Through senior guard Connor Essegian’s “Gameday Vlogs” on YouTube, it is well-documented that he and junior guard Pryce Sandfort have formed a special friendship that extends beyond the court.
The two teammates have similar paths to Nebraska. Essegian transferred to NU after a two-year stint with Wisconsin, while Sandfort transferred to Nebraska after two seasons with Iowa.
For Essegian, he wanted to revive his college career after a sophomore year slump at Wisconsin. For Sandfort, a trust in Nebraska head coach Fred Hoiberg and his longtime fandom of the Huskers convinced him to make the move from Iowa City to Lincoln. However, it was the offensive scheme that attracted the two to come to Nebraska.
Essegian was a staple in the Huskers’ lineup throughout the 2024-25 season, averaging 10.7 points per game on a 37.7% 3-point clip. When he heard the news that another Big Ten sharpshooter was joining Nebraska, he knew a best friend was in the making.
When Sandfort committed to NU in April 2025, Essegian was one of the first guys he met in Lincoln.
“He’s a really special guy. I knew that right when I committed here,” Sandfort said. “We kind of hit it off right away… We hung out a lot in the summer, really got that bond.”
The moment the two met, they didn’t talk much ball. Instead, they talked to each other like they had known each other for years, when in reality, they had just met.
That spark carried on through the entire offseason and into the first few games of the season. The duo was off to a good start with Essegian averaging over five points per game off the bench and Sandfort averaging 15.6 points per game through the first seven contests. However, on Nov. 25 against Winthrop, Essegian suffered a season-ending ankle injury, forcing him to miss the rest of the season. Who was the first person who knew? Sandfort.
“My heart broke a little bit when he was out for the season,” Sandfort said. “I was with him when he got the news, so that’s a pretty rough time, but he’s been there every step of the way for me this year.”
Ever since the injury, Sandfort has shown nothing but compassion for his teammate and friend. Whether that was helping Essegian get around on his crutches or supplying emotional support, the two’s bond is unbreakable.
Essegian’s time on the bench has given him a lot of time to reflect on his game and pick apart chunks of Sandfort’s game for his return to the court next season.
“The way he reads screens, his mid-range game. He’s really developed his game within these last three months,” Essegian said. “I want to play like Pryce when I get back.”
From an outside perspective, junior guard Cale Jacobsen has been in Lincoln for both Essegian and Sandfort’s commitments. Not only has Jacobsen formed a strong connection with the two, but he has seen firsthand how unique their friendship is.
“They’re some of my best friends, and they’re relationships that I’m going to have for a lifetime,” Jacobsen said. “Both of those guys mean the world to me, and it’s been really cool to see how they’ve grown in Lincoln.”
Although Jacobsen is shooting a respectable 38% from range this season, he still wishes the two could rub off their shooting skills, he says their approaches are what’s most impressive about their game.
On Thursday, March 19, Sandfort dropped 23 points on seven 3-pointers, propelling Nebraska to win its first-ever NCAA Tournament game, a quest that had been elusive since the tournament began in 1939.
For Essegian, he sensed the big performance coming before the team even stepped on the court.
“I said right before we left (for the game), ‘Pryce Sandfort legacy game,’” Essegian said after the Huskers’ 76-47 win over Troy. “He said, ‘I don’t even care, let’s win.’ It sounds cliche, but for him to say that to me as one of his closest friends, I was like ‘this kid’s dialed.’”
If Sandfort doesn’t declare for the NBA draft, the two will have one more season of college basketball together. Needless to say, no matter which directions their paths lead, no distance will separate the two’s support for each other.
Alex Berry is an Assistant Sports Editor and men’s basketball beat writer at The Daily Nebraskan. You can find all of his work on X at @aberryy13.