18. Nebraska (11-0)
Good things were on display early for the Cornhuskers, though close wins over Kansas State and Oklahoma didn’t really push the needle for Fred Hoiberg’s team. Nebraska has had some decent seasons in the recent past and the unbeaten start was great, but it’s been these last ten days that have really cemented their hot start. That started last week with a 21-point win over rival Creighton and continued as Big Ten play began.
An emphatic beginning was felt in Lincoln, as the Cornhuskers blew out Wisconsin 90-60 back on Wednesday night. Rienk Mast had 17 points and 10 assists while Braden Frager added 15 points off the bench helping lead an incredible game for this program. Saturday felt even sweeter, with Nebraska getting an 83-80 upset win at Illinois thanks to a buzzer beater from Jamarques Lawrence. It was a phenomenal day for Pryce Sandfort who led the charge with 32 points.
Nebraska suddenly has national attention and are on quite a burner here in recent weeks. These last three games in the month of December have been incredible and important in their own right, but battling and taking control of that game at Illinois was truly impressive and gives them a quick 2-0 start in league play. We won’t see the Cornhuskers again for over a week, but games with North Dakota and New Hampshire are all that remain in their 2025.