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No. 5 Vanderbilt was just an inch away from perhaps the most historic shot in program history until the ball did anything but drop.
Tyler Tanner’s half-court heave to send the Commodores to the Sweet 16 went in and out to give No. 4 Nebraska a 74-72 victory and advance to the Sweet 16.
Nebraska went into the half with a 39-32 lead and led by as many as 10 at one point, but Vanderbilt clawed back to lead by five with 5:34 left.
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Tyler Tanner of the Vanderbilt Commodores shoots the ball against Sam Hoiberg of the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the final seconds of the second round of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Paycom Center on March 21, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
The Cornhuskers then responded with a 6-0 run to regain the lead, but Vanderbilt led 72-70 with less than a minute left on a Tanner layup, which gave him 27 points on the night.
However, it was Tanner and Vanderbilt’s last points of the game. Rienk Mast tied the game with a putback with 37 seconds left and Vanderbilt’s Chandler Bing missed a shot to take a late lead.
Nebraska then ran down the court and Pryce Sandfort found Braden Frager, who made a contested layup to take the lead with 2.2 seconds left.
Nebraska Cornhuskers guard Sam Hoiberg (1) celebrates with fans after defeating the Vanderbilt Commodores in the second round of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center. (Alonzo Adams/Imagn Images)
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Vanderbilt called a timeout, and the inbounds went to the red-hot Tanner, who clearly had the groove in his shot. He pulled up from half court, but the shot was a striking image of Gordon Hayward from the 2010 national title game against Duke — off the backboard, then the rim and then out.
Literally everyone, even the heavy Nebraska crowd in Oklahoma City, was in disbelief, but the party was red-hot after shock and relief quickly turned to celebration.
It’s Nebraska’s first time ever making the Sweet 16 after eight previous appearances without getting there.
Braden Frager of the Nebraska Cornhuskers celebrates after winning against the Vanderbilt Commodores in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Paycom Center on March 21, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Four Cornhuskers finished in double figures, with Sandfort and Frager each with 15. Nebraska will face the winner of the No. 1 Florida and No. 9 Iowa.
