There were some worries all around the Nebraska men’s basketball fan base regarding the team for the 2025-26 season, with Brice Williams and Juwan Gary graduating.
Williams averaged 16.9 points per game throughout his two years with the program after transferring from Charlotte.
Gary was seen as the other half of the one-two punch for Nebraska last year. Whether it was making clutch lay-ups or prominent plays on the defensive end, Gary made it happen.
Surely, Nebraska would like to redo its last handful of games on the tail end of last year. A five-game losing streak to end the regular season kept them out of the Big Ten Tournament.
Although the Huskers didn’t make the big dance, they were invited to play in the College Basketball Crown tournament in Paradise, Nevada.
After cruising past Arizona State, Georgetown and Boise State, Nebraska found itself in the championship game against UCF with a chance to win the trophy. In the final, the Huskers found a way to win 77-66, with 62 combined points coming from Williams, Gary and Connor Essegian.
Although the season concluded with a first-place finish in the tournament, the Huskers’ have high aspirations for their upcoming season, which is on the horizon.
Two exhibition games came before the start of Nebraska’s revenge tour, a 90-89 win over BYU, followed by a 91-50 victory topping Midland.
BYU
BYU finished its 2024-25 regular season with an overall record of 26-10 and 14-6 in conference play, before falling short to No. 2 Alabama in the Sweet Sixteen.
Freshman forward and the top-recruit in the country AJ Dybantsa has put the country on notice, thanks to his dominant play style.
Dybantsa didn’t disappoint in any means, he managed to put up 30 points, seven rebounds and three steals, but his team fell short, 90-89 to the Huskers.
In Nebraska’s win, senior forward Rienk Mast recorded an unforgettable performance in his first game since the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Mast did not play the entire 2024-25 season, following surgery on his left knee in May 2024.
Midland
The Huskers’ final exhibition battle against Midland, out of the Great Plains Athletic Conference, resulted in a 91-50 win inside Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Right off the bat, Mast got to work down low, completely out-muscling Midland’s freshman forward Cole Petersen. Four of Nebraska’s first 10 points belonged to Mast on the right-hand side of the paint.
“It’s good to get him out there. We haven’t had any restrictions on Rienk in six weeks. We’re going to need his body and size,” head coach Fred Hoiberg said.
After the first 20 minutes of the game, the Huskers lead 44-26, thanks to Midland’s 15% from the 3-point line, shooting 7-for-25.
On the other side, Nebraska shot a positive 43% from the field, along with three 3-pointers from junior forward Pryce Sandfort, a transfer from Iowa.
“Coach Nate [Loenser] told us, ‘They don’t hang banners for exhibition wins,” Sandfort said.
The second half started very slowly from both sides, with a three-minute period of no baskets by either team.
Nebraska found lots of success from Lincoln Southwest grad Braden Frager, who shot an unbelievable 50% from behind the arc, going 6-for-12. Frager finished with a game-high of 21 points, a hopeful look for the Big Red.
“This is what Braden can do. It was like there was no one else on the floor but him. That’s the beauty of Braden Frager, he’s athletic,” Hoiberg said.
Looking forward
Nebraska has finished its preseason and has its eyes on the future competition, moving ahead towards the games that matter.
“It’s been really fun to coach them,” Hoiberg said. “We’re looking forward to next week.”
The locker room looks different than last year, with lots of new faces, five transfers, ranking No. 13 in the Big Ten preseason rankings and one freshman in Quentin Rhymes.
The Huskers will be back at home, Nov. 3, 2025, to take on West Georgia to begin their 2025-26 campaign, after completing their preseason, 2-0.
“We are starting off the season with two very athletic teams. Two well-coached teams. We got to get back to work, we will take tomorrow off, then get ready for the opener,” Hoiberg said.