Nebraska ends decades of March Madness heartbreak with first-ever NCAA Tournament win

The No. 4 Nebraska Cornhuskers made easy activity of nan No. 13 Troy Trojans successful nan first information of nan NCAA Tournament, taking them down, 76-47, to support their March Madness dreams alive. 

In doing so, history was made for nan program. 

The Cornhuskers person made 9 trips to "The Dance," opening successful 1986, yet location were nary wins to beryllium recovered for them successful those appearances. 

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Rienk Mast of nan Nebraska Cornhuskers celebrates during nan first information of nan 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament against nan Troy Trojans held astatine Paycom Center connected March 19, 2026, successful Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Shane Bevel/NCAA Photos)

But location was nary uncertainty astir Nebraska connected Thursday contempt a basking commencement by Troy successful this contest. 

Pryce Sandfort, Nebraska’s sharpshooter, was a main logic why they ran distant pinch nan game. He was businesslike from beyond nan arc successful nan first half, hitting 5 of his 8 three-point attempts and notching 17 points complete nan first 20 minutes. 

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Sandfort went connected to people 23 points, arsenic he took a spot connected nan chair successful nan 2nd half erstwhile caput coach Fred Hoiberg knew he could remainder his starters pinch a hefty lead. 

Meanwhile, Troy struggled aft that start, shooting conscionable 28% from nan section for nan full game, going conscionable 13-of-46 including 8-of-28 from three-point territory. 

Victor Valdes of nan Troy Trojans defends Braden Frager of nan Nebraska Cornhuskers during nan first half successful nan first information of nan 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament astatine Paycom Center connected March 19, 2026, successful Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

For nan Cornhuskers, Jamarques Lawrence besides added 13 points connected 4-of-8 shooting, while Braden Frager came disconnected nan chair for 13 points arsenic well. 

The past clip Nebraska made nan tourney was successful 2024, wherever they couldn’t flooded Texas A&M successful a 98-93 loss. And earlier that, nan Cornhuskers were only capable to make it successful 2014, wherever they fell to No. 6 Baylor, 74-60. 

But nan Cornhuskers felt different coming into nan tourney this year, going 27-6 successful a very successful season. However, they fell to Purdue successful nan quarterfinals of nan Big Ten Tournament – nan No. 2 seed falling to No. 7. 

There was a chance this Cornhuskers squad could’ve been a overmuch higher seed if not for that nonaccomplishment to nan Boilermakers, but they sewage nan shot rolling successful a historical measurement connected Thursday. 

Braden Frager and Berke Buyuktuncel of nan Nebraska Cornhuskers respond aft a handbasket and foul against nan Troy Trojans during nan first half successful nan first information of nan 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament astatine Paycom Center connected March 19, 2026, successful Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

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Next, they will person to look different squad pinch a bully communicative this year, arsenic nan Vanderbilt Commodores defeated McNeese State to move connected to nan 2nd round. 

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