“REFS YOU SUCK! REFS YOU SUCK!”
“KELLY! KELLY! KELLY!” Which was referencing official Kelly Pfeifer who is probably more well known than most officials as a result of the stare down with Iowa head coach Fran McCaffrey in 2023. I suggest googling that interaction. For the record, I think Kelly Pfeifer did a good job of officiating tonight’s game between Nebraska and Oklahoma.
Advertisement
The crowd in the first half of the game were not fans of the officials. While they probably wouldn’t admit it, the calls went Nebraska’s way (a bit) in the second half as Nebraska pulled away and then survived a 105-99 win over Oklahoma at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Part of me wonders if Oklahoma knew what it was getting itself into when they signed up to play at the Sanford Pentagon against Nebraska. It was technically a neutral site game, but it was 98% Nebraska fans.
During the Oklahoma starting lineup video, all you could hear was HUSKER! POWER!
It was an away game for Oklahoma in more than one way but the Sooners got off to a blistering start. They had Nebraska scrambling on a lot of early possessions in the first half and a lot of those possessions ended with made three point shots for the Sooners.
Advertisement
Oklahoma stretched their lead out to 16 with 7 minutes left in the first half and my only thought was that if Nebraska gets this game to 10 points before halftime then Nebraska should feel pretty good.
Nebraska ended with a Pryce Sandfort three pointer (assisted by Cale Jacobsen), a Reink Mast three pointer (assisted by Pryce Sandfort) and a Sandfort layup with 29 seconds left to get the deficit down to seven points at the half. The score is 51-44 Oklahoma.
Nebraska went on to score 61 points in the second half and Oklahoma had 48.
Sixty-one points in a half, in college basketball, is a lot of points.
Advertisement
This is the type of team that Nebraska has for the 2025-2026 season. We might live and die by the three pointer ladies and gentlemen. In this game the Huskers shot 56% from three (15-27) and when Jamarques Lawrence hits two big ones on successive possessions in the second half the game changed.
This will happen, but there will be games that Nebraska will shoot under 40% from three and you’ll see that their effort on the defensive end lags. Then they will get blown out. But this type of team also has the ability to beat anybody.
Tonight in the Sanford Pentagon was fun. I hope we do it again.
