Kristian Ferrell
Nebraska's basketball team, the Huskers, has never won an NCAA Tournament game. The team has a winless NCAA Tournament history, with a record of 0-7. However, they have won the National Invitation Tournament, a different tournament, on at least one occasion, in 1995-96. Nebraska has also accumulated more wins than all previous teams at the school except for the 1990-91 group. Additionally, Nebraska has had several notable individual and season performances, such as Jamar Johnson's buzzer-beater and Bruce Chubick's block in 1992. Nebraska has also won several state basketball championships across different decades, with the first recorded championship occurring in 1911.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of NCAA Tournament appearances | 8 |
| Number of wins in the NCAA Tournament | 0 |
| Number of National Invitation Tournament appearances | 19 |
| Number of wins in the National Invitation Tournament | 1 |
| Year of win in the National Invitation Tournament | 1996 |
| Number of unclaimed national championships | 6 |
| Year of the first state championship game | 1911 |
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What You'll Learn
Nebraska's winless NCAA Tournament history
Nebraska's men's basketball team has never won an NCAA Tournament game, despite several appearances in the competition. In 2024, the Nebraska Cornhuskers made their eighth trip to March Madness, but they entered the tournament with a winless record, having lost all seven of their previous games.
The team's first appearance in the NCAA Tournament was in 1986, where they lost to Western Kentucky in the Round of 64. This game was particularly notable as Nebraska's head coach, Moe Iba, resigned immediately after the loss, handing in his letter of resignation as he left the court. Iba's departure had been somewhat anticipated, as he had been exposed for holding unauthorised practice sessions on campus in the weeks leading up to the season.
Despite some memorable moments and talented players, Nebraska has been unable to break their losing streak in the NCAA Tournament. In their 1997-98 appearance, lightning-quick point guard Tyronn Lue, a two-time NBA champion, led the Huskers to a near-win against Arkansas. Nebraska also had six winning seasons under coaches Barry Collier, Doc Sadler, and Tim Miles, but during this period, they failed to qualify for the NCAA Tournament.
The team's last NCAA Tournament appearance was in 2014, when they lost to Baylor. In the years since, Nebraska fans have eagerly anticipated a victory, with some travelling long distances to support the team. The 2024 tournament saw the Huskers enter as the No. 8 seed in the South Region, facing off against No. 9 Texas A&M. While the team has yet to break their drought, fans and announcers alike anticipate the impact of a potential victory, hoping that the Huskers can finally "'break the curse'".
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Nebraska's 1996 National Invitation Tournament win
Nebraska has never won an NCAA Tournament, but the Nebraska Cornhuskers men's basketball team has won the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) once, in 1996. This was the team's first national postseason title.
The 1996 NIT was the annual NCAA college basketball competition, featuring 32 teams. Nebraska defeated UCF in the championship game in Las Vegas, Nevada. Erick Strickland earned MVP honours, and the team also downed Colorado State, Washington State, Fresno State, and Tulane to reach the championship game that year.
Nebraska has appeared in nineteen NITs with a record of 24-18, and eight NCAA Division I tournaments. The team competes as part of NCAA Division I, representing the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the Big Ten Conference.
Nebraska's basketball programme has had a challenging history in the NCAA Tournament. In their first NCAA Tournament game in 1985-86, they lost to Western Kentucky, and their head coach, Moe Iba, resigned immediately after. Since then, they have accumulated a winless record in the tournament. Nebraska has come close to breaking this drought on several occasions, but they have struggled to find a rhythm in the tightly officiated postseason games.
Although Nebraska has not won a national championship in basketball, they have had some near misses and have a rich history in college basketball.
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Nebraska's 1994 national championship in football
Nebraska has never won a national championship in basketball. However, the state's basketball team, the Huskers, has had several notable seasons. In 1995-96, the Huskers won the National Invitation Tournament, and they returned to the NCAA Tournament in 1997-98. In addition, Nebraska has accumulated more wins than all previous teams at the school except for Nee's 1990-91 group.
Nebraska has, however, won a national championship in football. The 1994 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team, coached by Tom Osborne, won the 1995 Orange Bowl and the national championship. The Cornhuskers were led by a strong offense that featured one of the best lines in school history, including Outland Trophy winner Zach Wiegert, and a new 4-3 defense that allowed only 55 points in conference play. The team went 13-0, finishing the season undefeated and untied. The championship was the first for Coach Osborne, who had come up short the previous year when Nebraska lost to Florida State in the 1994 Orange Bowl.
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Nebraska's 1931 state basketball championship
Nebraska has a history of NCAA basketball tournament appearances but has never won the championship. Though they did win the National Invitation Tournament in 1995-96. However, Nebraska has a rich history of state basketball championships, with the first tournament taking place in 1911.
In 1931, the Nebraska state basketball tournament left Lincoln for the first time and took place in Hastings. The Nebraska School for the Deaf, based in Omaha, became the smallest school ever to win Class A, beating Crete 17-11 in the finals of the 16-team, one-class meet. Jahnel scored six points for the champions, and Belka led Crete with four points.
The following year, in 1932, the tournament returned to Lincoln, and Crete faced Hastings in the final, defeating them 23-11. Frank Kobes led Crete with 12 points, and Robert Rose scored five points for the Tigers. In a game between undefeated teams, Mead beat Arlington 28-22 in Class B, with Dale Larson scoring 10 points.
In 1933, a national bank holiday forced the tournament to be postponed by a week. Columbus won over Hastings 14-12 in the finals, with Mike Brock's one-hand toss winning the game for them. He scored five points, and Al Hopp led the Tigers with eight. Duncan defeated an undefeated Swanton team 22-11 in the Class B final.
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Nebraska's 1970 national championship legitimacy
The legitimacy of Nebraska's 1970 national championship has been a topic of discussion among sports fans and historians alike. While some may question the validity due to the absence of a national championship game at the time, it is important to understand the context and the achievements of the 1970 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team.
Firstly, it is essential to acknowledge that the concept of a "national championship" in college football has evolved over the years. Before the formation of the Bowl Coalition Series (BCS) in 1998, there was no official national championship game. Instead, national champions were determined by polls of sports writers and broadcasters, such as the Associated Press (AP) poll or the United Press International (UPI) poll. This inherently subjective process often led to discrepancies and multiple claimants for the title.
In the case of the 1970 season, the University of Nebraska's football team, the Cornhuskers, finished with an impressive record. They went 11-0-1, with their only tie coming against the University of Southern California (USC) Trojans, who were ranked No. 3 at the time. This result propelled the Cornhuskers to a No. 3 ranking in the AP poll, behind only Texas and Ohio State, who were both undefeated and untied.
However, on New Year's Day, both Texas and Ohio State suffered losses in their respective bowl games. Texas lost to Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl, while Ohio State fell to Stanford in the Rose Bowl. These upsets opened the door for Nebraska, who were set to face the LSU Tigers in the Orange Bowl that night. The Cornhuskers seized the opportunity, defeating LSU 17-12 and claiming their first AP national championship.
The legitimacy of Nebraska's 1970 national championship stems from the fact that they took advantage of the contemporary system. While they did not go undefeated, they finished the season with the highest ranking in the AP poll, which was considered the most prestigious honour at the time. President Richard Nixon even honoured the team and their head coach, Bob Devaney, with a presidential plaque recognising their achievement.
In conclusion, while the absence of a designated national championship game may create room for debate, Nebraska's 1970 national championship is legitimate within the context of the era's system. The Cornhuskers' impressive record, combined with the losses of their top-ranked competitors, solidified their claim to the title. This outcome highlights the unique nature of college football during that period and the significance of the AP poll in determining national champions.
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Frequently asked questions
Nebraska has never won an NCAA Tournament game. They have a winless NCAA Tournament history.
Nebraska has made it to the NCAA Tournament eight times, with their last appearance being in 2014. In 1996, Nebraska won the National Invitation Tournament.
There is a Nebraska state basketball tournament that has taken place since 1911. Lincoln High won the inaugural tournament, and the most recent tournament in 2025 was won by Columbus.
Nebraska has won national championships in wrestling.
