Nebraska Basketball Scores 88 Points in Grand Island Exhibition Win
The Huskers defeated Kansas State 88-84 on Monday night, capping a 1-2 exhibition slate with improved offensive production and reduced turnovers.
By Edward Lawson ·
Nebraska defeated Kansas State 88-84 on Monday night in a neutral-site game at the Central Statesman Center in Grand Island. The win concludes the Huskers' exhibition season with a 1-2 record. The result marks the highest scoring output for the team since the close of the 2025-26 campaign.
The final score reflects a marked improvement in offensive efficiency compared to the team's previous two non-regular season games. Senior forward Pryce Sandfort and guard Braden Frager led the scoring effort. Both players had underperformed during the first two exhibitions.
Sandfort, a unanimous preseason All-Big Ten selection, finished with 23 points on 6-of-16 shooting. He also added three rebounds and two assists. In the two games prior to Monday, Sandfort averaged 18.1 points per game in 2025-26 but scored only 16 points on 5-of-14 shooting for Nebraska this fall.
Frager contributed a career-high 28 points on 9-of-19 shooting against the Wildcats. The senior forward had combined for just 13 points on 4-of-15 shooting in the Huskers' first two exhibition contests.
Head coach Fred Hoiberg identified ball security and defensive rebounding as areas of concern in a press conference on Wednesday. He cited the loss of starting guards and top rebounders from the previous roster. Nebraska responded to those concerns on the floor in Grand Island.
The Huskers committed only seven turnovers in the 40-minute contest. They limited Kansas State to five offensive rebounds. These statistics align with the defensive standards Hoiberg set for the team entering the regular season.
Depth players provided additional points in the win. Freshman Jacob Lanier has scored 34 points across the three-game exhibition slate. South Dakota State transfer Damon Wilkinson recorded 26 points and 11 rebounds during the fall tune-ups.
San Diego State transfer Taj DeGourville finished with nine points, five rebounds, and two assists on Monday. He made four of four free throw attempts. The former Aztec averaged 5.5 points, 3.0 assists, and 2.8 rebounds per game in the 2025-26 season.
The regular season begins next week. Nebraska is scheduled to open its official campaign against Le Moyne. The team will rely on the perimeter shooting demonstrated in Grand Island to create space for interior players like Wilkinson.
Hoiberg noted that consistent execution in ball handling and rebounding is required to build on last season's 28 wins. He described the potential for a mediocre season if those habits do not persist, stating the team would be "very pedestrian" without improvement.
Source: KOIL · original report published
