The Nebraska Cornhuskers won’t regret their trip to Las Vegas.
Despite staying in southern Nevada for a long three weeks after not making the NCAA tournament, the Cornhuskers made it all the worthwhile by taking home the first-ever College Basketball Crown.
Nebraska took down the UCF Knights, 77-66, to claim the $300,000 prize.
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Connor Essegian of the Nebraska Cornhuskers celebrates in the first half of the championship game of the College Basketball Crown tournament against the UCF Knights at T-Mobile Arena on April 6, 2025, in Las Vegas. (Ian Maule/Getty Images)
The game was tied at 35 a piece at the half, and the second half was all UCF to begin. But it appears that Nebraska took some notes from Houston’s comeback against Duke in the Final Four.
The Knights got out to a 14-0 run to open up the second half, but the Cornhuskers responded with a 24-3 run to lead by six with 7:27 to go.
UCF cut it to four just over a minute later, but that’s as close as UCF got as Nebraska began to continue their takeover and separate themselves.
Juwan Gary of the Nebraska Cornhuskers is shown in the first half of the championship game of the College Basketball Crown tournament at T-Mobile Arena on April 6, 2025, in Las Vegas. (Louis Grasse/Getty Images)
In the final 14:36, Nebraska outscored UCF, 42-17.
Juwan Gary, the tournament’s MVP, dropped 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Brice Williams and Connor Essegian each scored 21 points, with the latter doing it off the bench.
Jordan Ivy-Curry’s 29 points were not enough in UCF’s losing effort.
This is the wearable trophy for the College Basketball Brown. (AP News)
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It was a deep-shooting clinic for Nebraska as they went 9-for-21 (42.9%) from three. UCF, on the other hand, went 7-for-29, a 24.1% clip.
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