Friday, December 11
Omaha, Neb.
6:00 PM
Creighton University
4-1,0-0Big East
98
vs
74
Nebraska
3-3,0-0Big Ten
1
2
F
Nebraska
40
34
74
Creighton
44
54
98
Shereef Mitchell
Photo by: Chelsea Nicholson
Second Half Run Lifts #8 Men's Basketball Past Nebraska, 98-74
12/11/2020 8:48:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Creighton wins 13th straight regular-season match-up vs. Nebraska in Omaha
OMAHA, Neb. -- No. 8 Creighton scored on 10 straight possessions during a 23-2 run to open up a close game in the second half to beat in-state rival Nebraska for the 13th straight regular-season meeting in Omaha. CU led 44-40 at the half before pulling away for a 98-74 win, its largest margin in the series since a 70-44 victory in 2005.
No. 8 Creighton (4-1) responded from a 73-72 loss on Tuesday at No. 5 Kansas, trailing for just 108 seconds in the game, to win its 32nd straight Friday home game. That streak turns 45 years old on Saturday. Creighton's 98 points were its most ever in 54 meetings against NU, eclipsing the 95 scored a year ago in a 95-76 triumph.
The game-deciding run saw Creighton's lead escalate from 55-51 with 14:16 left into a 78-53 margin with 9:23 remaining. Each of CU's first seven baskets in that spurt came from a different player, and CU combined that free-flowing offense with lockdown defense that limited the Cornhuskers to 1-of-7 shooting and four turnovers. When it was over the Bluejays were well on their way to its eighth double-digit win in the past nine meetings vs. Nebraska.
A competitive opening period saw both Creighton and Nebraska use small bursts to change momentum. Trailing 8-6 with 16:30 on the clock, junior Marcus Zegarowski lifted his Bluejay teammates with a personal 9-0 run in under one minute. Zegarowski put Creighton ahead with a trey from the left wing, then went on to connect on three from the charity stripe and gave the Bluejays a 15-8 lead with a three ball from the right wing.
Nebraska answered with seven straight points to knot the game at 15-15, getting three-pointers from Thorir Thorbjarnarson and Dalano Banton as well as a free throw by Banton.
The Bluejays pushed ahead once more, thanks to another Zegarowski surge. Leading 19-17, the Massachusetts native scored the next five points to give Creighton its largest lead of the half at 24-17. Nebraska rose to the challenge, capturing a 33-30 edge with 3:41 left. Creighton responded with another 9-0 burst, this time getting four from senior Denzel Mahoney, three by Zegarowski and a bucket from senior Damien Jefferson. Creighton went on to hold a 44-40 lead at the break.
Zegarowski finished with 22 points and Mahoney 20 while becoming the first Bluejays to crack the 20-point barrier this winter. They were joined in double-figures by Ryan Kalkbrenner (13), Jefferson (11) and Christian Bishop (10). Kalkbrenner added eight rebounds and blocked three shots in 18 minutes of action. Bishop shook off foul trouble to make 5-of-5 shots from the floor and is now making 84.4 percent of his shots from the floor this season. CU shot 52.1 percent from the floor (38-73), including 14-of-30 three-pointers (46.7 percent), and sank 8-of-13 foul shots (61.5 percent).
Nebraska was led by 26 points and nine rebounds from Teddy Allen. Trey McGowens scored 15 points and Banton added 12 points and seven rebounds. NU shot 43.9 percent from the floor (26-57), including 11-of-26 from three-point range (42.3 percent), and made 13-of-22 foul shots (59.1 percent).
Creighton returns to the court on Monday, Dec. 14 as the Bluejays open BIG EAST play at home against Marquette at 8:00 pm on FS1.
NOTES: Creighton and Nebraska first met in 1923, but Creighton owns a two-game lead in the all-time series (28-26) for the first time ... Greg McDermott is now 15-4 against Nebraska, tied for his most wins against any opponent (DePaul; Drake) ... Creighton has won 11 straight home games, with the last 10 by double-figures ... Creighton improved to 124-47 all-time as a nationally-ranked team, including a 90-35 mark under McDermott ... Creighton improved to 3-0 all-time on Dec. 11 vs. Nebraska, having also won in 2004 and 2005 ... Creighton hosted Nebraska in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1986 & 1987 ... In the past 11 regular-season meetings in Omaha, Creighton has opened up a double-digit lead in all 11 meetings, while Nebraska has never led by more than nine ... Creighton has led by by 19 points or more in six of the past eight nine meetings in Omaha ... In the past 11 meetings in Omaha, Creighton has led for 371:27, while Nebraska has led for 40:05 ... Creighton is now 15-4 in its last 19 games against the Big Ten with 13 double-digit victories ... Creighton has led at half in 18 of the past 22 regular-season meetings vs. Nebraska ... Creighton has started 4-1 or 5-0 after five games in all 11 seasons under Greg McDermott ... Creighton's 10 straight double-digit home wins is tied for the second-longest streak in program history ... Creighton has made a three-pointer in 887 straight games and won its last 16 games when placing five or more players in double-figures ... Mitch Ballock had six points to move past Johnny Mathies (1,031) for 37th on CU's all-time scoring list with 1,034 points.
No. 8 Creighton (4-1) responded from a 73-72 loss on Tuesday at No. 5 Kansas, trailing for just 108 seconds in the game, to win its 32nd straight Friday home game. That streak turns 45 years old on Saturday. Creighton's 98 points were its most ever in 54 meetings against NU, eclipsing the 95 scored a year ago in a 95-76 triumph.
The game-deciding run saw Creighton's lead escalate from 55-51 with 14:16 left into a 78-53 margin with 9:23 remaining. Each of CU's first seven baskets in that spurt came from a different player, and CU combined that free-flowing offense with lockdown defense that limited the Cornhuskers to 1-of-7 shooting and four turnovers. When it was over the Bluejays were well on their way to its eighth double-digit win in the past nine meetings vs. Nebraska.
A competitive opening period saw both Creighton and Nebraska use small bursts to change momentum. Trailing 8-6 with 16:30 on the clock, junior Marcus Zegarowski lifted his Bluejay teammates with a personal 9-0 run in under one minute. Zegarowski put Creighton ahead with a trey from the left wing, then went on to connect on three from the charity stripe and gave the Bluejays a 15-8 lead with a three ball from the right wing.
Nebraska answered with seven straight points to knot the game at 15-15, getting three-pointers from Thorir Thorbjarnarson and Dalano Banton as well as a free throw by Banton.
The Bluejays pushed ahead once more, thanks to another Zegarowski surge. Leading 19-17, the Massachusetts native scored the next five points to give Creighton its largest lead of the half at 24-17. Nebraska rose to the challenge, capturing a 33-30 edge with 3:41 left. Creighton responded with another 9-0 burst, this time getting four from senior Denzel Mahoney, three by Zegarowski and a bucket from senior Damien Jefferson. Creighton went on to hold a 44-40 lead at the break.
Zegarowski finished with 22 points and Mahoney 20 while becoming the first Bluejays to crack the 20-point barrier this winter. They were joined in double-figures by Ryan Kalkbrenner (13), Jefferson (11) and Christian Bishop (10). Kalkbrenner added eight rebounds and blocked three shots in 18 minutes of action. Bishop shook off foul trouble to make 5-of-5 shots from the floor and is now making 84.4 percent of his shots from the floor this season. CU shot 52.1 percent from the floor (38-73), including 14-of-30 three-pointers (46.7 percent), and sank 8-of-13 foul shots (61.5 percent).
Nebraska was led by 26 points and nine rebounds from Teddy Allen. Trey McGowens scored 15 points and Banton added 12 points and seven rebounds. NU shot 43.9 percent from the floor (26-57), including 11-of-26 from three-point range (42.3 percent), and made 13-of-22 foul shots (59.1 percent).
Creighton returns to the court on Monday, Dec. 14 as the Bluejays open BIG EAST play at home against Marquette at 8:00 pm on FS1.
NOTES: Creighton and Nebraska first met in 1923, but Creighton owns a two-game lead in the all-time series (28-26) for the first time ... Greg McDermott is now 15-4 against Nebraska, tied for his most wins against any opponent (DePaul; Drake) ... Creighton has won 11 straight home games, with the last 10 by double-figures ... Creighton improved to 124-47 all-time as a nationally-ranked team, including a 90-35 mark under McDermott ... Creighton improved to 3-0 all-time on Dec. 11 vs. Nebraska, having also won in 2004 and 2005 ... Creighton hosted Nebraska in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1986 & 1987 ... In the past 11 regular-season meetings in Omaha, Creighton has opened up a double-digit lead in all 11 meetings, while Nebraska has never led by more than nine ... Creighton has led by by 19 points or more in six of the past eight nine meetings in Omaha ... In the past 11 meetings in Omaha, Creighton has led for 371:27, while Nebraska has led for 40:05 ... Creighton is now 15-4 in its last 19 games against the Big Ten with 13 double-digit victories ... Creighton has led at half in 18 of the past 22 regular-season meetings vs. Nebraska ... Creighton has started 4-1 or 5-0 after five games in all 11 seasons under Greg McDermott ... Creighton's 10 straight double-digit home wins is tied for the second-longest streak in program history ... Creighton has made a three-pointer in 887 straight games and won its last 16 games when placing five or more players in double-figures ... Mitch Ballock had six points to move past Johnny Mathies (1,031) for 37th on CU's all-time scoring list with 1,034 points.
Team Stats
NEB
CU
FG%
.439
.521
3FG%
.423
.467
FT%
.591
.615
RB
39
36
TO
25
13
STL
5
16
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
22
FGM
6
3FGM
5
FTM
5
Pts
20
FGM
7
3FGM
4
FTM
2
Pts
13
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Pts
11
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballC
/ Men's BasketballG/F
/ Men's BasketballG
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