Mast, Frager Remain Game-Time Decisions for Nebraska's Top-10 Clash vs. Illinois

Nebraska hopes to have two of its best players back on the court for a key Big Ten matchup.

Jan. 30, 2026 at 1:23pm

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Nebraska basketball players Rienk Mast and Braden Frager are both considered game-time decisions for the Huskers' upcoming top-10 showdown against Illinois. Mast missed the team's previous game against Michigan due to a severe stomach illness, while Frager has been recovering from a sprained ankle. Head coach Fred Hoiberg provided updates on the status of both players, noting that they have a chance to return to the lineup on Sunday but their availability remains uncertain.

Why it matters

Nebraska is currently ranked 5th in the nation and facing another top-10 opponent in Illinois. Having Mast and Frager, two of the team's top players, back on the court would be a major boost as the Huskers look to bounce back from their loss to Michigan and remain in contention for a high NCAA Tournament seed.

The details

Mast, a senior center, came down with a severe stomach illness after the team arrived in Ann Arbor for the Michigan game. He was unable to play due to dehydration and had to go to the emergency room on Wednesday. However, Mast was able to return to practice on Friday and do some non-contact work, leaving him as a game-time decision against Illinois. Frager, a redshirt freshman wing, sprained his ankle in Nebraska's previous game against Washington. While initially projected to miss 2-4 weeks, Frager was able to participate in about half of Friday's practice and is also considered questionable to play on Sunday.

  • On January 21, Braden Frager suffered a sprained ankle in Nebraska's home win over Washington.
  • On January 24, Nebraska's trainers projected a 2-4 week recovery timeline for Frager's ankle injury.
  • On January 30, Rienk Mast missed Nebraska's game against Michigan due to a severe stomach illness.
  • On January 31, Mast went to the emergency room for severe dehydration and remained there until around 2:30 AM on February 1.
  • On February 3, both Mast and Frager participated in portions of Nebraska's practice and are considered game-time decisions for the upcoming Illinois game on February 5.

The players

Rienk Mast

A senior center for the Nebraska Cornhuskers who missed the team's previous game due to a severe stomach illness.

Braden Frager

A redshirt freshman wing for the Nebraska Cornhuskers who has been recovering from a sprained ankle suffered in the team's previous game.

Fred Hoiberg

The head coach of the Nebraska Cornhuskers basketball team.

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What they’re saying

“We took him through the very early non-contact portion of our practice. So, we went through stations and got up and down a little bit in some non-contact drills, did some shooting drills, and then got him off the floor. So, if he responds well the rest of the day and has a good day (on Saturday), we anticipate him being out there Sunday, not knowing exactly what he's going to be able to give us. Obviously, he's lost a ton of weight. He's still very weak, but it was good to see him back in the gym today.”

— Fred Hoiberg, Head Coach

“We got him out about halfway through (practice), but it was good to get him some live reps. We'll see how he responds to it. When we initially saw the sprain, we thought it was going to be two to four weeks. We're eight days out now. So, we'll see how he responds to the work he did today and then make a decision on Sunday.”

— Fred Hoiberg, Head Coach

What’s next

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The takeaway

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