Nebraska Beats Vanderbilt, Updated Path to Final Four in March Madness After Close Win Excites Fans

No. 4 Nebraska survived an electric matchup against No. 5 Vanderbilt, securing a 74-72 win Saturday to advance to the Sweet 16.

A clutch defensive stop by the Cornhuskers led to a breakaway layup from Braden Frager with two seconds remaining. 

Vanderbilt's Tyler Tanner nearly hit a half-court heave at the buzzer as the nation held its breath, but Nebraska held on to escape with the win.

Nebraska will face either No. 1 Florida or No. 9 Iowa in the Sweet 16.

Falling to the eventual Big Ten champion Purdue in the conference quarterfinals, Nebraska did not face Florida or Iowa during the regular season.

Nebraska opened the tournament with a dominant 76-47 win over No. 13 Troy, fueled by an impressive performance from Pryce Sandfort as four players scored in double figures.

A hungry Nebraska squad — built on balance with contributions across the lineup and bench rather than a single star — will be eager for the matchup as it continues its pursuit of a first NCAA tournament title.

Potential Path

Florida rolled past No. 16 Prairie View, 114-55, while Iowa battled to a 67-61 win over No. 8 Clemson.

Florida's Thomas Haugh has proven to be a difficult matchup, averaging 17 points and 6.1 rebounds, while Urban Klavzar has been on fire from beyond the arc, shooting 40.5 percent from beyond the three point line. 

In Florida's dominant tournament opener, all five starters scored in double figures, with two bench players also reaching the mark.

Alternatively, a potential matchup could come against Bennett Stirtz and the Hawkeyes. Stirtz is averaging 19.9 points, alongside Cooper Koch's 9.6 points, while Kael Combs is coming off a strong performance against Clemson.

Nebraska sits in a loaded South Region, with a potential Sweet 16 matchup against No. 1 Florida and a possible Elite Eight showdown against No. 2 Houston or No. 3 Illinois awaiting on the path to the Final Four.

If the Cornhuskers continue their momentum and take down the red-hot top seeds, they could face No. 1 Duke, the winner of St. John's vs. Kansas, Michigan State or the winner of UCLA vs. UConn in the East Final Four matchup.

Nebraska's path to the Final Four will not be easy, but with its depth and growing momentum, it is a team to watch.