Sunday, November 12
Omaha, Neb.
6:00 PM
Creighton University
2-0
109
vs
72
Alcorn State
0-2
1
2
F
Alcorn State
36
36
72
Creighton
49
60
109
Mitch Ballock had 15 points in 18 minutes on Sunday.
Photo by: Corey Solotorovsky
Bench Leads Men's Basketball In Rout Over Alcorn State, 109-72
11/12/2017 9:07:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Freshmen Mitch Ballock and Ty-Shon Alexander both score in double-figures to help CU
OMAHA, Neb. -- Marcus Foster had 23 points in 19 minutes and Creighton's bench combined for 55 points as the host Bluejays rolled to a 109-72 win over Alcorn State on Sunday in play at the 2017 Hall of Fame Classic.
Creighton improved to 2-0, while Alcorn State dropped to 0-2. The Bluejays improved to 3-0 all-time against the Braves, winning those contests by an average of 39 points.
Creighton led 49-36 at the half, then drained 12 three-pointers in the second half while putting up 60 points in the final 20 minutes.
In addition to Foster's 23 points on 8-of-9 shooting, newcomers Mitch Ballock (15 points), Kaleb Joseph (10 points) and Ty-Shon Alexander (10 points) each scored in double-figures. Martin Krampelj established a career-high in rebounds for the second straight game with 12 rebounds in 22 minutes, including seven on the offensive end.
Creighton shot 55.9 percent from the field (33-for-59), including 48.5 percent from downtown (16-for-33). The Jays also drained 27-of-32 free throws (84.4 percent) in a game that featured 49 combined personal fouls. Creighton outscored Alcorn 55-27 off the bench and won the rebound battle 47-30.
Alcorn State was led by 14 points by Preseason SWAC Player of the Year Reginal Johnson.
The game changed midway through the first half when Foster went to the bench after picking up two fouls in 15 seconds and CU's lead down to 23-22. With sidekick Khyri Thomas also sidelined with two fouls, Creighton embarked on a 17-4 run that featured nine points from Davion Mintz and five from Ballock.
After Alcorn State trimmed CU's lead to 56-45 with 16:30 remaining, the Jays buried the Braves with a 26-3 run. Ballock had 10 points in the spurt, with Foster adding eight more. The lead remained over 25 the rest of the way, reaching as large as 109-68 in the final minute after a trey by Alexander.
Creighton returns to action on Wednesday at 8 pm when it visits No. 19 Northwestern.
NOTES: Creighton's 16 three-pointers were tied for fourth-most in program history and the 109 points were the tied for the ninth-most in program history. The records are 21 and 124, respectively ... Creighton is now 58-2 all-time when scoring 100 or more points, winning the last 30 times it has happened ... Greg McDermott improved to 168-82 after 250 games at Creighton. That's the most wins to that point in program history, eight more than Dana Altman and 34 more than Red McManus ... Manny Suarez had seven points and four rebounds on his 24th birthday. He's the nation's 14th-oldest active player ... Creighton has won its home opener 23 straight years and its second home game in 22 straight seasons. The 1995-96 season is the last time Creighton didn't start 2-0 at home ... Marcus Foster has scored 10 or more points in 20 straight games, the longest streak by any bluejay since Doug McDermott finished his career in 2014 with 28 straight games in double-figures ... Khyri Thomas has made at least one three-pointer in 16 straight games, the longest streak since McDermott's streak of 16 straight in 2014 ... Creighton improved to 10-0 all-time in the Hall of Fame Classic (and Guardians Classic, as it was known in 2002 and 2004) ... Creighton has won 101 straight home games against teams that entered the night with a record of .500 or worse and 37 straight home games over winless teams ... Creighton has won 60 straight games when scoring 44 points or more before halftime ... Creighton has won 24 straight games when shooting 50 percent or better.
Creighton improved to 2-0, while Alcorn State dropped to 0-2. The Bluejays improved to 3-0 all-time against the Braves, winning those contests by an average of 39 points.
Creighton led 49-36 at the half, then drained 12 three-pointers in the second half while putting up 60 points in the final 20 minutes.
In addition to Foster's 23 points on 8-of-9 shooting, newcomers Mitch Ballock (15 points), Kaleb Joseph (10 points) and Ty-Shon Alexander (10 points) each scored in double-figures. Martin Krampelj established a career-high in rebounds for the second straight game with 12 rebounds in 22 minutes, including seven on the offensive end.
Creighton shot 55.9 percent from the field (33-for-59), including 48.5 percent from downtown (16-for-33). The Jays also drained 27-of-32 free throws (84.4 percent) in a game that featured 49 combined personal fouls. Creighton outscored Alcorn 55-27 off the bench and won the rebound battle 47-30.
Alcorn State was led by 14 points by Preseason SWAC Player of the Year Reginal Johnson.
The game changed midway through the first half when Foster went to the bench after picking up two fouls in 15 seconds and CU's lead down to 23-22. With sidekick Khyri Thomas also sidelined with two fouls, Creighton embarked on a 17-4 run that featured nine points from Davion Mintz and five from Ballock.
After Alcorn State trimmed CU's lead to 56-45 with 16:30 remaining, the Jays buried the Braves with a 26-3 run. Ballock had 10 points in the spurt, with Foster adding eight more. The lead remained over 25 the rest of the way, reaching as large as 109-68 in the final minute after a trey by Alexander.
Creighton returns to action on Wednesday at 8 pm when it visits No. 19 Northwestern.
NOTES: Creighton's 16 three-pointers were tied for fourth-most in program history and the 109 points were the tied for the ninth-most in program history. The records are 21 and 124, respectively ... Creighton is now 58-2 all-time when scoring 100 or more points, winning the last 30 times it has happened ... Greg McDermott improved to 168-82 after 250 games at Creighton. That's the most wins to that point in program history, eight more than Dana Altman and 34 more than Red McManus ... Manny Suarez had seven points and four rebounds on his 24th birthday. He's the nation's 14th-oldest active player ... Creighton has won its home opener 23 straight years and its second home game in 22 straight seasons. The 1995-96 season is the last time Creighton didn't start 2-0 at home ... Marcus Foster has scored 10 or more points in 20 straight games, the longest streak by any bluejay since Doug McDermott finished his career in 2014 with 28 straight games in double-figures ... Khyri Thomas has made at least one three-pointer in 16 straight games, the longest streak since McDermott's streak of 16 straight in 2014 ... Creighton improved to 10-0 all-time in the Hall of Fame Classic (and Guardians Classic, as it was known in 2002 and 2004) ... Creighton has won 101 straight home games against teams that entered the night with a record of .500 or worse and 37 straight home games over winless teams ... Creighton has won 60 straight games when scoring 44 points or more before halftime ... Creighton has won 24 straight games when shooting 50 percent or better.
Team Stats
ALCN
CU
FG%
.333
.559
3FG%
.292
.485
FT%
.750
.844
RB
30
47
TO
16
19
STL
8
7
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
23
FGM
8
3FGM
5
FTM
2
Pts
15
FGM
6
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
10
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
10
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
3
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
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