No. 10 Nebraska's program-best start continues with road win at Ohio State

Nebraska was held below its season scoring average and shooting percentage in the win but still led the majority of the way. Forwards Rienk Mast and Pryce Sandfort, two of the best shooters in the Big Ten, were held to 32 percent (26.7 percent on three-point attempts). The Cornhuskers ended the game with as many assists as turnovers (12).

It speaks volumes that despite not having anywhere close to its best game, Nebraska managed to build a lead as large as 14 and claw back after falling into a second-half deficit.

Head coach Fred Hoiberg, in his seventh year, has orchestrated a remarkable turnaround after the program went 21-14 and missed the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in six seasons in 2024-25. It's made even more impressive considering the team has emerged without any massive move in the transfer portal this offseason.

Nebraska returned Mast, who missed all of the 2024-25 season after undergoing knee surgery, and re-added guard Jamarques Lawrence, who spent his first two seasons in Lincoln, after playing last year at Rhode Island. But continuity has largely been a strength of this season's squad, with the rest of the core (sans Frager) on the 2024-25 roster. 

With Monday's win, the Cornhuskers joined No. 1 Arizona Wildcats (14-0, 1-0 in Big 12), No. 2 Michigan Wolverines (13-0, 3-0 in Big Ten) and No. 11 Vanderbilt Commodores (14-0, 1-0 in SEC) as the only teams in Division I at 4-0 in Quad 1 games.

Nebraska can further bolster its resume with another Quad 1 win in its next game — Saturday at the Indiana Hoosiers (11-3, 2-1 in Big Ten) — while a potentially massive showdown against Michigan looms at the end of the month. The team has cleared every hurdle so far, and even bigger ones await as it aims to prove it truly belongs.