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

The No. 4 Nebraska Cornhuskers made casual enactment of the No. 13 Troy Trojans successful the archetypal circular of the NCAA Tournament, taking them down, 76-47, to support their March Madness dreams alive. 

In doing so, past was made for the program. 

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

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

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

Pryce Sandfort, Nebraska’s sharpshooter, was a main crushed wherefore they ran distant with the game. He was businesslike from beyond the arc successful the archetypal half, hitting 5 of his 8 three-point attempts and notching 17 points implicit the archetypal 20 minutes. 

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Sandfort went connected to people 23 points, arsenic helium took a spot connected the seat successful the 2nd fractional erstwhile caput manager Fred Hoiberg knew helium could remainder his starters with a hefty lead. 

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

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

For the Cornhuskers, Jamarques Lawrence besides added 13 points connected 4-of-8 shooting, portion Braden Frager came disconnected the seat for 13 points arsenic well. 

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

But the Cornhuskers felt antithetic coming into the tourney this year, going 27-6 successful a precise palmy season. However, they fell to Purdue successful the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament – the No. 2 effect falling to No. 7. 

There was a accidental this Cornhuskers squad could’ve been a overmuch higher effect if not for that nonaccomplishment to the Boilermakers, but they got the shot rolling successful a historical mode connected Thursday. 

Braden Frager and Berke Buyuktuncel of the Nebraska Cornhuskers respond aft a handbasket and foul against the Troy Trojans during the archetypal fractional successful the archetypal circular of the 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 volition person to look different squad with a bully communicative this year, arsenic the Vanderbilt Commodores defeated McNeese State to determination connected to the 2nd round. 

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