OKLAHOMA 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. taxi and a 6 a.m. flight to surprise his younger brother before Nebraska’s 11:40 a.m. local time tipoff, coincidentally on his team’s home court.
“He’s been lying to me this whole week,” Pryce said with a laugh after scoring 23 points on seven 3-pointers and a pair of free throws in Nebraska’s historic 76-47 win against Troy. “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.
Before Pryce transferred to Nebraska, he and Payton spent two seasons together playing at Iowa.
“It was the first time he made points last night, and then he showed up for this game,” Pryce said. “It was unreal seeing him up there.
“The support we got — I got my family, but just the whole crowd in general. That might have been the best environment I’ve ever played in, home, neutral, away, but it was truly unbelievable. Our fan base is just incredible, and there’s so many fans.”
