UCLA Controls No. 9 Nebrasketball from Start to Finish

UCLA led this one from tip to final buzzer.

No. 9 Nebrasketball just didn't have it on Tuesday in Los Angeles, falling to unranked UCLA, 72-52. The Bruins improved to 20-10 on the year and 12-7 in the Big Ten Conference, while the Huskers fell to 25-5 overall and 14-5 in the league.

The Game
The Stats
What's Next
Big Ten Standings
The Tournament Picture
Nebraska Athletics Postgame Notes
Nebraska Men's Basketball 2025-26 Schedule

The Game

UCLA wasted no time jumping out in front, getting a three-pointer on the first possession of the game. That lead quickly grew to 7-2 and then 14-5.

Despite getting down double digits, Nebraska wasn't completely out in the first half. The Huskers made 4-of-5 shots to close the gap to 29-21 with 6:13 to go. But NU then closed the half with one make in its next 11 shots.

Nebraska Cornhuskers guard Cale Jacobsen drives to the basket as UCLA Bruins guard Donovan Dent defends. | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Six straight misses to open the second half saw the lead remain in double-digit territory. The Huskers fought to get the deficit down to 10 with 6:49 remaining, but a 7-0 Bruin run snuffed out the final remaining chances for the Big Red to leave LA with a second victory.

The Stats

Nebraska shot 38.8% for the game, including 5-of-24 on three-pointers. UCLA made 46.7% of its shots, making 10-of-29 from deep.

At the free throw line, the Huskers went 9-for-18 while the Bruins went 6-for-10.

While the final rebounding numbers were close (UCLA 36-34) and both teams grabbed 11 offensive rebounds, the Bruins did more with their extra opportunities. UCLA notched 17 second-chance points to Nebraska's seven.

Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Fred Hoiberg. | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Those rebounds, and five fewer turnovers, helped UCLA put up 11 more shots in the game.

UCLA guard Trent Perry led all scorers with 20 points. He also pulled down seven rebounds.

Three Huskers scored in double figures, led by the 12 points from Sam Hoiberg. Rienk Mast and Cale Jacobsen pitched in 11 points each.

Box score

What's Next

Nebraska closes out the regular season with a home rematch against Iowa.

The Hawkeyes are 20-9 overall and 10-8 in the Big Ten, including a 57-52 win over the Huskers in Iowa City on Feb. 17. Before Sunday, though, Iowa hosts No. 3 Michigan on Thursday.

Tip from Pinnacle Bank Arena is set for 4 p.m. CDT. The game will be televised on FOX.

Big Ten Standings

Nebraska's loss plus an Illinois win on Tuesday has pushed the Huskers down to fourth in the Big Ten Conference table. The top three are now Michigan (17-1), Michigan State (14-4), and Illinois (14-5).

The top four seeds get a triple bye to the quarterfinals in the Big Ten Tournament next week.

Purdue (12-6) and Wisconsin (12-6) are both threatening to steal a triple bye. Before playing each other on Sunday, the Boilermakers get Northwestern and the Badgers take on Maryland.

The Tournament Picture

Nebraska entered the day squarely on the 3-line. When the NCAA selection committee revealed its top 16 to this point in the season a week and a half ago, the Big Red were 11th overall.

By the metrics, the Huskers opened Tuesday at 12th in the NET, 15th in KPI, 5th in SOR, 9th in WAB, 15th in BPI, 11th in the KenPom, and 12th in the Torvik. Those Wednesday morning numbers are 12th, 17th, 7th, 9th, 16th, and 12th.

While Nebraska is fighting for as high a seed as possible, the order of the teams with the Huskers is just as important. The two closest first weekend sites are St. Louis and Oklahoma City. With Monday's Iowa State loss and Kansas fading over the last couple of weeks, the Huskers were in a position to get a driveable first weekend, but Tuesday's loss in L.A. will make those numbers tighter with one game to go in the regular season.

Have a question or comment for Kaleb? Send an email to kalebhenry.huskermax@gmail.com.

Nebraska Athletics Postgame Notes

Nebraska falls to 25-5 on the season and sees its three-game win streak snapped. All five of Nebraska’s losses are to Quad 1 teams.
Nebraska finishes Big Ten play with a 7-3 road record with tonight’s loss. The seven wins are a single-season school record for conference road wins.
UCLA improves to 5-1 all-time against Nebraska in Los Angeles and has won five straight meetings at UCLA. Tonight is Nebraska’s first game at UCLA since the 1985 NIT and first regular-season meeting at UCLA since Dec. 30, 1956.
Nebraska’s 52 points tied its season low.
Cale Jacobsen tied a career-high with 11 points, as he also had 11 vs. Winthrop and USC Upstate. It is his fifth double-figure effort of the season.
Sam Hoiberg led Nebraska with 12 points, the first time this season and second time in his career that he has paced NU in scoring.
Nebraska finished with five 3-points tonight, coming within two of the school record of 319 set in 2023-24. NU now has 317 3-pointers on the season.

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 Iowa 4 p.m. FOX
March 10-15 Big Ten Tournament in Chicago

Home games are bolded. All times central.