Huskers Announce 2026-27 Non-Conference Slate

Lincoln – Four games against power conference opponents and a neutral-site matchup with Boise State highlight Nebraska’s 2026-27 non-conference slate announced Wednesday morning.

“This schedule will challenge us beginning with the exhibition games in October,” Nebraska Coach Fred Hoiberg said. “Playing Saint Louis at home, traveling to BYU and playing K-State in Grand Island will be very good tests in our preparation since we will play three neutral-site games during the first three weeks of the season. Our success last season created some opportunities to enhance our non-conference schedule, which should help us prepare for Big Ten Conference play. We are playing 24 games against power conference opponents along with the game against Boise State in Sioux Falls”

The Huskers, coming off a school-record 28-7 record and the program’s first Sweet 16 appearance, will face a Missouri team that is projected to contend in the SEC along with a trio of BIG EAST programs in Providence, Butler and Creighton, all with retooled rosters for 2026-27.

The seven-game home slate begins on opening night, as the Huskers will host Le Moyne in the first matchup between the two schools on the basketball court. Later in the week, the Huskers will travel to the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., for the Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off where they will face Providence and first-year coach Bryan Hodgson, who led South Florida to the American Conference title last season.

The next three weeks feature mid-week home games against Lindenwood (Nov. 11), South Dakota (Nov. 18) and Southern (Nov. 25) along with the previously announced games against Boise State (Nov. 15, Sioux Falls) and Butler (Nov. 22, Chicago).

Nebraska’s five December non-conference games feature a pair of marquee games, including the Huskers’ annual in-state matchup with Creighton in Omaha on Saturday, Dec. 5, and a trip to Kansas City to face a Missouri team that played in the NCAA Tournament last season and has one of the nation’s top recruiting classes. Those games will be sandwiched around Nebraska’s two December Big Ten Conference games, which will not be known until late summer.  NU wraps up the non-conference slate with a trio of home games against Mount St. Mary’s (Dec. 17), FDU (Dec. 20) and New Haven (Dec. 30) before resuming the final 18 games of the Big Ten schedule in January.  Start times and broadcast information for all games will be announced at a later date. 

Nebraska’s returnees are headlined by Pryce Sandfort, who earned first-team All-Big Ten honors after averaging 18.1 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. NU also welcomes back Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year Braden Frager, as the rising sophomore averaged 11.8 points and 3.8 rebounds per game and was on the Big Ten All-Freshman team in 2025-26.  In addition, the Huskers regain the services of Connor Essegian, who averaged 10.7 ppg in 2024-25 before missing most of last season with an ankle injury. The Huskers also welcome an eight-member freshman class, led by transfers Sam Orme (12.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg at Belmont), Trevan Leonhardt (11.9 ppg, 6.0 apg, 5.4 rpg at Utah Valley), Boden Kapke (10.6 ppg, 5.7 rpg at Boston College) and Taj DeGourville (5.5 points, 3.0 assists at San Diego State) and freshmen Colin Rice and Jacob Lanier, a pair of top-150 recruits who both earned state player of the year honors in Iowa and Arkansas, respectively.

The 10-game Big Ten home slate is highlighted by a matchup with Michigan in Lincoln. The Wolverines are the first defending national champion to visit PBA since it opened in 2013-14 and the matchup will mark the first time NU has hosted a reigning national champion since Kansas in 2009. Michigan is one of seven home conference matchups against postseason opponents this season, as the Huskers will host NCAA Tournament qualifiers Iowa, Michigan State, UCLA and Ohio State, as well as 2026 College Basketball Crown participants Rutgers and Minnesota. The other two teams on the home schedule – Indiana and USC – are both listed in way-too-early top 25 polls.

Fans who wish to join the 2026-27 season-ticket request list can do so by visiting Huskers.com/Requestlist. Student tickets for the 2026-27 season are already sold out.

Nebraska Men’s Basketball Non-Conference Schedule

Date	Opponent
Fri., Oct. 9	Saint Louis (exh.)
Fri., Oct. 16	at BYU (exh.)
Mon., Oct 26	vs. Kansas State (exh.) (Grand Island, Neb.)
Mon, Nov. 2	Le Moyne
Sat., Nov. 7	vs. Providence (Uncasville, Conn.)
Wed., Nov. 11	Lindenwood
Sun., Nov. 15	vs. Boise State (Sioux Falls, S.D.)
Wed., Nov. 18	South Dakota
Sun., Nov. 22	vs. Butler (Chicago, Ill.)
Wed., Nov. 25	Southern
Sat., Dec. 5	at Creighton
Sat., Dec. 12	vs. Missouri (Kansas City, Mo.)
Thurs., Dec. 17	Mount St. Mary’s
Sun., Dec. 20	FDU
Wed., Dec. 30	New Haven