List of Nebraska Cornhuskers men's basketball seasons

Nebraska Cornhuskers baseball
Nebraska Cornhuskers baseball

The Nebraska Cornhuskers men's basketball team represents the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the Big Ten Conference of NCAA Division I. The program's first game was an 11–8 win over the Lincoln YMCA in 1897. Three years later, Nebraska played its first game against another university, a 37–5 victory over Nebraska Wesleyan. The program has an all-time record of 1,573–1,442, with eight NCAA tournament appearances and 16 NIT appearances.[1]

Nebraska has the distinction of being the only major conference program to have never won a game in the NCAA Tournament, and did not make the tournament until 1986. Much of the team's modest success came during the 14-year tenure of Danny Nee, Nebraska's all-time winningest head coach. Nee led the Cornhuskers to five of their seven NCAA Tournament appearances and six NIT bids, including the 1996 NIT championship, NU's only national postseason title. After Nee was fired in 2000, Barry Collier was hired and led the program for six years, until leaving to become athletic director at Butler University.[2] Nebraska then hired Doc Sadler from UTEP, who led the Cornhuskers through the school's transition from the Big 12 to the Big Ten, but like Collier, failed to make an NCAA Tournament appearance. Tim Miles took Nebraska to the tournament in his second season, but did not make it back, and was fired in 2019, when Nebraska hired former Chicago Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg.[3]

Season-by-season results

Statistics overview
Season Coach Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Frank Lehmer (Independent) (1896–1899)
1896–97 Frank Lehmer 2–0
1897–98 Frank Lehmer 1–3
1898–99 Frank Lehmer 4–0
T.P. Hewitt (Independent) (1899–1900)
1899–1900 T.P. Hewitt 5–0
Elmer Berry (Independent) (1900–1901)
1900–01 Elmer Berry 3–3
Fred Morrell (Independent) (1901–1902)
1901–02 Fred Morrell 5–3 –
Walter Hiltner (Independent) (1902–1903)
1902–03 Walter Hiltner 7–5
R. G. Clapp (Independent) (1903–1907)
1903–04 R. G. Clapp 9–5
1904–05 R. G. Clapp 11–5
1905–06 R. G. Clapp 12–2
1906–07 R. G. Clapp 10–6
R. G. Clapp (Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (19–19)
1907–08 R. G. Clapp 9–10 4–2 1st (North)
1908–09 R. G. Clapp 8–15 5–5 1st (North)
T. J. Hewiat (Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1909–1910)
1909–10 T. J. Hewiat 6–10 6–2 T–1st (North)
Osmond F. Field (Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1910–1911)
1910–11 Osmond F. Field 9–9 6–6 2nd
Ewald O. Stiehm (Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1911–1915)
1911–12 Ewald O. Stiehm 14–1 8–0 1st (North)
1912–13 Ewald O. Stiehm 17–2 10–1 1st (North)
1913–14 Ewald O. Stiehm 15–3 7–0 1st (North)
1914–15 Ewald O. Stiehm 10–8 8–4 2nd
Sam Waugh (Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1915–1916)
1915–16 Sam Waugh 13–1 12–0 1st
E. J. Stewart (Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1916–1919)
1916–17 E. J. Stewart 12–10 4–8 5th
1917–18 E. J. Stewart 7–7 4–5 T-4th
1918–19 E. J. Stewart 10–6 10–6 3rd
Paul J. Schissler (Independent) (1919–1920)
1919–20 Paul J. Schissler 22–2
Paul J. Schissler (Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1920–1921)
1920–21 Paul J. Schissler 15–3 9–1 2nd
Owen A. Frank (Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1921–1923)
1921–22 Owen A. Frank 8–9 8–8 T–4th
1922–23 Owen A. Frank 6–12 5–11 T–6th
William G. Kline (Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1923–1925)
1923–24 William G. Kline 11–7 10–6 3rd
1924–25 William G. Kline 12–5 11–5 2nd
Ernest Bearg (Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association / Big Six Conference) (1925–1926)
1925–26 Ernest Bearg 8–10 7–7 5th
Charlie T. Black (Big Six Conference) (1926–1932)
1926–27 Charlie T. Black 12–6 7–5 4th
1927–28 Charlie T. Black 7–11 7–11 T-7th
1928–29 Charlie T. Black 11–5 5–5 3rd
1929–30 Charlie T. Black 10-8 6–4 3rd
1930–31 Charlie T. Black 9–9 6–4 2nd
1931–32 Charlie T. Black 3–17 2–8 6th
William Browne (Big Six Conference) (1932–1940)
1932–33 William Browne 3–13 2–8 5th
1933–34 William Browne 7–11 5–5 4th
1934–35 William Browne 6–12 3–7 5th
1935–36 William Browne 13–8 7–3 2nd
1936–37 William Browne 13–7 8–2 1st
1937–38 William Browne 9–11 4–6 T–3rd
1938–39 William Browne 7–13 3–7 5th
1939–40 William Browne 6–12 2–8 T–4th
Adolph J. Lewandowski (Big Six Conference) (1940–1945)
1940–41 Adolph J. Lewandowski 8–10 6–4 3rd
1941–42 Adolph J. Lewandowski 6–13 4–6 4th
1942–43 Adolph J. Lewandowski 6–10 5–5 T–3rd
1943–44 Adolph J. Lewandowski 2–13 1–9 6th
1944–45 Adolph J. Lewandowski 2–17 1–9 6th
L. F. "Pop" Klein (Big Six / Big Seven Conference) (1945–1946)
1945–46 L. F. "Pop" Klein 7–13 3–7 T–4th
Harry Good (Big Seven / Big Eight Conference) (1946–1954)
1946–47 Harry Good 10–14 3–7 T–5th
1947–48 Harry Good 11–13 5–7 5th
1948–49 Harry Good 16–10 9–3 T–1st
1949–50 Harry Good 16–7 8–4 T–1st
1950–51 Harry Good 9–14 4–8 5th
1951–52 Harry Good 7–17 3–9 7th
1952–53 Harry Good 8–13 5–7 T–4th
1953–54 Harry Good 9–12 6–6 T–3rd
Jerry Bush (Big Eight Conference) (1954–1963)
1954–55 Jerry Bush 9–12 6–6 4th
1955–56 Jerry Bush 7–16 3–9 6th
1956–57 Jerry Bush 11–12 5–7 T–4th
1957–58 Jerry Bush 10–13 5–7 T–4th
1958–59 Jerry Bush 12–13 5–9 T–5th
1959–60 Jerry Bush 7–17 4–10 T–7th
1960–61 Jerry Bush 10–14 5–9 6th
1961–62 Jerry Bush 9–16 5–9 T–5th
1962–63 Jerry Bush 6–19 1–13 8th
Joe Cipriano (Big Eight Conference) (1963–1980)
1963–64 Joe Cipriano 7–18 5–9 T–6th
1964–65 Joe Cipriano 10–15 5–9 T–6th
1965–66 Joe Cipriano 20–5 12–2 2nd
1966–67 Joe Cipriano 16–9 10–4 T–2nd NIT Quarterfinal
1967–68 Joe Cipriano 15–10 8–6 T–3rd
1968–69 Joe Cipriano 12–14 5–9 T–6th
1969–70 Joe Cipriano 16–9 7–7 T–3rd
1970–71 Joe Cipriano 18–8 8–6 4th
1971–72 Joe Cipriano 14–12 7–7 4th
1972–73 Joe Cipriano 9–17 4–10 T–6th
1973–74 Joe Cipriano 14–12 7–7 4th
1974–75 Joe Cipriano 14–12 7–7 4th
1975–76 Joe Cipriano 19–8 10–4 3rd
1976–77 Joe Cipriano 16–13 7–7 5th
1977–78 Joe Cipriano 22–8 9–5 2nd NIT Quarterfinal
1978–79 Joe Cipriano 14–13 7–7 5th
1979–80 Joe Cipriano 18–13 8–6 T–2nd NIT first round
Moe Iba (Big Eight Conference) (1980–1986)
1980–81 Moe Iba 15–12 9–5 T–2nd
1981–82 Moe Iba 16–12 7–7 T–4th
1982–83 Moe Iba 22–10 9–5 T–3rd NIT Semifinal
1983–84 Moe Iba 18–12 7–7 3rd NIT second round
1984–85 Moe Iba 16–14 5–9 T–5th NIT second round
1985–86 Moe Iba 19–11 8–6 T–3rd NCAA Division I first round
Danny Nee (Big Eight Conference) (1986–1996)
1986–87 Danny Nee 21–12 7–7 5th NIT Third Place
1987–88 Danny Nee 13–18 4–10 T–6th
1988–89 Danny Nee 17–16 4–10 7th
1989–90 Danny Nee 10–18 3–11 7th
1990–91 Danny Nee 26–8 9–5 3rd NCAA Division I first round
1991–92 Danny Nee 19–10 7–7 5th NCAA Division I first round
1992–93 Danny Nee 20–11 8–6 T–2nd NCAA Division I first round
1993–94 Danny Nee 20–10 7–7 4th NCAA Division I first round
1994–95 Danny Nee 18–14 4–10 7th NIT second round
1995–96 Danny Nee 21–14 4–10 7th NIT Champion
Danny Nee (Big 12 Conference) (1996–2000)
1996–97 Danny Nee 18–15 7–9 T–7th NIT Quarterfinal
1997–98 Danny Nee 20–12 10–6 4th NCAA Division I first round
1998–99 Danny Nee 20–13 10–6 T–5th NIT second round
1999–2000 Danny Nee 11–19 4–12 T–8th
Barry Collier (Big 12 Conference) (2000–2006)
2000–01 Barry Collier 14–16 7–9 7th
2001–02 Barry Collier 13–15 6–10 T–7th
2002–03 Barry Collier 11–19 3–13 12th
2003–04 Barry Collier 18–13 6–10 9th NIT second round
2004–05 Barry Collier 14–14 7–9 T–8th
2005–06 Barry Collier 19–14 7–9 6th NIT first round
Doc Sadler (Big 12 Conference) (2006–2011)
2006–07 Doc Sadler 17–14 6–10 7th
2007–08 Doc Sadler 20–13 7–9 T–7th NIT second round
2008–09 Doc Sadler 18–13 8–8 8th NIT first round
2009–10 Doc Sadler 15–18 2–14 12th
2010–11 Doc Sadler 19–13 7–9 T–7th NIT first round
Doc Sadler (Big Ten Conference) (2011–2012)
2011–12 Doc Sadler 12–18 4–14 T–11th
Tim Miles (Big Ten Conference) (2012–2019)
2012–13 Tim Miles 15–18 5–13 10th
2013–14 Tim Miles 19–13 11–7 4th NCAA Division I second round
2014–15 Tim Miles 13–18 5–13 12th
2015–16 Tim Miles 16–18 6–12 11th
2016–17 Tim Miles 12–19 6–12 T–12th
2017–18 Tim Miles 22–11 13–5 T–4th NIT first round
2018–19 Tim Miles 19–17 6–14 13th NIT second round
Fred Hoiberg (Big Ten Conference) (2019–present)
2019–20 Fred Hoiberg 7–25 2–18 14th No postseason held
2020–21 Fred Hoiberg 7–20 3–16 14th
2021–22 Fred Hoiberg 10–22 4–16 13th
2022–23 Fred Hoiberg 16–16 9–11 11th
2023–24 Fred Hoiberg 23–11 12–8 3rd NCAA Division I first round
Total: 1,574–1,444

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

^A. There are several discrepancies between the official records of the University of Nebraska and Big Eight Conference. Years in question are 1910–11, 1912–13, 1920–21, 1924–25, 1929–30, 1932–33, 1945–46, and 1960–61. All values listed are from Nebraska's media guide.

References

  1. ^ "Nebraska Cornhuskers Index".
  2. ^ "Barry Collier Named Athletic Director At Butler University - BUTLER OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE". butlersports.cstv.com. Archived from the original on February 17, 2009. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
  3. ^ "Hoiberg to Lead Nebraska Men's Basketball Program".