Nebraska wins thriller over Vanderbilt with late go-ahead bucket to advance to Sweet 16, keep dream season alive

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Make that two NCAA tournament wins for Nebraska.

In front of a decidedly pro-Nebraska crowd in Oklahoma City, the 4th-seeded Cornhuskers won a 74-72 thriller over No. 5 seed Vanderbilt Saturday night with a Sweet 16 berth on the line.

Vanderbilt had rallied from a 39-32 halftime deficit to take the lead late in a game where both teams traded blows down the stretch. Backup Nebraska guard Braden Frager delivered the final shot with a go-ahead layup with 2.2 seconds to secure the 74-72 lead.

Vanderbilt had one last shot and almost delivered a miracle. But a 3/4-court shot rattled in and out as the final buzzer sounded.

Nebraska advances to the Sweet 16 to keep its dream season alive. Vanderbilt’s season ends in heartbreak after one of the best games of the NCAA tournament.