Nebraska Basketball Upsets Spartans, Achieves 14-0 Record

The Nebraska Cornhuskers achieved a significant milestone in their basketball season by upsetting the Michigan State Spartans. This intense matchup, held at Pinnacle Bank Arena, concluded with a narrow 58-56 victory for the No. 13 Huskers on Friday night. With this win, Nebraska improved its record to an impressive 14-0 overall and 3-0 in Big Ten Conference play, while the Spartans fell to 12-2 and 2-1 in the league.

Nebraska’s Competitive Edge

The game was marked by a tightly contested battle, characterized by eight ties and seven lead changes during the first half. Both teams struggled to establish a commanding lead, keeping the score tightly contested. As the halftime buzzer rang, the scoreboard read 33-33.

Nebraska forward Pryce Sandfort faced foul trouble early on and managed to play only six minutes before halftime, contributing five points.

Second Half Resurgence

As the second half unfolded, Nebraska seemed ready to take the lead. After trailing by one, Sandfort hit a crucial three-pointer. This was followed by a free throw from Cale Jacobsen and additional three-pointers from Sandfort and Braden Frager. However, a technical foul on Frager shifted momentum, allowing Michigan State to respond with six consecutive free throws, igniting a 12-3 run that put the Spartans ahead.

With just under five minutes remaining, a layup from Sam Hoiberg and subsequent points from Michigan State gave the visitors a three-point advantage. However, they would not score again during the game.

Clutch Performances in Final Moments

In the final minutes, Hoiberg managed to sink two free throws. Then, Nebraska’s Rienk Mast tied the score with a critical three-pointer with 1:58 left on the clock. Michigan State had a chance to either equalize or take the lead, but after missed opportunities, they found themselves needing to capitalize on free throws.

When Sandfort fouled out, Spartan center Carson Cooper had a chance to retake the lead, but missed his first attempt. An intentional miss followed, which saw Nebraska gain possession due to the ball being knocked out of bounds.

Game Statistics Snapshot

• Nebraska Shooting: 31.6% (13-of-37 on three-pointers)
• Michigan State Shooting: 34.0% (10-of-28 on three-pointers)
• Turnovers: Michigan State (19), Nebraska (8)
• Top Scorer: Rienk Mast (19 points, 7 rebounds)
• Key Contributions: Pryce Sandfort (13 points), Jamarques Lawrence (12 points)

Next Up for Nebraska

Nebraska will travel to Ohio State for their next game on Monday. The match is set to tip off at 5:30 p.m. CST and will be broadcast on FS1. With their undefeated record on the line, all eyes will be on the Huskers as they look to continue their successful season.