Nebraska HC, Players Reflect on Historic NCAA Tournament Win, 'Never Thought It Would Happen'

No. 4 seed Nebraska secured its first NCAA tournament win in program history after head coach Fred Hoiberg's squad wrapped up a 76-47 victory over No. 13 Troy on Thursday.

Cornhuskers guard Sam Hoiberg, Fred's son, discussed the accomplishment.

"It's what I dreamed of, back when we lost 12 conference games in a row," Sam said, per Mitch Sherman of The Athletic. "I used it as motivation. I never thought it would happen."

The fourth-year senior also called the victory a "storybook ending," according to ESPN's Brooke Pryor.

While Nebraska held a 41-25 advantage at halftime and led by as many as 30 points in the second half, Fred revealed that he didn't let the win sink in until there was roughly one minute remaining in the contest.

"This is the most emotional of all of them, for me," Fred said, per Pryor. "Both benches were empty, and it's emotional for me. I think of my dad, who is in a home right now. I hope he got a chance to watch this one. I can't wait to talk to him just because of what it means for our family. And it is emotional. There's no doubt about it.

"But these guys all year long have moved on. They've been so resilient. They've got over big wins. They've got over tough losses, and I'm confident that they're going to do that again and be locked in."

Nebraska guard Pryce Sandfort finished with a game-high 23 points on 7-of-13 shooting, while Rienk Mast showcased his all-around impact by recording 11 points, seven assists and six rebounds.

"The five-minute mark hit, and you kind of know like, 'Hey, this one's in the pocket,'" Mast said after the game, per Pryor. "You start looking around and just the amount of smiles you see from everyone in the crowd. It was truly special."

The Cornhuskers were winless during each of their prior eight March Madness appearances.

Nebraska owned a mere 14-45 record during Fred Hoiberg's first two seasons with the team, but steadily emerged as a contender in the Big Ten. The Cornhuskers now hold a 71-31 record since the beginning of their 2023-24 campaign, which includes a 27-6 mark this year.

Nebraska will now face Vanderbilt in the second round.