Creighton University
Indiana State
Carter's Career Night Lifts Men's Basketball Over Sycamores, 73-62
1/27/2009 9:45:00 PM | Men's Basketball
OMAHA, Neb. -- Justin Carter had a career-high 17 points and P'Allen Stinnett scored all 13 of his points in the final nine minutes as Creighton defeated Indiana State, 73-62, on Tuesday night before 15,542 fans at Qwest Center Omaha.
The win was the 164th in Missouri Valley Conference play for Creighton coach Dana Altman, passing Eddie Hickey for second in league history.
Creighton is now 16-6 overall and moves into fourth in the MVC with a 6-4 mark, while Indiana State dropped to 4-17 overall and is 2-8 in the MVC.
Neither team led by more than six in a closely contested first half. The Jays owned a 27-26 intermission lead thanks to a missed free throw by ISU's Isiah Martin with 0.5 seconds left in the half.
Indiana State would own a pair of three-point leads in the second half, the final one coming with 13:03 to play after a free throw from Jay Tunnell. CU would answer with a three-pointer by Casey Harriman to tie it with 12:41 to play, and another Harriman trey 84 seconds later would help the Jays overcome ISU's final lead of the game.
Sycamores guard Harry Marshall converted a three-point play with 8:49 to play for the seventh and final tie of the game before Stinnett took over. The preseason all-MVC pick, held scoreless in the first 31 minutes, dented the scoreboard for the first time on a putback of a missed Kenton Walker free throw to give CU a 48-46 lead with 8:37 remaining.
Stinnett would also add a pair of three-pointers during a 10-3 run as the Jays went ahead 56-49 with 5:51 left. CU's lead reached double-figures for the first time at 63-53 with 3:06 left on a Stinnett free throw. The Valley's top-shooting team at the line would make just 7-of-14 at the line in the final four minutes, but it would enough to hold off a pesky Indiana State team.
Carter had career-highs with 17 points, four steals and two blocked shots, while tying his best with eight rebounds. Booker Woodfox scored 17 points and was joined in double-figures by Stinnett (13) and Antoine Young (12) as well. Three days after shooting a season-low 30 percent in a home loss to Drake, Creighton shot 51 percent on the night. The Jays 66.7 percent shooting in the second half (14-21) was its best half of the season. CU finished the game hitting 8-of-19 from three-point land (42.1 percent) and 55.6 percent at the line (15-27) while also outrebounding ISU 36-34.
Indiana State was led by 16 points and seven assists from Marshall, while Jordan Printy scored 13. ISU shot just 35.8 percent for the game (19-53), including 9-of-20 from three-point range (45 percent) and 15-of-22 (68.2 percent) from the stripe. ISU was harmed by 17 turnovers, which Creighton converted into 21 points.
Creighton returns to action on Sunday with a 2:05 pm home game against Missouri State. The game will be broadcast on KXSP (Big Sports 590 AM), televised on NET-HD and video streamed for free at http://netnebraska.org/television/stream/flash.html.
NOTES: Indiana State's first five field goals were three-point baskets, and its only two-pointer of the first half came with 1:54 remaining ...The Sycamores were 6-for-11 from three-point range in the first half and 1-for-10 from two-point range in the opening 20 minutes and did not score in the paint in the first half ...Creighton has now won 10 or more home games in a school-record 13 straight seasons ...Creighton has won 47 straight home games when scoring 68 points or more and 55 straight when scoring 72 points or more at all venues ...Creighton has beaten Indiana State in 15 of its past 16 meetings when scoring 55 or more points vs. the Sycamores ...Indiana State coach Kevin McKenna fell to 1-3 in regular-season games against his alma mater ...Creighton has won 10 straight home games over Indiana State ...Booker Woodfox has made a three-pointer in 18 straight games, but Kenny Lawson Jr.'s streak of 14 straight contests with a blocked shot was snapped.
