The fourth-seeded Nebraska Cornhuskers defeated the 13th-seeded Troy Trojans 76-47 in a first-round game of the 2026 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament on March 19 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
The win marked the first NCAA tournament victory in program history for Nebraska, which had gone 0-10 in 10 prior appearances dating to 1986.[1][2]
Pryce Sandfort led the Cornhuskers with 23 points, scoring 17 in the first half on five-of-eight shooting from three-point range. Jamarques Lawrence and reserve Braden Frager each added 13 points.
Troy shot 28% from the field (13-of-46) and 8-of-28 from three-point range for the game.
Nebraska, coached by Fred Hoiberg, entered the tournament on a 27-6 season record after losing to Purdue in the Big Ten Conference quarterfinals.
The Cornhuskers' previous NCAA appearance was in 2024 as an eighth seed, falling 97-87 to Texas A&M in the first round.[3] Before that, in 2014, they lost 74-60 to sixth-seeded Baylor in the first round.[4]
Nebraska advances to face Vanderbilt in the second round after the Commodores defeated McNeese State.
Sources
- Sports-Reference.com
Nebraska Cornhuskers Men's Basketball History
Accessed October 2024
https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/nebraska/men/index.html - ESPN
Nebraska Men's Basketball History
Accessed October 2024
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/history/_/id/242 - ESPN
Texas A&M 97-87 Nebraska (Mar 24, 2024) Box Score
March 24, 2024
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/boxscore/_/gameId/401581785 - ESPN
Baylor 74-60 Nebraska (Mar 20, 2014) Box Score
March 20, 2014
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/boxscore/_/gameId/400472587
