Why Nebraska’s Hoiberg and Sandfort Merit All-Big Ten Honors

Everyone knows that big-time players make big-time plays in big-time games, but what happens when a duo of childhood friends does it on the same court, for the same team, all season long?

History. In fact, the Nebraska men's basketball team has seemingly been rewriting the school's history books since the start of the 2025-26 season, and the duo of Pryce Sandfort and Sam Hoiberg is a big reason why. Now, with two games left in the regular season, the Big Red will look to become the winningest team the program has ever produced, while also becoming the first iteration of Huskers to advance in the NCAA Tournament.

There's plenty of time before they gain the opportunity to do just that, so before looking ahead, let's look at what has already occurred. Specifically, let's dive into the statistical performances of Hoiberg and Sandfort, and how it relates to them earning All-Big Ten recognition at the end of the year.

In a league of his own. pic.twitter.com/l9n6B9KTyS
— Nebraska Men's Basketball (@HuskerMBB) February 26, 2026

For those that don't already know, this isn't a hypothetical. In fact, there's a very real possibility that the Huskers will once again, for only the second time since joining the conference, feature two players on the All-Big Ten list. While both players offer more than formidable arguments, we'll start with the most notable: Pryce Sandfort.

29 games into the 2025-26 season, the Iowa native is regarded as the best shooter in the entire Big Ten conference. While his 18.3 points per game (9th in conference) are solid, but far from the lead, he's already become the program leader in three-pointers made in a single season and will undoubtedly put further distance between himself and the rest of the pack before the season comes to an end.

But his shooting performance isn't just impressive for the Big Ten. Compared to the rest of the country, Sandfort's 3.7 three-pointers made per game rank fourth among all Division I players, and his shot from beyond the arc is falling at over 40%. But the junior isn't just a spot-up shooter—instead, averaging 4.8 rebounds, Sandfort currently holds a 1.5 rebounds per game advantage over the closest of the three players ranked ahead of him nationally. On top of that, his team has taken the country by storm.

One of One. pic.twitter.com/MDmsMSYxkZ
— Nebraska Men's Basketball (@HuskerMBB) February 23, 2026

Next is the backbone of the Huskers' team: Sam Hoiberg. At 6-foot, 180 pounds, the undersized point guard has been an offensive afterthought his entire collegiate career, but in his final season with the Big Red, he's turned himself into one of the most influential players in terms of winning, as anyone in the country. The coach's son doesn't just run the offense; he leads the country in the ability to do so.

On top of averaging 4.6 assists per game (7th in conference), the senior leads the entire country in assist-to-turnover ratio (5.21). More impressive than that, possibly, is that the next closest player this year is nearly a full assist behind him. Assuming it keeps up, Hoiberg will shatter the program record in the category, while also ranking amongst the top in the Big Ten on the defensive side of the ball as well.

With 61 steals to date, Hoiberg is averaging 2.1 steals per game, which slots him in at second within the Big Ten. Regardless of his lack of size, wingspan, and apparent athleticism in comparison to the top-end talent across the country, the undersized guard is tied for 20th nationally in the category and has compiled an impressive 95 in his career. Whether he breaks the century mark before his time at Nebraska ends remains to be seen, but regardless, the senior is about as big a two-way player as anyone in the Big Ten.

Among the best of the best. ✊@prycesandfort has been named to the Naismith Player of the Year watchlist. pic.twitter.com/imh6XdkHcE
— Nebraska Men's Basketball (@HuskerMBB) February 19, 2026

The national recognition is beginning to grow as the stakes of the 2025-26 season rise, and Hoiberg and Sandfort likely wouldn't have it any other way. However, their main focus will inarguably remain on becoming the first Husker basketball team to win an NCAA Tournament game. Doing so, regardless of what happens in All-Conference voting, would forever cement them in Nebraska school history.

As both Hoiberg and Sandfort already hold program records in different categories to date, they've also managed to help the 2025-26 squad secure the most regular-season wins in school history, and they've got two more contests to go. At 25-4, managing to win two more games before the season comes to an end would also make them the winningest team the school has ever produced, further adding to their resumes as eventual Husker greats.

We've seen it before, largely at other programs, but winning teams typically tend to get the preferred nods over players with better stats at schools near the bottom of the conference. With that in mind, not only do both Nebraska players feature competitive stats in several statistical categories, but they're also on the second-most successful basketball team in the Big Ten as it currently stands.

No longer is the lack of program success limiting players' abilities to earn All-Conference nods; this season, it may in fact be amplifying it. The Huskers have taken not only the Big Ten but the country by storm, and players like Sandfort and Hoiberg are looking to cash in on the new-look notoriety as a result.

Playing on the No. 9 team in America speaks for itself, and so too does making the winning plays necessary to earn that spot. Whether they do both indeed earn All-Big Ten recognition at the end of the year remains to be seen, but the history they've already etched, the stats they've already compiled, and the impressions they've already made may be too hard to ignore.

Still, finishing the season the right way will be necessary to complete this argument. There are two regular-season games left for Hoiberg and Sandfort to further prove their case. At the top of the conference in stats, playing for a team at the top of the conference in wins, is typically the recipe for success, and now the Big Red have two players that arguably deserve it more than anyone else.