Monday, December 21
CenturyLink Center Omaha
8:15 PM
Creighton University
8-4
105
vs
82
North Texas
4-8
1
2
F
North Texas
39
43
82
Creighton
54
51
105
Geoffrey Groselle
Photo by: Mark Kuhlmann
Men's Basketball Heads Into Holiday Break With 105-82 Rout of North Texas
12/21/2015 10:33:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Groselle, Hanson and Harrell all notch career-high point totals in win
OMAHA, Neb. -- Geoffrey Groselle, Zach Hanson and Ronnie Harrell Jr. had career-highs to lead Creighton to a 105-82 win over North Texas on Monday night before a sold-out crowd of 17,518 fans at CenturyLink Center Omaha.
Creighton improved to 8-4 and has not trailed in its last three home games. UNT is 4-8 on the year as its two-game win streak was snapped.
The Bluejays breezed to an 8-2 lead in the first two minutes and led 21-9 after just 12 possessions. The high-octane offense was just getting started.
Creighton reached 30 points with 8:46 left in the first half on a foul shot by Groselle, and 40 with 6:03 left in the opening stanza on a Harrell foul shot. CU would reach 50 points four minutes later on another Harrell pair at the line before settling for a 54-39 halftime edge. The Bluejays led the rebound battle 23-13 at the break, with Groselle's 15 points and Harrell's six rebounds pacing the hosts.
CU would score on its first six possessions of the second half to stretch the lead to 65-45 with 16:32 to go. Three times UNT got within 15 points, and each time CU answered with a bucket to keep the Mean Green at bay. The largest margin of the game was 25 on Cole Huff's drive through the lane with 2:39 to play that also saw the CU crack the century mark for the second time this season.
A Plano, Texas native, Groselle had 27 points to greatly exceed his previous best of 20 points. He made 8-of-9 shots from the field and 11-of-14 from the floor. Harrell (14 points, 11 rebounds) became the first Bluejay freshman with a double-double since Doug McDermott in 2011. He also had five assists to set career-highs in all three categories. Hanson made all six field goal attempts to contribute 13 points in 14 minutes off the bench.
CU shot 57.1 percent for the game despite 4-of-17 shooting from three-point range. The Bluejays made 29-of-40 free throw attempts, including 24-of-29 in the first half.
UNT was topped by 20 points and five assists by J-Mychal Reese, while Deckie Johnson added 16. The Mean Green shot 45.0 percent for the game and hit 23-of-32 free throws.
The Bluejays are off until next Monday, when it hosts Coppin State at 8:15 pm.
NOTES: Creighton has made at least one three-pointer in 725 straight games ... Creighton has won 113 straight home games when scoring 78 points or more and 96 straight at home when scoring 80 points or more ... Creighton has won 72 straight games at all sites when scoring 90 or more points, and Greg McDermott is 34-0 as a Division I head coach when scoring 90 or more points (28-0 at CU) ... Creighton has won 23 straight at all sites when scoring 100 points or more since a 1977 loss to North Texas ... Creighton has won 90 straight at home against teams that enter the game .500 or worse ... Creighton scored on 51-of-81 possessions overall ... Creighton has not trailed in 57 of its 210 all-time games at CenturyLink Center Omaha, including 32 of Greg McDermott's 95 contests. Creighton also hasn't trailed in nine of its last 12 December home games ... Geoffrey Groselle's 27 points are the most by a Bluejay this season, and nearly exceed his totals from his freshman (9) and sophomore (23) seasons combined.
Creighton improved to 8-4 and has not trailed in its last three home games. UNT is 4-8 on the year as its two-game win streak was snapped.
The Bluejays breezed to an 8-2 lead in the first two minutes and led 21-9 after just 12 possessions. The high-octane offense was just getting started.
Creighton reached 30 points with 8:46 left in the first half on a foul shot by Groselle, and 40 with 6:03 left in the opening stanza on a Harrell foul shot. CU would reach 50 points four minutes later on another Harrell pair at the line before settling for a 54-39 halftime edge. The Bluejays led the rebound battle 23-13 at the break, with Groselle's 15 points and Harrell's six rebounds pacing the hosts.
CU would score on its first six possessions of the second half to stretch the lead to 65-45 with 16:32 to go. Three times UNT got within 15 points, and each time CU answered with a bucket to keep the Mean Green at bay. The largest margin of the game was 25 on Cole Huff's drive through the lane with 2:39 to play that also saw the CU crack the century mark for the second time this season.
A Plano, Texas native, Groselle had 27 points to greatly exceed his previous best of 20 points. He made 8-of-9 shots from the field and 11-of-14 from the floor. Harrell (14 points, 11 rebounds) became the first Bluejay freshman with a double-double since Doug McDermott in 2011. He also had five assists to set career-highs in all three categories. Hanson made all six field goal attempts to contribute 13 points in 14 minutes off the bench.
CU shot 57.1 percent for the game despite 4-of-17 shooting from three-point range. The Bluejays made 29-of-40 free throw attempts, including 24-of-29 in the first half.
UNT was topped by 20 points and five assists by J-Mychal Reese, while Deckie Johnson added 16. The Mean Green shot 45.0 percent for the game and hit 23-of-32 free throws.
The Bluejays are off until next Monday, when it hosts Coppin State at 8:15 pm.
NOTES: Creighton has made at least one three-pointer in 725 straight games ... Creighton has won 113 straight home games when scoring 78 points or more and 96 straight at home when scoring 80 points or more ... Creighton has won 72 straight games at all sites when scoring 90 or more points, and Greg McDermott is 34-0 as a Division I head coach when scoring 90 or more points (28-0 at CU) ... Creighton has won 23 straight at all sites when scoring 100 points or more since a 1977 loss to North Texas ... Creighton has won 90 straight at home against teams that enter the game .500 or worse ... Creighton scored on 51-of-81 possessions overall ... Creighton has not trailed in 57 of its 210 all-time games at CenturyLink Center Omaha, including 32 of Greg McDermott's 95 contests. Creighton also hasn't trailed in nine of its last 12 December home games ... Geoffrey Groselle's 27 points are the most by a Bluejay this season, and nearly exceed his totals from his freshman (9) and sophomore (23) seasons combined.
Team Stats
NT
CU
FG%
.450
.571
3FG%
.357
.235
FT%
.719
.725
RB
31
38
TO
12
8
STL
3
10
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
27
FGM
8
3FGM
0
FTM
11
Pts
16
FGM
7
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
14
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
7
Players Mentioned
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