There were some worries all around the Nebraska men\u2019s basketball fan base regarding the team for the 2025-26 season, with Brice Williams and Juwan Gary graduating.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Williams averaged 16.9 points per game throughout his two years with the program after transferring from Charlotte.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Although the Huskers didn\u2019t make the big dance, they were invited to play in the College Basketball Crown tournament in Paradise, Nevada.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Although the season concluded with a first-place finish in the tournament, the Huskers\u2019 have high aspirations for their upcoming season, which is on the horizon.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Two exhibition games came before the start of Nebraska\u2019s revenge tour, a 90-89 win over BYU, followed by a 91-50 victory topping Midland.\u00a0<\/p>\n
BYU\u00a0<\/p>\n
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.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Freshman forward and the top-recruit in the country AJ Dybantsa has put the country on notice, thanks to his dominant play style.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Dybantsa didn\u2019t 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In Nebraska\u2019s 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Midland\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Huskers\u2019 final exhibition battle against Midland, out of the Great Plains Athletic Conference, resulted in a 91-50 win inside Pinnacle Bank Arena.<\/p>\n
Right off the bat, Mast got to work down low, completely out-muscling Midland\u2019s freshman forward Cole Petersen. Four of Nebraska\u2019s first 10 points belonged to Mast on the right-hand side of the paint.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s good to get him out there. We haven\u2019t had any restrictions on Rienk in six weeks. We\u2019re going to need his body and size,\u201d head coach Fred Hoiberg said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After the first 20 minutes of the game, the Huskers lead 44-26, thanks to Midland\u2019s 15% from the 3-point line, shooting 7-for-25.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cCoach Nate [Loenser] told us, \u2018They don\u2019t hang banners for exhibition wins,\u201d Sandfort said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The second half started very slowly from both sides, with a three-minute period of no baskets by either team.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is what Braden can do. It was like there was no one else on the floor but him. That\u2019s the beauty of Braden Frager, he\u2019s athletic,\u201d Hoiberg said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Looking forward<\/p>\n
Nebraska has finished its preseason and has its eyes on the future competition, moving ahead towards the games that matter.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been really fun to coach them,\u201d Hoiberg said. \u201cWe\u2019re looking forward to next week.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe 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,\u201d Hoiberg said.\u00a0<\/p>\n