Nebrasketball’s Run Ends in the Sweet 16 at the Hands of Iowa
The dream season is over for Nebrasketball.
The No. 9-seed Iowa took over at the end of the game to knock off the No. 4-seed Nebraska in the Sweet 16 in Houston, 77-71. The Hawkeyes improved to 24-12, while the Huskers saw their season come to a close at 28-7.
Iowa advances to Saturday’s Elite Eight against the winner of Houston and Illinois.
- The Game
- The Stats
- What’s Next
- Nebraska Athletics Postgame Notes
- Nebraska Men’s Basketball 2025-26 Schedule
The Game
Those predicting a slow, grind-it-out game were dead wrong for the start of this one.
Nebrasketball came out hot, making a three three-pointers to build an early 12-2 run. The Huskers also grabbed the first seven rebounds of the game, dominating every aspect of the first few minutes.
Iowa answered by focusing the offense on straight-line drives into the paint. That opened up shots at the rim, drew fouls, and created space for three-point shooters on the perimeter. That space on the outside became seven triples in the first half, including one at the buzzer.
Nebraska also made seven three-pointers in the first half, with a trio coming from Braden Frager. Those helped the Huskers hold a 46-43 lead at halftime.
The hot shooting didn’t return out of the break immediately, with the teams combining to start 1-for-8 from deep. That cold start, plus the officiating allowing a greater level of contact compared to the first half, played into Iowa’s hands. The Hawkeyes tied the game at 50 before the under-16 media timeout.
But the Hawkeyes weren’t over the hump. Pryce Sandfort and Cooper Koch exchanged three-pointers, before a 5-0 run for the Huskers. Nebraska held that lead for the next six minutes. That’s when another Koch triple tied the game at 62.
Three minutes later, at the under-4 media timeout (3:11), the game remained tied, 65-65.
After Frager missed a shot from the corner, Iowa got its first lead of the game on a Bennett Stirtz three-pointer. A missed answer from Rienk Mast was followed by another three-pointer from the Hawkeyes to go up six points.
On the next possession, Sandfort’s shot was off but Frager grabbed the rebound. He dribbled to the corner and hit a three-pointer to cut the deficit to three points with 58 seconds to go.
Then came a major breakdown for Nebraska. Out of the NU timeout, the Huskers only had four players on the floor, leading to a long inbounds pass to Alvaro Folgueiras for the and-1 dunk.
Nebraska got six more three-pointers up, but only the last one fell with three seconds left. By that time, Iowa’s lead was too far to overcome.
The Stats
Nebraska shot 41.4% for the game, including 13-of-38 on three-pointers. Iowa made 51.9% of its shots, making 13-of-30 from deep.
Both teams made 10 free throws, with the Hawkeyes taking 12 and the Huskers shooting 11.
For the first time in the three games between these two teams, Nebraska won the rebounding battle. The Huskers grabbed 35 boards to 26 for the Hawkeyes. On the offensive glass, Nebraska had 12 for 11 second-chance points, while Iowa had three for five such points.
Iowa, however, dominated in the points off turnovers category, 20-7. Nebraska committed 10 turnovers in the game, twice as many as Iowa.
For just the third time this sason, the Hawkeyes had an assist rate of over 58% and won. Iowa had 18 assists on 27 made shots. Nebraska had 19 assists on 24 makes.
Stirtz led the Hakweyes with 20 points on 7-of-15 shooting. He was followed closely by Tate Sage with 19 points and Folgueiras with 16 points.
Sandfort had a game-high 25 points on 8-of-13 shooting, including 6-of-10 on three-pointers. He also grabbed five rebounds. Frager was the only other Husker in double figures with 16 points.
Nebraska led for 32:21. Iowa led for 2:10, all at the end of the game.
What’s Next
The greatest season in Nebrasketball history is now done.
Three starters have wrapped up their college careers: Sam Hoiberg, Rienk Mast, and Jamarques Lawrence. Others that are now without eligibility are Kendall Blue and Jared Garcia.
Pryce Sandfort will test the NBA draft waters, but he has a year of eligibility remaining and can return to Lincoln.
All attention will turn to the transfer portal, both incoming and outgoing. That opens on April 7 and runs through April 21.
Have a question or comment for Kaleb? Send an email to [email protected].
Nebraska Athletics Postgame Notes
- Nebraska ends its season with a 28-7 record, finishing with a school-record 28 wins, including the first NCAA Sweet 16 appearance in program history.
- NU falls to 2-9 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, as the Huskers made their second appearance in the last three seasons.
- Nebraska falls to 16-29 all-time against Iowa, as tonight’s game was the first neutral site matchup between the schools.
- The Huskers hit 13 3-pointers, finishing the season with a school-record 373 3-pointers.
- Tonight marked the 23rd time this season Nebraska made 10 or more 3-pointers.
- Nebraska made 24 shots in the game. The Huskers finish the season with 957 field goals, the third-most in school history and the most since the 1995-96 season.
- NU totaled 19 assists tonight, increasing its season total to 631. It is the second-highest assist total in school history and the most since a school-record 696 assists in 1990-91.
- The Huskers finished the season averaging 9.71 turnovers, the lowest average in school history.
- Nebraska finished with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.86, breaking the school record of 1.81 set in 1984-85.
- Iowa shot 52 percent in the game, as the Hawkeyes were just the second opponent this season to shoot 50 percent against the Huskers (also Oklahoma on Nov. 15).
- Pryce Sandfort posted his 31 double-figure game of the season with 25 points. Sandfort’s 25-point game marked his 16th 20-point game of the season and 17th of his career.
- Sandfort’s six 3-pointers upped his school-record total to 129 and was the 12th time this season he has had at least five 3-pointers in a game.
- Braden Frager scored 16 points. He reached double figures for the 20th time this season, including the 18th time off the bench.
- With his 16 points tonight, Frager also moved into fourth place on NU’s all-time freshman scoring list with 391 points, passing Jerry Fort, who had 376 points in 1972-73
- With five 3-pointers, Frager finished the year with 57 3-pointers. He finished in sole possession of second place on NU’s all-time freshman list, moving past CJ Wilcher, who had 52 threes in 2021-22.
- With six assists tonight, Sam Hoiberg moved passed Tyronn Lue (152, 1997-98) for eighth place on Nebraska’s single-season list. Hoiberg finished the season with 157 assists.
- Hoiberg moved into a tie for 10th on Nebraska’s career games played list with 125, tying Brandon Ubel (2009-10 to 2012-13).
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 Nebraska 84, Iowa 75
- March 13 Purdue 74, Nebraska 58 (Big Ten Tournament)
- March 19 Nebraska 76, Troy 47 (NCAA Tournament)
- March 21 Nebraska 74, Vanderbilt 72 (NCAA Tournament)
- March 26 Iowa 77, Nebraska 71 (NCAA Tournament)
Home games are bolded. All times central.
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