Nebrasketball: A Look Back At Nebraska’s Best March Madness Run-Part 1

If we are being honest, the Cornhuskers don’t have much to look back on for happiness when it comes to March Madness. At least one season’s run stands above the rest, though.

You are all familiar with the unfortunate fact the Nebraska Cornhusker’s Men’s Basketball team does not have much success in March Madness. Over the course of their history, they have only made the NCAA Tournament seven times, going 0-7 in the first round. In the National Invitation Tournament, they have made 19 total appearances, going 24-18 in the NIT for a 57.1% winning record. However, they have only made the quarterfinals four times. As for celebrating conference banners, they haven’t been hanging one at the season’s end in March since 1950, and haven’t won a conference tournament except for once in 1994.

So what really is there to celebrate with that record? Well, it just so happens the Huskers have one post-season run they can look back on with particular pride when it comes to actual hardware. That happens to be the 1996 NIT tournament when Nebraska managed to turn around a 17-14 season record that included a nine game losing streak, and dropping 10 of their last 11 games, to instead limp into the NIT and win out the five games it takes to claim the title in Madison Square Garden. Hell, if you’re the Texas Longhorns, you might even try and pretend like an NIT title means you are National Champions! Sheesh, you’d think they’re 1997 Michigan Football or something.