Postgame Notes

• Nebraska is now 90-41 all-time in season openers, including seven straight wins dating back to 2020.
• Nebraska has now won 23 straight regular-season non-conference games dating back to November of 2024. The Huskers have won 16 straight non-con home games dating back to 2023-24.
• Nebraska’s 106 points was its highest point total since scoring 110 against Doane in 2020.
• The 106 points in the season opener was the fifth-highest total in school history
• The last time the Huskers scored 100 or more points was November 15, 2025, vs. Oklahoma (105).

Pts.       Opponent, Date
113        vs. Augustana (S.D), Nov. 26, 1983
111        vs. Cal State Fullerton, Dec. 4, 1967
108        vs. Colgate, Dec. 4, 1992
107        vs. Saint Louis, Nov. 23, 1990
106        vs. Mississippi Valley State, Nov. 6, 2019
106        vs. Le Moyne, Nov. 2, 2026

• Nebraska’s 58 first-half points was its most in first half in the Big Ten era (57 vs. Doane, 2020) and most since scored 58 in the first half against North Carolina A&T in 2005.
• Pryce Sandfort went over the 1,000-point mark for his career with his layup at the 18:19 mark of the first half. Pryce Sandfort notched his 17th career game with 20+ points.
• Cale Jacobsen earned a new career high with his 16 points, beating his previous career high of 15 against Iowa last season. It was his seventh career game with 10+ points.
• Connor Essegian was 3-for-4 from three in his first game back since being injured last season.
• Five Huskers reached double digit points, marking the first time that has happened since December 10, 2025, vs. Wisconsin.
• Damon Wilkinson was a perfect 9-of-9 from the free throw stripe

Nebraska Head Coach Fred Hoiberg

On how the team played overall
“Yeah, we traded baskets a little bit with them early and at the beginning of the second half, but other than that, I thought our movement was terrific. I thought we shared the ball very well. We executed the game plan of not driving into a crowd and making a simple play for the most part. Did a good job on the glass again for the second straight game, and then the 24 assists, whatever it was, seven or eight turnovers, is a positive sign for us, and now we need to get better going into this next game. We're playing against a team that's just been crushing everybody, and they're turning people over, and they're really crashing the glass. So we got to get over this one quickly and have a great energetic practice on Wednesday after the day off. I didn't think our energy was great after a day off this week, but to our guys' credit, they responded well yesterday. We had a good day at prep, and I thought it carried over to the game tonight.” 

On shooting the ball early in the season
“I mean, I hope  it's good for him. I thought Damon (Wilkinson) stepped up, took one, and it looked like it was going in. I was really happy to see him knock down all nine of his free throws. It was good to see Leo (Curtis) step up and knock down a three late in the game. Everybody that played had a good contribution to to that win, it's something that again you can build off some of the good things, but there's still plenty we need to get better at and work on, and we'll certainly address that in the film session on Wednesday, and then hopefully have three great days going into the game out in Connecticut.”

On using different lineups late in the game
"Yeah, it was good, and you know I thought everybody that  stepped on the floor, and it started with Trevan (Leonhardt). You know he went out there and made it. I thought he was really good at getting downhill and making plays. You know I know he didn't take a shot against Kansas State, but I'm telling you when you went back and watched the film. His cutting, his IQ, getting into an offense, all those things were very instrumental in winning that last game. And it was good to see him have some numbers tonight to show a lot of those things that he can do with the seven assists and zero turnovers, with the making both of his threes, getting to the free throw line, rebounding, five defensive rebounds those are huge for our team deflections and he just he had very good command of the game to start. Then Taj (DeGourville) and Jacob (Lanier) both came in and did a great job as well and Cale (Jacobsen) is another guy that can facilitate offense for us.”

Nebraska Guard Cale Jacobsen

On goals for the night
“The possession battle is something we talk about a lot. Offensive rebounds or rebounding in general and then taking care of the basketball. Shamus (McKnight) told me we were 24-8 assist to turnover, plus 11 on the glass. That’s our recipe. We talk about it all the time, so to come in and be able to do that is what our goals were.”

On attacking the basket
“I think it’s just playing with the flow. When you get an advantage, you have to be able to get in the paint and then make plays if teams are going to help. Obviously Pryce (Sandfort) gets pressured a ton with the way he shoots the basketball, and the way that he shoots it opens up the paint for other guys. It just kind of opened up tonight, and we had to get downhill to create some advantage.”

Nebraska Forward Damon Wilkinson

On the rebounding effort
“We outrebounded them obviously, and that’s something we’ve been working on in practice all week, and we continue to work on. I feel like we improved from the exhibitions for sure.”

On initiating offense
“It’s great. When I get the ball on the block, if they’re going to double, that’s our offense is to flood the bottom side. Jacob (Lanier) got it wide open three or four times honestly. I might’ve missed him once or twice. That’s just what we do.”

Le Moyne Head Coach Nate Champion

On this Nebraska basketball team
“That’s an NCAA tournament team, they went to the Sweet 16 last year. They do such a good job at taking our mistakes and exploiting them on the other end.”

On being able to limit their mistakes
“We have talent down the line, we have depth. Just getting it all to click, being able to produce in a positive way.”