USCUP

NEB

Nebraska gains the win over USC Upstate after announcing Essegian's season-ending injury

AP
Nov 29, 2025

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) Pryce Sandfort scored 20 points, Rienk Mast scored 15 points and Nebraska Cornhuskers overcame early bad news by staying undefeated, beating USC Upstate 72-63 on Saturday.

Reserves Cale Jacobsen and Braden Frager each scored 11 points for the Huskers.

Karmani Gregory scored 20 points, Mason Bendinger 13, backup Isaiah Skinner 12 and Carmelo Adkins 11 for the Spartans (4-5).

Nebraska never trailed in the second half. Frager's 3 with 2:17 left gave the Cornhuskers their largest lead, 64-50. The first half was completely different.

The Spartans' Gregory made a 3 with 15:45 before halftime for a 7-6 lead and they proceeded to outscore Nebraska 23-9 over nearly the next eight minutes and built a 27-15 advantage with 7:22 left before halftime.

Despite an almost three-minute scoring drought, the Cornhuskers rallied using a 15-3 outburst in the last 4 1/2 minutes to take a 32-30 halftime lead.

Skinner's 3 for the Spartans with three seconds left before the break ended a more than 7-minute scoring span for USC Upstate.

Before the game, Nebraska (8-0) coach Fred Hoibeg announced that senior guard Connor Essegian will miss the remainder of the season with an ankle injury suffered in Tuesday’s 80-73 win over Winthrop.

Essegian left the game midway through the second half and tests following the game revealed a significant right ankle injury. Last year, he averaged 10.7 points per game and led the Huskers with 78 3-pointers, the most by a Husker since 2019.

Up Next

USC Upstate hosts Coastal Carolina on Wednesday. Nebraska hosts Creighton on Dec. 7.

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1st Half
SCUP
Spartans
30
NEB
Cornhuskers
32

Time		Play	Score
20:00		Jafeth Martinez vs. Rienk Mast (Spartans gains possession)
19:32	+2	Mason Bendinger makes two point jump shot	2-0
19:07		Berke BÃ¼yÃ¼ktuncel misses three point jump shot
19:05		Carmelo Adkins defensive rebound
18:40		Carmelo Adkins misses three point jump shot
18:38		Cornhuskers defensive rebound
18:27		Nic Book personal foul
18:24		Pryce Sandfort misses three point jump shot
18:22		Spartans defensive rebound
18:04		Karmani Gregory misses three point jump shot
18:02		Berke BÃ¼yÃ¼ktuncel defensive rebound
18:02		Nic Book personal foul
17:46	+2	Berke BÃ¼yÃ¼ktuncel makes two point layup (Rienk Mast assists)	2-2
17:34	+2	Carmelo Adkins makes two point jump shot	4-2
17:13		Sam Hoiberg misses two point jump shot
17:11		Rienk Mast offensive rebound
17:10	+2	Rienk Mast makes two point layup	4-4
17:05		Learic Davis misses three point jump shot
17:03		Jamarques Lawrence defensive rebound
16:51	+2	Berke BÃ¼yÃ¼ktuncel makes two point layup	4-6
16:33		Berke BÃ¼yÃ¼ktuncel blocks Mason Bendinger's two point layup
16:31		Rienk Mast defensive rebound
16:16		Karmani Gregory personal foul
16:14		Pryce Sandfort misses three point jump shot
16:12		Carmelo Adkins defensive rebound
15:57		Carmelo Adkins misses three point jump shot
15:55		Learic Davis offensive rebound
15:45	+3	Karmani Gregory makes three point jump shot (Learic Davis assists)	7-6
15:20	+2	Rienk Mast makes two point jump shot	7-8
15:04	+2	Carmelo Adkins makes two point jump shot	9-8
14:47		Jamarques Lawrence misses three point jump shot
14:45		Berke BÃ¼yÃ¼ktuncel offensive rebound
14:35		Sam Hoiberg misses two point layup
14:33		Tyler Smith defensive rebound
14:07	+2	Carmelo Adkins makes two point layup	11-8
13:48		Berke BÃ¼yÃ¼ktuncel misses three point jump shot
13:46		Tyler Smith defensive rebound
13:37		Rienk Mast personal foul
13:37		TV timeout
13:23		Tyler Smith misses three point jump shot
13:21		Cale Jacobsen defensive rebound
12:56		Rienk Mast turnover (bad pass) (Isaiah Skinner steals)
12:55		Isaiah Skinner turnover (bad pass)
12:55		Cale Jacobsen misses three point jump shot
12:53		Mason Bendinger defensive rebound
12:45	+3	Karmani Gregory makes three point jump shot	14-8
12:31		Tyler Smith personal foul
12:29		Pryce Sandfort misses two point jump shot
12:27		Jafeth Martinez defensive rebound
12:16	+3	Karmani Gregory makes three point jump shot (Isaiah Skinner assists)	17-8
11:51	+3	Jamarques Lawrence makes three point jump shot (Cale Jacobsen assists)	17-11
11:28	+3	Isaiah Skinner makes three point jump shot (Tyler Smith assists)	20-11
11:11		Isaiah Skinner personal foul
11:11		TV timeout
11:02		Cale Jacobsen misses two point layup
11:00		Coen Collier defensive rebound
10:35	+3	Isaiah Skinner makes three point jump shot (Tyler Smith assists)	23-11
10:16	+3	Braden Frager makes three point jump shot	23-14
10:01		Tyler Smith turnover (bad pass) (Cale Jacobsen steals)
10:00		Coen Collier personal foul
9:54		Berke BÃ¼yÃ¼ktuncel offensive foul
9:54		Berke BÃ¼yÃ¼ktuncel turnover (offensive foul)
9:36		Mason Bendinger misses two point jump shot
9:34		Berke BÃ¼yÃ¼ktuncel defensive rebound
9:20		Sam Hoiberg misses three point jump shot
9:18		Carmelo Adkins defensive rebound
8:55		Carmelo Adkins misses two point jump shot
8:53		Braden Frager defensive rebound
8:31		Coen Collier blocks Berke BÃ¼yÃ¼ktuncel's two point jump shot
8:29		Cornhuskers offensive rebound
8:26		Braden Frager misses three point jump shot
8:24		Jafeth Martinez defensive rebound
8:09	+2	Learic Davis makes two point layup	25-14
7:42		Braden Frager turnover (lost ball) (Carmelo Adkins steals)
7:35		Carmelo Adkins turnover (bad pass)
7:35		TV timeout
7:22		Carmelo Adkins shooting foul (Braden Frager draws the foul)
7:22		Braden Frager misses regular free throw 1 of 2
7:22	+1	Braden Frager makes regular free throw 2 of 2	25-15
7:19		Karmani Gregory misses two point layup
7:17		Learic Davis offensive rebound
7:15	+2	Learic Davis makes two point layup	27-15
7:10		Rienk Mast turnover (bad pass) (Carmelo Adkins steals)
6:50		Karmani Gregory misses three point jump shot
6:48		Cale Jacobsen defensive rebound
6:33		Sam Hoiberg turnover (bad pass) (Jafeth Martinez steals)
6:10		Braden Frager blocks Kanye Jones's three point jump shot
6:08		Braden Frager defensive rebound
5:57		Rienk Mast misses three point jump shot
5:55		Carmelo Adkins defensive rebound
5:32		Karmani Gregory turnover (bad pass) (Cale Jacobsen steals)
5:24		Kanye Jones blocks Sam Hoiberg's two point layup
5:22		Cornhuskers offensive rebound
5:17		Jamarques Lawrence misses three point jump shot
5:15		Isaiah Skinner defensive rebound
4:49		Karmani Gregory turnover (bad pass) (Rienk Mast steals)
4:34	+2	Rienk Mast makes two point layup (Pryce Sandfort assists)	27-17
4:08		Jamarques Lawrence personal foul
4:01		Jared Garcia shooting foul (Karmani Gregory draws the foul)
4:01		Karmani Gregory misses regular free throw 1 of 2
4:01		Karmani Gregory misses regular free throw 2 of 2
4:01		Rienk Mast defensive rebound
4:00		Rienk Mast turnover (Isaiah Skinner steals)
3:53		Karmani Gregory misses two point jump shot
3:51		Pryce Sandfort defensive rebound
3:24	+3	Pryce Sandfort makes three point jump shot (Jared Garcia assists)	27-20
3:05		Tyler Smith misses two point jump shot
3:03		Jared Garcia defensive rebound
2:51	+3	Pryce Sandfort makes three point jump shot (Jamarques Lawrence assists)	27-23
2:48		Spartans 30 second timeout
2:48		TV timeout
2:23		Coen Collier misses two point layup
2:21		Rienk Mast defensive rebound
2:21		Coen Collier personal foul (Rienk Mast draws the foul)
2:21	+1	Rienk Mast makes regular free throw 1 of 1	27-24
2:21		Rienk Mast misses regular free throw 2 of 2
2:21		Jafeth Martinez defensive rebound
2:03		Mason Bendinger misses two point jump shot
2:01		Jared Garcia defensive rebound
1:55		Karmani Gregory shooting foul (Pryce Sandfort draws the foul)
1:55	+1	Pryce Sandfort makes regular free throw 1 of 2	27-25
1:55	+1	Pryce Sandfort makes regular free throw 2 of 2	27-26
1:42		Carmelo Adkins misses three point jump shot
1:40		Jared Garcia defensive rebound
1:27		Jared Garcia misses two point layup
1:25		Karmani Gregory defensive rebound
1:23		Learic Davis turnover (bad pass) (Cale Jacobsen steals)
1:20	+3	Pryce Sandfort makes three point jump shot (Cale Jacobsen assists)	27-29
1:19		Spartans 30 second timeout
1:09		Mason Bendinger misses two point jump shot
1:07		Spartans offensive rebound
0:57		Learic Davis misses three point jump shot
0:55		Pryce Sandfort defensive rebound
0:49		Learic Davis blocks Jared Garcia's two point jump shot
0:47		Cornhuskers offensive rebound
0:47	+2	Rienk Mast makes two point layup (Jamarques Lawrence assists)	27-31
0:47		Jafeth Martinez shooting foul (Rienk Mast draws the foul)
0:47	+1	Rienk Mast makes regular free throw 1 of 1	27-32
0:36		Mason Bendinger misses two point jump shot
0:34		Jared Garcia defensive rebound
0:18		Cale Jacobsen turnover
0:10		Jamarques Lawrence personal foul
0:02	+3	Isaiah Skinner makes three point jump shot (Karmani Gregory assists)	30-32
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
SCUP
Spartans
33
NEB
Cornhuskers
40

Time		Play	Score
19:51		Jamarques Lawrence personal foul
19:46	+2	Carmelo Adkins makes two point jump shot	32-32
19:33		Jamarques Lawrence misses three point jump shot
19:31		Berke BÃ¼yÃ¼ktuncel offensive rebound
19:25		Jamarques Lawrence misses two point jump shot
19:18		Berke BÃ¼yÃ¼ktuncel offensive rebound
19:15	+2	Rienk Mast makes two point layup (Berke BÃ¼yÃ¼ktuncel assists)	32-34
19:15		Jafeth Martinez shooting foul (Rienk Mast draws the foul)
19:15	+1	Rienk Mast makes regular free throw 1 of 1	32-35
18:52		Karmani Gregory misses three point jump shot
18:50		Pryce Sandfort defensive rebound
18:36		Pryce Sandfort misses two point jump shot
18:34		Coen Collier defensive rebound
18:18	+3	Carmelo Adkins makes three point jump shot (Karmani Gregory assists)	35-35
18:09	+2	Pryce Sandfort makes two point layup	35-37
17:51		Karmani Gregory misses three point jump shot
17:49		Pryce Sandfort defensive rebound
17:43	+2	Jamarques Lawrence makes two point layup	35-39
17:36		Carmelo Adkins misses three point jump shot
17:34		Sam Hoiberg defensive rebound
17:28	+3	Pryce Sandfort makes three point jump shot (Sam Hoiberg assists)	35-42
17:25		Spartans 30 second timeout
17:25		TV timeout
16:58		Berke BÃ¼yÃ¼ktuncel blocks Mason Bendinger's two point jump shot
16:56		Jafeth Martinez offensive rebound
16:40		Cale Jacobsen shooting foul (Tyler Smith draws the foul)
16:40		Tyler Smith misses regular free throw 1 of 2
16:40	+1	Tyler Smith makes regular free throw 2 of 2	36-42
16:24		Pryce Sandfort misses three point jump shot
16:22		Jafeth Martinez defensive rebound
16:11		Mason Bendinger turnover (bad pass) (Pryce Sandfort steals)
16:06	+2	Cale Jacobsen makes two point layup (Pryce Sandfort assists)	36-44
15:42	+2	Mason Bendinger makes two point jump shot (Karmani Gregory assists)	38-44
15:13	+2	Rienk Mast makes two point layup (Pryce Sandfort assists)	38-46
14:52		Karmani Gregory misses two point jump shot
14:50		Cale Jacobsen defensive rebound
14:25		Sam Hoiberg turnover (Learic Davis steals)
14:16		Pryce Sandfort blocks Learic Davis's two point layup
14:14		Pryce Sandfort defensive rebound
14:08		Rienk Mast misses three point jump shot
14:06		Learic Davis defensive rebound
13:57		Pryce Sandfort personal foul
13:57		TV timeout
13:39		Tyler Smith turnover (lost ball) (Cale Jacobsen steals)
13:23		Carmelo Adkins shooting foul (Cale Jacobsen draws the foul)
13:23	+1	Cale Jacobsen makes regular free throw 1 of 2	38-47
13:23		Cale Jacobsen misses regular free throw 2 of 2
13:23		Carmelo Adkins defensive rebound
13:05		Isaiah Skinner misses three point jump shot
13:03		Jamarques Lawrence defensive rebound
12:48		Pryce Sandfort misses three point jump shot
12:46		Pryce Sandfort offensive rebound
12:40		Pryce Sandfort misses two point jump shot
12:38		Cornhuskers offensive rebound
12:26		Braden Frager misses three point jump shot
12:24		Jafeth Martinez defensive rebound
12:18		Karmani Gregory misses two point layup
12:16		Pryce Sandfort defensive rebound
12:10		Braden Frager turnover
11:48		Carmelo Adkins misses two point layup
11:48		Jafeth Martinez offensive rebound
11:48		Jafeth Martinez misses two point jump shot
11:46		Berke BÃ¼yÃ¼ktuncel defensive rebound
11:37		Berke BÃ¼yÃ¼ktuncel misses three point jump shot
11:35		Braden Frager offensive rebound
11:32	+2	Braden Frager makes two point layup	38-49
11:08		Carmelo Adkins misses three point jump shot
11:06		Spartans offensive rebound
11:05		TV timeout
10:51	+2	Mason Bendinger makes two point layup	40-49
10:29		Jared Garcia misses two point jump shot
10:27		Carmelo Adkins defensive rebound
10:13		Braden Frager personal foul
10:06	+3	Mason Bendinger makes three point jump shot (Tyler Smith assists)	43-49
9:50	+2	Cale Jacobsen makes two point jump shot	43-51
9:29		Mason Bendinger turnover (Jamarques Lawrence steals)
9:25		Isaiah Skinner personal foul
9:25		Braden Frager misses three point jump shot
9:23		Carmelo Adkins defensive rebound
9:04		Jamarques Lawrence shooting foul (Mason Bendinger draws the foul)
9:04		Mason Bendinger misses regular free throw 1 of 2
9:04		Mason Bendinger misses regular free throw 2 of 2
9:04		Berke BÃ¼yÃ¼ktuncel defensive rebound
8:42		Jafeth Martinez personal foul
8:40		Braden Frager misses three point jump shot
8:38		Jafeth Martinez defensive rebound
8:32		Mason Bendinger misses three point jump shot
8:30		Sam Hoiberg defensive rebound
8:09		Jared Garcia misses three point jump shot
8:07		Tyler Smith defensive rebound
7:48		TV timeout
7:43		Karmani Gregory misses three point jump shot
7:41		Learic Davis offensive rebound
7:20		Karmani Gregory turnover (lost ball)
7:03		Jared Garcia misses three point jump shot
7:01		Carmelo Adkins defensive rebound
6:40		Carmelo Adkins misses three point jump shot
6:38		Jared Garcia defensive rebound
6:29	+3	Jared Garcia makes three point jump shot (Cale Jacobsen assists)	43-54
6:13		Sam Hoiberg personal foul
5:58		Karmani Gregory misses three point jump shot
5:56		Cale Jacobsen defensive rebound
5:32		Rienk Mast misses three point jump shot
5:30		Carmelo Adkins defensive rebound
5:13	+2	Mason Bendinger makes two point layup (Learic Davis assists)	45-54
4:56		Braden Frager turnover (lost ball) (Carmelo Adkins steals)
4:50		Carmelo Adkins misses two point layup
4:48		Rienk Mast defensive rebound
4:38	+2	Cale Jacobsen makes two point layup (Rienk Mast assists)	45-56
4:13	+2	Mason Bendinger makes two point jump shot	47-56
3:54		Karmani Gregory shooting foul
3:54		TV timeout
3:54		Pryce Sandfort misses regular free throw 1 of 3
3:54	+1	Pryce Sandfort makes regular free throw 2 of 3	47-57
3:54	+1	Pryce Sandfort makes regular free throw 3 of 3	47-58
3:33		Mason Bendinger misses two point jump shot
3:31		Braden Frager defensive rebound
3:19	+2	Sam Hoiberg makes two point layup	47-60
3:19		Learic Davis shooting foul (Sam Hoiberg draws the foul)
3:19	+1	Sam Hoiberg makes regular free throw 1 of 1	47-61
3:01		Karmani Gregory misses two point jump shot
2:59		Pryce Sandfort defensive rebound
2:49		Pryce Sandfort misses two point jump shot
2:47		Jafeth Martinez defensive rebound
2:41	+3	Karmani Gregory makes three point jump shot (Jafeth Martinez assists)	50-61
2:13	+3	Braden Frager makes three point jump shot (Pryce Sandfort assists)	50-64
2:03	+2	Jafeth Martinez makes two point layup (Karmani Gregory assists)	52-64
1:43	+2	Cale Jacobsen makes two point layup (Rienk Mast assists)	52-66
1:32		Learic Davis turnover (bad pass) (Cale Jacobsen steals)
1:28	+2	Cale Jacobsen makes two point layup	52-68
1:22		Sam Hoiberg shooting foul (Karmani Gregory draws the foul)
1:22	+1	Karmani Gregory makes regular free throw 1 of 2	53-68
1:22	+1	Karmani Gregory makes regular free throw 2 of 2	54-68
1:10		Rienk Mast misses three point jump shot
1:08		Karmani Gregory defensive rebound
0:58	+3	Karmani Gregory makes three point jump shot	57-68
0:58		Spartans 60 second timeout
0:52		Rienk Mast turnover (bad pass) (Isaiah Skinner steals)
0:49	+3	Isaiah Skinner makes three point jump shot	60-68
0:40		Isaiah Skinner personal foul (Pryce Sandfort draws the foul)
0:40	+1	Pryce Sandfort makes regular free throw 1 of 2	60-69
0:40	+1	Pryce Sandfort makes regular free throw 2 of 2	60-70
0:36	+3	Karmani Gregory makes three point jump shot	63-70
0:33		Cornhuskers 30 second timeout
0:30		Braden Frager turnover (lost ball) (Isaiah Skinner steals)
0:28		Karmani Gregory misses three point jump shot
0:26		Rienk Mast defensive rebound
0:25		Rienk Mast turnover (lost ball)
0:23		Karmani Gregory misses three point jump shot
0:21		Spartans offensive rebound
0:14		Sam Hoiberg blocks Karmani Gregory's three point jump shot
0:13		Spartans offensive rebound
0:11		Karmani Gregory misses three point jump shot
0:09		Braden Frager defensive rebound
0:05		Learic Davis personal foul (Braden Frager draws the foul)
0:05	+1	Braden Frager makes regular free throw 1 of 2	63-71
0:05	+1	Braden Frager makes regular free throw 2 of 2	63-72
0:02		Karmani Gregory misses three point jump shot
0:01		Pryce Sandfort defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

Pryce Sandfort defensive rebound