Creighton University
Wichita State
Men's Basketball Falls in Wichita, 74-61
1/17/2009 5:45:00 PM | Men's Basketball
WICHITA, Kan. -- Creighton guard Booker Woodfox scored 20 points, but it wasn't enough as Wichita State snapped a six-game losing streak with a 74-61 victory over the visiting Bluejays on Saturday afternoon at sold out Charles Koch Arena.
Wichita State is now 7-11 on the year (1-6 MVC), while Creighton had its two-game win streak snapped and is 14-5 (4-3 MVC) on the campaign.
CU guard Cavel Witter would hit a free-throw with 18:13 left in the first half to open the game's scoring, but WSU's Garrett Stutz drained a three-pointer on the following trip down and the Shockers would not trail again. WSU enjoyed a 10-0 run to build a 13-3 lead early on. Toure' Murry would score the first eight points of the splurge, before J.T. Durley capped it off with a lay-in underneath. CU's 5:18 scoring drought would mercifully end on a P'Allen Stinnett score, drawing CU within 13-5. The Shockers outrebounded the Jays 17-6 in the opening 10 minutes as CU was an ice-cold 2-of-17 from the field.
The Shockers would score eight consecutive points to take its largest lead of the first half at 27-13 following a three-pointer from reserve Reggie Chamberlain. Creighton put together an 8-2 run late in the half to draw within eight, only to see Durley's tip-in with 2.1 seconds left close out the first half scoring. Despite 11 turnovers, WSU led 31-21 at half due to a 26-12 domination on the backboards while holding CU to 6-of-26 shooting.
After a three-ball from Josh Dotzler to open the half, Creighton's defense would surrender nine points on four consecutive possessions, falling behind 40-28 and taking timeout at the 17:53 mark. The Shockers would score on each of their first five trips of the second half, holding its lead steady at 10. Ramon Clemente, scoreless in the first half, had nine points in the first five minutes of the second stanza, including a pair of offensive putbacks while fouled.
WSU's lead returned to 14 at 52-40 on a driving lay-up by Graham Hatch near the 12-minute mark, but CU's Woodfox dropped in a trey in front of the visitor's bench as CU closed within nine at 52-43. However, Hatch would beat CU downcourt and lay-up to return the lead to 11.
A three-pointer from Casey Harriman and two at the line by Justin Carter closed the Shocker lead to 58-52 with 7:12 left, but that was as close as the Jays got in the second half. Clemente would split two shots at the line and Durley hit two to put WSU's lead to 61-52 before Clevin Hannah's dagger three-pointer with 4:14 to play.
Down 14 with 2:33 left, Carter would hit two free throws and a Kaleb Korver steal preceded an Antoine Young trey as the Jays got within 69-61 with 2:18 left. Following two WSU timeouts, Murry would hit a basket with 1:46 left to stretch the hosts lead to 10, and Durley added two at the line after a Woodfox miss. The Shockers would score the game's final five points and owned the ball for the final 66 seconds thanks to a pair of offensive rebounds after a miss.
Woodfox scored 15 of his team-high 20 points in the second half to lead Creighton, which shot a season-low 33.3 percent from the floor (16-48). Young added 12 in the setback. CU made 6-of-19 three-point tries (31.6 percent) and 23-of-27 at the line (85.2 percent).
WSU had three double-figure scoreres, including Murry (17), Hannah (10) and Clemente (12). The Shockers won the battle of the boards 47-22, including 20 offensive boards, which it turned into a 22-7 advantage in second-chance points.
Creighton returns to the court on Tuesday night with another road contest, this time at Evansville. Tip time is set for 6:05 pm and the game will be telecast nationally on ESPNU.
NOTES: Kenny Lawson Jr. extended his blocked shot streak to 12 straight games when he swatted WSU's first attempt of the game by A.J. Hawkins ...Creighton has overcome double-digit deficits 27 times in the past nine seasons, including five times vs. Wichita State ...Creighton's 10-point halftime deficit matched its largest of the season, having also trailed by 10 in a season-opening victory over New Mexico ...Creighton's 21 first-half points were a season-low, six fewer than the 27 it scored vs. Bradley and New Mexico ...Booker Woodfox scored in double-figures for a 13th straight game ...The majority of Wichita State's sellout crowd of 10,502 dressed in black as part of a "Black Out" promotion. Even WSU dressed in black, which moved Creighton into its "home white" uniforms ...Casey Harriman fouled out with 1:06 to go.
