Jamarques Lawrence had 14 points for the Huskers, who are 11-0 and off to their best start in program history. Ron Johnson / Imagn Images
Jamarques Lawrence hit a 3-pointer with 0.2 second left on Saturday as No. 23 Nebraska defeated No. 13 Illinois 83-80 to extend the longest winning streak in men’s college basketball.
The Huskers (11-0, 2-0 Big Ten) have won 15 straight games, dating back to winning the inaugural College Basketball Crown tournament last season. They are the only power conference team to have never won an NCAA Tournament game.
Nebraska did not trail after the first three minutes. The Huskers led by 14 at one point before the Illini (8-3, 1-1) tied the game with a 13-0 run before halftime. Nebraska built back a 10-point second-half lead.
Illinois pulled even again when Tomislav Ivisic connected on a 3 with 17 seconds remaining. After a timeout, Nebraska point guard Sam Hoiberg cut through the lane and kicked a pass to Lawrence on the right wing. His shot silenced a crowd of 15,266 at the State Farm Center and helped Nebraska to its best start in program history.
Made for the moment. pic.twitter.com/TPVbvjovJw
— Nebraska Men’s Basketball (@HuskerMBB) December 13, 2025
Pryce Sandfort scored 32 for Nebraska, including 26 in the first half. Rienk Mast had 17 points, while Lawrence finished with 14. Kylan Boswell led the Illini with 20.
The Huskers, under seventh-year coach Fred Hoiberg, entered the AP Top 25 on Monday for the first time since 2018. They beat Wisconsin 90-60 in Lincoln on Wednesday night.
The Huskers, likely to enter the top 20 next week, will host North Dakota and New Hampshire to close 2025. They return to Big Ten play against Michigan State on Jan. 2 at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln.