LINCOLN, Neb. (WOWT) – Nebraska men’s basketball announced its upcoming 2025-25 non-conference schedule that features matchups against NCAA Tournament teams Oklahoma and Creighton, as well as a trip to Kansas City for the Hall of Fame Classic.
The Huskers will get an early test before the regular season begins, hosting BYU in an exhibition game that pits Nebraska against a Sweet 16 team bolstered by the addition of A.J. Dybantsa, ESPN’s No. 1 overall recruit. Nebraska then opens the season with three straight home games before traveling to Sioux Falls for a neutral-site showdown with Oklahoma. The Sooners won 20 games last season and earned an NCAA Tournament berth, adding early-season weight to the Huskers’ resume-building opportunities.
The following week, Fred Hoiberg’s group heads to Kansas City for its first appearance in the Hall of Fame Classic since 2018. The four-team field includes NCAA qualifiers Mississippi State and New Mexico, along with a Kansas State team that beat bluebloods like Kansas and Arizona last year. Full pairings for the Classic will be announced later this summer, according to a school release.
Nebraska’s home non-conference slate is headlined by its annual December battle with Creighton, set for Dec. 7. The Bluejays finished second in the Big East last season and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament. That contest leads into a December stretch that also features two early Big Ten games before conference play picks up in January.
Coming off back-to-back 20-win campaigns and a 21-14 record last season, the Huskers return a solid nucleus, including starters Berke Büyüktuncel and Sam Hoiberg, along with senior guard Connor Essegian, who averaged 10.7 points off the bench in 2024-25. Veteran forward Rienk Mast also returns after leading Nebraska in scoring, rebounding and assists two seasons ago before missing last year due to injury.
Jamarques Lawrence is back in the fold as well after transferring from Rhode Island, where he averaged just under 10 points per game last year after transferring away from Nebraska.
Hoiberg’s roster will also include a six-man transfer class, featuring scoring help from Central Michigan’s Ugnius Jarusevicius, Iowa’s Pryce Sandfort, and St. Thomas standout Kendall Blue. Incoming freshmen Leo Curtis and Quentin Rhymes — both ranked among the top 125 recruits nationally — round out a new-look roster.
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The Huskers’ Big Ten home slate adds even more intrigue, with visits from defending league champion Purdue, as well as NCAA Tournament teams Michigan State, Wisconsin, Maryland, Illinois and Oregon. Tip times and TV details will be released at a later date.
Date
Opponent
Sat., Oct. 18
BYU (Exhibition)
Mon., Oct. 27
Midland (Exhibition)
Mon., Nov. 3
West Georgia
Sat., Nov. 8
Florida International
Tues., Nov. 11
Maryland-Eastern Shore
Sat., Nov. 15
vs. Oklahoma (at Sioux Falls)
Thurs., Nov. 20
at Hall of Fame Classic (Kansas State, Miss. St., New Mexico)
Fri., Nov. 21
at Hall of Fame Classic (Kansas State, Miss. St., New Mexico)
Tues., Nov. 25
Winthrop
Sat., Nov. 29
South Carolina Upstate
Sun., Dec. 7
Creighton
Sun., Dec. 21
North Dakota
Tues., Dec. 30
New Hampshire
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