Nebraska Moves to 8-0, But Hoiberg Knows the Real Test Is Just Beginning
It wasn’t pretty. In fact, at times it was downright frustrating. But when the final buzzer sounded, Nebraska men’s basketball walked away with a 72-63 win over USC Upstate - and more importantly, an 8-0 record.
That’s the headline, and it’s not one to take lightly. Nebraska is one of the few undefeated teams left standing, and as head coach Fred Hoiberg pointed out postgame, that matters.
“The one positive is we’re 8-0,” he said. “There’s not a lot of people that can say that right now, and we’ve been battle-tested.
We’ve played good teams.”
But Saturday’s win didn’t come with much satisfaction. Not from Hoiberg, and not from the players either. Because while the Huskers added another tally to the win column, they did it in a way that raised more questions than it answered - especially with a brutal stretch of games looming.
A Sluggish Start in a Supposed Tune-Up
USC Upstate came into Lincoln with a 1-3 record in its previous four games, including losses to UNC Wilmington, Tennessee Tech, and West Georgia. On paper, this was supposed to be a final tune-up before Nebraska’s schedule kicks into high gear. Instead, it turned into a wake-up call.
Upstate led by as many as 12 points - twice - in the first half, and it wasn’t until junior forward Pryce Sandfort took over that Nebraska found its footing. Sandfort poured in a game-high 20 points and sparked a much-needed run to get the Huskers back in control. But even he wasn’t happy with how things started.
“Honestly, I don’t really know,” Sandfort said when asked about the team’s recurring slow starts at home. “It’s something about this building. We just haven’t been able to get up to fast starts.”
That sentiment was echoed by Hoiberg, who didn’t mince words about the team’s lack of energy out of the gate. “I didn’t like our resolve tonight and our resiliency when they threw the first punch,” he said. “They built that thing up to double digits, and I just didn’t like our toughness.”
Pinnacle Bank Arena No Longer a Fortress?
One of the more surprising trends early in the 2025-26 season has been Nebraska’s struggles at home. Pinnacle Bank Arena has long been considered a tough place to play, but the Huskers haven’t exactly been feeding off the home crowd the way you’d expect. In fact, their best starts this season have come on the road or at neutral sites.
“For whatever reason, in this building, we’ve not gotten off to the type of starts that we need to get our incredible crowd behind us,” Hoiberg said. “On the road, we got off to really good starts… it’s not just carrying over right now here.”
That disconnect is something Nebraska has to figure out - and fast. Because what’s coming next is a stretch that will test every bit of their maturity, toughness, and identity.
Creighton, Wisconsin, Illinois: The Real Season Starts Now
The Huskers’ next three games are against Creighton, Wisconsin, and Illinois - with the last of those coming on the road against a team currently ranked No. 13 in the country. That’s a serious step up in competition from the likes of USC Upstate, Winthrop, and New Mexico.
Creighton, Nebraska’s in-state rival, is up first. The Bluejays are 4-3 but have already faced two ranked teams in Gonzaga and Iowa State, and they notched a convincing 76-66 win over Oregon on Thanksgiving. Translation: they’ve been tested, and they’ve already shown they can hang with Big Ten-caliber talent.
That’s what makes this week so critical for Nebraska. They’re unbeaten, yes, but they haven’t played a team like Creighton yet. And with senior Connor Essegian out for the season due to an ankle injury, the margin for error is even slimmer.
Hoiberg Turns Up the Heat
Despite the record, Hoiberg didn’t hold back in the locker room after Saturday’s win. “It’s as loud as I’ve been with this group after the game,” he said. “It was so disappointing and disheartening to see the blank stares out there.”
The frustration wasn’t about effort in practice - Hoiberg made it clear the team had prepared well. But preparation means little if it doesn’t show up when the lights come on. That disconnect between practice and performance is something the Huskers have to solve if they want to keep this unbeaten run alive.
A Crucial Week Ahead
The next eight days could define Nebraska’s season. Hoiberg has laid out the plan: a day off Sunday, two days of practice, another rest day Wednesday, then three days of prep for Creighton. It’s a chance to reset - physically, mentally, and emotionally.
“I told them whatever you’ve got to do in the next 24 hours to be ready to have a great practice on Monday,” Hoiberg said. “For some guys, that’s getting in the ice tubs. For some guys, that’s coming in and getting some work in and getting some shots and getting some conditioning.”
The belief in this group hasn’t wavered, even if the execution has. Hoiberg called them “an unbelievably fun group to coach and to be around,” and he’s confident they’ll respond.
But belief only gets you so far. The next three games will demand more - more toughness, more urgency, more cohesion.
If Nebraska wants to prove they’re more than just a team with a shiny record, they’ll have to earn it. Because the real season starts now.