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Nebraska only sends 4 players out for decisive possession in loss to Iowa
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Nebraska losing in crushing fashion in a really close game to a Big Ten rival was a bad enough way for the Cornhuskers’ dream season to end on Thursday night in Houston.
But on a closer look, it was even worse. Because the fourth-seeded team got bounced in the South Region semifinals with the help of a ridiculous collective breakdown late in the stunning 77-71 loss to No. 9 seed Iowa.
Just when Nebraska looked like it had renewed hope late in the game, after Braden Frager nailed a 3-pointer with 58 seconds left to pull the Cornhuskers within 71-68, it all came undone. Nebraska called timeout, so you would think it would have its defense set when play resumed and Iowa inbounded the ball.
Well, it did, only with an inexcusable situation that took hold. Incredibly, the Huskers returned to the floor from the timeout with only 4 players on the floor. The alert Hawkeyes quickly took advantage, with a baseball pass the length of the floor by Kael Combs to the waiting arms of Alvaro Folgueiras, who laid the ball in and got fouled by Berke Buyuktuncel.
Naturally, Folgueiras made the ensuing free throw, giving Iowa a 74-68 lead with 56 seconds left, and the game was effectively over.
It was a stunning turn of events for Nebraska and a sickening way for its season to basically come crashing down.
There was some explaining to do by Cornhuskers head coach Fred Hoiberg to reporters in the postgame press conference. How could something like this happen in such a huge moment?
According to Hoiberg, it was a “miscommunication” on Nebraska’s part that led to it only having 4 players on the floor.
“I’ve never been in a situation like that,” Hoiberg said. “Again, it was a miscommunication. Unfortunately, it did happen.”
Hoiberg didn’t know the rule when asked by a reporter about the officials counting the players on each team before the play begins. They didn’t count, and Nebraska was stunningly left with 4 players on the floor instead of 5.
Seconds later, its season was effectively over.
Nebraska’s Final Four dreams were dashed on Thursday night with its heartbreaking loss to Iowa. But there are plenty of teams still left with a shot to get to Indianapolis, and here is what the Kalshi market currently thinks of the top teams in the mix:
