Nebraska
How to Watch No. 8 Nebraska Basketball vs. Oregon with Preview, Breakdown, TV Channel
The writing was on the wall that the magical start to the 2025-2026 season was over for the Nebraska men’s basketball team.
Indiana’s sharpshooting Lamar Wilkerson and MVC Player of the Year Tucker DeVries had the Huskers in a bind, shooting over 57% in the first 20 minutes to eventually build a 16-point lead with just under 18 minutes left in the game. Starring defeat in the face, NU didn’t blink, piling up 53 second-half points, including eight three-pointers to shock the Hoosiers and silence a packed Assembly Hall Saturday in Bloomington.
Jamarques Lawrence poured in 27 points while Rienk Mast (13), Pryce Sandfort (12) and Braden Frager (11) each joined their teammate in double figures. The Huskers nailed 14 three-pointers while committing six fewer turnovers, winning in areas that are key to taking victories in the Big Ten.
Standing at 16-0, Nebraska returns to Lincoln to face a conference newcomer facing their own difficulties. Here’s all you need to know for Tuesday’s late-night tip against Oregon.
How to Follow Along
- Matchup: No. 8 Nebraska (16-0, 5-0 B1G) vs. Oregon (8-8, 1-4 B1G)
- When: Tuesday, January 13
- Where: Pinnacle Bank Arena, Lincoln, Neb.
- Time: 8 p.m. CST
- Watch: Big Ten Network
- Listen: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates
Oregon Scout
Head Coach
- Dana Altman | 16th season at Oregon; 37th as Division I HC
- 378-170 (.690) at Oregon; 788-413 (.656) Career DI Record
- 17x NCAA Tournament Apps., 1x Final Four (2017), 1x Elite Eight, 3x Sweet 16, CBI Title (2011)
- 4x Pac-12 Regular Season & Tournament, 6x MVC Tournament, 3x MVC Regular Season
- Jim Phelan Award (2013), 3x Pac-12 Coach OTY, 2x MVC Coach OTY, Big Eight Coach OTY (1993), SoCon Coach OTY (1990)
- Previous head coach at Creighton, Kansas State, Marshall, Moberly CC, Southeast CC
- Previous assistant at Kansas State and Western Colorado
2024-2025 Record & Awards
- Record: 25-10 (12-8 B1G, T-7th)
- All-B1G: 2x Third Team, 2x All-Defensive
All-Time Series
- Nebraska leads 8-6
- Feb. 2, 2025, last matchup, 77-71 Nebraska
Key Returners
- Nate Bittle | C | Sr. | Returning All-Big Ten center that’s leading the Ducks with 16.8 points and second on the squad with seven rebounds per contest.
- Jackson Shelstad | G | Jr. | The second of two All-Big Ten honorees returning for Oregon this year, and he’s improved his production to over 15 points per game while leading the team in assists (59) and second in three-pointers made (33).
- Kwame Evans Jr. | F | Jr. | Key reserve last season, but has turned into an instrumental piece of the starting lineup with 13.3 PPG and 7.6 RPG, which are both nearly double the average from last year.
- Dezdrick Lindsay | F | Sr. | Missed all of last season due to injury and has returned to score 5.4 points and 3.2 rebounds per game in starting six of his 16 appearances this year.
Key Departures
- TJ Bamba | G | Graduated | Ended his college career by averaging over 10 points per game and three rebounds as a 35-game starter for Oregon in 2024-2025.
- Keeshawn Barthelemy | G | Sr. | Part-time starter that mostly played as the premier scorer off the bench with 10 PPG and Oregon’s top three-pointer shooter with 63 made.
- Brandon Angel | F | Graduated | Starting forward who chipped in over eight points and nearly four rebounds per game.
- Jadrian Tracey | G | Graduated | Another part-time starter that contributed solid minutes and added 6.9 PPG in 35 appearances.
- Supreme Cook | F | Graduated | Depth forward that scored 4.7 points and grabbed 2.6 rebounds per game in 32 appearances off the bench.
- Ra’Heim Moss | G | Graduated | Another bench contributor that averaged 10 minutes per game as a senior.
Impact Transfers/Newcomers
- Takai Simpkins | G | Sr. | Second Team All-CAA at Elon last season, and his game has translated to the Big Ten, adding 12.6 points per game as a full-time starter for the Ducks.
- Sean Stewart | F | Jr. | Transfer from Ohio State, where he was a 30-game starter, but has produced similar numbers with 6.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.
- Wei Lin | G | Soph. | Chinese guard who put up 21 points a game last year for the Chinese Basketball Association, but has only added 5.9 PPG in 15 contests this season.
- Devon Pryor | F | Jr. | Transfer from Texas, who’s been productive with three points and rebounds per game, but has played in only 11 of 15 games this season.
- Ege Demir | C | Jr. | 6-foot-11 center and Nigeria native who’s now at Oregon after playing in the Turkish Basketball Super League over the past couple of seasons.
Outlook
If anything, Oregon head coach Dana Altman is mighty consistent. Dating back to the 1998-1999 season when the Nebraska native was at Creighton, his teams have reached 20 wins or more in 26 of the past 27 years, which includes a Final Four appearance for the Ducks in 2017.
Oregon more than held their own in their first season in the Big Ten, compiling a 25-10 record before bowing out in the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. Altman and the Ducks returned the core of that group this season as All-Big Ten Third Team selections Nate Bittle (16.8 PPG) and Jackson Shelstad (15.6 PPG) are back — averaging a combined 32.4 points per game. 6-foot-10 forward Kwame Evans Jr. was a bench piece last season, but he’s grown to average 13.3 points and a team-leading 7.6 rebounds per contest to give the Ducks a trio of key returners.
UO still lost talent over the offseason, including double-digit scorers TJ Bama, who was a starter, and Keeshawn Barthelemy. Plus, they saw a quartet of key reserves all graduate. Reinforcements have come in the form of Elon transfer Takai Simpkins, who has added 12.6 points per game in all 16 contests. Ohio State transfer Sean Stewart brings plenty of experience after starting in all 30 contests last year with the Buckeyes, while Chinese import Wei Lin (5.9 PPG), Texas transfer Devon Pryor (3.4 PPG), and Nigerian center Ege Demir all replace the depth that was depleted.
Oregon’s 8-8 record could easily be more in the Ducks favor with half of its losses coming by single digits, including a three-point loss to Rutgers on Jan. 5 and a nine-point defeat to No. 7 Gonzaga on Dec. 21. Offense has been an issue for Oregon as they sit in the bottom five of the conference in scoring, field goal percentage and free throw percentage. The Ducks will want to make this a rock fight, especially if they can run the offense through seven-foot and All-Big Ten center Nate Brittles. However, with NU returning to Pinnacle Bank Arena, I don’t see Nebraska dropping its first game of the season to the Ducks.
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The New Orleans Saints made a big splash in free agency when they signed Travis Etienne Jr. to pair with Alvin Kamara in the backfield. Etienne’s addition probably means that the Saints won’t select a back with an early choice in the 2026 NFL Draft. However, don’t be surprised if the team adds another back with a later pick. If that’s the case, Emmett Johnson of the Nebraska Cornhuskers could be someone on their radar.
Etienne will likely be the featured back, but Kamara’s future beyond 2026 is in some doubt. Kamara turns 31 in July and is entering his 10th season with a big contract after already showing some possible decline. Behind them, Kendre Miller has proven he shouldn’t be relied on and 2025 sixth round choice Devin Neal has flashed potential but remains unproven. The Saints may be wise to add more talent to their backfield with a middle or later round pick.
Emmett Johnson bio
- Position: Running back
- College: Nebraska Cornhuskers
- Height: 5-feet, 10 inches
- Weight: 202 pounds
- 40-yard dash: 4.56 seconds
- 10-yard split: 1.59 seconds
- 3-cone drill: 7.32 seconds
- 20-yard shuttle: 4.29 seconds
- Vertical jump: 35.5″
- Broad jump: 10′
Recipient of the 2021 Minnesota Mr. Football award at Academy of Holy Angels High School, Johnson began with the Nebraska Cornhuskers as a three-star recruit. He’d take a redshirt in 2022 then rushed for 411 yards with 2 scores in 2023 as part of a backfield committee. In 2024, Johnson picked up 598 yards on the ground and caught 39 passes for 286 yards with 3 total scores.
By 2025, Johnson was the Cornhuskers featured weapon and exploded onto the national radar. Johnson’s 1,451 rushing yards and 251 carries both led the Big Ten and were among the NCAA leaders. He also caught a team-high 46 passes and scored 15 touchdowns, as his 1,821 yards from scrimmage were second across the NCAA. Those eye-popping numbers earned him 1st Team All-American honors as well as the 2025 Big Ten Running Back of the Year.
Strengths
- Hits rushing lanes with authority
- Makes sharp cuts at top speed
- Decisive north-south runner
- Good acceleration into the second level
- Legitimate receiving threat
Weaknesses
- Doesn’t have breakaway speed
- Has trouble creating yards when the hole isn’t there
- Must maintain balance better through contact
- Doesn’t break many tackles
- Only one year of high-level production
Emmett Johnson 2026 draft outlook
Johnson’s 2025 tape and production are worthy of a high pick, but teams looking for a featured back might be wary of his lack of power. Still, Johnson has a strong chance of being picked somewhere on the second day and shouldn’t last later than the fourth round. His decisive one-cut and go style and receiving ability gives him a strong chance to be an instant contributor with an incredibly high upside of a potential starter.
New Orleans has had success with late-round picks and undrafted players at running back. Emmett Johnson won’t last that long. But, if Johnson slips into Day 3, the Saints could be tempted to add him and bolster their backfield in multiple ways.
Carson Jasa pitched a strong game, earning his second complete-game of the season. Nebraska’s offense started fast and kept rolling, leading to a 12-2 run-rule win over No. 12 USC in seven innings on Saturday at Hawks Field. This marked head coach Will Bolt’s 200th career win at Nebraska.
A season-high crowd of 7,602 fans filled the ballpark, making for one of the most exciting games of the year. This attendance is the 25th largest in Hawks Field history and the second biggest since Nebraska joined the Big Ten, just behind the 7,650 fans at a 2021 doubleheader against Michigan. The fans saw Nebraska play a complete game, improving to 30-9 overall and 14-3 in the conference. USC fell to 30-10 and 13-7 in Big Ten play.
Nebraska’s offense scored 12 runs on 12 hits and made only one error. USC scored just two runs on five hits and had two defensive mistakes. Drew Grego led the way, going 3-for-4 and missing the cycle by only a triple. He hit a home run, a double, and drove in four runs. Dylan Carey also went 3-for-4 with a home run and scored three times. Case Sanderson went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs, and Jett Buck added a double and scored three runs. Mac Moyer, Joshua Overbeek, and Trey Fikes each had a hit.
Jasa took control on the mound right from the start. He pitched all seven innings, giving up just two runs, only one earned, on five hits. He struck out seven and walked only two, moving his record to 7-1 this season.
The Huskers started strong, taking an early lead in the first inning. Nebraska sent eight batters to the plate and scored four runs right away. Sanderson brought in the first run with a groundout that scored Moyer. Buck hit a double to bring home Carey, Grego added an RBI double to score Buck, and Overbeek finished the inning with a single that made it 4-0.
Nebraska added to its lead in the third inning with three solo home runs.. Sanderson and Carey hit back-to-back homers, and Grego followed by sending the first pitch he saw over the left field wall. That made it 7-0 and put the game out of reach.
The Huskers continued to add on in the fifth inning, capitalizing on aggressive baserunning. Carey and Buck each stole. The Huskers kept building their lead in the fifth inning by taking advantage of aggressive baserunning. Carey and Buck both stole bases to get into scoring position, and Grego singled to left field to drive them both in, making it 9-0.
USC rallied briefly in the top of the seventh, scoring two runs on three hits and a Nebraska error. A solo home run gave the Trojans their first run, and a mix of hits and a defensive mistake brought in another, making it 10-2. Stokes drew walks to put runners on base, and Trey Fikes delivered an RBI single to left field. A USC fielding error on the play allowed both Buck and Stokes to score, ending the game at 12-2 and clinching the series for the Huskers.
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On the 12th day of the 2026 transfer portal cycle, Nebrasketball picked up its fourth commitment.
Boden Kapke, a 6-foot-11 forward/center out of Boston College, has committed to the Huskers. He has one season of eligibility remaining.
Kapke announced his commitment on social media, captioning his post, “🔴⚪️GBR🌽”
Kapke began his college career at Butler. As a true freshman, he played in 22 games, averaging 7.0 minutes of action per contest. In limited run during his first season of collegiate action, he shot 48% from the field and made seven of his 17 attempts (41%) from three-point range.
As a sophomore, Kapke made 16 starts while appearing in 34 of the team’s 35 games. In just 13.4 minutes per game, he averaged 4.1 points and 2.8 rebounds. He shot 40% from the field and 27% (18-for-66) from deep.
Kapke transferred to Boston College for his junior season. In his lone year with the Eagles, his numbers jumped to 10.6 points and 5.7 rebounds over 26.7 minutes a game. He made 17 starts in 31 appearances on the year. He shot 47% from the field and 33% on three-pointers.
Out of Victoria, Minnesota, Kapke was a finalist for his state’s 2023 Mr. Basketball. As a senior, he averaged 23 points and 13 rebounds a game, helping Holy Family Catholic to a 29-3 record and the Class AA State Tournament semifinals.
Kapke finished his prep career with 1,796 career points and 1,062 rebounds.
Nebraska lost nearly all of its frontcourt production from a 28-7 campaign that ended in the Sweet 16. Starter Rienk Mast and backup Jared Garcia have both exhausted their eligibility, while starter Berke Büyüktuncel entered the transfer portal last week.
The Huskers do have a returning frontcourt player in Leo Curtis. The 7-foot-2 native of Iceland appeared in 17 games as a true freshman.
Nebraska also picked up a likely starting four man from Belmont in Sam Orme. The full-time starter as a redshirt sophomore this past season, Orme averaged 12.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 25.8 minutes per game.
Still up in the air is the status of Central Michigan transfer Ugnius Jaruševičius. The Lithuanian big man played in just one game in 2025-26 with Nebraska and is seeking a medical waiver for an additional year of eligibility. With his back issues and a waiver being needed from the NCAA, the coaching staff can’t be certain that he’ll be available next season.
As of this commitment, Kapke would slide into the starting five spot. Kapke is nearly identical to Mast in terms of size, bringing one more inch of height and five more pounds of weight. His offensive play style, however, would be more similar to what Husker fans saw from Büyüktuncel.
A final decision is still to be announced from Boise State forward/center Drew Fielder. The former Georgetown big averaged 14.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.2 assists this past season with the Broncos, shooting 40.9.% on three-pointers and 60.6% inside the arc. Fielder has visited Nebraska and Washington and is visiting Alabama this weekend.
On Friday, Nebraska picked up a starting ball handler in Utah Valley’s Trevan Leonhardt. This past season, he started all 35 games, averaging 11.8 points, 6.0 assists, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.1 steals per contest. He earned first-team All-WAC and All-Defensive team honors.
Nebraska’s starting lineup right now projects to be Leonhardt, Sandfort, Frager, Orme, and Kapke. That gives the Huskers a starting lineup height of 6-foot-5, 6-foot-7, 6-foot-7, 6-foot-9, and 6-foot-11. As for three-point shooting, that group had averages in 2025-26 of 37%, 41.6%, 35.2%, 40.4%, and 33%.
Multiple pieces from last year have confirmed they will be returning.
First-team All-Big Ten selection Pryce Sandfort will be back for his senior season. Coach Fred Hoiberg confirmed earlier this month that the first-team All-Big Ten selection had been battling a sports hernia injury. Sandfort underwent surgery after the season ended and will be rehabbing for several weeks, diminishing the potential of him leaving early for the NBA draft.
Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year Braden Frager re-signed with Nebraska. He will slide into one of the starting spots vacated by Sam Hoiberg and Jamarques Lawrence. In his redshirt freshman season, Frager hit the 20-point scoring mark six times on his way to averaging 11.8 points a game off the bench.
Curtis and main rotation piece Cale Jacobsen have also had their returns confirmed. In 2025-26, Jacobsen played in all 35 contests, averaging 4.6 points on 52 percent shooting, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game with a 2.1-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Along with Jaruševičius, sharpshooter Connor Essegian is also seeking a medical waiver for an additional year of eligibility. However, he did get an official return post on social media. In the seven games he was on the floor this season, he averaged 5.4 points per game, making eight three-pointers.
Other players on the roster to be confirmed returning are Henry Burt and Will Cooper.
The Huskers are also adding a pair of high school signees. Colin Rice and Jacob Lanier are both four-star forward prospects and could see the floor earlier in their collegiate careers.
Besides 61-game starter Büyüktuncel, Nebraska has also seen Quentin Rhymes and Justin Bolis leave via the transfer portal.
Nebraska now has two open spots remaining on the roster. The portal remains open through April 21.
Have a question or comment for Kaleb? Send an email to kalebhenry.huskermax@gmail.com.
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