Senior Sam Hoiberg delivered the decisive moment of the night, sinking the winning free throw with just 0.6 seconds remaining to give Nebraska an 86–85 victory over Kansas State in the Hall of Fame Classic championship game on Friday night. The dramatic finish unfolded in front of 6,743 fans at the T-Mobile Center, as the Huskers extended their winning streak to 10 games dating back to last season and improved to 6–0.
After intentionally missing the second free throw, Hoiberg’s effort set off a wild scramble that saw senior Nate Johnson pull down the rebound. Following a timing adjustment, Kansas State was granted 0.9 seconds for one final play, but the inbound pass sailed off target, sealing the win for Nebraska.
Kansas State’s explosive backcourt duo of P.J. Haggerty and Abdi Bashir Jr. powered the Wildcats with a combined 53 points—33 of them in the second half—as they battled back from a 10-point halftime deficit. Haggerty finished with 27 points, marking his sixth straight 20+ point performance to open the season, breaking the record previously held by Michael Beasley. Johnson added 12 points.
K-State clawed back into the game early in the second half behind Bashir’s three early threes, sparking an 11–0 run that put the Wildcats ahead 46–45. From there, the game turned into a heavyweight exchange: 12 lead changes, nine ties, and no separation greater than five points the rest of the way.
Haggerty gave K-State a 72–67 lead with 7:21 left, but Nebraska punched back with nine straight points. Free throws kept the Wildcats alive, tying the score at 76 and later at 83. With under a minute remaining, Rienk Mast scored to put Nebraska up 85–83, only for Haggerty to answer seconds later.
With 22 seconds left, Nebraska set up the final possession. Pryce Sandfort’s three-point attempt rimmed out, but Hoiberg crashed the glass, secured the offensive board, and drew the game-winning foul.
Redshirt freshman Braden Frager earned Tournament MVP honors with 16 points and six rebounds off the bench. Sandfort added 21 points, Mast tallied 20, and Hoiberg finished with 13—redeeming himself after missing two key free throws earlier in the final minutes. Mast and Haggerty joined Frager on the All-Tournament Team alongside Mississippi State’s Josh Hubbard and New Mexico’s Tomislav Buljan.
The Huskers, known for their perimeter shooting, dominated the paint instead, outscoring K-State 48–24 inside. They shot an impressive 54.1% from the field and an elite 86.2% on two-point shots. Nebraska also capitalized on turnovers, scoring 24 points off 13 Wildcat miscues.
Kansas State finished the night shooting 43.5% overall and 34.3% from deep, while hitting 19 of 22 from the line. Their 24 paint points and 12 fast-break points were both season lows.
