Nebraska lastly has an NCAA tournament win.
The No. 4 Cornhuskers vanquished ghosts which have haunted the basketball program for 40 years with a 76-47 win over No. 13 Troy in the first spherical of the South area on Thursday. The win is Nebraska’s first in 9 March Madness appearances because it first made the tournament in 1986.
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The Huskers made certain to go away little doubt that the ninth look was going to end result in one other first-round loss, too. Nebraska closed the first half on a 17-6 run over the ultimate seven minutes earlier than halftime to take a 16-point lead.
Pryce Sandfort was an enormous purpose why. He scored 17 first-half factors and was 5-of-8 from behind the arc.
Sandfort did that with his brother Payton in attendance after he scored the first NBA factors of his profession. Payton Sandfort, a rookie on a two-way contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder, performed the first 5 minutes of his NBA profession in OKC’s blowout win over Brooklyn on Wednesday evening. He then hopped on an early flight again to Oklahoma City on Thursday to see Nebraska make school history.
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Pryce Sandfort completed with 23 factors as he received to look at the tip of the sport from the bench because of the blowout.
Troy shot simply 28% from the sphere because the Trojans went ice chilly to finish the first half. Troy performed with Nebraska to begin the sport, however the Huskers pulled away as Troy went simply 4-of-17 from the sphere after making its first three photographs of the sport.
The Huskers will play their first second-round sport in school history in opposition to both No. 5 Vanderbilt or No. 12 McNeese.
Nebraska’s earlier tournament failures
Until Thursday, Nebraska’s NCAA tournament history was tough. Here’s a have a look at every of the school’s first eight NCAA tournament appearances.
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1986
The Huskers made their first tournament look 4 many years in the past as a No. 9 seed in coach Moe Iba’s final yr with the workforce. Nebraska went 19-10 in the common season earlier than shedding 67-59 to No. 8 Western Kentucky.
1991
The 1991 season was the best in fashionable Nebraska basketball history on the time. The Danny Nee-coached Huskers went 26-8 and completed a sport again of Oklahoma State and Kansas for the Big 8 title. That earned Nebraska a No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament, however the Huskers had been upset 89-84 by Xavier because the Musketeers shot 54% from the sphere and 43% from behind the arc.
1992
Nebraska took a step again the following season however nonetheless comfortably made the tournament as a No. 8 seed. However, this sport wasn’t very shut. No. 9 UConn outscored the Cornhuskers by 15 factors in the first half on the way in which to an 86-65 win.
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1993
After going 20-10 in the common season, Nebraska received into the tournament as a No. 10 seed. But they drew a ranked New Mexico State workforce in the first spherical and received blown out in the second half in a 93-79 loss.
1994
The Huskers made their fourth straight tournament in 1994 in star Eric Piatkowski’s senior season. The Nebraska legend averaged 21.5 factors per sport in his ultimate season as Nebraska completed fourth in the Big 8. But Piatkowski ended up going his entire profession with out an NCAA tournament win as No. 6 Nebraska was upset by No. 11 Penn after the Quakers had a 12-point halftime lead.
1998
The 1998 season ended up being the final time a Nebraska workforce coached by Nee made the NCAA tournament. Nebraska completed fourth in convention play — this time after the Big 8 had develop into the Big 12 — and was led by present Los Angeles Clippers coach Tyronn Lue. But you understand the place that is going. At least Nebraska wasn’t upset, although. The No. 11 Huskers misplaced 74-65 to No. 6 Arkansas.
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2014
Second-year coach Tim Miles led the Huskers again to the NCAA tournament after a 16-year absence. The Huskers gained eight of their final 9 regular-season video games to make the tournament and snuck in as a No. 11 seed. However, Nebraska misplaced 74-60 to No. 6 Baylor.
2024
The Huskers completed with a profitable report for the first time below Fred Hoiberg two seasons in the past as they completed third in the Big Ten. After shedding to Illinois in the semifinals of the Big Ten tournament, Nebraska was a No. 8 seed and drew former Big 12 foe Texas A&M in the first spherical. The Aggies rushed out to a 58-44 lead at halftime on the way in which to a 98-83 win.
