Pryce Sandfort’s Nebraska Cornhuskers are set to face the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Sweet 16 matchup today. Nebraska has had a complete turnaround from their disastrous run last season, where they went 7-13 in the conference.
This year, they went 15-5 and have dominated the first two games of the NCAA Tournament. In the first round matchup, they defeated the Troy Trojans 76-47 and the Vanderbilt Commodores 74-72 in the second round.
Sandfort has played a huge role in Nebraska’s success this season. In his junior year, he is averaging 17.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal per game. He shoots over 47% from the field and 41% from the three-point line.
The 21-year-old isn’t the only basketball star in the family. His elder brother, Payton Sandfort, is a former All-Big Ten who played for the Iowa Hawkeyes from 2021 to 2025. Interestingly, Pryce will face his brother’s alma mater today.
Payton appeared for the 2025 NBA Draft and remained undrafted. However, he secured a deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder the same year. He was later waived to join the G League team Oklahoma City Blue, and earlier this month, he signed a two-way contract with the Thunder.
He has only played one game for OKC this season. He spent five minutes on the floor and scored three points with one rebound. Playing in the G League is often seen as a development league for an athlete.
So, if Payton continues to get better with the Oklahoma City Blue, he might soon secure a roster spot with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Nebraska Head Coach on His Team Making the Sweet 16
Fred Hoiberg joined the Nebraska Cornhuskers in 2019. He started his coaching career with the Iowa State Cyclones in 2010, and after a five-year run, he became the head coach of the Chicago Bulls in the NBA for four years.
This is Hoiberg’s second NCAA Tournament appearance with Nebraska. They made the March Madness bracket in 2024 but were eliminated in the first round. Hoiberg recently spoke on what being in the Sweet 16 means for the program.
“The biggest thing is our guys prepared all week, and they’ve done that all year long. It’s just a really fun group to coach and then follow that up with one of the great games that I’ve ever played in, with that Vanderbilt game,” he told CBS News Chicago.
Hoiberg said that Iowa is a really good team and they’ve been playing at a very high level all season.
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