It hasn't even been 24 hours since the tough loss to Michigan, but it still feels like the Cornhuskers were robbed of an opportunity to get a road win against top-five team and stay undefeated simply because the officials didn't make a call on what seemed like an obvious charge.
But after looking at this from another view and slowed down slightly...yep, it still looks like Trey McKenney should've been whistled for the offensive foul here.
Michigan is apparently already dealing with enough charges in their athletic department and the refs decided Sam Hoiberg shouldn’t add one more. Horrible no call. Game changing. Can’t give Michigan the lead here with this nonsense.
— Big Glenn Network (@BigGlennNetwork) January 28, 2026
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Slowed-down replay is further proof that a foul should have been called
As Fred Hoiberg said in his post-game press conference, there wasn't much else Sam Hoiberg could do there.
At the end of the day, it's a bad call on a pivotal play in a close game. Should fans be livid with the officiating? Sure. It proved to be the difference in the game and when the referees had to make a tough call that would've made a lot of people in the Crisler Center unhappy, they decided to swallow the whistle.
After the game, the younger Hoiberg said all the right things. He talked about the Huskers not being a program that will make excuses or accept moral victories. It was also a game where Nebraska showed that it would be in the mix for all the goals — conference tournament championship, NCAA tournament run, Final Four...you name it.
"It was going to be a really tough game against one of the best teams in the country, who are going to compete for the Final Four," Sam Hoiberg said. "And I think we just put ourselves in the conversation."
If there's anything good to come out of this, it's that there's no time to complain because Illinois, another top-ten team in the conference, is next on the schedule. As Sam Hoiberg said, the Huskers can't turn one loss into two.
As for Michigan, the Wolverines are good, but they got a break last night. Maybe the Huskers will get a second chance to make things right if the teams meet again in Chicago.
