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Nebraska vs Troy score: Huskers get first March Madness win
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- Nebraska vs Troy score: Huskers get first March Madness win
Maybe you've heard by now, but Nebraska basketball began March Madness as the only Power conference team without an Men's NCAA Tournament win .
On Thursday, that distinction vanished beneath a barrage of 3-pointers in front of a loud Cornhusker contingent in Oklahoma City . No. 4 seed Nebraska beat No. 13 seed Troy, 76-47, in its South region first-round game for the first NCAA Tournament win in program history.
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The Trojans (22-11) were back in March Madness for a second-straight year after winning the Sun Belt regular season title and conference tournament. Troy lost to Kentucky in last year's first round, 76-57.
More: Nebraska gets its first March Madness win in men's basketball history
Bold predictions: March Madness top upset picks, surprises, sleepers
Will drought end this year? Big Ten hasn't won March Madness since 2000
Nebraska vs Troy score
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Nebraska 76, Troy 47 final
Who does Nebraska play next in March Madness second round?
The fourth-seeded Cornhuskers will play the winner of No. 5 Vanderbilt vs. No. 12 McNeese.
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When does Nebraska play next in March Madness second round?
The Cornhuskers will play on Saturday in Oklahoma City. Time is to be determined later Thursday night.
Nebraska's lead reaches 30 points
A tip-in by Berke Buyuktuncel with 6:50 to go gave the Cornhuskers a commanding 70-40 lead. The rout is on and time is ticking away in Troy's season.
Nebraska's run continues
Braden Frager and Reink Mast have combined to score the last 11 points for the Cornhuskers, who have opened up a 65-40 lead on Troy with 8:22 to play. Frager has scored seven points over the last four minutes of play to give him 10 for the game.
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Nebraska stays hot against Troy
The Cornhuskers lead 56-37 with 11:41 remaining. Nebraska is shooting 44% from the field and 37% from 3-point land. Pryce Sandfort is 7 of 11 from the field with all of his shots coming from behind the arc. Sandfort's 23 points (he is also 2 for 2 from the free throw line) are a game high.
Nebraska vs. Troy second half begins
Troy opened the second half with five unanswered points to trim its deficit to 41-30, but Nebraska's Pryce Sandfort's 3-pointer stopped the Trojans' run and began an 11-2 run for the Huskers that included another 3 by Sandfort and one from Jamarques Lawrence. Nebraska now leads 52-32 with 14:06 to go in the game.
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Nebraska's Berke Büyüktuncel hurt before halftime vs. Troy
Nebraska forward Berke Büyüktuncel fell to the court in pain after Troy's Theo Seng drove to the basket and his knee collided with Büyüktuncel in the closing seconds of the first half. Büyüktuncel was grabbing at his groin area and the play was reviewed for a flagrant foul. Officials ultimately kept it as a personal foul on Büyüktuncel for the contact on Seng, despite the former taking the brunt of the damage.
Nebraska leads Troy, 41-25, at halftime after hitting seven 3-pointers and holding the Trojans to 4 of 18 shooting over the final 15 minutes of the first half. We'll see if Büyüktuncel is back on the court to start the second half.
Nebraska in control because Pryce Sandfort is on fire
Nebraska has opened up a double-digit lead on Troy during the latter stages of the first half and it's because Pryce Sandfort keeps hitting 3-pointers. Playing in front of his older brother, Oklahoma City Thunder forward Payton Sandfort , he's 5 for 7 from behind the arc.
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The hot shooting ignited a 20-4 surge that had the Cornhuskers fans going berserk and Troy completely on its heels. Trojans leading scorer Thomas Dowd has been limited to two points so far. Nebraska is up 32-21 at the final media timeout of the first half.
Nebraska grabs lead behind Pryce Sandfort
Beating Nebraska was always going to be a tough task for Troy. Doing it in front of an arena full of Cornhuskers fans might require a lot more than the typical upset bid. Nebraska just took an 18-15 lead off another Troy turnover that led to Big Ten 3-point leader Pryce Sandfort's third trifecta in a matter of minutes. The Trojans, meanwhile, are starting to struggle generating open looks after their initial barrage.
Troy takes early lead in front of pro-Nebraska crowd
Troy looks feisty early after hitting three 3-pointers in the opening four minutes and leads Nebraska, 9-6, at the first media timeout despite the presence of a very pro-Nebraska crowd in Oklahoma City. But Nebraska's size advantage and defense are making a difference, with all of its points coming in the paint so far. Troy's three turnovers are an issue.
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Charles Barkley makes Nebraska prediction
One team in this South region first-round matchup is going to win its first NCAA Tournament game in program history on Thursday. Nebraska's plight, however, is drawing far more attention than Troy's 0-fer in March Madness. The Cornhuskers are 0-8 in their previous eight appearances, but count Charles Barkley among those who believe that ignominious mark gets erased at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.
Barkley picked Nebraska to beat Troy during the truTV pregame show, noting the Cornhuskers are one of the teams he's rooting for and "they're going to get it done this year." Nebraska is going to close as a 13.5-point favorite over Troy, according to BetMGM.
Theo Seng injury update for Troy vs. Nebraska
Troy is expected to get back center Theo Seng for the first time in about a month when the 13th-seeded Trojans tip off against Nebraska shortly. Troy coach Scott Cross said the 6-foot-9 senior should be "good to go" after missing the past six games with a knee injury.
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Seng is Troy's third-leading scorer this season, averaging 12.9 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, but it appears he will come off the bench based on Thursday's announced starting lineups.
What time does Nebraska vs Troy start?
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Thursday's first round game between the Cornhuskers and Trojans starts at 12:40 p.m. ET.
What channel is Nebraska vs Troy on today?
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The Troy-Nebraska game is on truTV.
How do I find truTV channel for March Madness?
Like past Men's NCAA Tournaments, truTV will carry a handful of March Madness games through the first few days of the tournament. All told, there will be 24 total games either aired or simulcast on truTV for the entire NCAA Tournament.
Here's what channel truTV is on through different TV providers:
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AT&T U-Verse: 164/1164
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Verizon FIOS: 183/683
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Cox: Traditionally on 802; varies by location
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DISH: 242
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DirecTV: 246
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Spectrum: Traditionally 44/112; varies by location
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Xfinity: Varies by location
No. 4 Nebraska vs No. 13 Troy prediction
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John Leuzzi:Nebraska
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Ehsan Kassim:Nebraska
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Austin Curtright:Nebraska
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Craig Meyer:Troy
Nebraska vs Troy odds: Who is favored to win March Madness game?
Odds provided by BetMGM .
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Spread:Nebraska (-13.5)
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Moneyline:Nebraska (-1100)
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O/U:137.5
Nebraska March Madness history
Nebraska is making its ninth appearance in the NCAA Tournament and seeking its first win. Here's a breakdown of the Cornhuskers' appearances in March Madness:
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1986: vs. Western Kentucky (L, 67-59)
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1991: vs. Xavier (L, 89-84)
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1992: vs. UConn (L, 86-65)
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1993: vs. New Mexico State (L, 93-79)
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1994: vs. Penn (L, 90-80)
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1998: vs. Arkansas (L, 74-65)
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2014: vs. Baylor (L, 74-60)
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2024: vs. Texas A&M (L, 98-83)
Troy March Madness history
Troy is making its fourth appearance in the NCAA Tournament and also seeking its first win. Here's a rundown of the Trojans' appearances in March Madness:
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2003: vs. Xavier (L, 71-59)
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2017: vs. Duke (L, 87-65)
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2025: vs. Kentucky (L, 76-57)
Nebraska basketball top scorer, stat leaders
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F Pryce Sandfort: 17.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.0 apg
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F Rienk Mast : 13.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 2.9 apg
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F Braden Frager: 11.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 49 FG%
Troy basketball top scorer, stat leaders
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F Victor Valdes: 14.8 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 4.6 apg
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F Thomas Dowd: 14.8 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 2.2
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F Theo Seng: 12.9 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 51.7 FG%
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G Cooper Campbell: 12.7 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 4.2 apg
Where is Nebraska vs Troy March Madness game?
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Thursday's first round game between Troy and Nebraska is at the Paycom Arena in Oklahoma City.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness live: Nebraska vs Troy score, updates 2026 NCAA Tournament
