Trending Now - Nebraska Secures First NCAA Tournament Victory in History

WHO:

Nebraska Cornhuskers basketball team

Troy Trojans basketball team

Pryce Sandfort, junior forward for Nebraska

Payton Sandfort, rookie forward for the Oklahoma City Thunder

Fred Hoiberg, head coach of Nebraska

Jamarques Lawrence, player for Nebraska

Braden Frager, player for Nebraska

Victor Valdes, player for Troy

WHAT:

Nebraska defeated Troy 76-47 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament

This victory marked Nebraska's first-ever NCAA Tournament win

Nebraska has made nine NCAA Tournament appearances since 1986 without a win prior to this game

Pryce Sandfort scored 23 points, including five three-pointers

Jamarques Lawrence scored 13 points on 4-of-8 shooting

Braden Frager also scored 13 points

Troy shot 28% from the field, going 13-of-46 and 8-of-28 from three-point range

WHERE:

Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

WHEN:

The game took place on March 19, 2026

Nebraska's last NCAA Tournament appearance prior to this was in 2024

Payton Sandfort made his NBA debut on March 18, 2026

WHY:

Nebraska aimed to secure their first NCAA Tournament win after previous unsuccessful attempts

HOW:

Pryce Sandfort was efficient from beyond the arc, hitting five of eight three-point attempts in the first half

Payton Sandfort traveled from New York City to Oklahoma City to surprise his brother before the game

(UPDATED March 20, 2026 17:20 UTC)

In a historic moment for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, the team secured their first-ever NCAA Tournament victory by defeating the Troy Trojans 76 to 47 at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on March 19, 2026. Junior forward Pryce Sandfort led the charge with an impressive 23 points, while teammates Jamarques Lawrence and Braden Frager each contributed 13 points to the win. Notably, Payton Sandfort made a surprise visit from New York City to support his brother before the game, marking a memorable day for the Sandfort family.