The Nebraska Cornhuskers took home the title in the University Basketball Crown on Sunday night and Fox Sports said Tuesday that the tournament scored big with the spectators.
The Crown final between Nebraska and UCF obtained 822,000 spectators and was the final of the year in the basketball of the year that is not the NCAA tournament, according to Fox Sports. The audience increased 62% against the NIT championship.
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The University Basketball Crown, the MVP Juwan Gary, of the Nebraska cornhuskers, laughs after the 77-66 victory of its team against the UCF knights in the tournament of the University Basketball Crown in T-Mobile Arena on April 6, 2025, in Las Vegas. (Ian Maule/Getty images)
Nebraska defeated UCF, 77-66. The cornhuskers claimed $ 300,000 on behalf of the name, image and likeness for their program as well. It was the first postseason championship in Nebraska since the team won the NIT in 1996.
“We did not get the goal we wanted to play in the NCAA tournament,” said Nebraska coach Fred Hiberg, after the game. “But we took the most and go here focused and stayed together as a group and play a very very good basketball this week.
‘Something that will be in my heart’: Huskers appreciate the inaugural title of the crown
Juwan Gary de Nebraska faces the University Basketball Crown Tournament on April 6, 2025 in Las Vegas. (Louis Grasse/Getty Images)
“Hopefully it will give us some impulse to the next season, and I think that the experience of playing in a postseason event will help everyone who will return to our list next year.”
Nebraska defeated Boise State and UCF surpassed Villanova in the semifinals of the crown.
Fox Sports said the semifinals resorted to an average of 706,000 spectators, which increased 145% on NIT semifinals this year. They were the most appropriate postseason semifinals that are not the most observed of the year.
Nebraska received the first portable trophy of this type.
