the game early.

“Sam’s defensive rebounding was huge,” Fred Hoiberg said. “Four steals, four assists, no turnovers, it’s good to see him knock down a couple shots. I was happy with Sam’s game tonight.”

Nebraska basketball guard Sam Hoiberg makes a layup in transition at Purdue on Jan. 12, 2025.
Nebraska basketball guard Sam Hoiberg makes a layup in transition at Purdue on Jan. 12, 2025. | Nebraska Athletics

Despite the win, Sam said the team left with “a little sour taste” after letting up late defensively. Displaying his maturity, he made it clear his team knows the schedule gets tougher from here and that maintaining focus will be key.

“This is when the season really starts,” Hoiberg said. “When you talk about wanting to play in March, these are the games you want. We probably didn’t have the best preparation tonight, but you don’t apologize for winning.”

Hoiberg also credited Nebraska’s defensive communication and hustle for setting the tone early, something he wants to see become the team’s identity moving forward. The Huskers held UMES to 31% shooting and just 7-of-22 from three, forcing turnovers and converting them into fast-break points.

“Sometimes in games like this, you think you didn't play well,” Hoiberg said. “But we've got to finish the game much better than we did”.

The buy-in on the defensive end is what Hoiberg believes can separate this group as the season progresses. As the competition ramps up, maintaining that same focus and effort, regardless of opponent, will be key to sustaining Nebraska’s early-season momentum, especially on nights when shots aren’t falling.

As the Huskers prepare for a tough Oklahoma Sooners squad in Sioux Falls this weekend, Nebraska’s ability to pull out a convincing win despite shooting struggles can serve as an early-season lesson.

It won’t often be that Hoiberg and his teammates combine to shoot just 39.3%, but finding a way to win at home despite adversity shows this team’s maturity and resilience.

Looking to carry his career-night momentum into Nebraska’s next matchup, Hoiberg’s confidence should continue to shine. He’s not often asked to be the spark offensively, but after doing just that against Maryland Eastern Shore, he may have opened the door for a larger role as the season unfolds.

More From Nebraska On SI

Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.

Published
Trevor Tarr
TREVOR TARR

Trevor Tarr is the founder of Skers Scoop, a Nebraska football media outlet delivering original coverage through writing, graphics, and video content. He began his career in collegiate athletics at the University of South Dakota, producing media for the football team and assisting with athletic fundraising. A USD graduate with a background in journalism and sports marketing, Trevor focuses on creative, fan-driven storytelling in college football.

Home/Basketball