No. 5 Nebrasketball Falls at Home to No. 9 Illinois

Huskers drop second straight game after 20-game winning streak

Feb. 1, 2026 at 5:47pm

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No. 5 Nebraska men's basketball lost to No. 9 Illinois 78-69 at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Sunday. The Huskers led by six at halftime but were outscored 45-30 in the second half as the Illini took control. Nebraska shot just 5 free throws in the game compared to 26 for Illinois, which outrebounded the Huskers 40-27.

Why it matters

Nebraska had been one of the hottest teams in college basketball, winning 20 straight games before dropping their last two. This loss at home to a top-10 opponent raises questions about whether the Huskers can maintain their strong start to the season and contend for a high NCAA Tournament seed.

The details

Nebraska led 39-33 at halftime after shooting 11-for-20 from 3-point range in the first half. But the Huskers went cold in the second half as Illinois put together several big runs to take control of the game. The Illini outscored Nebraska 45-30 in the second half, relying on 21 made free throws compared to just 4 for the Huskers.

  • Nebraska beat Illinois 73-70 in Champaign on December 13, 2025.

The players

Zvonimir Ivisic

Illinois Fighting Illini center.

Braden Frager

Nebraska Cornhuskers forward.

Cale Jacobsen

Nebraska Cornhuskers guard.

Pryce Sandfort

Nebraska Cornhuskers forward.

Keaton Wagler

Illinois Fighting Illini freshman guard who led all scorers with 28 points.

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What’s next

Nebraska goes on the road next, taking on Rutgers in Piscataway on Saturday. Tip is set for 11 a.m. CST. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network.

The takeaway

This loss at home to a top-10 opponent raises questions about whether the Huskers can maintain their strong start to the season and contend for a high NCAA Tournament seed after dropping their second straight game.