Nebraska’s Berke Buyuktuncel (9) celebrates with the Nebraska team. (Courtesy: Nebraska Athletics)
Huskers Hammer Wisconsin 90–60 Behind Buyuktuncel’s Breakout, Bench Spark
LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska entered Sunday afternoon as one of the country’s hottest teams. It left with its most emphatic statement yet.
The No. 23 Huskers blitzed Wisconsin 90–60 at Pinnacle Bank Arena, overwhelming the Badgers in every phase and extending their undefeated start with the kind of wire-to-wire dominance rarely seen in Big Ten play.
Wisconsin coach Greg Gard didn’t sugarcoat it.
“Credit to Nebraska — they beat us every way possible,” Gard said. “There’s not another facet in the game of basketball that they couldn’t kick our rear end with.”
“They did it all.”
Nebraska delivered its most complete performance of the season, but no storyline rose higher than Berke Buyuktuncel’s long-awaited breakout. After weeks of cold shooting, the junior forward buried two threes, finished efficiently around the rim, and moved with a confidence that electrified the building.
“I promise you, as a guy that shot the ball — to see a couple go in when you haven’t been shooting well, it’s a huge relief and a confidence builder,” head coach Fred Hoiberg said. “We’ve been working a lot on his shot. It’s good to see that hard work pay off for BK.”
Buyuktuncel said his focus during the slump shifted toward expanding other areas of his game.
“You know, I was not shooting well,” he said. “I was more like a cutter and traditional five man. I improved my game in that aspect and when Reink is scoring and getting double-teamed, my teammates find me wide open. And, finally — I made two threes.”
The two makes were met with a roar from a sold-out crowd that Buyuktuncel made sure to acknowledge.
“We’re lucky to have a fan group like this,” he said. “We cannot thank them enough.”
Nebraska’s bench carried that same energy. Forward Jared Garcia delivered one of his best performances of the season, providing scoring, rebounding, and relentless effort during a key first-half run that blew the game open.
“It’s very important to know your role and to carry the momentum off the bench once your number is called,” Garcia said. “Doing everything to the best of your ability, be the best teammate, and be the best overall player for the team.”
Meanwhile, Reink Mast again anchored the Huskers’ interior play, drawing doubles, facilitating from the high post, and keeping Nebraska’s offense humming. But the senior made it clear that the team’s fast start — and its national ranking — won’t change their approach.
“We can’t be satisfied now,” Mast said. “We’re ranked, yeah, but it doesn’t mean anything. We just have to play our best game, the next game. I liked our talk after this game in the locker room — we’re supposed to defend home court. We have a very mature group, for sure.”
For Nebraska, Sunday was more than a blowout. It was a reminder — to the Big Ten and perhaps the nation — that this undefeated run isn’t a fluke. This is a team finding its rhythm, deepening its rotation, and growing its confidence with every game.
And in front of a home crowd that roared from the opening tip to the final horn, the Huskers put together the kind of performance that felt like a warning shot: if you come into Lincoln, you’d better be ready.