Nebraska wasted no time making its season opener look like a mismatch, rolling past Le Moyne 106-64 on the strength of a fast start and a deep rotation that kept producing all night.
The Huskers opened with a 7-0 burst and never gave the Dolphins a chance to settle in. By halftime, Nebraska had already built a 58-32 cushion, then kept pouring it on to finish with its highest point total since scoring 114 in a double-overtime loss to Ohio State in March of 2025.
Fred Hoiberg was able to go deep into his bench once the game was in hand. Sam Orme, who is recovering from a hamstring injury, was the only Husker who did not see the floor.
Eleven Nebraska players scored, with Pryce Sandfort leading the way at 20 points. Braden Frager finished with 16, Connor Essegian added 13 in his first regular season minutes since being injured last November, and Damon Wilkinson and Jacob Lanier each chipped in 11.
The matchup was also Nebraska’s first-ever meeting with Le Moyne, the Dolphins from De Witt, New York. Per the incomparable Husker Hoops Central account, it was Nebraska’s first game against a team whose nickname is Dolphins… a completely random factoid that I love.
And yes, the Meme Army was back in action too. The season debut nearly got derailed by Le Moyne’s social media admin, who took well over 30 minutes to post the final score - an eternity in the digital age. Maybe they were busy counting all the dolphins in central New York state.
The meme haul included “There are no dolphins in New York” - @huskersjames and “Taj DeGourdville wishes you a happy Halloween” - @BigGlennNetwork.
Nebraska now turns to Providence, with the teams set to meet Saturday in a neutral-site game at Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut.
In Other News...
Former Husker Says Nebraskas Slide Is About More Than Bad Luck
The frustration around Nebraskas three-game skid has plenty of familiar edges, but former wingback Clester Johnson thinks the conversation has to go deeper than bad breaks. On a podcast episode with the Common Fans, Johnson reflected on his own playing days and used that lens to talk about what he sees in the Huskers now, pointing to leadership and accountability as central pieces of the discussion.
Johnson also zeroed in on the on-field issues that have kept the slide going, including inconsistent running and problems closing games late. Even with the frustration mounting, he still sees enough talent on the roster to believe Nebraska can steady itself and finish the season strong, which is part of what makes the current stretch so hard to swallow for everyone around the program. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Should Watch Nebraskas Injury Report Very Closely This Week
Nebraskas injury report is worth a close look this week as the Cornhuskers prepare for Illinois, with a few key names still in flux heading into the matchup. Jamir Conn and Gunnar Gottula are both listed as questionable, and while Conn has been practicing, he still needs further clearance. Gottula is working back from a head injury, leaving Nebraska to sort through a situation that could affect its depth in more than one spot.
The longer-term picture is less encouraging for the Huskers. Vincent Genatone is out for the season after surgery, while Anthony Jones Jr. remains sidelined with a broken foot, though he is expected back before the year ends. Nebraska has already had several players listed out since the season began, so the availability of even a couple of questionable contributors could matter as the Cornhuskers try to keep their roster intact for a key Big Ten test. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraskas Late-Game Problem Just Got A Lot More Costly
Nebraskas slide at the wrong time has left the Huskers with little margin for error as they try to stay in the bowl picture and keep their season from drifting further off course. At 5-3, they were left out of the initial College Football Playoff Top 25, even as other teams with similar records found a place, a reminder that recent results carry as much weight as the overall record.
The bigger concern is the way the last three games have gone, with losses to Indiana and Oregon helping close the door on any early national momentum. Now the path forward runs through a difficult stretch against Illinois, Ohio State and Iowa, and Nebraska needs to start turning close calls into wins if it wants to change the tone of the season before November gets away from it. [Read more 🡒]