Huskers, Sooners book men's basketball matchup for November in Sioux Falls

SIOUX FALLS — The Nebraska Cornhuskers and Oklahoma Sooners men’s basketball programs are returning to the Sanford Pentagon for a nonconference matchup on Nov. 15.

The Huskers are coming off a 21-14 season which saw them win the inaugural College Basketball Crown, a 16-team postseason tournament held in Las Vegas. Nebraska is 2-1 all-time at the Sanford Pentagon. The Huskers defeated Oklahoma State 79-56 on Dec. 16, 2018, defeated Oregon State 84-63 on Nov. 18, 2023, and lost to Saint Mary’s 77-74 on Nov. 17, 2024

“This is the third straight year we have played in Sioux Falls, and Sanford Sports runs the event in a first-class manner,” said Nebraska Coach Fred Hoiberg in an announcement. “Oklahoma will be a very good test for us early in the season. ... For our fans, it’s a chance to face an old conference rival in one of the most unique venues in college basketball. We are excited to add this game to our non-conference schedule, and I know the Sanford Pentagon will be full of Husker fans.”

Oklahoma was selected as a No. 9 seed for the NCAA men’s tournament last season. The Sooners fell in the Round of 64 to two-time defending champion Connecticut and finished with a 20-14 record.

Oklahoma leads the all-time series, 105-83, dating back to 1921. The Huskers and Sooners were conference rivals for nearly a century until Nebraska joined the Big Ten in 2011-12. The only meeting since the Huskers joined the Big Ten was a 69-56 Sooner victory in a tournament in Orlando, Florida.

The on-sale date for tickets will be announced later. This is the third NCAA Division I event at the Sanford Pentagon announced for the 2025-26 season. Nebraska will face North Dakota State in women’s basketball on Nov. 16, and South Dakota State will match up against Wyoming on Dec. 15.

Marcus Traxler is the assistant editor and sports editor for the Mitchell Republic. A past winner of the state's Outstanding Young Journalist award and the 2023 South Dakota Sportswriter of the Year, he's worked for the newspaper since 2014 and covers a wide variety of topics. A Minnesota native, Traxler can be reached at mtraxler@mitchellrepublic.com.