How to Watch No. 5 Nebraska Basketball at No. 3 Michigan with Preview, Breakdown, Streaming

The streak nearly ended for the No. 5 Nebraska men’s basketball team Saturday afternoon in Minneapolis.

Down freshman sensation Braden Frager, the Huskers had their back against the wall, trailing 36-30 at halftime as NU went 2-for-11 from three-point land. But after a fiery speech from head coach Fred Hoiberg, Nebraska dominated the second half, outscoring the Gophers 46-21 in the final 20 minutes to pull out a 76-57 win to move to 20-0. Pryce Sandfort was the hot hand for NU, scoring a game-high 22 points and grabbing 10 rebounds for a double-double. Sam Hoiberg and Jamarques Lawrence each added 14 as the Huskers shot 53.3% from the field in the second half.

In a game that nobody in the country could have foreseen to be one of the biggest of the college basketball regular season, Nebraska takes on No. 3 Michigan on Tuesday in Ann Arbor. Here’s all you need to know for one of the biggest games in the Nebraska basketball program’s history.

How to Follow Along 

• Matchup: No. 5 Nebraska (20-0, 9-0 B1G) at No. 3 Michigan (18-1, 8-1 B1G)
• When: Tuesday, January 27
• Where: Crisler Center, Ann Arbor, Mich.
• Time: 6 p.m. CST 
• Watch: Peacock
• Listen: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates

Michigan head coach Dusty May has made the Wolverines into national title contenders in his first two seasons. | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

No. 3 Michigan Scout

Head Coach

• Dusty May | 2nd season at Michigan; 8th as HC
• 45-11 (.804) at Michigan; 171-80 (.681) Career Record
• 1x Final Four, 3x NCAA Tournament Apps.
• 1x B1G Tournament, 1x C-USA Regualr Season & Tournament
• 1x C-USA Coach OTY (2023)
• Previous head coach at Florida Atlantic
• Previous assistant at Florida, Louisiana Tech, UAB, Murray State and Eastern Michigan 

2024-2025 Record & Awards

• Record: 27-10 (14-6 B1G, T-2nd)
• Finish: B1G Tournament Champions, Lost in Sweet 16
• All-B1G: 1x First Team, 1x Second Team

All-Time Series

• Michigan leads 23-5
• Feb. 24, 2025, last matchup, 49-46 Michigan

Michigan guard Roddy Gayle Jr. (11) adds nine points off the bench after being the team’s lead returner from last season. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Key Returners

• Roddy Gayle Jr. | G | Sr. | Michigan’s top returner from last season, and has been an ace off the bench by averaging over nine points and three rebounds through 19 games.
• Nimari Burnett | G | Gr. | Veteran guard that played at Texas Tech and Alabama before Michigan; adds over eight points per game as a full-time starter.
• Will Tschetter | F | Gr. | Reserve forward that chips in nearly five points per game in over 14 minutes.
• L.J. Cason | G | Soph. | True sophomore who played in 30 games last season and has seen his playing time increase to over 18 minutes per contest with seven points per game.

Key Departures

• Vladislav Goldin | C | Graduated | 7-foot-1 Russian center who was named All-Big Ten First Team after leading the team with 16.6 PPG and grabbing seven rebounds per contest.
• Danny Wolf | C | NBA Draft | Left early for the NBA after being selected to the All-Big Ten Second Team.
• Tre Donaldson | G | Jr. | Veteran guard that transferred to Miami after scoring over 11 points per game as a junior in Ann Arbor last season.

Former Michigan center Vladislav Goldin (50) was an All-Big Ten First Team pick for the Wolverines last season. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Impact Transfers/Newcomers

• Yaxel Lendeborg | F | Gr. | Two-time All-AAC First Team and Defensive Player of the Year, who leads Michigan with over 14 points and seven rebounds per game in his final college basketball season.
• Morez Johnson Jr. | F | Jr. | Spent his first season at Illinois before transferring to Michigan and has scored 13.7 points and 6.9 rebounds per game as a starter.
• Aday Mara | C | Jr. | 7-foot-3 center transfer from UCLA that scored only six points per game with the Bruins and now logs nearly 11 points and over seven rebounds per game.
• Elliot Cadeau | G | Jr. | North Carolina transfer who averages over 10 points per game as a starter while leading the Wolverines with 98 assists.
• Trey McKenney | G | Fr. | Home state recruit that was a national top-25 recruit and scores 9.9 points per game as the sixth man off the bench.

Outlook

Michigan head coach Dusty May has the argument to be the sport’s best coach since leading Florida Atlantic for the Final Four in the 2022-2023 season. From that season onward, May has a combined record of 105-24 (.814) in over three completed seasons. His rise with the Owls have continued with the Wolverines, as the Indiana native has put Michigan amongst the country’s national title contenders in his first two seasons.

What’s more impressive is the drastically different rosters he’s used. Leaning on the seven-foot-tall towers of Vladislav Goldin and Danny Wolf, Michigan won the Big Ten Tournament title in May’s first season while finishing in the Sweet 16. Saying goodbye to those two, plus veteran guard Tre Donaldson to Miami, the Wolverines remade their core through the transfer portal.

Yaxel Lendeborg has been a revelation for UM. Selected as a two-time All-AAC First Team performer and back-to-back AAC Defensive Player of the Year, Lendeborg leads the Wolverines in points (14.4), rebounds (7.2), steals (28), and free throws made (62). He’s backed up by Illinois transfer Morez Johnson Jr., who doesn’t lack that far behind with 13.7 points per game and 6.9 rebounds. May loves his seven-footers, and he got another one in 7-foot-3 center Aday Mara. Scoring just six points off the bench at UCLA, Mara has found new life with Michigan, pouring in 10.9 points and 7.1 rebounds per game in starting 18 of his 19 appearances. North Carolina transfer Elliot Cadeau rounds out the four new starters as he adds over 10 points per game.

Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) leads the Wolverines in points, rebounds, steals, and free throws made entering Tuesday. | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

A former transfer from Texas Tech and Alabama, veteran guard Nimari Burnett records over eight points per game as the lone returner who made the starting lineup this season. Returning guard Roddy Gayle Jr. scores nine points per game off the bench while true freshman and top-25 recruit Trey McKenney averages 9.9 PPG as a reserve. Finally, sophomore L.J. Cason has improved to add 7.5 points per game after scoring just four last season.

A disciplined, multifaceted team that has depth all around the roster, it’s no wonder Michigan ranks as the highest Big Ten at No. 3. Escaping last season with a 49-46 victory, the Wolverines won’t be able to outmuscle this year’s Nebraska team, and may actually be a better matchup for the Huskers this time around. However, the injuries really hurt NU in games like this, and they need Frager to play to have a chance. If Frager can contribute, you’re looking at a classic. As I’ve said, I’m not going against Nebraska until they prove me otherwise — give me the Huskers to pull out the top-ten battle in Ann Arbor.

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