Creighton University
Loyola Chicago
Men's Basketball Rambles Past Loyola Chicago, 78-58
2/20/2010 11:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
OMAHA, Neb. -- A 13-2 burst to start the second half helped key Creighton men's basketball to a 78-58 victory over Loyola Chicago in a battle of Jesuit rivals on Saturday night at Qwest Center Omaha.
Creighton evened its record to 14-14, while Loyola fell to 14-13. The game was part of the 8th Annual BracketBusters series, though it was not televised.
Creighton led most of the first half, but Loyola scored the final seven points to close within 34-33 at the break. Kenny Lawson Jr. had 10 points in the opening half to lead CU, while Terrance Hill and Walt Gibler each scored eight for the Ramblers.
Creighton threw together a 13-2 run out of the second half gates, getting five points from Lawson before three-pointers from Casey Harriman and Kaleb Korver capped the surge. That gave the Jays a 47-35 lead, and Loyola would get no closer than nine points the rest of the night.
Creighton would coast from there, using a 15-5 run to go ahead 70-50, which matched CU's largest lead of the game.
Lawson Jr. had his fifth double-double of the season with 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Cavel Witter had 12 points and three assists in 19 minutes off the bench. Justin Carter approached his first career double-dip with eight points and nine rebounds. Creighton shot 48.3 percent for the game and hit 15-of-21 at the line. Creighton outrebounded Loyola Chicago, 38-31.
Loyola was paced by 15 points off the bench by Gibler. Hill (12 points) and Geoff McCammon (11 points) also scored in double-figures for the Ramblers. Andy Polka topped Loyola with 10 rebounds. The Ramblers shot 37 percent for the game but hit just 3-of-19 from downtown. The Ramblers were also 15-of-18 from the line.
Creighton returns to action on Tuesday with a 7:05 pm game at Southern Illinois. That game can be heard on KXSP (Big Sports 590 AM) and will be televised by Fox Sports Net Midwest.
NOTES: Ethan Wragge and Josh Jones each made their first career starts for Creighton. It marks the first time CU has started two freshmen in the same game since March 21, 2008 at Florida, when P'Allen Stinnett and Kenny Lawson Jr. both started ...This was Creighton's eighth different starting line-up of the season, matching its most since the 1998-99 team used eight different starting combos ...Ethan Wragge made a three-pointer in his 15th straight game ...Creighton is now 38-0 in non-televised regular-season games at Qwest Center Omaha ...Creighton's 78 points were its most since February 3rd ...Casey Harriman took two charges and has now taken 18 of CU's 39 charges this season ...Creighton improved to 2-7 on Saturday's this season ...Creighton avoided consecutive home losses for the first time since 2004 ...Creighton is now 46-6 at Qwest Center Omaha in non-conference games.
