The fourth-seeded Nebraska Cornhuskers beat the 13th-seeded Troy Trojans 76-47 on March 19, 2026, at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in the first round of the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.[1][2]
The victory marked the first NCAA tournament win in Nebraska program history, after 10 prior appearances with an 0-10 record dating back to 1986.[3][4]
Pryce Sandfort scored 23 points for Nebraska, including 17 in the first half on five of eight three-point attempts. Jamarques Lawrence added 13 points on four-of-eight shooting, while reserve Braden Frager also scored 13.[1][2]
Troy shot 13 for 46 from the field (28%) and eight for 28 from three-point range.[1][2]
Nebraska, coached by Fred Hoiberg, entered the tournament with a 27-6 record after losing to seventh-seeded Purdue in the Big Ten Conference tournament quarterfinals.[1][5]
The Cornhuskers' previous NCAA appearances included a first-round loss to Texas A&M 98-83 in 2024 and to Baylor 74-60 in 2014.[3][4]
Nebraska, representing the Big Ten Conference, will face the Vanderbilt Commodores in the second round after Vanderbilt defeated McNeese State.[1][6]
| Team | FG | 3PT | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | - | - | 76 |
| Troy | 13-46 (28%) | 8-28 | 47 |
Sources
- Fox News Digital
Fox News Digital sports coverage: Nebraska vs. Troy
March 20, 2026
https://www.foxnews.com/sports - ESPN
Men's College Basketball: Nebraska vs Troy box score
March 19, 2026
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/ - NCAA.com
2026 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament
March 2026
https://www.ncaa.com/march-madness/ - Wikipedia
Nebraska Cornhuskers men's basketball (NCAA Tournament history)
Accessed October 10, 2024
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nebraska_Cornhuskers_men%27s_basketball - Big Ten Conference
2026 Big Ten men's basketball tournament
March 2026
https://bigten.org/ - NCAA.com
2026 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament bracket
March 2026
https://www.ncaa.com/march-madness/