Sandfort surprises brother in Nebraska win

Lee and Alonzo Olmedo2026 Tournament Challenge guide to team mascots, school colors and famous alumni3dSach ChandanMen's tournament: Duke, Michigan, Arizona the favored as UConn, Purdue odds improveDuke Blue Devils17hDoug GreenbergMen's tournament: Odds, spreads totals and BPI projections for opening-round games17hESPNPayton Sandfort's surprise for brother Pryce caps Nebraska's March Madness winBrooke PryorMar 19, 2026, 09:39 PM ETCloseBrooke Pryor is a reporter for NFL Nation at ESPN who has covered the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2019
She previously covered the Kansas City Chiefs for the Kansas City Star and the University of Oklahoma for The Oklahoman.Follow on XMultiple AuthorsEmailPrintOKLAHOMA CITY -- Thousands of Nebraska fans flocked into the Paycom Center on Thursday morning, hoping to see the Huskers capture the program's first NCAA tournament win
But 10 minutes before tipoff, junior forward Pryce Sandfort saw someone he didn't expect: his brother.Less than 12 hours earlier, Payton Sandfort was in New York City, eating a postgame dinner with the Oklahoma City Thunder after making his NBA debut in the Thunder's 121-92 win against the Brooklyn Nets.But Payton, a rookie forward who signed a two-way contract with the Thunder earlier this month, caught a 3 a.m
flight to surprise his younger brother before Nebraska's 11:40 a.m
"He told me he wasn't able to make it, so I'm telling everybody that."Not only did Payton make his NBA debut Wednesday night, but he also scored his first points -- fittingly on a 3-pointer
"It was unreal seeing him up there."The support we got -- I got my family, but just the whole crowd in general
Our fan base is just incredible, and there's so many fans."