Nebraska Cornhuskers forward Rienk Mast drives against Michigan State Spartans guard Trey Fort. Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

No. 13 Nebraska stays unbeaten with thrilling win over No. 9 Michigan State

By Samuel Stubbs | Last updated Jan 2, 2026 11:39 PM ET

There's magic in the air in Lincoln.

No. 13 Nebraska (14-0, 3-0 Big 10) earned another signature win by taking down No. 9 Michigan State (12-2, 2-1 Big 10) 58-56 on Friday evening.

It was a gritty win for the Cornhuskers, who were knotted at 33-33 with the Spartans at halftime.

What ensued was a gritty, physical second half that led to Rienk Mast knocking down the game-winning three with 1:54 to play.

Nebraska held Michigan State scoreless over the final 1:19 and held them without a field goal for the final 4:41.

The magic led to a court storming at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

Not just a feel good story.pic.twitter.com/EJhru4KOKX
— Nebraska Men's Basketball (@HuskerMBB) January 3, 2026

Mast led Nebraska with 19 points, while Jaxon Kohler led MSU with 19 points.

The victory keeps the Nebraska buzzsaw rolling and keeps the Cornhuskers relevant as a true national contender. For a school that has only had one winning season in Big Ten play in seven years, such a start is very promising. The Cornhuskers also have signature victories over Wisconsin, Creighton and No. 20 Illinois (then ranked No. 20) this season.

Nebraska will attempt to stay undefeated when it takes on Ohio State on Monday in Columbus.

Michigan State's only other loss this season came to No. 6 Duke (then ranked No.4) on Dec. 6. The Spartans will have a chance to bounce back against another ranked opponent when they host No. 24 USC on Monday.

Samuel Stubbs

Hailing from the same neck of the woods as NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin, Samuel has been covering NASCAR for Yardbarker since February 2024. He has been a member of the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) since October of 2024. When he’s not writing about racing, Samuel covers Arkansas Razorback basketball for Yardbarker

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