If you’re a Nebraska basketball fan, you’ve probably heard Kent Pavelka’s voice rise a few octaves this week-and for good reason. When Jamarques Lawrence drilled a game-winning three against Illinois, Pavelka let out a breathless, “I’m going to pass out,” followed by a half-joking, “I’m not going to last this year.” It was the kind of raw, joyful call that only comes from someone who’s lived and breathed Husker hoops for decades.
And honestly, who could blame him?
This past week wasn’t just a good stretch for Nebraska-it was one of the most electric runs the program has had in a long, long time. Three games.
Three wins. All against quality opponents.
It started with a 71-50 statement over Creighton, followed by a 90-60 demolition of Wisconsin, and capped off with that thrilling 83-80 road win over Illinois, sealed by Lawrence’s clutch jumper. No banners came down from the rafters, no nets were cut, but make no mistake-this was a week that belongs in the upper tier of Nebraska basketball lore.
Fred Hoiberg didn’t sugarcoat it when he stepped to the mic after the Illinois game. “This was a helluva week,” he said.
And he’s right. This stretch wasn’t just about stacking wins-it was about how they did it, and who they did it against.
Creighton came in with the swagger of a top-25 team, but Nebraska played with urgency and confidence from the tip. The Huskers didn’t just beat the Bluejays-they smothered them, holding them to 50 points and dominating the game on both ends.
Then came Wisconsin, a team known for grinding out games. Nebraska flipped the script, pushing the tempo and lighting up the scoreboard with 90 points in a rout that felt like a statement of intent.
And then there was Illinois. On the road.
In a hostile environment. It wasn’t pretty, and it wasn’t easy, but it was gritty and gutsy.
The Huskers battled all night before Lawrence rose up and buried a shot that’ll live in highlight reels for years. It was the kind of moment that makes a season feel special.
For fans who’ve been around a while, it was hard not to feel a little nostalgic. For some, like those who grew up with Pavelka’s voice as the soundtrack to their basketball memories, this week hit a little differently.
It stirred echoes of that magical 1994 Big Eight Tournament run-when Nebraska dropped 105 on Oklahoma, stunned No. 3 Missouri, and took down Bryant “Big Country” Reeves and Oklahoma State to win the title.
That was a different era, sure, but the energy this week felt just as electric.
There’s still a long road ahead. The Big Ten schedule doesn’t ease up, and Nebraska will have to prove it can sustain this level of play over the grind of conference play. But for one week in December, the Huskers looked like a team that could go toe-to-toe with anyone in the league.
And if you were listening to Kent Pavelka call it all unfold, you could hear what it meant-not just to him, but to everyone who’s been waiting for this kind of moment.