Huskers survive March Madness classic, advance to Sweet 16

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okl. - Emerging from the madness, Nebraska is on to the Sweet 16.

Nebraska won a 74-72 thriller over Vanderbilt on Saturday night.

It took a late lay in from Braden Frager and a little luck on the other end, but Nebraska will see their season continue in Houston. 

“I’m very appreciative of these guys,” Nebraska Head Coach Fred Hoiberg said. “Every single guy in that locker room has played a big part in where we are.”

Lincoln Southwest alum Braden Frager will forever be remembered for what he did Saturday night in OKC. A lay in with :2.2 seconds to go to put Nebraska ahead 74-72. 

“I think all five guys ran at pryce expecting him shoot that,” Frager said. “I was calling for the ball. It was all him, he made an unselfish play, I had a wide open lane to the hoop and I made the play.”

But it wasn’t over. 2.2 seconds can feel like an eternity in March. Vanderbilt's Tyler Tanner, already with 27 points on the night, had a heave from half court rim out and the Huskers exhale their way to the exits. 

“I think we need to find a way to bring Effie the ghost to Houston with us, he may have played a part in that last play,” Head Coach Fred Hoiberg said. 

“My heart dropped,” Connor Essegian said. “I was like ‘this is how this is supposed to go, this is March’ this is how it’s supposed to happen.”

“I’m just like please God please God please God and he almost makes it,” Jamarques Lawrence said. “He almost makes it and then me and Cale [Jacobsen] just kind of looked at each other in shock and hugged it out.” 

Nebraska led by double digits, but saw that lead turn into a deficit in the second half. The Huskers gutted it out, by virtue of another edition of PBA south and hard work in the summer. 

“We had a great crowd and I feel like they carried us through this,” Braden Frager said. “We stuck together when we got down late there and we’ve been doing that all year.  I think that what makes us so special.”

“It was tough to stay mentally strong there. I think having a crowd like this is super important for carrying us through some of those times,” Senior Sam Hoiberg said. “This is mentally tough team… I was feeling really tired and I thought back to those summer workouts and that’s why we did this was for this time of the year to stay mentally tough."

Nebraska will take on the winner of Florida/Iowa in the Sweet 16 on Thursday.