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.
More From Nebraska On SI
Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.
The Nebraska State Fair is celebrating America’s 250th anniversary with a special 72-hour flash sale on Season Passes.
From July 3 through July 5, fans can purchase a 2026 Season Pass for just $50—a significant discount from its regular value of $132.
The pass includes one admission per day for all 11 days of the 2026 Nebraska State Fair, making it ideal for visitors who plan to attend multiple days.
Fair officials say the promotion is one of the biggest Season Pass discounts offered in years and will not be extended.
After July 5, Season Passes will remain available at a higher discounted price.
OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – Legalizing online sports betting has met with resistance in the Nebraska Legislature for years.
Tax Relief Nebraska, a group backed by Nebraska casinos and online sports betting groups, took the issue to the people of the state through a petition drive.
Those petitions are now in, and casino officials say they expect to have enough signatures to make the November ballot — but also expect pushback through Election Day.
The case for online betting
Currently, legal sports bets cannot be placed on a phone in Nebraska. Casino operators say people who choose to wager are finding other ways to do it.
“They’re just doing it illegally through a virtual private network, or they’re driving over to the first exit between Iowa and Nebraska, placing a bet and then driving back to their home,” said Lynne McNally of Warhorse Casino.
Nebraska casino operators say the state has already collected millions of dollars in state taxes and property tax relief from casino gambling, and that online sports betting would add to that total.
A majority of Nebraskans voted for casino gambling to enter the state in 2020, and casino operators expect similar support if the online betting petition makes the November ballot.
“As you know, we got 65% on the constitutional amendment and actually got nearly 70% on the tax portion of the statute when the casinos were legalized in 2020. I think that we’ll be in that area, if not maybe a little higher than that,” McNally said.
“There’s always going to be a sector of the public that doesn’t want to gamble. They don’t want to go to our facilities and that’s just fine. I guess I have an objection with trying to tell other people what to do,” McNally said.
The opposition
The Nebraska Family Alliance stands against online gambling and plans to campaign against the initiative across the state. The nonprofit group issued a statement that reads in part: “Online sports betting has been a massive public policy failure that benefits national sportsbooks at the expense of kids, student-athletes, families and businesses. While they have more money, they don’t have the truth.”
Pat Loontjer, director of Gambling with the Good Life, has opposed expanded gambling in Nebraska for 30 years.
“They’re telling the same lie — property tax relief. Well in Nebraska you say property tax relief and everybody says where do I sign,” Loontjer said.
Loontjer also raised concerns about the impact on young people.
“Sports betting on the phone is the most addictive thing for young people, young men especially. You’ve got kids that are going to lose their scholarships, lose their future,” Loontjer said.
What comes next
If enough signatures are verified and the issue is placed on the November ballot, Warhorse Casino officials say Nebraskans could be able to make sports bets on their phones by spring of next year.
Copyright 2026 WOWT. All rights reserved.
Along with marching in the parade, the high schools will tour the U.S. Capitol, visit Mount Vernon and other monuments and museums.
Around 80 Grand Island students are making the trip. Lee said the students cover their own costs, with fundraising largely run though the school’s booster program helping offset the expense.
Bishop Neumann’s 53 students benefited from community donations, along with a holiday greenery sale and fundraisers, which Kellett said helped cover airfare and other costs.
For both directors, the trip carries extra weight tied to the nation’s 250th anniversary.
“That’s a pretty big milestone,” Lee said. “And to be able to be a part of that is pretty neat.”
Kellett said the moment will stay with students long after the parade ends.
“These kids, they’ll be around for the 300th anniversary of the country, and they’ll be able to look back and tell their grandkids, ‘you know, I was there at 250 and was able to march in the National Independence Day Parade,’” Kellett said.
Both bands have spent the summer preparing. Grand Island started working on its music after its final spring concert in May, rehearsing its marching and music together on Tuesday evenings.
Bishop Neumann has rehearsed continuously over the summer and marched in two parades to prepare, a 150th anniversary celebration in Weston and the Papillion Days parade.
Kellett said the band’s last rehearsal in Wahoo drew residents who lined the streets holding signs and cheering the students on.
“The students have come in, and they’ve worked really hard,” Kellett said. “They have their music memorized and they’ve worked on their marching skills, and so all that effort into this they’re ready to go for the parade.”
The parade starts at 9:30 a.m. CT Saturday at Third Street and Constitution Avenue.
-
Sports5 minutes agoThousand Oaks native Claire Liu finally reaches Wimbledon’s third round, will face Coco Gauff
-
World13 minutes agoCould water become a flashpoint between Islamabad and New Delhi?
-
News38 minutes agoUkraine latest / Limits of military might / Can major powers regain dominance? : Sources & Methods
-
Los Angeles, Ca2 hours agoJuvenile charged with murder after 4-month-old Claremont infant thrown to her death
-
Detroit, MI2 hours agoSilence from Jalen Duren’s camp is what the Pistons want to hear
-
San Francisco, CA2 hours agoJury deadlocked on 2 counts for Golden Gate Bridge pro-Palestinian protesters
-
Dallas, TX3 hours agoRoss Tower hits the market as Downtown Dallas sale wave builds
-
Miami, FL3 hours agoFIFA World Cup Miami Host Committee lends a helping hand to people of Venezuela after deadly earthquakes
