Friday Five: Postseason hoops, wrestling seeds and Nebraska at the center of an NIL fight
It’s been quite the week in Nebraska Athletics, and it’s not over yet.
TGIF, everyone.1 It’s been quite the week in Nebraska Athletics, and it’s not over yet.
One week you’re wrapping up regular seasons, the next you’re juggling conference tournaments, NCAA brackets and a national story that could shift how things work regarding name, image and likeness.
Nebraska found itself at the center of it all this week.
The men’s basketball team heads to Chicago as one of the Big Ten’s top seeds, the wrestling program is preparing for a deep NCAA tournament run and a group of Husker football players is suddenly at the center of a case that could shape the next phase of NIL regulation.
Here are five things to know as we head into the weekend.
Nebraska is in Chicago with history already in hand
The Nebraska men’s basketball team has already accomplished something it had never done before entering the Big Ten Tournament. Now the question is whether the Huskers can keep pushing.
Nebraska enters postseason play at 26-5 overall and 15-5 in conference play, tied for second in the Big Ten standings. The Huskers also carry the No. 2 seed into the Big Ten Tournament in Chicago, marking the highest conference tournament seed in program history.
The Huskers matched the school record for wins in a season and produced the program’s best conference finish since 1992-93, back when Nebraska was still competing in the Big Eight Conference. Along the way, Fred Hoiberg’s team transformed its identity on the defensive end, leading the Big Ten in scoring defense during conference play at 66.2 points per game.
That defensive consistency paired with an offense that has leaned heavily on the three-point shot. Nebraska has already hit 327 threes this season, setting a new school record. The Huskers averaged 10.8 three-pointers per game in conference play, a major jump from the year before.
And when Nebraska scores, it usually wins. Under Hoiberg, the Huskers are 52-10 when scoring 80 points or more.
Their final regular-season game offered a glimpse of how dangerous they can be late. Nebraska closed with a 9-0 run in overtime to defeat Iowa 84-75, with Cale Jacobsen hitting the go-ahead three-pointer in the closing minutes.
Now comes the next test.
Nebraska will face No. 18 Purdue in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals Friday at 5:30 p.m. CT. The matchup comes with some history. Purdue won the lone regular-season meeting between the teams earlier this year, an 80-77 overtime thriller in Lincoln.
For Nebraska, the stakes are obvious. The Huskers have already secured one of the best seasons in program history. Friday offers an opportunity to take it another step further.
Fred Hoiberg signs contract extension
The timing of Fred Hoiberg’s contract extension was not subtle. As Nebraska prepared for the postseason, the university announced that Hoiberg’s contract had been extended through the 2031-32 season.
Athletic director Troy Dannen made it clear why.
“Fred Hoiberg is a tremendous representative of the University of Nebraska, the Lincoln community, and our state. We are extremely proud that he will continue to lead the Nebraska men’s basketball program well into the future,” Dannen said in a statement. “Fred has built this program step by step and his leadership has Nebraska positioned to continue to compete at a high level in the Big Ten Conference and nationally. Fred is one of the most respected coaches in the country by his peers, and his success has been recognized throughout the college basketball world.”
Hoiberg’s early seasons in Lincoln were uneven but the last three years have changed the trajectory of the program. Nebraska has now recorded three consecutive 20-win seasons for the first time in school history and reached the NCAA Tournament in 2024 before winning the inaugural College Basketball Crown in 2025.
This year’s team may be the most complete yet.
Nebraska started the season 20-0, the best start in school history, and climbed as high as No. 5 in the national rankings in January. The Huskers have remained ranked for much of the year and enter the postseason with one of the best records in program history.
Hoiberg acknowledged the support behind that rise.
“I’m appreciative of the continued confidence from Troy Dannen and Jeffrey Gold and thank them for the support they have shown in our staff’s leadership of the Husker basketball program,” Hoiberg said. “We have a long family history with the University of Nebraska, and the support we have received over the last seven years is truly remarkable. We are blessed with world-class facilities, but the people are what make Nebraska special. Our goal is to continue building a program that our fans can embrace and have pride in because it represents the values of Nebraska.”
Nebraska’s players have backed up that message on the court and off it. The team’s cumulative GPA of 3.340 this past fall was the highest in program history.
Sam Hoiberg and Pryce Sandfort earning national recognition
Nebraska’s success this season has been fueled by multiple players, and that balance has started to show up in postseason awards.
Senior guard Sam Hoiberg was named one of 25 finalists for the Nolan Richardson Award, which recognizes a Division I player who serves as the heart and soul of his team while demonstrating leadership both on and off the court.
Hoiberg’s statistical impact tells part of the story. He has started all 31 games for Nebraska this season, averaging 9.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.1 steals per game.
But his efficiency might be even more impressive.
Hoiberg currently ranks third nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio at 4.22-to-1 while leading the Big Ten in steals. His 66 steals this season are the most by a Husker since the 2000-01 season.
His role within Nebraska’s lineup often goes beyond the stat sheet, though. Hoiberg’s defense, rebounding and playmaking have made him one of the most versatile guards in the conference.
Meanwhile, Pryce Sandfort continues to receive recognition for his offensive production.
Sandfort was named a finalist for both the Lute Olson Award, given to the nation’s top player, and the Riley Wallace Award, which honors the best transfer in Division I basketball.
The first-team All-Big Ten guard is averaging 17.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game while ranking sixth nationally in three-pointers per game. He has recorded 13 games with at least 20 points this season, including three 30-point performances.
What these awards highlight is that this season for Nebraska has not been driven by one player alone. The Huskers have built a roster with multiple contributors capable of impacting games in different ways. That’s important, especially in March.
Nebraska wrestling heads to Cleveland with big expectations
While basketball takes center stage this week, Nebraska’s wrestling program is preparing for one of the most important events on the calendar. The NCAA Wrestling Championships begin March 19 in Cleveland and the Huskers will arrive with strong representation across the bracket.
Six Nebraska wrestlers earned seeds inside the top 10, including Antrell Taylor, who enters the tournament as the No. 2 seed at 157 pounds. Taylor carries a 22–3 record into the championships and is coming off a runner-up finish at the Big Ten Championships. He will also enter Cleveland as the defending national champion at 157 pounds.
Brock Hardy (141) and Christopher Minto (174) each earned No. 3 seeds after strong seasons that included runner-up finishes at the Big Ten Championships. Heavyweight AJ Ferrari also enters the tournament with high expectations as the No. 4 seed.
The Huskers will have multiple other wrestlers capable of making deep runs as well, including LJ Araujo (No. 6 seed at 165), Silas Allred (No. 8 at 184) and Camden McDanel (No. 11 at 197). The depth of the lineup suggests Nebraska will have plenty of opportunities to score points across the tournament.
For programs with national ambitions, that depth is often the difference between a solid showing and a serious push in the team standings.
Nebraska players challenge NIL rulings in arbitration case
If you somehow missed the big news of the week, Nebraska also finds itself at the center of one of the most significant NIL developments of the year.
According to a report from Yahoo Sports, 18 Nebraska players are moving forward with arbitration after NIL deals valued at more than $1 million were rejected by the College Sports Commission.
The deals were connected to Nebraska media rights partner Playfly and were denied because of a practice known as “warehousing.” Under current guidance from the CSC’s NIL Go clearinghouse, NIL contracts must include clearly defined deliverables such as media appearances or autograph signings. Without those specifics, the deals can be rejected.
The Nebraska players are being represented by the law firm Husch-Blackwell, which has experience in college sports legal cases.
The arbitration case is notable not only because of the number of athletes involved but also because the deals were consolidated into a single case.
“In general, in arbitration, deals are consolidated because the issues are essentially the same,” CSC CEO Bryan Seeley said. “And what that often looks like is they are different student-athletes, but it’s the same or identical deal, or similar or identical deal, and they’re all from the same school.”
The situation also highlights how quickly the NIL system is evolving. In January and February alone, 3,704 NIL deals worth $39.29 million were approved by the clearinghouse, while another 187 deals totaling $14.36 million were rejected.
Seeley acknowledged the process is still adjusting to the volume.
“I don’t think the system was designed with this amount of associated deals in mind,” Seeley told CBS Sports.
The Nebraska case may ultimately become one of the first major tests of how NIL disputes are resolved under the new framework.
It likely will not be the last.
My apologies for this also arriving in your inboxes later than usual on a Friday morning. I apparently was too caught up in Big Ten basketball Thursday evening to schedule the newsletter.
I just hope Nebrasketbawl doesn't lose their game in a runaway.