Nebraska Keeps Rolling: Huskers Hit 20-0 with Statement Win at Minnesota
Nebraska men’s basketball continues to ride a wave of momentum that’s starting to feel historic. With Saturday’s 76-57 win over Minnesota, the Huskers improved to 20-0 on the season and a perfect 9-0 in Big Ten play - and they’re not just winning; they’re making statements along the way.
This win marked another program milestone: Nebraska has now posted 20 or more wins in three consecutive seasons for the first time ever. It's also just the 16th 20-win campaign in school history - a number that feels like it’ll be growing more frequently if this trajectory holds.
The Huskers are building on what’s already the best start to a season by any Big Ten team since Ohio State opened 24-0 back in 2010-11. And their 9-0 conference start? You’d have to go back 60 years to find a better one - the 1965-66 squad started 10-0.
No Frager, No Problem
Nebraska went into Minneapolis without Braden Frager, who stayed behind after suffering an ankle sprain against Washington. But as good teams do, they found answers elsewhere. Cale Jacobsen and the rest of the supporting cast stepped up, helping the Huskers keep the engine running smoothly.
Second-Half Surge
This one followed a familiar script for Nebraska - a tight first half followed by a decisive second-half burst. The Huskers used what’s become their calling card: a “kill shot” run of 10-0 or more to break the game open.
In the first half, Minnesota came out hot from deep, knocking down 9-of-20 from beyond the arc - a surprising clip for a team that entered the game shooting just 32.8% from three. Forward Jaylen Crocker-Johnson was the main culprit, torching Nebraska with four threes on eight attempts in the opening 20 minutes.
But Nebraska made the right adjustments at the break. Crocker-Johnson was held scoreless in the second half and missed all three of his shots from deep. The Huskers altered their approach, tightening up their coverage on pick-and-pop actions and focusing on closing out with more urgency.
“We saw they were 9-of-20 at half and we adjusted a little bit with Crocker-Johnson and pulling on him when he was popping,” Pryce Sandfort said postgame. “It all goes into it - the communication, the defensive energy, getting out to shooters, flying by them, and making them take contested ones.”
The defensive energy shift was palpable. Nebraska forced just four turnovers in the first half - only one of them a steal.
In the second half? Nine turnovers and four steals.
That kind of disruption is exactly what head coach Fred Hoiberg emphasizes with his team’s hand activity and deflections.
“Our defensive energy was much higher, our hands were way more active, and that’s when we play our best,” Sam Hoiberg said. “We talk about deflections all the time.
If we are getting deflections, our defense reflects that and we shut teams down. We were much more active in the second half.
“The coaches were saying at halftime, ‘They were playing harder than us, they were outworking us,’ and that’s one of our goals - for that to never happen. And they responded really well to that.”
Even though the box score didn’t register any official fast-break points, the Huskers’ second-half pace told a different story. Minnesota’s missed shots turned into quick outlets, and Nebraska’s offense started to hum.
Sandfort Takes Over
Pryce Sandfort, Nebraska’s leading scorer, was quiet in the first half - just two points on a pair of free throws. Minnesota’s Langston Reynolds used his length and athleticism to keep Sandfort in check early. But the second half was a different story.
Sandfort exploded for 20 points after the break, finishing with a game-high 22 points and 10 rebounds. He also set a new career high with four blocks - a complete performance that showed just how versatile and impactful he can be.
“I give all credit to my teammates and coaches,” Sandfort said. “Coach Hoiberg was trying to get me going in the second half there. He was drawing up plays for me, telling our guys to find me in transition.”
And they did. Lead guard Jamarques Lawrence made it a priority to feed Sandfort as the Huskers found their rhythm.
“He wasn’t hitting, but we were going to keep going to him,” Lawrence said. “We keep believing in him. We knew he was going to get going in the second half - no surprise.”
Saturday marked Sandfort’s fourth straight 20-point game. He’s the first Husker to accomplish that since Brice Williams rattled off six straight last season.
What’s Next
The road doesn’t get any easier - and that’s exactly how Nebraska wants it. The Huskers now head to Ann Arbor to face Michigan on Tuesday in what’s shaping up to be a marquee matchup between two of the Big Ten’s top teams.
The Wolverines, sitting at 18-1, will come in fresh off a rivalry win over Ohio State. With both teams rolling, Tuesday night could deliver one of the most high-stakes games of the college basketball season so far.
If Nebraska keeps defending like they did in the second half Saturday - and if Sandfort stays hot - they’ll have every chance to keep this dream season going.