Nebraska Coach Fred Hoiberg Urges Team to Move Past Tough Loss to Purdue

Huskers look to rebound against Northwestern after heartbreaking overtime defeat.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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Nebraska head coach Fred Hoiberg had a clear message for his players after their tough overtime loss to No. 13 Purdue - put the emotional defeat behind you and focus on the next game against Northwestern. Hoiberg acknowledged the loss was still "eating at all of us" but stressed the importance of handling tough losses the same way the team has handled big wins this season. Nebraska has now lost 3 of its last 4 games, but Hoiberg believes his team can still contend for a Big Ten title and make a deep NCAA Tournament run if they can bounce back.

Why it matters

Nebraska's loss to Purdue was a tough one, dropping them to 20-3 on the season and 3 losses in their last 4 games. However, the Huskers still have a chance to win the Big Ten regular season title and make a deep NCAA Tournament run if they can regroup and finish the season strong. Hoiberg's message to his team to move past the tough loss and focus on the next game is critical for their continued success.

The details

Nebraska led Purdue late in regulation but couldn't hold on, eventually falling in overtime. Hoiberg said the loss was "eating at all of us" and he had trouble sleeping after the game as he replayed the end-of-game sequence. But Hoiberg told his players they need to handle tough losses the same way they've handled big wins this season - by quickly putting it behind them and focusing on the next opponent.

  • On Tuesday night, Nebraska lost to No. 13 Purdue in overtime.
  • On Wednesday, Hoiberg discussed the loss on his radio show, 'Sports Nightly'.

The players

Fred Hoiberg

The head coach of the Nebraska men's basketball team.

Purdue

The No. 13 ranked college basketball team that defeated Nebraska in overtime.

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What they’re saying

“I told them after the game last night, 'We've done a really good job of putting big emotional wins behind us. Now here's the flip side of it, you have to put the tough, emotional loss behind you now.' Really, what will determine if you have success at the end of the year is how you handle those situations.”

— Fred Hoiberg, Head Coach, Nebraska Men's Basketball (Sports Nightly)

What’s next

Nebraska will look to bounce back on Saturday when they host Northwestern.

The takeaway

Hoiberg's message to his team to quickly move past the tough loss to Purdue and focus on the next game against Northwestern will be critical for Nebraska as they try to rebound from their recent struggles and still contend for a Big Ten title and deep NCAA Tournament run.