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It’s Time to Take Nebraska Seriously

Originally posted on Last Word On Sports | By Kaleb Kraus | Last updated Jan 5, 2026 12:01 PM ET

For a school and university that is more known for its football, the Nebraska Cornhuskers certainly have the campus booming for basketball. That was no different on Friday night when the then ninth-ranked Michigan State Spartans visited a sold-out Pinnacle Bank Arena. By the end of the night, the Huskers put the nation on notice.

This team has proven it’s for real, especially after knocking off the Spartans, who are the defending Big Ten Champions. In doing so, Nebraska accomplished something that has never been seen before in school history.

It’s Time to Take Nebraska Seriously

It was clear that head coach Fred Hoiberg had a lot of faith in his group for 2025-26, and that faith has certainly put them in a great position to compete for something far greater than just wins. When you get the best of someone like Tom Izzo, and Michigan State for that matter, you are doing something right. That’s exactly what happened in the 58-56 Nebraska win.

Hoiberg Knew it was Possible

In the midst of the now school record 14-0 start to the campaign, Nebraska has certainly put itself in a category unseen in Lincoln in basketball. Coach Hoiberg knew exactly how historic the win and the moment were following the game.

“We’ve done something that hasn’t been done in this program ever. Running the table in non-conference hasn’t been done in almost 100 years, so there’s a lot of things these guys can be proud of,” Hoiberg said. “But at the same time, the most impressive thing about this group is how they’ve handled it. They haven’t gotten big-headed.”

Unmatched Chemistry

Not only does Nebraska have great leadership on the sidelines, they have it on the floor. It comes from the son of the coach, Sam Hoiberg, who brings pressure defensively, which was paramount in the win against the Spartans.

Senior forward Rienk Mast was exactly what Nebraska needed him to be on Friday, as he knocked down six triples on his way to a 19-point night along with seven rebounds. Not only did he give it his all, as did freshman forward Braden Frager and senior guard Jamarques Lawrence.

Frager chipped in nine points. Along with bringing some intensity against the Spartans. Lawrence scored 12 points, hitting some timely shots. All in all, the chemistry for the Cornhuskers is on point. Even with an injury keeping Connor Essegian out for the rest of the season, this Nebraska team has plenty of power to make something special happen.

They have the nation’s longest win streak of 18 games, dating back to last season when they won the College Basketball Crown title. They certainly have an NCAA Tournament berth on the horizon this season.

This article first appeared on Last Word On Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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