No. 12 Nebraska beats Maryland 74-61 behind Braden Frager's 21 points

Cornhuskers improve to 13-4 in Big Ten play, matching program record for conference wins

Feb. 26, 2026 at 2:23am

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Braden Frager scored 21 points off the bench to lead four Nebraska players in double figures as the 12th-ranked Cornhuskers beat Maryland 74-61 on Wednesday night. Pryce Sandfort made a couple of big 3-pointers late and finished with 16 points, Rienk Mast had 11 of his 13 in the second half, and Sam Hoiberg had 12 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals for Nebraska, which improved to 24-4 overall and 13-4 in Big Ten play, matching the program record for conference wins.

Why it matters

The win keeps Nebraska in a tie for second place in the Big Ten standings, putting them in a strong position to potentially earn an NCAA Tournament bid. Maryland, meanwhile, has now lost 10 straight games against ranked opponents dating back to last season.

The details

Nebraska didn't make its first field goal until almost six minutes into the game and battled through several cold spurts before capitalizing on some opportunities in transition in the second half. Frager made two free throws and a 3-pointer to give the Huskers the lead with nine minutes left, and Sandfort's 3 off a steal gave them their first double-digit lead with 5:25 left. The Huskers put the game away with a late 15-3 spurt.

  • The game was played on Wednesday, February 26, 2026.

The players

Braden Frager

A Nebraska player who scored 21 points off the bench to lead the Cornhuskers.

Pryce Sandfort

A Nebraska player who made a couple of big 3-pointers late and finished with 16 points.

Rienk Mast

A Nebraska player who had 11 of his 13 points in the second half.

Sam Hoiberg

A Nebraska player who had 12 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Andre Mills

A Maryland player who had 16 of his 19 points in the second half.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee

The takeaway

This game showcased Nebraska's depth and balanced scoring attack, with four players reaching double figures to lead the Cornhuskers to a key Big Ten victory. The loss continues Maryland's struggles against ranked opponents, as the Terrapins have now dropped 10 straight games against top-25 teams.