Kent Pavelka has been announcing Nebraska men’s basketball games for 41 years. It took until Thursday for him to see the first NCAA win for the Huskers as Nebraska made program history with its win over Troy in the first round.
During the final 10 seconds of the game, which Nebraska pretty handedly won 76–47, Pavelka’s call of the winning moments was caught on video. He was understandably a bit emotional as he witnessed history for a team he’s followed for over four decades. He stood up during the final seconds to really soak in that winning feeling.
“There’s the game! Nebraska’s first NCAA win in history in Oklahoma City over the Troy Trojans. It’s all over,” Pavelka said. “All the years, going home from conference tournaments, sitting in front of the television and the ache in the pit of your stomach wishing you could be there, and then getting to the NCAA once in a while and not winning. All that’s history now. ... Now you don’t have to go home and watch and dream.”
41-year Nebraska basketball announcer Kent Pavelka’s (@KentPavelka) call of the final seconds as he witnesses Nebraska’s first ever NCAA Tournament win pic.twitter.com/gEX5tmrdy1
— NCAA Buzzer Beaters & Game Winners (@NCAABuzzerBters) March 19, 2026
The Nebraska fans in the crowd stayed in their seats to celebrate with the Huskers players after the game as they broke into “Go Big Red!” chants. The players stood in front of the media desk on the court, and Rienk Mast reached down to give Pavelka a hug during this sweet moment.
This is a moment Pavelka will never, ever forget.
Kent Pavelka has been broadcasting Nebraska basketball since 1975. Today he just saw Huskers win their first ever NCAA Tournament victory 🥹🥹
— NCAA Buzzer Beaters & Game Winners (@NCAABuzzerBters) March 19, 2026
pic.twitter.com/I3sc9zwoSQ
Nebraska’s NCAA tournament history
The Huskers made their ninth NCAA tournament appearance in program history this year, finally getting that elusive first win on Thursday. Here’s a look back at their now 1–8 tournament record.
| Year | Opponent | Result | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Western Kentucky | Loss, 67–59 | 0–1 |
| 1991 | Xavier | Loss, 89–84 | 0–2 |
| 1992 | UConn | Loss, 86–65 | 0–3 |
| 1993 | New Mexico State | Loss, 93–79 | 0–4 |
| 1994 | Penn | Loss, 90–80 | 0–5 |
| 1998 | Arkansas | Loss, 74–65 | 0–6 |
| 2014 | Baylor | Loss, 74–60 | 0–7 |
| 2024 | Texas A&M | Loss, 98–83 | 0–8 |
| 2025 | Troy | Win, 76–47 | 1–8 |
Four of the eight losses endured at the NCAA tournament were upsets for Nebraska. The worst upset came in 1991 when the Huskers were ranked No. 3, but then lost by five points to No. 14 Xavier.
Nebraska vs. Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt had a much tougher first-round matchup as No. 12 McNeese, a 2025 Cinderella team, kept the game close until the end. The Commodores won 78–68 to advance to set up a second-round matchup with Nebraska.
According to DraftKings Sportsbook, Vanderbilt opens as a 2.5-point favorite for Saturday’s game. No. 4 vs. No. 5 matchups are always close ones it seems, so Nebraska definitely has a chance of advancing to the second weekend of competition. They might as well keep their winning streak alive at this point.
Pryce Sandfort is the Husker to keep an eye on during Saturday’s game. He played 38 minutes on Thursday, putting up 23 points with seven three-pointers—he was on fire from beyond the arc. He led the Huskers during the season with an average of 17.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.
More March Madness from Sports Illustrated
- Siena Player Seen Cursing Out Duke to UNC Staffer in Funny Postgame Moment
- March Madness: Why Siena’s No-Subs Gamble Against Duke Was the Right Call
- Duke Coach Says Game Against Siena Was 'Toughest' 1 vs. 16-Seed Matchup of Career
- March Madness: Chase Johnston’s Only Two-Point Shot Becomes High Point Legend
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Listen to Nebraska’s Priceless Radio Call After First-Ever Win at NCAA Tournament.
