NEWYou can now listen to Pakinomist articles!
Nebraska guard Connor Essegian suffered what appeared to be a chipped tooth after he was hit in the back of the head during the Cornhuskers’ 84-72 win over New Mexico on Thursday night.
The ugly scene unfolded in the first half of the game when one of the Lobos’ leading scorers this season, Deyton Albury, took aim at the back of Essegian’s head with just over a minute left in the half.
Nebraska Cornhuskers guard Connor Essegian (0) reacts after scoring against the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the second half at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska on March 1, 2025. (Steven Branscombe/Imagn Images)
Albury was assessed a flagrant foul 2 for the contact and was ejected from the game.
LOUISVILLE VALLEY BASKETBALL COACH SUFFERES BIZAR INJURY TO AVOID PARTY
“It looked like there was contact to his head, as they called it,” New Mexico coach Eric Olen said after the game, via Santa Fe New Mexican. “It was a tough moment for us, losing Deyton like that and it took the wind out of our sails and we didn’t really finish the half.”
Essegian finished the game with 6 points, 7 rebounds and an assist in 31 minutes in the win that extended Nebraska’s winning streak to nine games. But he walked away with another such trophy.
Nebraska Cornhuskers guard Connor Essegian (0) celebrates after a play in the first half of the College Basketball Crown Tournament championship game against the UCF Knights at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 6, 2025. (Ian Maule/Getty Images)
The Indiana senior took to social media after the game to show off what appeared to be a chipped tooth.
“Well that was a first for me,” he wrote in a post on X with a photo of a piece of his tooth in his hand.
He joked in a later post that users on the social media platform were “undefeated” after someone created an account with the handle, “Connor Essegian’s tooth.”
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON Pakinomist
“You’re too fast,” he wrote.
Albury posted an apology on X after the game, calling his actions a “selfish decision”. His message did not include an apology to Essegian.
“Lobo Nation, you deserve better than what I showed tonight. Whatever led to my selfish decision, I put myself before the team at a time when I needed to show composure and leadership.
New Mexico guard Deyton Albury shoots over Nebraska guard Sam Hoiberg (1) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Nov. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
“My actions are not a reflection on our players, coaches or the UNM basketball program. I sincerely apologize to Coach Olen and the rest of the staff, my teammates, Lobo fans and supporters, especially the young kids who witnessed my foolish decision on a national television stage.
“Representing UNM and the city of Albuquerque is a privilege, not a right. I accept full responsibility for what happened. I will never let our team, fans and city down like this again.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE Pakinomist APP
The Cornhuskers are 5-0 to start the season and their winning streak, dating back to last season, is the longest in the nation.
