Creighton University
Missouri State
Men's Basketball Runs By Bears, 88-67
2/19/2008 10:30:00 PM | Men's Basketball
OMAHA, Neb. -- Spurred by a pre-game pep talk from senator Ben Nelson, Creighton snapped a two-game losing streak with an 88-67 win over Missouri State on Tuesday night. The Bluejays improved to 18-8 overall and 9-7 in the MVC, while Missouri State dropped to 13-15 and 6-10 in MVC play.
A former governor who was first elected to the US Senate in 2000, Nelson took up Creighton head coach Dana Altman on his month-old offer to talk to the Bluejay team. Whatever it was he said, it appears the speech worked. Creighton scored 22 points in transition, keyed by a 45-31 rebounding advantage that allowed many of the fast break opportunities.
The first half saw both teams score almost at will, a stark contrast from CU's defense-orientated 50-49 win in Springfield on Jan. 5. Creighton closed the first half on a 12-5 run to take its largest lead of the first half, 48-37, into the locker room. The Jays hit nine three-pointers in the opening half, including three from P'Allen Stinnett.
Missouri State drew within 48-40 after a three-point play in its first possession, but would get no closer. Cavel Witter hit a trey with 18:16 left to give CU a double-digit lead it would maintain the rest of the night.
Stinnett and Witter each had 19 to lead Creighton. Booker Woodfox and Dane Watts both scored 14 points as well for the victors. The Jays shot 47.8 percent for the game (33-69) and 42.3 percent from three-point range (11-26). CU had 21 assists and just nine turnovers on the night. Kenny Lawson Jr. led the CU assault on the backboards with eight, while Watts grabbed seven.
Missouri State was paced by 14 points from Justin Fuehrmeyer. Deven Mitchell scored 13 points while Dale Lamberth scored 10 points and grabbed five rebounds. MSU shot just 37.5 percent for the game but did hit 9-of-19 (47.4 percent) from downtown.
Creighton returns to action on Saturday at 2 pm with a non-conference game against Oral Roberts. The contest will be televised nationally on ESPN2, and can be heard on KXSP (Big Sports 590 AM).
NOTES: Booker Woodfox has scored in double-figures in eight straight games, which ties him for the nation's longest streak among reserves ...P'Allen Stinnett has scored 10 or more in seven straight games himself ...Creighton is now 21-0 since the start of the 1997-98 season in home games when it entered with a losing streak of two games or more ...Booker Woodfox had a career-high six assists, while Dane Watts tied a career-high with three blocked shots ...Dane Watts also had a season-high four steals ...Creighton remained tied for fourth place with a 9-7 in the MVC standings, thanks to Bradley's 72-71 upset of league champion Drake on Tuesday night ...Creighton has won 14 straight games when making 40 percent or better of its three-point shots and has also won 39 straight games in which it has had a half with 40 points or more ...Creighton has won 57 straight games when scoring 80 points or more.
