Home, sweet home.
It’s a cliché saying, but for the Nebraska men’s basketball team on Sunday, it’s a loaded statement.
Pinnacle Bank Arena has become more than a home court this season. As Nebraska prepares to host Illinois in another nationally ranked showdown, the building itself is part of the storyline. Every seat will be full again. The noise will undoubtedly be relentless, and the atmosphere will reflect something head coach Fred Hoiberg believes has been building all season — a team that fans genuinely love to cheer for.
“We’ve got a really good group of people coming in to watch this one that we’re excited about,” Hoiberg said of recruits who will be coming to witness the home game against Illinois on Sunday. “From the sound of it, every ticket is sold for the rest of the season. That’s unbelievable. That’s awesome. We appreciate it.”
Seats have been hard to come by at Pinnacle Bank Arena this year as the Nebraska men have climbed the national rankings. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images
Sellouts don’t happen in a vacuum – they’re earned. Nebraska’s style of play, effort level, and togetherness have turned Pinnacle Bank Arena into one of the most energized environments in the Big Ten, if not the country, and Sunday’s matchup against the Fighting Illini is shaping up to be another defining chapter of the season.
For Hoiberg, protecting home court has become a necessity this season, not just a goal.
“We’re going to have to protect home court if we want to stay where we are,” Hoiberg said. “If not, we’ve got no chance. We have to take care of home court.”
Michigan handed Nebraska its first loss of the season this past Tuesday, but the Huskers came out with more positive headlines than expected. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
That urgency is amplified by the stakes. Nebraska enters the matchup riding plenty of national momentum, even if they’re fresh off a narrow road loss at Michigan. That loss ended up drawing widespread praise for the team’s competitiveness and resilience, considering they were down two of the team’s top scorers and still almost beat No. 3 Michigan in their own building.
Despite the loss, the Huskers forced 19 turnovers, battled a top-three opponent for 40 minutes and had multiple opportunities late to steal the game. The effort reinforced what has become the program’s identity — playing hard, playing connected and refusing to back down.
“There was more positive publicity for our team after we lost than after any win we’ve had all year, which is crazy to me,” Hoiberg said. “We lost a game, and we’re going to learn from it. We’re going to get better, we’re going to grow. Now we’re going to see what we’re made of.”
That test now comes at home, where Nebraska has leaned heavily on its crowd all season. Players openly acknowledge that Pinnacle Bank Arena has become an advantage.
The frenzy that’s been created at home this season has helped Nebraska knock off plenty of teams, including No. 9 Michigan State. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images
“It’s amazing, sold-out crowd as always,” senior Jamarques Lawrence said. “We’ve been feeding off the environment and energy. We’re going to need it big time for Sunday.”
That energy is fueled by a style of basketball that resonates with fans. Nebraska’s effort plays — diving on loose balls, fighting for rebounds, contesting every possession — have become just as celebrated as highlight-reel scoring.
“I think that this team has been easy to cheer for,” Hoiberg said. “Cale (Jacobsen) getting on the floor, ripping the ball away, Sam doing the same thing on multiple occasions. That’s why this team has been easy to cheer for, win or lose. If you play harder, if you’re more connected, that ignites a fan base.”
Jacobsen says he sees it inside the locker room every day.
“I think that’s kind of the highlight of our group,” Jacobsen said. “Just a group that loves to play for each other and loves to compete together. There’s a lot of great dudes in that locker room.”
Nebraska’s scrappy play and togetherness on the court have made it difficult for every team they’ve faced this season. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
That connection has translated into consistent home performances and growing national recognition. Nebraska has appeared in multiple high-profile matchups this season, including top-five and top-10 games that brought national broadcasts and recruiting attention.
Sunday will be no different.
“It does help when you get some national publicity, you get top-five matchups on Peacock, and it’s great to go out and play in that type of game,” Hoiberg said. “Now you get another top-10 matchup here at home in our building.”
For recruits and visiting programs alike, Pinnacle Bank Arena has become a showcase of what Nebraska basketball can be. The upcoming Illinois game adds another layer of intrigue. The two teams met earlier this season in a high-scoring contest that showcased elite offensive talent on both sides. Nebraska’s staff has circled one stat from that matchup as a deciding factor: second-chance points.
Illinois is considered one of the best offenses in the country, and they do a lot of their damage on the offensive glass. | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images
“That’s the battle,” Hoiberg said. “You’re not going to win against Illinois often if you give them almost half their possessions back after a miss.”
Nebraska knows the rematch starts with effort. Lawrence echoed that focus, noting that rebounding was already a point of emphasis in the Michigan game and remains central heading into Sunday.
“It’s a big focus,” Lawrence said. “If we took away some of Michigan’s rebounds, I feel like we could have had a better chance at that.”
“Their offense is at its best when they get offensive rebounds and then score,” Jacobsen echoed regarding Illinois’ offense. “They’re one of the best or maybe right now the best offense in the country. They’re going to be tough to slow down, but for us, it’s super important to make the first shot tough and get the rebound and run.”
Fred Hoiberg said his team has been easy to cheer for this season due to the hard-nosed style of play they exhibit. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
That physical battle will unfold in front of a crowd that has made noise its trademark. Nebraska’s fans have turned routine defensive stops into momentum swings, lifting energy levels and fueling late-game pushes.
Hoiberg believes that connection between team and crowd has helped shape the program’s culture.
“We’ve won some games, but we play the right way,” he said. “That’s been the impressive thing to me about this group.”
That culture has also shown up in how the team responds to adversity. After the Michigan loss, the Huskers held what Hoiberg described as a “very vocal” film session. Instead of riding the wave of national praise, the focus turned immediately to correcting mistakes.
Nebraska guard Cale Jacobsen said the players didn’t even want an off day after their narrow three-point loss to Michigan Tuesday. | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Jacobsen said the response inside the program was immediate.
“Everybody’s back in the gym the next couple days,” he said. “Nobody wanted that off day. We felt like we had a game that we kind of let slip. We wanted that back.”
That hunger will be tested against Illinois, a team built on isolation scoring, physical rebounding and relentless offensive pressure. Hoiberg described Illinois’ approach as attacking mismatches repeatedly until defenses break.
“They just isolate different guys and they go at you and keep running it until you stop it,” Hoiberg said. “Most people have not found a way to do.”
Fortunately, Nebraska’s 1-for-1 in stopping it, but to earn the season sweep of the Illini, the Huskers will not only need the toughness they’ve become notorious for this season, but they’ll also need the emotional boost only a jam-packed PBA can provide.
Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg says he expects a “war” Sunday against Illinois. | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
“It’s going to be a war on Sunday,” Hoiberg said. “We have to be the more physical team if we want a chance to win, and that’s hard to do against Illinois.”
The Huskers are embracing that challenge, and they know Pinnacle Bank Arena will be a major factor. From the opening tip to the final possession, Nebraska expects the building to play its role. For Nebraska fans, Sunday is another opportunity to be part of something bigger than a single game. It’s a chance to reinforce what this season has become about — effort, unity and building a home-court atmosphere that opponents dread.
For the Huskers, it’s another step in proving their identity, and for Pinnacle Bank Arena, it’s another night where the building itself becomes part of the story.
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