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No. 13 Huskers Host No. 9 Michigan State Friday Night
The No. 13 Nebraska men's basketball team returns to Big Ten Conference action on Friday night, as the Huskers welcome No. 9 Michigan State to a sold-out Pinnacle Bank Arena. Tipoff is set for 8:02 p.m. (central) and the game will be carried on Peacock, broadcast on the Huskers Radio Network, as well as on Huskers. com and on the official Huskers app. In addition, YouTube TV subscribers can also find the game on the NBC Sports Network.
The Huskers (13-0, 2-0 B1G) are coming off an 86-55 win over New Hampshire Tuesday night. Pryce Sandfort's 19 points and seven rebounds led four Huskers in double figures as the Huskers shot 53 percent in the second half to outscore UNH 45-17 after halftime. Nebraska's defense turned the tide, as the Huskers held the Wildcats to 15 percent shooting from the field in the final 20 minutes after UNH shot 47 percent in the first half and was within 41-38 at the break.
Sandfort has been one of the Big Ten's top transfers as he enters Friday's contest averaging 16.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game while shooting 38 percent from 3-point range. He has combined with All-Big Ten forward Rienk Mast (16.5 ppg, 6.8 rpg) to give the Huskers a strong 1-2 scoring punch.
The Huskers, whose 13-0 start is the best in program history, come into Friday's contest with Michigan State averaging 83.5 ppg. It is the program's highest scoring average after 13 games since the 1995-96 season and a 5.8 point per game jump from this point a season ago. The Huskers have also been solid defensively, ranking 14th nationally in field goal percentage defense (.376) and has held six of its last seven opponents under 40 percent shooting.
|
Best Starts in School History |
||
|
No. |
Wins |
Year |
|
1. |
13-0 |
2025-26 |
|
2. |
10-0 |
1977-78 |
|
3 |
9-0 |
1915-16 |
|
4. |
7-0 |
2023-24 |
|
|
7-0 |
1992-93 |
|
|
7-0 |
1984-85 |
Michigan State (12-1, 2-0) has won four straight following a 114-97 win over Cornell on Monday. In that game, Jeremy Fears Jr. had a career-high 21 points and 11 assists to lead six Spartans in double figures. MSU led 55-53 at the break, but shot 57 percent, including 7-of-12 from 3-point range, to put the game away. Coen Carr had 19 points, while Jaxon Kohler had 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Numbers to Know
2 - Friday's game between No. 13 Nebraska and No. 9 Michigan State marks the second ranked vs. ranked home game in program history and first since 1991.
33 - Fred Hoiberg has 33 wins over ranked opponents, including 11 wins against top-10 teams, in his collegiate coaching career. In addition, his six road wins against ranked opponents is second only to Danny Nee (seven) all-time among NU men's basketball coaches.
5 - Braden Frager became the fifth Husker since 1996-97 to earn multiple conference rookie/freshman of the week, joining Bryce McGowens (2021-22), Shavon Shields (2012-13), Toney McCray (2008-09) and Joe McCray (2004-05).
5.4 - Sam Hoiberg is third in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (min. 3 assists per game) at 5.4-to-1 as of Dec. 31. Over the last four games, Hoiberg has 18 assists and just two turnovers in 135:45 of game action.
14 - Rienk Mast needs 14 rebounds to reach 1,000 rebounds for his career. To put the number in perpective, only two Huskers have ever totaled 1,000 career rebounds (Venson Hamilton (1,080) and Aleks Maric (1,015)
53.7 - Nebraska's top four scorers (Rienk Mast, Pryce Sandfort, Braden Frager and Jamarques Lawrence) are combining for 53.7 points per game. None of them were in the Husker lineup last season.
80+ - Nebraska is 47-10 (.824) under Fred Hoiberg when scoring 80 or more points, including a 38-7 mark over the last three-plus seasons. Of those seven losses since the start of 2022-23, four came in overtime.
First Time in a Long Time
Friday's game between No. 13 Nebraska and No. 9 Michigan State marks the first time that Nebraska has hosted a top-15 matchup since the No. 15 Huskers downed No. 10 Kansas, 85-75, on March 3, 1991.
• Friday's game is only the second time in school history Nebraska has hosted a ranked vs. ranked matchup and the first men's ranked vs. ranked game at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
• Nebraska is now 4-6 all-time in ranked vs. ranked games following the 83-80 win at No. 13 Illinois on Dec. 13. Of NU's 10 ranked vs. ranked games in program history, seven were road games and two were at neutral sites.
Huskers Continue to Climb in AP Poll
With no poll this week, Nebraska remained at No. 13 following the Dec. 22 poll. The No. 13 ranking is NU's highest since March 11, 1991, when the Huskers were No. 11 in the final regular-season AP poll. NU is also 13th in this week's coaches poll.
• The Huskers improved to 42-22 (.656) all-time when ranked in the AP poll following the 86-55 win over New Hampshire on Tuesday night.
• Prior to its 2025-26 poll debut on Dec. 8, the Huskers had not been ranked in the AP poll since the 2018-19 season (Dec. 31, 2018).
• Nebraska is 3-13 all-time against the No. 9 team but one of the three wins was a 60-51 win at No. 9 Michigan State on Feb. 16, 2014. NU knocked off two teams ranked ninth that season, as the Huskers toppled No. 9 Wisconsin at PBA in the regular-season finale.
Worth Noting
• With a 13-0 mark, Nebraska enters the month of January unbeaten for the first time since the 1928-29 season. The 2028-29 team was 1-0 with a win over South Dakota State. Since the end of WWI, NU has entered January unbeaten only two other times (1919-20, 2-0; 1928-29, 1-0).
• Nebraska completed its non-conference slated with a perfect 11-0 record, marking the first time since the 1928-29 season where NU posted an unblemished non-conference mark (6-0). The Huskers are 31-2 in regular-season non-conference play since the start of the 2023-24 season (10-1 in 2023-24; 10-1 in 2024-25).
• Nebraska enters the weekend as one of six unbeaten teams in Division I, joining Michigan, Arizona, Iowa State, Vanderbilt and Miami (Ohio).
• Nebraska enters the weekend ranked No. 12 in the NET on Dec. 31. NU is one of six Big Ten teams in the top 14 of the NET (No. 1 Michigan, No. 6 Purdue, No. 10 Illinois, No. 12 Nebraska, No. 13 Iowa and No. 14 Michigan State). No conference has more teams in the top 25 and top 50 of the NET than the Big Ten.
• Nebraska is already 1-0 this season against ranked opponents following an 83-80 win at No. 13 Illinois on Dec. 13. Since March 1, 2022, the Huskers are now 10-11 in the last 21 games against ranked teams, including a 6-6 mark in true road games. Prior to that, NU had lost 24 straight against ranked teams dating back to the 2019 Big Ten Tournament.
• Nebraska comes into the Michigan State matchup with 17 straight wins, breaking the school record for consecutive wins. The 17 straight wins broke the mark of 14 set two other times (1912-13 and 1990-91). It is the longest active streak in the nation and dates back to the first round of the 2025 College Basketball Crown. Before the current win streak, NU's longest streak under Fred Hoiberg was a seven-game streak to start the 2023-24 season.
Nebraska is averaging 82.9 ppg on 48.1 percent shooting during its 17-game win streak and has scored at least 1.00 point per possession in all 17 contests.
Longest Win Streaks in School History
|
No. |
Season |
Win Streak |
Date Started |
Date Ended |
|
1. |
2024-25/25-26 |
17 games |
3-31-25 |
present |
|
2. |
1990-91 |
14 games |
11-28-90 |
1-22-91 |
|
|
1911-12/12-13 |
14 games |
1-27-12 |
1-25-13 |
|
4 |
1919-20/20-21 |
13 games |
2-6-20 |
1-3-21 |
|
|
1897-98/1900-01 |
13 games |
2-22-1898 |
1901** |
|
6. |
1912-13 |
12 games |
1-31-13 |
3-12-13 |
• The Huskers are fifth in the Big Ten and 43rd nationally with 10.3 3-pointers made per game as of Dec. 31. Nebraska's 10.3 3-pointers per game are 2.9 more 3-pointers per game than last season after 13 games and marks is the best early-season start for a Fred Hoiberg team at NU.
• Nebraska has made 10-or-more 3-pointers eight times in 13 games, including 17 against FIU and 15 vs. Oklahoma. It marked only the seventh and eighth time in school history that NU had at least 15 3-pointers in a game. Last year, the Huskers hit 10-or-more 3-pointers just seven times in 35 contests.
• Nebraska comes into the Michigan State game averaging 83.5 ppg, which is the Huskers' highest scoring average after 12 games since the 1995-96 season (89.5 ppg). The 1995-96 team marked the last time Nebraska averaged 80.0 ppg in a season. Nebraska's 48.1 percent shooting as a team is on pace to be the Huskers' highest field goal percentage since 2000-01 (.487).
• NU's team 1.98-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks fifth nationally as of Dec. 31. NU is one of three Big Ten teams in the top six nationally in that category (Northwestern 3rd; Purdue, 4th). It is on track to shatter the school mark of 1.81 set in 1984-85. NU's best assist-to-turnover ratio under Hoiberg is 1.38-to-1 in 2023-24. The Huskers have four games with at least 20 assists and six or fewer turnovers (vs. Oklahoma, Winthrop, at Illinois, North Dakota).
• Nebraska enters Friday's game with Michigan State ranked fifth in the Big Ten and 21st nationally with 18.9 assists per game. It is an increase of 4.7 assists per game from last season. NU has averaged 20 assists only two times in school history (1990-91 and 1984-85), and Nebraska's highest assist per game total under Hoiberg is 15.3 per game in 2023-24.
•Nine Huskers have posted double-figure efforts this season, while four players have had at least one 20-point performance (Pryce Sandfort-5; Rienk Mast-4; Braden Frager-2; Jamarques Lawrence-1).
• The Huskers posted their second double-digit comeback of the season against USC Upstate on Nov. 29, overcoming a 12-point first-half deficit. During its 17-game win streak, NU now has four comebacks from 10+ points (Arizona State, UCF, Oklahoma and USC Upstate).
• Nebraska has held nine of its 13 opponents to under 1.0 points per possession, including five of the last six opponents.
• Over the last three-plus seasons, NU is 48-3 (.941) when holding foes to under 1.00 PPP and 49-5 when holding opponents to under 70 points. Nebraska has improved its KenPom defensive efficiency in each of the past three seasons and is on track to continue that trend in 2025-26.
• Following Tuesday's win over New Hampshire, Nebraska has won a school-record 22 straight non-conference games dating back to Nov. 22, 2024. It is also the nation's longest non-conference win streak. NU has also won 16 straight home games against non-conference foes dating back to the 2023-24 season.
• Rienk Mast is one of 16 players nationally - and six from power conference teams - averaging at least 16.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game as of Dec. 31. He comes into the MSU game averaging a career-high 16.5 points per game on 51 percent shooting, including 38 percent from 3-point range.
• Mast (1,610 points, 986 rebounds) is one of two active Division I players with at least 1,500 points and 900 rebounds as of Dec. 18, joining Gonzaga's Graham Ike (2,187 points, 1,014 rebounds). Mast also ranks in the top 15 among active NCAA players in points, rebounds and games played.
• Pryce Sandfort has been one of the Big Ten's top transfers, as he enters the Michigan State game averaging 16.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. Sandfort has a team-high five 20-point games, including a career-high 32 points at No. 13 Illinois on Dec. 13.
• Sandfort is making a similar leap that his brother Payton made between his second and third collegiate seasons. The elder Sandfort saw his scoring average jump from 10.3 to 16.4 while also averaging more than two more rebounds per game as a junior.
• Sandfort is third in the Big Ten in 3-pointers per game (3.0) and three games with at least five 3-pointers (FIU, vs. Kansas State and at Illinois).
• Braden Frager has emerged as one of the top freshmen in the Big Ten as he comes into Friday's game with Michigan State averaging 11.6 points per game.
• Frager ranks sixth among all Big Ten freshmen in scoring and is one of two Big Ten freshmen averaging double figures while starting under 50 percent of their team's games.
• With his two Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week honors, he is just the third Husker player in the Big Ten era (2011-12 to present) to earn multiple weekly honors.
• In the Big Ten era, only one Husker freshman finished the season averaging double figures - Bryce McGowens in 2021-22 (16.8 ppg) - while only seven Husker freshman in school history have finished the year averaging double figures.
• Nebraska is 47-14 (.770) over the past three-plus seasons when Sam Hoiberg plays at least 20 minutes. The senior is setting career bests in nearly every category, including scoring (8.6 ppg), rebounding (4.9 rpg), assists (3.8 apg) and steals (1.8 spg).
• Hoiberg became Nebraska's most recent graduate, as he received his degree in media and sports communications on Dec. 20. Hoiberg joins Rienk Mast (who has both undergraduate and graduate degrees), Cale Jacobsen and Jared Garcia as graduates on the 2025-26 Husker roster.
• As of Dec. 31, there have been 14 triple-doubles in Division I basketball this season while Nebraska is the only school with multiple players recording a triple double. Over the last seven seasons, only five schools - Nebraska (2025-26), Iowa State (2023-24), Western Kentucky (2021-22), Portland (2021-22) and Utah (2019-20) - have had multiple players record triple-doubles in the same year.
• NU has 16 double-digit scoring runs this season, which is tied for 11th nationally according to EvanMiya.com. It is third among Big Ten teams, trailing only Michigan (23) and Purdue (18)
New Hampshire Recap
Pryce Sandfort led four Huskers in double figures with 19 points, while No. 13 Nebraska held New Hampshire to 15 percent shooting in the second half in an 86-55 victory on Dec. 30.
The Huskers completed the non-conference portion of the schedule with an 11-0 mark, marking the first time since 1928-29 NU went unbeaten in non-conference play in the regular season.
Nebraska outscored New Hampshire, 45-17, over the final 20 minutes to extend its win streak to 17 games. Leading 41-38 at the break, the Huskers used a 23-5 spurt, including a 19-1 run, over the first 10+ minutes of the second half. The Wildcats missed their first 11 shots of the second half, as Nebraska put the clamps down defensively.
Sandfort finished with 19 points and seven rebounds, while Braden Frager (15), Berke Buyuktuncel (14) and Rienk Mast (10) all finished in double figures for the winners. Sam Hoiberg nearly joined the quartet as he tallied eight points and a career-high 10 rebounds to help the Huskers to a 44-33 advantage on the glass. Nebraska got to the line a season-high 35 times and went 27-of-25 from the charity stripe.
Notes from the New Hampshire Game
• Nebraska improved to 13-0 on the season, extending the best start in school history, and has won a school-record 17 straight games dating back to last season.
• Nebraska completed non-conference play with a 11-0 record, the first time since the 1928-29 season that NU went unbeaten in non-conference action in the regular season. Nebraska improves to 31-2 in regular-season non-conference action over the past three seasons.
• Nebraska held New Hampshire to just 15.4 percent shooting in the second half, including 0-of-15 from 3-point range. UNH did not have a field goal for the first 10+ minutes of the second half. On the night, UNH shot 32.1 percent, the sixth time in the last seven games NU held its opponent under 40 percent shooting.
• Pryce Sandfort led NU with 19 points, the seventh time he has paced the Huskers in scoring this season.
• Ugnius Jarusevicius made his Husker debut, finishing with seven points, two rebounds and two blocked shots in 10:31 of action.
• Sam Hoiberg grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds, topping his previous high of seven set five previous times, most recently against New Mexico on Nov. 20
• Nebraska set season bests in both free throws made (27) and attempted (35). The 27 made free throws were the most since Nov. 22, 2023, when NU went 28-of-31 against Duquesne.