OKLAHOMA CITY — — Tyler Tanner nearly sent Nebraska’s boisterous fans home in surprised silence.
Braden Frager made a driving layup with 2.2 seconds left to place Nebraska in entrance, and Tanner’s heave from beyond half court rimmed out on the buzzer because the Cornhuskers outlasted Vanderbilt 74-72 on Saturday evening in a scintillating second-round NCAA Tournament recreation and superior to the Sweet 16 for the primary time.
March Madness, certainly.
“I just froze for two seconds,” Frager stated. “I thought it went in. I didn’t know how to react. I was, just — everybody started celebrating. I was like, he actually missed it.”
The relieved Cornhuskers celebrated in type, climbing into the stands to affix a sea of scarlet-and-cream-clad followers. Some have been nonetheless chanting “Go Big Red!” inside Paycom Center half-hour after Nebraska’s victory.
“That’s one of the best environments or toughest environments that I’ve ever coached in,” Vanderbilt coach Mark Byington stated. “The fans were incredible for them. Supportive and loud.”
Frager scored off a cross from Pryce Sandfort, the workforce’s scoring chief. Each completed with 15 factors for the fourth-seeded Cornhuskers (28-6), who had by no means gained in March Madness till beating Troy two days in the past. Nebraska advances to the South Region semifinals in Houston, the place it can face both top-seeded Florida or ninth-seeded Iowa on Thursday.
“I think they’re all driving down to Houston in the morning,” Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg stated of the Husker devoted. “We expect another big turnout again next weekend.”
Tanner scored 27 factors and Tyler Nickel added 16 for No. 5 seed Vanderbilt (25-9), which was attempting to achieve the Sweet 16 for the primary time since 2007.
“The hardest thing when you’re in a tournament like this is there’s a side of it with hurt and dejection, and you put everything into it,” Byington stated. “We were a play away, an inch away, from being in the Sweet 16.”
Rienk Mast added 13 factors for the Huskers. Sam Hoiberg, the coach’s son, completed with eight factors, none greater than his putback with 1:20 to go that tied the sport at 70-all. The groups traded the lead 4 occasions over the ultimate 2:08.
Cornhuskers followers took over the sector, identical to they did within the first spherical. “Husker Power!” chants broke out throughout the second half of Houston’s win over Texas A&M, about an hour earlier than the Nebraska recreation tipped off.
Duke Miles, the Commodores’ No. 2 scorer, had his left thumb taped and was held to 9 factors. His quiet evening put the scoring burden on Tanner, whose layup with 58 seconds left gave Vanderbilt its closing lead at 72-70.
The Cornhuskers broke out to an 8-0 lead. Mast, Nebraska’s 6-foot-10, 250-pound middle, made two 3-pointers within the first 5 minutes.
Sandfort didn’t rating till simply over 5 minutes remained within the first half, however his turnaround jumper put the Cornhuskers up 27-19. Nebraska led 39-32 at halftime, regardless of Tanner’s 15 factors.
Vanderbilt chipped away within the second half. Tanner made a layup and was fouled with 9:05 remaining. He missed the free throw, stopping the Commodores from taking their first lead. Moments later, AK Okereke’s 3-pointer lastly put Vanderbilt forward, 58-55.
Vandy pulled in entrance 67-62, its largest lead of the sport, on a 3 by Nickel with 5:34 left. Sandfort responded with a jumper and the margin was no greater than three factors the remainder of the way in which.
“We withstood their run,” Fred Hoiberg stated. “They went on a big run. We knew they would at some point in the game. As we talked going in this tournament, if you want to advance, it’s all about how you handle adversity, and our guys did a masterful job of hanging in there.”
Hoiberg, the Big Ten coach of the yr, has overseen regular enchancment over his seven years at Nebraska. He took the Huskers to the NCAA Tournament two years in the past, and this season Nebraska acquired nationwide consideration for a 20-0 begin that vaulted it to No. 5 within the AP ballot.
Former Nebraska athletic director Trev Alberts, who now holds that title at Texas A&M, caught round to look at his alma mater after the Aggies misplaced to Houston. Alberts gained the Butkus Award in 1993 as a linebacker for the Huskers.
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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and protection: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
