Nebraska Basketball Resumes: Huskers Open Season Against Le Moyne
The Huskers return to the court after a 220 day hiatus, facing a newly elevated Division I program before a neutral site showdown with Providence.
By Arjun Weber ·
Nebraska men's basketball is back in action.
The Huskers have not played a game that counts in 220 days. Their last competitive appearance was a Sweet 16 loss to Iowa in Houston on March 26. That 77-71 defeat concluded a campaign in which the team won a school record 28 games and ended an eight year streak without an NCAA Tournament win. The Huskers finished tied for second in the Big Ten Conference and 14th in the final Associated Press Top 25 Poll. Head coach Fred Hoiberg received the AP Coach of the Year award for his work during that season.
The program faces changes this year. Nebraska lost three key players to graduation: Sam Hoiberg, Jamarques Lawrence, and Rienk Mast. To address the roster gaps, the coaching staff added several transfers. Pryce Sandfort and Braden Frager are positioned as the primary offensive threats. Sandfort averaged 18.1 points per game last season, while Frager earned Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year honors. In an 88-84 exhibition victory over Kansas State, Sandfort scored 23 points and Frager added 28. Damon Wilkinson contributed 12 points, Taj DeGourville had nine, and Jacob Lanier scored eight in that game.
Cale Jacobsen is expected to assume a larger role on the floor. The 6-foot-4 forward shot 52.1 percent from the field during the previous season and averaged 19 minutes per game. His defense and rebounding are central to the team's strategy against opponents who rely heavily on outside shooting.
Nebraska opens the regular season against Le Moyne College on Monday at 6:30 p.m. CT in Pinnacle Bank Arena. The game will be broadcast on BTN+. Le Moyne, a private institution in Syracuse, New York, received a recommendation from the NCAA Membership Committee for full Division I membership in June. The Dolphins play in the Northeast Conference and finished the previous season with a 15-17 record. They were a Division II school until July 2023. Le Moyne's roster includes 10 transfers and three freshmen.
Cale Jacobsen noted that Le Moyne focuses on forcing defenders outside the three-point line. He stated that the team must execute their defensive rotations and contest shots effectively. He added that the preparation process involves working on these specific defensive adjustments daily.
The Huskers will play their next game on Saturday at 6 p.m. CT against Providence. This matchup is part of the Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off event at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. The game will air on FS1. Providence averaged 85.3 points per game and allowed 84 points per game last season. Nebraska averaged 77 points per game and allowed 66.1 points per game.
Providence finished the previous season 15-18 overall and 7-13 in the Big East. The Friars defeated Big East champion St. John's 77-71, Penn State 77-65, and Creighton 93-88. They also lost at Creighton 79-76. Bryan Hodgson is the new head coach, replacing Kim English. Hodgson went 25-9 at South Florida last season and led the Bulls to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2012.
Two Providence players, Joseph Pinion and Derek Simpson, have filed a preliminary injunction to gain a fifth year of eligibility. According to the Providence Journal, a judge will hear the case after previously denying a motion for a temporary restraining order. Both players sat on the bench during two Providence exhibition wins last month.
