Nebraska wins first NCAA Tournament game in program history, dominating Troy

The No. 4 Nebraska Cornhuskers made easy work of the No. 13 Troy Trojans in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, taking them down, 76-47, to keep their March Madness dreams alive. 

In doing so, history was made for the program. 

The Cornhuskers have made nine trips to “The Dance,” beginning in 1986, yet there were no wins to be found for them in those appearances. 

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Rienk Mast of the Nebraska Cornhuskers celebrates during the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament against the Troy Trojans held at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Shane Bevel/NCAA Photos)

But there was no doubt about Nebraska on Thursday despite a hot start by Troy in this contest. 

Pryce Sandfort, Nebraska’s sharpshooter, was a main reason why they ran away with the game. He was efficient from beyond the arc in the first half, hitting five of his eight three-point attempts and notching 17 points over the first 20 minutes. 

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Sandfort went on to score 23 points, as he took a spot on the bench in the second half when head coach Fred Hoiberg knew he could rest his starters with a hefty lead. 

Meanwhile, Troy struggled after that start, shooting just 28% from the field for the whole game, going just 13-of-46 including 8-of-28 from three-point territory. 

Victor Valdes of the Troy Trojans defends Braden Frager of the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the first half in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

For the Cornhuskers, Jamarques Lawrence also added 13 points on 4-of-8 shooting, while Braden Frager came off the bench for 13 points as well. 

The last time Nebraska made the tournament was in 2024, when they couldn’t overcome Texas A&M in a 98-93 loss. And before that, the Cornhuskers were only able to make it in 2014, when they fell to No. 6 Baylor, 74-60. 

But the Cornhuskers felt different coming into the tournament this year, going 27-6 in a very successful season. However, they fell to Purdue in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament – the No. 2 seed falling to No. 7. 

There was a chance this Cornhuskers squad could’ve been a much higher seed if not for that loss to the Boilermakers, but they got the ball rolling in a historic way on Thursday. 

Braden Frager and Berke Buyuktuncel of the Nebraska Cornhuskers react after a basket and foul against the Troy Trojans during the first half in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

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Next, they will have to face another team with a good story this year, as the Vanderbilt Commodores defeated McNeese State to move on to the second round. 

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