Nebraska’s long-awaited breakthrough on college basketball’s biggest stage finally arrived in dramatic, heart-pounding fashion Saturday night.
Braden Frager’s driving layup with 2.2 seconds remaining lifted fourth-seeded Nebraska to a thrilling 74–72 victory over fifth-seeded Vanderbilt in the NCAA Tournament South Region second round, and Tyler Tanner’s desperation heave from beyond half court rattled off the rim at the buzzer to seal the Cornhuskers’ first-ever trip to the Sweet 16.
For a program that had never previously won an NCAA Tournament game before this week, the moment carried historic weight—and plenty of emotion.
As the final horn sounded inside Paycom Center, Nebraska players sprinted toward the stands and celebrated with a roaring sea of scarlet-and-cream-clad fans who had taken over the arena throughout the weekend. Even 30 minutes after the final buzzer, chants of “Go Big Red!” still echoed through the building.
Frager and Pryce Sandfort each scored 15 points to lead Nebraska (28–6), with Frager delivering the biggest basket in school history when he took Sandfort’s pass and drove through traffic for the go-ahead layup in the closing seconds.
Vanderbilt still had one last chance. Tanner, who carried the Commodores all night, launched a running attempt from beyond midcourt as time expired. The shot tracked perfectly toward the rim—but bounced away, ending Vanderbilt’s comeback hopes and sending Nebraska into the Sweet 16.
The Cornhuskers will now head to Houston for the South Region semifinals, where they will face either No. 1 seed Florida or No. 9 seed Iowa on Thursday.
Tanner was sensational despite the heartbreaking finish, pouring in a game-high 27 points for Vanderbilt (25–9), which was seeking its first Sweet 16 appearance since 2007. Tyler Nickel added 16 points, while Duke Miles—playing with his left thumb taped—was limited to nine.
The game’s closing minutes delivered classic March Madness drama.
Sam Hoiberg, the coach’s son, made perhaps the biggest play of his career with a putback basket with 1:20 remaining that tied the game at 70–70 and set the stage for a wild finish. The teams exchanged the lead four times over the final 2:08, with Tanner’s driving layup with 58 seconds left giving Vanderbilt its final advantage at 72–70.
Nebraska answered when Frager attacked the lane in the final seconds for the decisive basket.
Earlier in the night, the Cornhuskers appeared poised to control the game from the start.
Nebraska opened with an 8–0 run behind early confidence and strong interior play from Rienk Mast, the 6-foot-10 center who knocked down two surprising 3-pointers in the game’s opening five minutes. Mast finished with 13 points and helped establish the physical tone early.
Sandfort, the Huskers’ leading scorer, didn’t get on the board until late in the first half, but his turnaround jumper with just over five minutes remaining helped stretch Nebraska’s lead to 27–19. The Cornhuskers carried a 39–32 advantage into halftime despite Tanner already scoring 15 points to keep Vanderbilt within striking distance.
The Commodores steadily clawed back in the second half. Tanner nearly gave Vanderbilt its first lead with 9:05 remaining after converting a layup while drawing a foul, but he missed the free throw. Moments later, AK Okereke buried a 3-pointer to finally put Vanderbilt in front, 58–55.
Vanderbilt extended that margin to 67–62—its largest lead of the night—on Nickel’s 3-pointer with 5:34 remaining. But Nebraska refused to fade. Sandfort answered with a jumper, and the Huskers stayed within a single possession the rest of the way before Frager delivered the decisive blow.
The victory capped a remarkable two-game stretch for Nebraska fans, who traveled in force and created a home-like environment throughout the weekend. Their presence was so strong that “Husker Power!” chants even broke out during another South Region game earlier in the evening.
Now, after decades of waiting for a signature March moment, Nebraska has one—and a Sweet 16 appearance to match. For the Cornhuskers, the dream run continues.
