Arguably, it has been hit or miss for the Nebraska Cornhuskers basketball program. Under head coach Fred Hoiberg, they have certainly found some consistency while pushing for postseason play. It paid off in 2024, as the Huskers made the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 10 years. Last season was a bit of a step back, but the team still played in the postseason, partaking in the inaugural College Basketball Crown tournament and winning it all.
Now the Huskers have to look to a new leader on the floor, because last season’s superstar Brice Williams is gone. So, what will Nebraska basketball bring in 2025-26? Let’s take a closer look.
Nebraska Basketball 2025-26 Preview: Must Take Advantage of Momentum
Retooling the Roster
Not going to lie, Nebraska lost a lot of talent to graduation. Not only Williams, but Ahron Ulis is gone. But like most teams, the Huskers retooled via the transfer portal. Nebraska brought in six new players from the portal. That group is headlined by Jamarques Lawrence and Pryce Sandfort from Iowa. Shooting is going to be a big part of whether or not Nebraska basketball can succeed this coming season.
The Huskers have certainly addressed it by adding Sandfort. He becomes the second former Hawkeye to make the short trip in the last two seasons. The duo of Pryce and returning starter Connor Essegian gives Nebraska a great duo. Add in another in-conference transfer in Berke Buyucktuncel (UCLA), who will look to prove himself a real Big Ten player this season.
The frontcourt will be happy to have Rienk Mast back after he missed all of the 2024-25 season with a leg injury. He will have some support down low with the addition of Ugnius Jarusevicius, an All-MAC performer. He scored 16.2 points per game last season for Central Michigan.
Other experienced returners for the Cornhuskers include the coach’s son, Sam Hoiberg. Quentin Rhymes from Las Vegas will look to make an impact quickly as a freshman, as will Leo Curtis from Iceland. At 7-1, he’s going to be a big man to build around for Nebraska’s future.
Other transfers looking to make an impact are Kendall Blue (St. Thomas), Will Cooper (Air Force), and Jared Garcia (Tulsa).
Schedule Outlook
Competing in the Big Ten and nationally takes skill and a strong schedule. Nebraska basketball is about to embark on quite a challenging schedule. Sure, they have their tune-ups against the likes of West Georgia, FIU, and Maryland-Eastern Shore. But coach Hoiberg has plenty of tough games ahead.
It all starts in an exhibition as they will take on BYU in early October. They will get an up-close battle with highly regarded freshman AJ Dybantsa. The high-level talent doesn’t end in the exhibition play. Nebraska has games against Oklahoma and, as part of the Hall of Fame Classic, takes on New Mexico before facing either Kansas State or Mississippi State.
Early December will be fun with a clash with the Creighton Bluejays. The non-conference will certainly give Nebraska a chance to prepare for a challenging Big Ten slate. They get home and away games against Illinois, Iowa, and Northwestern. Thankfully, they won’t have to travel to East Lansing, West Lafayette, or College Park. But road visits to Michigan, Indiana, and California to play both USC and UCLA will make for a tough road slate in the Big Ten.
What to Expect for the Cornhuskers?
It’s not going to be an easy schedule for Nebraska basketball in 2025-26, but they have plenty of players hungry to surprise others in the Big Ten. They went 12-2 through the first 14 games last season. They have a chance to win double digits through the first month and a half of the season this year. However, do they have the consistency and roster make-up to be in the top dozen of the Big Ten? I’m not fully sold on that. But if the Cornhuskers can rebound, they have a chance to surprise this year. Winning the College Basketball Crown last season has to be worth something for Nebraska fans’ confidence, right?
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