Creighton University
Iona
Iona Tops Men's Basketball, 63-55
11/29/2009 10:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Kenny Lawson Jr. had a career-high 18 points, but Iona defeated Creighton, 63-55, in men's basketball action during the seventh-place game of the Old Spice Classic on Sunday morning at The Milk House.
The Jays led 21-13 early before Iona unleashed a 26-12 run in which it held the Jays without a field for a span of 10:07. Creighton (2-4) would also endure a drought of more than 10 minutes without a field goal down the stretch and made just five baskets in the final 23 minutes of the game.
Creighton tied the game at 47 with 7:28 left on two free throws by Cavel Witter, but Iona (4-2) answered with two long three-pointers to build a six-point lead, then got a breakaway dunk from Alejo Rodriguez to go up 55-47 and not look back. Creighton would get no closer than six points the rest of the way.
Creighton went more than 10 minutes without a field goal, a drought that started with CU up 28-26 with 3:38 left in the first half. That dry spell didn't end until a Lawson field goal with 13:29 to play and the Jays down 39-33.
Creighton also made just one field goal in the final 10:50 of the game, that coming on an uncontested lay-up by Andrew Bock with 16 seconds left and the Jays down 10.
IC's Kyle Smyth made 4-of-8 three-pointers to lead the Gaels with 14 points. As a team, Iona was 9-of-16 from downtown, while Creighton drained 5-of-13 shots from distance.
Lawson led Creighton with 18 points, but was the only player in double-figures for CU. Antoine Young was second on the team with nine points, including CU's first six. Creighton outrebounded IC 29-23 and blocked seven shots, but were harmed by 21 turnovers.
Creighton will return to Omaha on Monday to begin preparing for next Sunday's 4 pm showdown with in-state rival Nebraska at Qwest Center Omaha.
NOTES: Iona leads the all-time series with Creighton, 2-1, having also won in 1954 ...This is Creighton's first three-game losing streak since January of 2008 and just the third since the 2000-01 season ...Kenny Lawson Jr.'s previous high-scoring regular-season game was 16 at Evansville on Jan. 20, 2009 ...Kenny Lawson Jr. has now scored in double-figures in CU's last five games ...Creighton had won its past 14 games played on a Sunday.
