Is it too early to say “statue”?
No. 3 seed Nebraska routed No. 14 Troy 76-47 on Thursday in a South Region matchup in Oklahoma City for the first NCAA Tournament win in program history. The Huskers started slow but ignited over time, closing the first half on a 29-10 run and cruised from there.
Junior guard Pryce Sandfort led the way with 23 points and was 7-of-12 from 3-point range, part of a 14-of-39 performance from beyond the arc for the Huskers.
After a string of Trojan 3s early, Nebraska increased their defensive intensity, contesting every attempt at the arc from a one-dimensional Troy lineup. Standout defense from Rienk Mast and Big Ten All-Defense member Sam Hoiberg held the Trojans to 28% shooting, including a 1-of-11 disaster from star forward Thomas Dowd.
“I would like to thank the good Lord for the opportunity to just have our guts absolutely ripped out,” Trojans coach Scott Cross said in a postgame news conference. “It stinks.”
Nebraska’s win was a return to form following a 74-58 beatdown by Purdue in the Big Ten Tournament. The Huskers took care of the basketball (just six turnovers and 20 assists), played oppressive defense (they forced 17 turnovers and had 10 steals) and beat Troy on the boards. In the first half alone, Nebraska scored 32 points off turnovers and offensive rebounds.
“We did a great job of moving the ball, playing simple basketball,” Huskers coach Fed Hoiberg told reporters afterward. “This team forces a lot of turnovers. You can’t play in a crowd against them.”
Unlike Troy, Nebraska was protean, melding Mast’s physicality, Hoiberg’s playmaking and Sandfort’s sharpshooting to keep the Trojans from gaining momentum. As they struggled from the arc, Troy’s defense wilted and the Huskers mauled them in the paint.
Hoops HQ's 'All Glue' Team: Standout Players Who Don't Stand Out In Box Scores
Duke’s Maliq Brown and Arizona’s Ivan Kharchenkov are also among the selections for the 26th annual All-Glue Team. PLUS: A retrospective on glue teams past.
“We felt like they were making tough shots that couldn’t really last the entirety of the game,” Sam Hoiberg said afterward. “As soon as we started getting stops on defense, we started getting the offense rolling.”
The Huskers also benefited from a decidedly Big Red crowd. Per SeatGeek, Nebraskans accounted for 69 percent of Session 1 ticket sales in Oklahoma City. At halftime, Hoops HQ senior correspondent Andy Katz called it the wildest first round crowd he had seen.
“That might have been the best environment I’ve ever played in – home, neutral, away,” Sandfort told reporters. “It was truly unbelievable. Our fan base is just incredible, and we’re so blessed to play in front of these fans.”
Those fans included Payton Sandfort, Pryce’s brother and former Iowa teammate. Payton made his NBA debut for Oklahoma City on Wednesday night and told Pryce he wouldn’t make it home in time for the game.
“He was lying to me this whole week,” said Pryce, smiling. “It was unreal seeing him up there.”
Troy’s lead guards also are brothers — Cooper and Cobi Campell — whose father is a Trojans assistant. The duo dominated Sun Belt Conference opponents as high-volume shooters, but struggled against the Huskers’ length.
Nebraska’s win wasn’t flawless. The Huskers occasionally were careless in their decision-making. Their turnovers came from poor passing, notably from Mast, who excelled on the boards but struggled to follow-though. For Nebraska, taking care of the ball is an imperative, not a luxury: Their worst losses of the season came in games with the most turnovers.
Saturday, Nebraska faces fourth-seeded Vanderbilt — an athletic team that has one of the most efficient offenses in the nation. Oddsmakers are projecting a loss. But six months ago, this team was projected to finish 14th in the Big Ten.
“I’m confident our guys will do what they’ve done all year,” Fred Hoiberg said. “I promise you, we’re going to keep fighting and keep swinging.”
Meet your guide
