This nationwide championship darkish horse is a very unlikely faculty

[ad_1] The 2025-26 faculty basketball season is greater than midway by, and groups are regularly rounding into kind as they construct their event resumes.

There have been loads of surprises this yr, particularly close to the highest of the rankings. Nevertheless, one red-hot Large Ten workforce has taken the nation by storm, and this squad is coming from one of many unlikeliest packages.

Nebraska is having a historic season below its adorned head coach The losingest program in faculty soccer historical past shocked the world this previous Monday. Indiana soccer, which has lengthy been generally known as a basketball faculty, reshaped what many thought potential with its first-ever nationwide championship.

Now, on the basketball aspect, a long-established soccer faculty is seeking to comply with go well with. Nebraska is in the course of an unprecedented season below head coach Fred Hoiberg. The Cornhuskers are at present 19-0 and ranked No. 7 within the nation with a number of high quality wins on their resume.

That features signature victories over No. 10 Michigan State and at No. 11 Illinois. It has been a balanced strategy for this group to this point, which led by junior ahead Pryce Sandfort. The Iowa switch is having his breakout season, averaging 17.0 factors on 41.5% taking pictures from three-point vary.

Sandfort must proceed this effectivity from a distance, as one in every of Nebraska's weaknesses has been its three-point effectivity, which at present ranks 82nd within the nation . Nonetheless, this workforce sits on the high of the Large Ten Convention and appears extra like a title contender each given day.

It has been a gradual rebuild for Hoiberg, who beforehand coached at Iowa State after which the Chicago Bulls. The Lincoln native is in his seventh season with this system and was believed to be on the recent seat a number of years in the past.

That narrative has modified, and now Hoiberg is seeking to lead the Cornhuskers to their first-ever NCAA event win. However this workforce, which ranks within the high 40 in each offensive and defensive effectivity, can dream greater than simply that milestone.