Creighton University
Arkansas-Little Rock
Late Putback Sinks Men's Basketball, 71-69
11/25/2008 8:30:00 PM | Men's Basketball
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Mike Smith's putback with 7.1 seconds left keyed Arkansas-Little Rock to a 71-69 win over Creighton on Tuesday night at Jack Stephens Center.
Creighton is now 3-1, while UALR is 4-0.
Creighton led by as much as 34-18 in the opening half, draining six three-pointers in the opening 14 minutes, before a 14-5 run by UALR to close the first half trimmed the lead to 39-32 at the half. The Trojans scored 26 of its 32 first-half points from the paint, including nine off the offensive glass. CU was paced by eight points from Booker Woodfox in the opening half.
The second half saw UALR cut the deficit to just 43-38 after a transition basket by Brandon Patterson iwth 16:17 to go, but Cavel Witter drained a three-point basket to extend the lead to eight for CU.
The Jays led by nine at 59-50 with 12:27 to go, but Matt Mouzy drained back-to-back three-pointers to cut the CU lead to three and prompt a Bluejay timeout.
Kenny Lawson, who scored CU's first six points of the game, would score nine consecutive points for CU, only to have Mouzy drain a trey and make it 58-55. However, after a wing jumper missed from P'Allen Stinnett, Stinnett would steal the outlet pass and go in for an uncontested dunk.
UALR drew within one (62-61) with 3:29 to play when 295-pound Smith drained a 16-footer from the left baseline.
Courtney Jackson gave UALR its first lead since 2-0 with 2:08 to play on a left-handed jump-hookm making it 65-64 and bringing the crowd of 4,012 to their feet. Cavel Witter was fouled on the ensuing possession and hit 1-of-2 free throws to knot the score at 65 with 1:54 to go.
Following a Trojan timeout, Josh Dotzler stole the inbounds pass and was fouled. He converted 1-of-2 at the line to put CU back ahead by one. Smith answered for UALR with a lay-in as 1:19 remained. CU worked for a shot, but Dotzler's jumper from the wing rimmed out and possession went to the Trojans.
Witter fouled Steven Moore with 47.5 seconds left on the inbounds play. Steven Moore, a 90.9 percent free-throw shooter, drained both to put the Trojans up 69-66. Creighton answered on a Booker Woodfox trey with 39.3 seconds left to tie the score.
After Moore missed a three-pointer as the shot clock wound down, Smith would grab the rebound and lay it back in for the decisive points. CU pushed the ball upcourt, but Witter's 17-footer from the right wing rimmed out. About 100 UALR students stormed the court after the final buzzer.
Creighton was led in scoring by 15 points from Lawson, who tied his career-high. Woodfox scored 13 while Witter had 11.
UALR was paced in scoring by 15 points from Mouzy, while Smith had 12 points and a dozen rebounds. UALR owned a 46-26 advantage on the backboards.
Creighton returns to action on Saturday with a 7 pm game at Nebraska. The game will be broadcast on KXSP (Big Sports 590 AM) and televised on Fox Sports Net Midwest.
NOTES: Cavel Witter, reigning MVC Player of the Week, made his first career start. Witter had averaged 9.6 points off the bench in the first 36 games of his career and was a member of the MVC's All-Bench Team in 2007-08 ...This was Creighton's second-ever game in the state of Arkansas. CU had played Arkansas State on Dec. 7, 1988 ...Kenny Lawson tied a career-high with 15 points, making 7-of-9 shots from the floor ...Dana Altman is now 9-6 in Creighton's first true road game of the year and 10-5 in the first game of the season away from home (including neutral sites) under Altman ...Creighton is 37-4 in November games since the start of the 1998-99 campaign.
