Husker men’s basketball fans eager for Thursday’s tipoff in the NCAA Tournament

Thousands of Nebraska basketball fans are expected in Oklahoma City for Thursday’s NCAA Tournament game against Troy. Fans provided a temperature check ahead of the Big Red’s ninth-ever tournament game. The program remains the only power conference team without an NCAA Tournament win, spanning more than 80 years of the event.

Husker fan Gordon Kucera of Kansas City was already in town Wednesday afternoon. He’s a little nervous about the game, “but excited to be here. I think Nebraska is going to do fine. I think they’re ready to play.”

A win would be a huge milestone and show that the athletic department has invested in the right coach, he said.

Kucera grew up in David City, and met his wife Lisa on UNL’s campus. Lisa Kucera grew up in Imperial, and said she didn’t recall this much attention around the basketball program. But she’s been following this team’s run all year.

“Growing up it was all football, football, football, and I didn’t even really know what March Madness was and here we are driving to our first March Madness game,” Lisa Kucera said.

The Kuceras said they have friends driving all the way from South Carolina for Nebraska’s first-round matchup.

Levi Eyster of Elkhorn and his younger brother Grayson expect a strong Nebraska turnout. Levi hopes the Huskers can stay present in the face of history.

“Hopefully they just play Nebraska basketball, and they don’t overthink it, they treat it like it’s just another game for them,” Eyster said, adding he hopes the Huskers play confident and have fun.

The brothers said they’re feeling good about the game. Grayson said, “we’re going to do better, because it’s closer and going to be more of a home court.”

The Trojans and Huskers will hit the hardwood at 11:40 a.m. CT, with one program getting its first tourney win in school history. The game will be broadcast on Tru TV and streamed on the March Madness Live app.