Nebraska's 24-game winning streak ends with loss to Michigan

Cornhuskers fall short in battle of top-5 teams

Jan. 28, 2026 at 8:55am

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Major college basketball's longest winning streak came to an end on Tuesday night as No. 5 Nebraska lost 75-72 to No. 3 Michigan, snapping the Cornhuskers' run of 24 consecutive victories. Nebraska led for most of the game but failed to score in the final 3:20, missing their last five shots.

Why it matters

Nebraska's 24-game winning streak was the longest in Division I since Gonzaga's 35-game streak from 2019-21. The Cornhuskers' improbable run had captured the imagination of college basketball fans, as Nebraska is a program with a modest history in men's basketball and had never won an NCAA Tournament game before this season.

The details

Nebraska was without two key players - Rienk Mast due to illness and Braden Frager with an ankle injury. Despite the absences, the Cornhuskers led for most of the game before going cold down the stretch. 'To beat Michigan, you have to play almost perfect and we had a lapse at the end,' said Nebraska guard Sam Hoiberg.

  • The 24-game winning streak dated back to Nebraska's sweep through the inaugural College Basketball Crown tournament in Las Vegas last April.
  • Nebraska's previous loss came in last year's final regular-season game, 83-68 to Iowa at home on March 9, 2025.

The players

Sam Hoiberg

A guard for the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Fred Hoiberg

The head coach of the Nebraska Cornhuskers basketball team.

Rienk Mast

A seventh-year big man for the Nebraska Cornhuskers who returned from a major knee injury that caused him to miss the entire 2024-25 season.

Braden Frager

A double-digit scorer for the Nebraska Cornhuskers who missed the game against Michigan with an ankle injury.

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What they’re saying

“To beat Michigan, you have to play almost perfect and we had a lapse at the end.”

— Sam Hoiberg, Guard, Nebraska Cornhuskers

“That just proved, hopefully to everybody, most importantly to the guys in the locker room, that we can compete with anybody.”

— Fred Hoiberg, Head Coach, Nebraska Cornhuskers

“It's unfortunate, but I give our guys a lot of credit for the fight they showed in the game from start to finish.”

— Fred Hoiberg, Head Coach, Nebraska Cornhuskers

What’s next

Nebraska will have some time to regroup before hosting No. 9 Illinois on Sunday.

The takeaway

Despite the end of their impressive 24-game winning streak, Nebraska has emerged as the feel-good story of the college basketball season. The Cornhuskers' 20-1 start is the program's best, and their No. 5 ranking is the highest in school history, proving they can compete with the nation's elite teams.