Nebraska’s Pryce Sandfort celebrates after hitting a three against Washington. (Courtesy: Nebraska Athletics)
Huskers Overcome Early Injury, Lean on Depth and Defense to Stay Unbeaten
LINCOLN, Neb. — No. 7 Nebraska weathered adversity, physical play and an early injury scare Wednesday night, holding off Washington 76–66 at Pinnacle Bank Arena to remain unbeaten in Big Ten play.
The Huskers (19-0, 8-0 Big Ten) were forced to adjust just four minutes into the game when guard Braden Frager exited with an ankle sprain. Head coach Fred Hoiberg said Frager was “pretty sore” after the game and that the program will know more following further evaluation, but the message to the locker room was immediate and direct.
“I told the guys in the locker room, everybody’s got to be ready,” Hoiberg said. “Everybody’s got to be ready to step up in his absence and contribute, and I thought guys did that tonight. We’ll get through it, next man up mentality.”
Nebraska responded with poise, racing out to a 41–28 halftime lead behind efficient shooting and a relentless pace that kept Washington chasing. Pryce Sandfort continued his recent offensive surge, pouring in a game-high 23 points on 8-of-13 shooting while knocking down four triples. Sandfort said his confidence is as high as it’s ever been.
“I’d like to say this is the best my shot has felt in my career,” Sandfort said. “I give all the credit to my teammates and coaches. I just have to keep it going.”
While the Huskers’ offense set the tone early, it was the defensive backbone that closed the door late. Washington leaned heavily on its physicality, scoring 40 points in the paint and repeatedly challenging Nebraska inside. Hoiberg credited his team for absorbing the blows and staying composed.
“They were unbelievably physical and that’s what they do,” Hoiberg said. “They did beat us up a little bit in the paint, there’s no doubt about it. But at the end of the day, it’s a double-digit win in Big Ten play — that’s a hell of an accomplishment.”
Jamarques Lawrence echoed that sentiment, emphasizing the Huskers’ defensive identity even when the offense isn’t perfect.
“Regardless if we’re on offensively or not, our defense will always be there,” Lawrence said. “That’s something we stand on.”
Lawrence added 11 points, while Sam Hoiberg chipped in 14 and Rienk Mast finished with 12 points and four assists. Nebraska shot just under 51 percent from the floor and hit 11 three-pointers, consistently answering Washington runs in the second half.
With Frager sidelined, Jared Garcia saw an expanded role and delivered valuable minutes, scoring five points and grabbing five rebounds in under 11 minutes. Hoiberg noted that Garcia’s responsibilities will continue to grow in Frager’s absence.
“His role will change a little bit moving forward here,” Hoiberg said. “He’s got to be on point now with everything we’ve got going.”
Lawrence praised Garcia’s presence, pointing to his toughness and defensive awareness as keys to the team’s depth.
“The main thing for him is being confident in our rotations defensively,” Lawrence said. “For him, staying poised is really it.”
The Huskers also fed off another electric night at Pinnacle Bank Arena, where a crowd of more than 15,000 helped fuel Nebraska’s energy on both ends.
“It’s the best fanbase and the best arena in the country,” Sandfort said. “If you’re tired and someone hits a shot and the crowd gets loud, it kind of feels like you get an extra wind.”
Washington head coach Danny Sprinkle came away impressed with what he saw from Nebraska, particularly the pace and ball movement.
“Their pace is phenomenal,” Sprinkle said. “Their players, to be in the shape and to share the basketball the way they do, is really impressive.”
Nebraska will now monitor Frager’s status while continuing its Big Ten gauntlet, confident that its depth, defense and next-man-up mentality can withstand whatever comes next.