Wednesday, December 28
Omaha, Neb.
7:00 PM
Creighton University
13-0, 1-0BE
89
vs
75
Seton Hall
10-3, 0-1BE
1
2
F
Seton Hall
37
38
75
Creighton
50
39
89
Maurice Watson Jr. had 21 points and 10 assists vs. Seton Hall on Wednesday.
Photo by: A.J. Olnes
Men's Basketball Moves to 13-0; Sets Up Showdown With No. 1 Villanova
12/28/2016 10:03:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Five starters score in double-figures for CU.
OMAHA, Neb. -- No. 10 Creighton men's basketball earned its first 13-0 start since 1942-43 with an 89-75 win over visiting Seton Hall to open BIG EAST play on Wednesday night before 18,084 fans at CenturyLink Center Omaha.
The victory sets up a showdown with No. 1 Villanova on Saturday at 12:00 pm in Omaha. The Wildcats will be the first defending national champs to play Creighton in Omaha since Oklahoma State in 1947, a 40-31 Bluejay win. VU owns a nation-best 19-game win streak and is 13-0 this year.
All five Bluejay starters scored in double-figures for CU against Seton Hall, led by 21 points and 10 assists by Maurice Watson Jr. Creighton shot 56.6 percent for the game and swiped 13 steals while forcing The Hall into 18 turnovers. CU converted those Pirate miscues into 27 points. In addition to Watson, Omaha natives Justin Patton and Khyri Thomas each had 17 points, and combined for 17 rebounds as well. Marcus Foster had 15 points and Cole Huff scored 13 points on just four field goal attempts.
Seton Hall (10-3, 0-1 BIG EAST) was paced by 27 points and three assists from Khadeen Carrington, who surpassed 1,000 career points during the contest. Desi Rodriguez had 24 points, including 5-of-6 marksmanship from three-point land, while Angel Delgado added 10 points and 10 rebounds for his 32nd career double-double. Seton Hall had won each of Delgado's last 21 double-double games. The Pirates shot 45.6 percent for the game, including 9-of-18 from three-point range, and won the rebound battle 34-31.
The teams traded the lead 11 times in the first 11 minutes, only fitting since the two teams had played three games decided by a single point in the last six meetings. Creighton led 29-26 with 5:35 left in the first half when Delgado was called for his second personal foul on a three-point attempt by Huff. Huff drained all three free throws as part of a 14-4 spurt over the next 84 seconds. The lead reached as large as 16 at 50-34 late in the first half before a Rodriguez trey trimmed CU's lead to 50--37 at intermission.
The Pirates came out with a purpose to open the second half, using a 10-1 run to close within 51-47 . SHU also was within four at 53-49 before Creighton steadily pulled away. The Bluejay lead returned to double-figures at 64-54 on a transition score by Thomas, and the margin remained in nine or larger for the final 10 minutes.
NOTES: The 17 points by Khyri Thomas marked the first time in 20 career games against BIG EAST opposition that the sophomore scored in double-figures ... The victory was Creighton's 100th all-time when playing as a ranked team ... Creighton's only other starts of 13-0 or better came in 1942-43 (16-0) and 1916-17 (13-0) ... Creighton is one of five remaining unbeaten teams, as No. 2 UCLA was knocked off by former Creighton coach Dana Altman's Oregon team on Wednesday ... Creighton's 13-game win streak is its longest since the 1974-75 team won 14 in a row. The school-record streak is 38 in a row from 1917-20 ... Greg McDermott improved to 5-2 as Creighton coach in league-openers, including a 3-1 BIG EAST mark ... Creighton has won 126 straight at home when scoring 78 points or more ... Creighton has won 69 straight when scoring 42 or more in the first half ... Maurice Watson Jr.'s six games of 10+ assists this year lead the nation, one more than UCLA sensation Lonzo Ball ... Watson leads the nation with 118 assists, 9.1 assists per game and 757 career assists ... Watson owns 13 career double-doubles, including five this year ... Creighton had never before won 13 games prior to January 1st ... Justin Patton had two dunks and now owns 31 of the team's 57 dunks this year through 13 games ... Creighton's 13 steals were a season-high and its most in a game since joining the BIG EAST. CU last had 13 or more steals on Dec. 19, 2012, when it had 17 vs. Tulsa ... Creighton last had 13 steals against a league opponent on Feb. 22, 2006, when it had 13 vs. Indiana State.
The victory sets up a showdown with No. 1 Villanova on Saturday at 12:00 pm in Omaha. The Wildcats will be the first defending national champs to play Creighton in Omaha since Oklahoma State in 1947, a 40-31 Bluejay win. VU owns a nation-best 19-game win streak and is 13-0 this year.
All five Bluejay starters scored in double-figures for CU against Seton Hall, led by 21 points and 10 assists by Maurice Watson Jr. Creighton shot 56.6 percent for the game and swiped 13 steals while forcing The Hall into 18 turnovers. CU converted those Pirate miscues into 27 points. In addition to Watson, Omaha natives Justin Patton and Khyri Thomas each had 17 points, and combined for 17 rebounds as well. Marcus Foster had 15 points and Cole Huff scored 13 points on just four field goal attempts.
Seton Hall (10-3, 0-1 BIG EAST) was paced by 27 points and three assists from Khadeen Carrington, who surpassed 1,000 career points during the contest. Desi Rodriguez had 24 points, including 5-of-6 marksmanship from three-point land, while Angel Delgado added 10 points and 10 rebounds for his 32nd career double-double. Seton Hall had won each of Delgado's last 21 double-double games. The Pirates shot 45.6 percent for the game, including 9-of-18 from three-point range, and won the rebound battle 34-31.
The teams traded the lead 11 times in the first 11 minutes, only fitting since the two teams had played three games decided by a single point in the last six meetings. Creighton led 29-26 with 5:35 left in the first half when Delgado was called for his second personal foul on a three-point attempt by Huff. Huff drained all three free throws as part of a 14-4 spurt over the next 84 seconds. The lead reached as large as 16 at 50-34 late in the first half before a Rodriguez trey trimmed CU's lead to 50--37 at intermission.
The Pirates came out with a purpose to open the second half, using a 10-1 run to close within 51-47 . SHU also was within four at 53-49 before Creighton steadily pulled away. The Bluejay lead returned to double-figures at 64-54 on a transition score by Thomas, and the margin remained in nine or larger for the final 10 minutes.
NOTES: The 17 points by Khyri Thomas marked the first time in 20 career games against BIG EAST opposition that the sophomore scored in double-figures ... The victory was Creighton's 100th all-time when playing as a ranked team ... Creighton's only other starts of 13-0 or better came in 1942-43 (16-0) and 1916-17 (13-0) ... Creighton is one of five remaining unbeaten teams, as No. 2 UCLA was knocked off by former Creighton coach Dana Altman's Oregon team on Wednesday ... Creighton's 13-game win streak is its longest since the 1974-75 team won 14 in a row. The school-record streak is 38 in a row from 1917-20 ... Greg McDermott improved to 5-2 as Creighton coach in league-openers, including a 3-1 BIG EAST mark ... Creighton has won 126 straight at home when scoring 78 points or more ... Creighton has won 69 straight when scoring 42 or more in the first half ... Maurice Watson Jr.'s six games of 10+ assists this year lead the nation, one more than UCLA sensation Lonzo Ball ... Watson leads the nation with 118 assists, 9.1 assists per game and 757 career assists ... Watson owns 13 career double-doubles, including five this year ... Creighton had never before won 13 games prior to January 1st ... Justin Patton had two dunks and now owns 31 of the team's 57 dunks this year through 13 games ... Creighton's 13 steals were a season-high and its most in a game since joining the BIG EAST. CU last had 13 or more steals on Dec. 19, 2012, when it had 17 vs. Tulsa ... Creighton last had 13 steals against a league opponent on Feb. 22, 2006, when it had 13 vs. Indiana State.
Team Stats
SHU
CU
FG%
.456
.566
3FG%
.500
.313
FT%
.609
.774
RB
34
31
TO
18
10
STL
6
13
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
21
FGM
8
3FGM
1
FTM
4
Pts
17
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
7
Pts
17
FGM
8
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Pts
15
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
4
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
C
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
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