Sam Hoiberg isn’t the kind of player who jumps off the box score. But if you watched Nebraska’s gritty 83-80 win over Illinois, you saw what Brad Underwood saw: a player who controlled the game without needing to dominate it in the traditional sense.
“The game, in my opinion, was all controlled by Fred’s son,” Underwood said afterward.
That’s not just a throwaway line from a frustrated opposing coach. It’s a nod to the kind of impact that doesn’t always show up in points or highlight reels.
Sam Hoiberg was +23 in a three-point game - a staggering number that tells you everything about his fingerprints being all over that win. Underwood called him “the A+ guy,” the one who made the hustle plays, the extra-effort plays, the winning plays.
And that’s exactly who Sam Hoiberg has become.
For a player who’s long accepted a role-player label, the recognition means something. “I don’t get all the stats and I don’t do the glorious things in games,” Sam said with a grin. “So just seeing the other coaches appreciate what I do… it’s cool to hear them talking to the press about it.”
It’s not just opposing coaches who are starting to take notice. Husker fans - even the ones who might’ve been skeptical - are seeing the value of what Sam brings to the floor.
And they should. The senior guard isn’t just playing smart basketball; he’s playing elite-level basketball in the areas that matter most to winning.
Let’s start with the numbers. As of Dec.
18, Hoiberg leads the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio at 5.5-to-1. That’s not just good - that’s elite efficiency.
Over his last three games, he’s dished out 13 assists and committed just one turnover in nearly 87 minutes of action. He’s also averaging 8.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game while shooting a blistering 55.7% from the field.
And it’s not empty production. His drives to the rim have sparked momentum swings during Nebraska’s 11-0 start - the best opening stretch the program has seen in years.
This isn’t a sudden breakout. It’s the result of a player who’s bought in, embraced his role, and kept grinding.
“The last few years it’s been to just keep the ball moving,” Sam said. “Didn’t have a high usage rate so it was hard to score at times, but I was fine with that.
I bought into my role. This year we move the ball really well and it gets around to me and I’ve been able to make plays.”
There’s a quiet confidence behind those words, and it’s backed by work - both physical and mental. Sam has been meditating daily for the last 45 days, something he used to do only when he hit a slump.
Now, he’s made it part of his routine. That consistency, he believes, has helped “unlock a higher level of offensive game.”
And he’s not doing it alone. His twin brother, Charlie - now a graduate manager with the Huskers - has been a steady voice in his ear, reminding him of the scorer he’s always had the potential to be.
“The best I ever shot the ball was the alumni tournament for Pius after my freshman year,” Sam recalled. “I made like 13 threes in the first game or something and had 49 points.
Charlie’s seen me shoot it at a really high level, which I haven’t even really shown that much this year. I’m shooting it better, but I think there’s another level at least with my shot that I can get to.”
That’s the thing with Sam Hoiberg - he’s still climbing.
Husker assistant coach Nate Loenser knows that journey well. He coached Sam hard during his redshirt season, pushing him on the scout team and watching him respond to every challenge.
“Obviously he had the right name, and he got the right opportunity,” Loenser said. “But he’s done a great job of taking hard coaching and getting better.
He’s earned his spot.”
Loenser’s been around the NBA and the G League. He’s seen players get opportunities because of who they are.
But he’s also seen how quickly those chances disappear if you don’t capitalize. Sam?
He’s capitalized.
“At the end of the day, we all need some sort of favor and some sort of opportunity,” Loenser said. “But it’s up to you to decide and make the most of it. And I think Sam epitomizes just what it means to get an opportunity, take advantage of it, earn it.”
His defensive commitment has been a cornerstone of that rise. When Nebraska revamped its defensive approach after Sam’s first season, he bought in completely.
“You think of Sam Hoiberg, Fred Hoiberg’s son, you’re going to think shooter,” Loenser said. “But to his credit, he got on the floor because of his grit, because of his toughness, because of his defensive abilities… and then when he got his opportunities at the end of his freshman year, he capitalized on it.”
That was the beginning of the story. Now, it’s a story that keeps growing.
“You’re either an asset or a liability,” Loenser added. “And he’s proven to play winning basketball.
If you play winning basketball, it doesn’t matter who you are, what you came from, what your name is… we’re always looking for guys that impact winning. And Sam impacts winning.”
A few seasons ago, Sam Hoiberg was just starting to carve out minutes. Nebraska basketball was still trying to find its footing under Fred Hoiberg. But Sam believed in his dad’s offensive system, and now he’s a central piece in making it work.
He’s not just Fred’s son anymore. He’s a leader, a playmaker, and a difference-maker on an undefeated team that’s starting to turn heads.
And he’s doing it the hard way - the winning way.