Nebraska basketball just keeps climbing-and now they’re officially in the penthouse suite of the national conversation.
Fresh off a dominant 76-57 win at Minnesota, the Huskers vaulted to No. 5 in both the AP and USA Today Coaches Polls on Monday, marking another major milestone in what’s shaping up to be a special season in Lincoln. That’s up two spots from last week’s No. 7 ranking, and it sets the stage for a top-five showdown on Tuesday against No. 3 Michigan-a matchup that suddenly carries heavyweight implications in the Big Ten and beyond.
And it’s not just the polls that are showing love. Nebraska also sits at No. 5 in the NCAA’s NET rankings, which factor in everything from strength of schedule to game results and efficiency metrics. Translation: this team isn’t just winning-they’re winning in a way that matters come March.
At 9-0 in Big Ten play, Fred Hoiberg’s squad is leading the conference pack, and doing so with a balance of grit, poise, and high-level execution on both ends of the floor. Their latest win over Minnesota wasn’t just another notch in the win column-it was a statement. Nebraska controlled the game from start to finish, showing the kind of maturity and focus you need to survive a long conference grind.
But the road ahead? It’s about to get a whole lot steeper.
Michigan awaits next, and while the Huskers come in at No. 5, the Wolverines are sitting even higher-No. 2 in the coaches poll and No. 3 in the AP. That’s followed by a looming matchup with Illinois, currently ranked No. 9 after their impressive 88-82 win over Purdue. And yes, Nebraska has Purdue on the schedule too-circle February 10 for that one.
Still, Hoiberg isn’t letting his team get caught looking too far ahead.
“It feels one better than 19-0, I guess,” Hoiberg said after Saturday’s win, referencing the team’s perfect record. “I asked them the same question I always ask them in the locker room: ‘Are you satisfied?’”
The answer, according to Hoiberg? A resounding no.
That mindset-never satisfied, always hungry-is part of what’s driving this Nebraska team. They’re not just enjoying the view from the top; they’re preparing for the climb ahead. Hoiberg knows Tuesday’s matchup with Michigan will take what he called a “monumental effort,” but he’s confident in his group’s ability to rise to the moment.
“We got an unbelievable opportunity in front of us against what I think is arguably the best team in the country,” Hoiberg said. “We’re going to put a game plan together to hopefully give us a chance. But we got to get over this one, regroup, and have a couple good days of preparation.”
If Nebraska can keep stacking wins against top-tier opponents, this dream season might just turn into something even bigger. For now, though, the Huskers are focused, locked in, and very much in the mix at the top of the college basketball world.