Creighton University
Wichita State
Men's Basketball Hangs On At WSU, 68-65
1/12/2008 10:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
WICHITA, Kan. -- Creighton scored five of the last seven points and survived a last-second three-point attempt by Gal Mekel to post a 68-65 win at Wichita State on Saturday night.
The Jays (12-3, 3-2 MVC) seemed in control, leading 63-51 with 4:45 to play, before the Shockers (8-8, 1-4 MVC) scored 12 straight to tie it with 1:26 left on a three-pointer by Mantas Griskenas.
P'Allen Stinnett hit two free throws with 1:09 left and Josh Dotzler followed with a breakaway lay-up to give CU a four-point lead. After two free throws by Gal Mekel trimmed the lead to two, Stinnett was fouled and made 1-of-2 free throws with 12.9 seconds left to give CU a three-point lead.
The Shockers then came down and found Mekel in the corner. His contested three-pointer to tie it was wide in the closing seconds.
Stinnett, making his first career start, led the Bluejays with 16 points on 6-of-14 shooting. He also had a pair of second-half steals and took a key charge in the final two minutes and the game in the balance. Also in double-figures with 15 points was Nick Bahe. The Bluejays shot 54.3 percent for the game and hit 10-of-22 from three-point range.
WSU was led by 21 points from PJ Couisnard. Mekel had 10 points and seven assists. WSU shot 43.5 percent for the game.
The Bluejays improved to 12-3 on the season and upped their Valley record to 3-2. WSU dropped to 8-8 and is 1-4 in league action.
Creighton returns to action on Tuesday when it plays at Northern Iowa. The game will be televised on ESPN2 and start at 6 pm.
NOTES: P'Allen Stinnett made his first start of the year, getting the nod over Pierce Hibma ...The starts by P'Allen Stinnett and Kenny Lawson Jr. marked the first time since Dec. 29, 2001 that Creighton started two freshmen in the same game. Tyler McKinney and Jimmy Motz started in that 12/29/01 contest against Mississippi Valley State ...Creighton has not had a game with a second-half lead change since Dec. 9 vs. Saint Joseph's, and just two such games all season (also DePaul on Nov. 9).
