Nebraska’s Sam Hoiberg (1) celebrates in the final seconds of the Huskers 84-75 senior day win over Iowa. (Courtesy: Nebraska Athletics)
Jacobsen delivers late as Huskers power through overtime on senior day
LINCOLN, Neb. — The #9 Nebraska Cornhuskers sent its seniors out in style Sunday afternoon, using a dominant overtime period to defeat the Iowa Hawkeyes 84–75 on senior day at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Nebraska leaned on timely shooting from Cale Jacobsen and a balanced offensive effort to pull away in the extra session, closing the game on a 14–5 overtime run after regulation ended in a tight battle.
What had been a back-and-forth game for much of the afternoon ultimately turned when Jacobsen stepped up in the biggest moments. The guard finished a perfect 6-for-6 from the field with 15 points and eight rebounds, knocking down multiple clutch shots late in the overtime period
“I thought they handled the emotions of the day really well,” Nebraska head coach Fred Hoiberg said. “To have to handle the emotions of the day, it says a lot about them…not only as the type of players they are, but the type of people and type of character that they approach their daily lives with.”
Jacobsen’s confidence in those late opportunities never wavered.
“I was pretty open…it was one of those where you have to shoot it,” Jacobsen said. “I felt confident, stepped into it, and knocked it down.”
Hoiberg said the Huskers trusted the hot hand as the game tightened.
“Cale had no hesitation — [he] stepped right up there and knocked down the biggest shots of the day for us,” Hoiberg said. “It became the Cale Jacobsen show.”
Nebraska placed five players in double figures in the win. Sam Hoiberg scored 15 points while Pryce Sandfort also added 15 points and seven rebounds. Rienk Mast finished with 14 points and Berke Buyuktuncel contributed eight points as the Huskers shot 50 percent from the field and hit 10 three-pointers.
While the offense came through late, Nebraska’s defense also delivered a key performance against one of the conference’s top playmakers. The Huskers held Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz to 11 points, his lowest scoring output in conference play.
“He’s as good of a point guard as there is in the country,” Fred Hoiberg said. “I thought we did a good job of crowding him — to his credit, he made a lot of really good plays out there when he wasn’t scoring it.”
Iowa head coach Ben McCollum said Nebraska’s defensive execution made attacking the paint difficult.
“You drive into the middle and you run into their legs, and it’s like, ‘where are you going to go? I don’t know what to do,’” McCollum said. “They do a great job with their execution. Their defense is really good.”
The victory carried extra significance as Nebraska honored its seniors, including Sam Hoiberg and Mast, who have helped elevate the program during their time in Lincoln.
“I did not want to leave this place without winning the last game here — same goes for the goals we have ahead of us,” Sam Hoiberg said.
The senior guard also reflected on the unlikely path his career has taken.
“It was something I would dream of and never thought it’d be true,” he said. “I don’t think I ever thought [my career] would come to this, and that’s why it’s been so rewarding.”
Mast admitted the moment became emotional after the final buzzer sounded.
“I got a little emotional there after the game,” Mast said. “It’s been a long journey and it’s been really rewarding. You want to win on your senior night, and I’m so happy for all the seniors on our team, that we closed it out the right way at home.”
He also reflected on how far the program has come during his time in Lincoln.
“We’ve been through our battles, we’ve been through some shitty years,” Mast said. “I’ve heard stories of Sam from his first year of where the program was. It’s been a grind to get it to where it is right now.”
Nebraska improved to 26–5 overall and 15–5 in conference play with the win, continuing the most successful season in program history. Players pointed to the team’s chemistry as a key factor in that success.
“I think our togetherness in everything that we do — just all the little things have been the reason we’ve gotten so many wins this year,” Sam Hoiberg said.
Now the focus shifts to postseason play as Nebraska enters the most important stretch of the season.
“Everything you work for, going all the way back to June — it’s for this time of year,” Fred Hoiberg said. “This is what it’s all about. Nothing’s given. It’s ‘one-and-done’ time of year.”