(Oklahoma City, OK) — It has been a season of firsts for Nebraska men’s basketball and another one happened on Saturday. For the first time in school history, the Huskers are in the Sweet 16, beating Vanderbilt 74-72.
Trailing 70-68 with 1:21 left, Rienk Mast missed a three pointer for Nebraska but Sam Hoiberg snuck in the back door, got the rebound and put it back in to tie the game at 70-70. The Commodores regained the lead on a driving lay-up from Tyler Tanner but on the other end Nebraska drove the lane again and Hoiberg missed one but this time it was Mast who tipped in the rebound to tie it at 72-72.
Vandy had a chance to take the lead again but Chandler Bing missed a shot in the lane and the Huskers raced down the other end as Pryce Sandfort found a driving Braden Frager who laid it up with his left hand to give Nebraska a 74-72 lead with 2 seconds left. After a Commodore time out, Tanner heaved one from half court. It was on target but went in and out and Husker fans could breathe.
Frager and Sandfort each led Nebraska (28-6) with 15 points, Mast had 13 and Berke Buyuktuncel added 12. The Huskers were 9 of 19 from three point land and shot 56 percent overall on 29 of 52.
Tanner led Vanderbilt (27-9) with 27 points while Tyler Nickel added 16.
Nebraska will play the winner of Florida and Iowa in the next round TBA.
