Huskers Purpose for Unbeaten Streak Towards No. 13 Illinois

No.	Season	Win Streak	Date Began	Date Ended
1.	2024-25/25-26	13 video games	3-31-25	current
1.	1990-91	14 video games	11-28-90	1-22-91
	1911-12/12-13	14 video games	1-27-12	1-25-13
4.	1919-20/20-21	13 video games	2-6-20	1-3-21
	1897-98/1900-01	13 video games	2-22-1898	1901**
6.	1912-13	12 video games	1-31-13	3-12-13
7.	2010-11	11 video games	11-20-10	1-12-11
	1993-94	11 video games	12-3-93	1-19-94
	1905-06/06-07	11 video games	2-25-06	2-15-07

• Nebraska takes on its first ranked crew of the 12 months when the Huskers face No. 13 Illinois. Since March 1, 2023, when Nebraska snapped a 24-game shedding streak towards ranked groups, the Huskers are Sep 11 within the final 20 video games towards ranked groups, together with a 5-6 mark in true street video games. Final season, Nebraska went 4-4 towards ranked groups, matching a college file for many wins over ranked opponents in a season. 

• Saturday’s matchup with No. 13 Illinois would be the tenth recreation in program historical past the place the Huskers have confronted a ranked crew whereas ranked. NU is 3-6 within the earlier 9 video games, as eight of the 9 video games have been away from house (6 street, 2 impartial).

• The Huskers lead the Huge Ten and are twentieth nationally with 11.1 3-pointers made per recreation as of Dec. 11. Nebraska’s 11.1 3-pointers per recreation are 4.3 extra per recreation than final season after 10 video games and marks is one of the best early-season begin for a Fred Hoiberg crew at Nebraska.

• Nebraska has made 10-or-more 3-pointers seven instances in 10 video games, together with 17 towards FIU and 15 vs. Oklahoma.  It marked solely the seventh and eighth time in class historical past that NU had a minimum of 15 3-pointers in a recreation. Final 12 months, the Huskers hit 10-or-more 3-pointers simply seven instances in 35 contests. 

• Nebraska comes into the Illinois recreation averaging 83.9 ppg, which is the Huskers’ highest scoring common through 10 video games for the reason that 1995-96 season (91.4 ppg). The 1995-96 crew marked the final time Nebraska averaged 80.0 ppg in a season. 

• Nebraska enters the weekend ranked No. 14 within the NET on Dec. 11.  The Huskers are one in every of 5 Huge Ten groups within the high 15 of the NET (No. 1 Michigan, No. 8 Purdue, No. 11 Michigan State, No. 12 Illinois and No. 14 Nebraska). As well as, 5 different groups are ranked within the high 50 of the NET. 

• NU’s crew 1.83-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks fourth within the Huge Ten and sixteenth nationally as of Dec. 11. It’s on observe to be NU’s finest complete in Fred Hoiberg‘s seven seasons. NU’s finest assist-to-turnover ratio below Hoiberg was 1.38-to-1 in 2023-24. The varsity file in that class is 1.81-to-1 in 1984-85. Nebraska has two video games with a minimum of 20 assists and 5 turnovers or much less (Winthrop, vs. Oklahoma). 

• Nebraska enters Saturday’s recreation at Illinois ranked fifth within the Huge Ten and twenty seventh nationally with 18.7 assists per recreation. It is a rise of 4.5 assists per recreation from final season. NU has averaged 20 assists solely two instances in class historical past (1990-91 and 1984-85) and Nebraska’s highest help per recreation complete below Hoiberg is 15.3 per recreation in 2023-24.

• Eight Huskers have posted double-figure efforts this season, whereas 4 gamers have had a minimum of one 20-point efficiency (Pryce Sandfort-4; Rienk Mast-4; Braden Frager-2; Jamarques Lawrence-1).

• The Huskers posted their second double-digit comeback of the season towards USC Upstate on Nov. 29, overcoming a 12-point first-half deficit. Throughout its 14-game win streak, NU now has 4 comebacks from 10+ factors (Arizona State, UCF, Oklahoma and USC Upstate).

• During the last three-plus seasons, NU is 46-3 (.939) when holding foes to below 1.00 PPP and 47-5 when holding opponents to below 70 factors. Nebraska has improved its KenPom defensive effectivity in every of the previous three seasons and is on observe to proceed that development early in 2025-26.

• Nebraska has held seven of its 10 opponents to below 1.0 level per possession, together with every of the final three foes. The Huskers can be examined by an Illinois offense which is fifth nationally in offensive effectivity.

• After going 24 seasons with out an in-season event championship, Nebraska has gained two since final Christmas, taking house the Diamond Head Invitational final December and the Corridor of Fame Traditional in Kansas Metropolis final month. NU’s Corridor of Fame Traditional title marked the primary time a Huge Ten crew gained the occasion since 2014.

• Rienk Mast is one in every of 20 gamers nationally – and 10 from energy convention groups – averaging a minimum of 15.0 factors, 6.0 rebounds and three.0 assists per recreation as of Dec. 10. Mast comes into the Illinois recreation averaging a career-high 18.0 factors per recreation on 55 % taking pictures, together with 42 % from 3-point vary. 

• Mast (1,576 factors, 963 rebounds) is one in every of two lively Division I gamers with a minimum of 1,500 factors and 900 rebounds as of Dec. 11, becoming a member of Gonzaga’s Graham Ike (2,107 factors, 968 rebounds). Mast additionally ranks within the high 15 amongst lively NCAA gamers in factors, rebounds and video games performed. 

• Pryce Sandfort is averaging 17.0 ppg, 5.6 rebounds and three.3 assists per recreation over the previous eight contests courting again to Nov. 8. He additionally has an 8.3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio in that span. Sandfort has scored 20+ factors 4 instances in that stretch after posting one 20-point recreation in his two seasons at Iowa. 

• Braden Frager has emerged as one of many high freshmen within the Huge Ten as he comes into Saturday’s recreation with Illinois averaging 11.9 factors per recreation. He’s seventh amongst Huge Ten freshmen in scoring regardless of beginning simply one in every of NU’s first 10 contests. He was named MVP of the Corridor of Fame Traditional and Huge Ten Freshman of the Week final month after averaging 18.0 factors on 72 % taking pictures and seven.0 rebounds per recreation in wins over Ok-State and New Mexico. Within the Huge Ten period, just one Husker freshman has averaged double figures – Bryce McGowens in 2021-22 (16.8 ppg).

• Nebraska is 44-14 (.758) over the previous three-plus seasons when Sam Hoiberg performs a minimum of 20 minutes. The senior is setting profession bests in practically each class, together with scoring (8.2 ppg), rebounding (4.5 rpg), assists (3.9 apg) and steals (1.9 spg). He’s second within the Huge Ten and eighth nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio.

• NU has 13 double-digit scoring runs this season, together with a pair towards Wisconsin on Wednesday.

• Following the win over Creighton, Nebraska has now gained a school-record 20 straight non-conference video games courting again to Nov. 22, 2024. It’s also the nation’s longest non-conference win streak. NU has additionally gained 14 straight house video games towards non-conference foes courting again to the 2023-24 season. The Huskers’ subsequent non-conference recreation is Dec. 21 towards North Dakota.

Scouting Illinois 
No. 13 Illinois comes into Saturday’s recreation with an 8-2 file after occurring the street to beat Ohio State, 88-80, Tuesday evening in its Huge Ten opener. The Illini have posted two of essentially the most spectacular wins by the Huge Ten in non-conference play, as Illinois beat Texas Tech, 81-77, on Nov. 11 and gained towards Tennessee in Nashville, 75-62, final Saturday. The 2 losses have come on impartial websites to Alabama and UConn. 

Regardless of shedding a pair of first-round picks within the NBA Draft, Illinois returned a trio of starters from a crew that gained 22 video games and reached the second spherical of final 12 months’s NCAA Event.  Brad Underwood is in his ninth 12 months at Illinois after earlier teaching stops at Oklahoma State and Stephen F. Austin. Underwood has guided the Illini to 5 straight NCAA Event appearances, together with an Elite Eight look in 2024.

Illinois includes a balanced assault that has 5 gamers averaging double figures and two others at over 6.7 factors per recreation. Senior Kylan Boswell leads Illinois in each scoring (15.7 ppg) and assists (3.5 apg) whereas newcomers Andrej Stojakovic (15.1 ppg), Keaton Wagler (14.7) and David Mirkovic (14.6) all common over 14.5 ppg. Illinois averages 88.6 ppg and is without doubt one of the nation’s leaders in rebounding margin, posting an +10.4 benefit on the glass. 

Collection Historical past: Illinois leads the all-time sequence, 23-9, over Nebraska in a sequence that dates again to 1921. Nebraska is 7-16 towards Illinois since becoming a member of the Huge Ten, snapping a nine-game shedding streak to the Illini that dated again to 2019 with an 80-74 extra time win final season.  Previous to Nebraska becoming a member of the convention in 2011-12, the Huskers and Illini had performed solely as soon as since 1976 – a 100-73 Husker victory within the 1990 San Juan Shootout.

Final season: Brice Williams scored eight of his game-high 27 factors in extra time, as Nebraska posted an 80-74 win over No. 18 Illinois on Jan. 30, 2025.  Williams broke a 72-all impasse with a jumper with 2:28 remaining in OT. That began a private 8-0 run for the senior, as Nebraska outscored the Illini, 10-4 within the additional session. Connor Essegian completed with 14 factors off the bench whereas Juwan Gary had 13 factors, eight rebounds, three steals and two blocks, because the Huskers pressured 17 turnovers and held Illinois to 35.6 % taking pictures. Kasparas Jakucionis led Illinois with 18 factors and 13 rebounds whereas Riley added 16 factors off the bench. 

Wisconsin Recap
The No. 23 Nebraska males’s basketball crew emphatically opened Huge Ten play with a 90-60 rout of Wisconsin Wednesday night at Pinnacle Financial institution Enviornment on Dec. 10.

The Huskers shot 54 % from the sector and put 5 gamers in double figures, led by Rienk Mast’s 17 factors and 10 rebounds.  Braden Frager had 15 factors off the bench whereas Berke Buyuktuncel and Pryce Sandfort chipped in 14 apiece. Sam Hoiberg added 12 factors as Nebraska (10-0, 1-0 Huge Ten) turned the primary crew to shoot 50 % towards Wisconsin this season. 

Wisconsin led 21-19 with just below 11 minutes left within the half earlier than the Husker protection took management of the competition. NU held Wisconsin to 3-of-16 taking pictures the remainder of the half, outscoring the Badgers 28-10 in that span. Two straight baskets by Mast and a Hoiberg layup keyed a 6-0 run that put the Huskers forward for good. 

Nebraska, which shot 55 % within the first half, led 37-31 earlier than Buyuktuncel’s first 3-pointer since Nov. 15 ignited the PBA crowd and began a 10-0 run to shut the primary half. The junior, who added 5 rebounds and a pair of blocked photographs, scored 5 of his 14 factors within the run because the Huskers took a 47-31 lead into the locker room. 

Wisconsin closed to inside 14 within the opening minute of the second half, however a 3-pointer from Jamarques Lawrence, who tied his profession excessive with seven assists, and a basket by Mast rapidly obtained the lead again to 19 at 52-33. From there, the Huskers have been in management, utilizing an 11-0 run keyed by six factors from Jared Garcia, to increase the result in 77-48 with 8:52 remaining. 

Notes from the Wisconsin Win
• Nebraska moved to 10-0 on the season to tie one of the best begin to a 12 months in program historical past (additionally 1977-78).

• The Huskers prolonged their nation-leading win streak to 14 video games, which ties the longest win streak in program historical past. 

• NU held Wisconsin to a season-low 60 factors. The Badgers got here in averaging 87.9 factors per recreation.

• Nebraska’s 30-point margin of victory was its largest in a convention recreation since a 34-point win at Rutgers in 2016 and largest within the all-time sequence with Wisconsin.

• The 30-point margin marked Wisconsin’s largest loss for the reason that 2001-02 season. 

• Rienk Mast picked up his third double-double of the season with 17 factors and 10 rebounds. 

• Nebraska put 5 gamers in double figures for the third time this season (FIU, vs. Oklahoma).

• Nebraska’s 90 factors was its most towards the Badgers since becoming a member of the Huge Ten in 2011-12, and third 90-point effort for the Huskers in 2025-26.

• Jamarques Lawrence tied his profession excessive in assists with seven. It was his third profession recreation with seven assists

• Nebraska gained its Huge Ten opener for the primary time for the reason that 2018-19 season.