In February, Rienk Mast's shots seemed elusive, but come March, he's back in prime form. During Nebraska's thrilling 74-72 victory over Vanderbilt, Mast hit three crucial three-pointers in the first half, marking a standout performance in his Husker career.
This Sweet 16 berth is a sweet reward for Mast, who spent a year recovering from knee surgery. Nebraska's head coach, Fred Hoiberg, praised Mast's resilience, saying, "Rienk's recovery was intense - a full 12-month process.
He's the most disciplined player I've ever coached. We knew he'd be okay when he made seven out of eight threes against BYU in our exhibition."
Mast has been a cornerstone for Nebraska's impressive 28-6 season, both as a player and a leader. He even recorded a triple-double early in the season.
However, the Big Ten play presented challenges. After a stellar six three-pointers against Michigan State in early January, Mast faced a rough patch, failing to score in double figures in seven out of ten games from mid-January to late February.
Scoring wasn't everything, but he only managed more than three three-pointers twice since that January game, both against Purdue.
That was until his breakout first half against Vanderbilt, signaling a potential turning point for Mast and the Huskers.