CEDAR FALLS, Iowa ? The Creighton men's basketball team defeated Northern Iowa 77-71 Sunday afternoon in front of 6,234 fans at the McLeod Center. With the win, Creighton improved to 3-0 all-time at the McLeod Center, and snapped UNI's 11-game winning streak, its longest in school history, and third-longest active streak in the nation.
The Bluejays were led by Justin Carter who tied a career-high 17 points to lead the team.
The game was close for much of the first half as neither team was able to generate more than a four-point advantage until Kenny Lawson Jr. hit a free-throw with 3:20 to go to make it a five-point game at 31-26. Lawson was the Bluejays' most active player in the first half, leading the team with 12 points along with a team-high three rebounds.
UNI took advantage of some missed Creighton field goals to cut into the lead and make it a 31-30 CU advantage at the break.
Coming out of the intermission, UNI continued its run, gaining a 35-31 lead with 19:14 to go in the game, it's largest of the day. The Bluejays then responded on their next trip down the floor with a Justin Carter three-pointer to cut the lead to one.
Booker Woodfox got into the action with his first points of the day off a three-point basket for the 21st straight game. His streak is the longest in the Missouri Valley Conference and 21st longest in the nation. A two-point field goal his next trip down the floor capped an 8-0 CU run and gave the Bluejays a 39-35 lead.
Creighton's largest lead of the day came on a Woodfox free throw with 8:44 to go in the game, giving CU a 56-45 advantage. In the second half the Bluejays outscored the Panthers 46-41, shooting 47.1% (11-21) from the floor. In the last three games combined the Jays have outscored their opponents 141-102 in the second half.
Creighton returns to action on Wednesday when it hosts Bradley (13-11, 7-6 MVC) at Qwest Center Omaha in a rematch of last year's 111-110 double-overtime Bluejay victory. The game will tip off at 7:35 pm, be broadcast on KXSP (Big Sports 590 AM) and televised on Fox Sports Net Midwest.
NOTES: With the win Creighton has won five straight years in Cedar Falls...It marks the first time the Jays have beaten the same opponent on the road in five straight seasons since topping Washington (Mo.) five years in a row from 1936-40... With his second three-point basket at 5:20 to go in the first half, Kaleb Korver extended his streak to 41 straight field goals made coming from three-point range...Korver has not made a two-point field goal since Jan. 2, 2008...Creighton's first 10 points came inside the paint... CU outscored UNI 22-10 in the paint during the first half and 30-20 for the game ...The Bluejays showed good teamwork, as they had assists on eight of their first nine field goals and 18 assists on 24 hoops for the contest ...Creighton was 6-17 from three-point range extending its streak of 5+ made three-point field goals to 25...That streak is the longest in the MVC and 7th longest in the nation...Justin Carter tied a career-high with two blocked shots...He also had two on Jan. 27, against Indiana State...P'Allen Stinnett scored his first point of the game with 1:27 to go in the game...He was held scoreless in the first half, giving him just two points in the last four first halves combined...In each of the three previous contests coming into Sunday, Stinnett had scored double digits in the second half... Lawson split two free throws with 10:06 left in the first half, his first attempts from the line since Jan. 20 at Evansville after four straight games without a try at the stripe... Creighton is now 15-3 this year when leading at halftime, including a 5-2 road mark... On the boards, UNI owned a 49-29 advantage, including a 27-13 margin in the second half...It was just the second time in 13 games the Panthers have lost when owning the board advantage...In games the Jays have been out rebounded by double digits they are 6-4...After going 8-19 (42.1%) in the first meeting between the two teams from long range, UNI was just 5-26 on Sunday (19.2%)... The Bluejays have now won 13 straight games on Sundays, and are a perfect 4-0 this season...Creighton improved to 17-0 this year when scoring 70 points or more and has won 58 straight games when scoring 72 points or more. UNI is 1-6 this year when allowing 70 points or more ...Kerwin Dunham's basket with 8:28 to play snapped a drought of 8:16 without a UNI field goal...In the meantime Creighton extended its lead from 41-39 to 56-47...Before Sunday, Creighton had not snapped a winning streak of 11 or longer since ending Southern Illinois' 13-game streak in the 2007 MVC Tournament...Creighton has won at both Drake and UNI for the fourth time in the past five seasons and seventh time in the past 12 seasons...The crowd of 6,234 was the largest of the season for UNI.
