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Four-Star Forward Colin Rice Breaks Down Nebraska Official Visit
Waukee Northwest's Colin Rice (24) scores off a layup against Cedar Rapids Kennedy on Monday, March 10, 2025, at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Nebraska men's basketball is making moves on a regional product, getting an Iowa prospect on campus recently.

Waukee Northwest (Iowa) forward Colin Rice said his visit to Lincoln was "great". The 6-foot-8 forward from just a few hours east has quickly become a priority for coach Fred Hoiberg and his staff.

Collin Rice's Connection With Nebraska Went Beyond Court

While at the Midwest Basketball Showcase, Rice told Hail Varsity, "The Nebraska visit was great. The people there are really awesome. I love Fred, I love Nate (Loenser). I’ve known them for a while now.” His excitement didn’t stop there.

Rice remarked on how full-circle the moment felt, noting that it had been roughly a year since his recruitment kicked off in earnest. “Now I’m on an official visit saying, ‘Hey, I might go here.’”

What really stood out was the trust factor. Rice commented, "I like their honesty with me. I know I can trust them, things that they say. They’ve been through this. Fred knows what he’s doing, Nate knows what he’s doing.”

For a four-star prospect weighing his future, that level of transparency is gold. When coaches present a clear vision for how Rice fits into the team, “they have a plan for me.” He must have known exactly what role he’d be stepping into, and that clarity was a game-changer.

Colin Rice, The Frontcourt Piece Nebraska Didn’t Even Know It Needed

At 6-foot-8 and 180 pounds, Rice has the frame of a future wing that can also play as a stretch big, with enough length and athleticism to guard multiple positions. Currently, he is ranked No. 121 nationally, No. 44 at small forward, and No. 3 in Iowa by the 247Sports Composite. Now, Rice brings legitimate upside. Offers from Iowa, Northwestern, Colorado, and Illinois reflect his desirability, and now Nebraska is front and center.

Coaches showed film of former Huskers like Bryce McGowens and Sam Griesel, showing them how their skill set could translate into meaningful minutes. “They showed me a lot of them, and showed how my size and versatility can be used there to handle the ball and be really good with scoring,” he shared.

Rice has one more official visit. It is scheduled for this June at Northwestern, right before a July decision window. “Hopefully make a decision in July,” he said. “If that’s early July the better … but I’m not going to make it until I feel comfortable.” That flexibility gives Nebraska wiggle room but also pressure to stay engaged.

More from Nebraska on SI

This article first appeared on Nebraska Cornhuskers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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