For a year, Braden Frager’s inner drive slowly burned behind closed doors. He had to learn to control it, to harness it. Inside the redshirt freshman’s season in the shadows, a period of frustration and growth with a payoff in mind.

Winthrop forced Nebraska to play a 40-minute game. The Huskers struggled at times, and it took a flurry from Rienk Mast to ensure a perfect record at Thanksgiving. "I’m very tired. I’m not gonna lie. So it was pretty tough."

Hey, that’s pretty neat.

Winthrop forced Nebraska to play a 40-minute game. The Huskers struggled at times, and it took a flurry from Rienk Mast to ensure a perfect record at Thanksgiving. "I’m very tired. I’m not gonna lie. So it was pretty tough."

Nebraska basketball needed each of Rienk Mast's 31 points to stave off an upset bid by pesky Winthrop, which dominated NU on the boards. The quick story from @wilsmoore_ with more to come:

Final: Nebraska 80, Winthrop 73 Huskers survive, propelled by Mast in the second half. He finished with 31 on seven 3-pointers.

Mast for 3 from the wing. Nebraska is up by 10, its biggest lead tonight.

Every time Nebraska has had a chance to take control of the game it has... not done that.

It's just been a grind on both ends for Nebraska. Winthrop is getting good looks with its ball movement. Mast just got swatted at the rim. NU leads 49-47.

Halftime: Winthrop 36, Nebraska 32 Huskers were 4-22 from 3. The looks have been there. Winthrop seemed to really find something in the pick-and-roll on offense at the end of the half.

Sandfort, Frager, Mast and Essegian are a combined 2-11 from 3. Nebraska needs someone to take the lid off basket.

Nebraska is 2-9 from 3-point range. A lot of them have been good looks.

Nebraska leads 10-7 at the under-16 timeout. Winthrop is defending hard and mucking things up. Cale Jacobsen and Jared Garcia about to check in.

Starters for Nebraska: Lawrence, Hoiberg, Sandfort, Frager, Mast. First career start for Frager. Buyuktuncel is on the bench wearing a boot.

No sign of Buyuktuncel in warmups so far. He’s usually out there by now.

Berke Buyuktuncel is questionable tonight as Nebraska plays Winthrop.

Six games into his college career, Braden Frager is a key part of Nebraska’s rotation, providing an appetite for the moment. “I’m not surprised at what he can do because I saw the confidence that the kid has and the swagger that he plays with.”

Braden Frager is the Big Ten freshman of the week.

With Braden Frager earning his first Big Ten Freshman of the Week award.... let's bump this once again from Wilson Moore:

The Nebraska men's and women's basketball teams are each receiving votes in the Associated Press Top 25 polls this week.

Nebraska got 27 points in this week's AP poll. Huskers would be tied at No. 30 if the rankings extended that far.