SIOUX FALLS — The Nebraska Cornhuskers are returning to the Sanford Pentagon in 2023 for a nonconference men's basketball matchup with the Oregon State Beavers this November.
The contest will be Saturday, Nov. 18, with ticket information and game time to be announced.
“There is nothing quite like the atmosphere in the Sanford Pentagon when two teams from major conferences face off on Heritage Court,” said Jesse Smith, vice president of Sanford Sports. “We are thrilled to welcome the Nebraska Cornhuskers back to Sioux Falls and are equally as excited to showcase our venue to Oregon State and its fans for the first time.”
This is the second time Nebraska will play at the Sanford Pentagon. On Dec. 16, 2018, the then-No. 25 Huskers defeated Oklahoma State 79-56. A member of the Big Ten Conference, Nebraska is coming off a 16-16 season, with a signature win on the road against eventual Elite Eight participant No. 7-ranked Creighton.
“Playing at the Sanford Pentagon against Oregon State is a great opportunity for our basketball team,” said Fred Hoiberg, who is in his fifth year as Nebraska’s head coach. “We are thankful to Sanford Sports for including the University of Nebraska in this game for a second time. We have a lot of alumni in the Sioux Falls area, so I expect there to be a lot of red and white in the crowd in November which will help make for a phenomenal atmosphere for a college basketball game.”
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On the contrary, this will be Pac-12 member Oregon State’s first trip to Heritage Court. The Beavers finished the 2022-23 season with an 11-21 record. Head coach Wayne Tinkle enters his 10th season as head coach at Oregon State. Tinkle coached one of the youngest teams in the nation in 2022-23, as more than half of the team’s points came from freshmen — one of three Power 5 teams to do so.
“We’re honored to have the opportunity to play in the tradition-rich Sanford Pentagon,” Tinkle said. “Games at the Pentagon have become key single-game preseason events over the past 10 years. Sanford is an incredible partner and the Pentagon is an unbelievable facility bred for hoops. Throw in the total support of the Sioux Falls community and this will prove to be a valuable experience for our program.”
This year’s contest will mark the 11th all-time meeting between Oregon State and Nebraska and the first since the 2009-10 season. The Beavers hold a 6-4 edge in the series.
Since opening in 2013, the Sanford Pentagon has hosted more than 80 Division I men’s and women’s college basketball games. Last December, the Pentagon hosted a rematch of the 2021 men’s national championship game between No. 6 Baylor and No. 14 Gonzaga. Two weeks later, defending women’s national champions and No. 1-ranked South Carolina defeated South Dakota State on Heritage Court in a nationally televised game.
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