Nebraska Drops Exhibition Game to Saint Louis

Nebraska men's basketball lost 79-74 to Saint Louis in an exhibition matchup Friday night, giving coach Fred Hoiberg an early look at a new roster before the 2026-27 season. According to si.com, the game did not count toward Nebraska's record. According to si.com, Nebraska used 13 players against Saint Louis, with 11 seeing at least 10 minutes of action.

The Huskers were evaluating newcomers after losing four starters from a program-record 28-win team. According to si.com, preseason All-Big Ten selection Pryce Sandfort, reigning Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year Braden Frager, Cale Jacobsen, Trevan Lenhardt, and Boden Kapke were among the players featured in the exhibition.

Jacobsen played 26 minutes, while Sandfort and Frager were the only other Nebraska players to reach 20 minutes, according to si.com. Hoiberg tested multiple lineups as the team adjusted to roster changes.

Freshman guard Jacob Lanier made an immediate impact in his first Nebraska appearance, scoring 15 points against Saint Louis, according to si.com. The 6-foot-6, 200-pound Arkansas product scored nine points in five first-half minutes. According to si.com, Lanier hit a fadeaway three-pointer at the first-half buzzer to give Nebraska the lead entering halftime. He also recorded two rebounds, two assists, and three turnovers in 18 minutes.

Forward Leo Curtis showed progress after a limited freshman season, according to si.com. The 7-foot-2 Iceland native scored nine points on 4-for-4 shooting and added six rebounds against Saint Louis. According to si.com, Curtis averaged 3.6 minutes per game during the previous season but appeared in 17 games, including nine conference contests and two NCAA Tournament games.