Thursday, November 11
Omaha, Neb.
7:30 PM
Creighton University
2-0,0-0Big East
51
vs
44
Kennesaw State
0-2,0-0ASUN
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kennesaw St. | 24 | 20 | 44 |
| Creighton | 22 | 29 | 51 |
Photo by: Catherine Grosdidier
Defense Delivers 51-44 Men's Basketball Win Over Kennesaw State
11/11/2021 9:05:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Alex O'Connell leads Creighton with 13 points
OMAHA, Neb. -- For the second consecutive game the Creighton men's basketball team needed to rally from a halftime deficit, but the Bluejays defense came through in the clutch to deliver a 51-44 victory over Kennesaw State on Thursday, November 11.
The win pushed the Bluejays to 2-0 on the season, while Kennesaw State fell to 0-2.
Trailing 26-24 just after the second half began, Creighton imposed its will with a 10-0 run to take the lead for good. Five different Bluejays contributed with two points during the run, yet it wasn't the scoring that was impressive. Rather the Bluejay defense held the Owls to just two points in the opening eight minutes of the second half.
Despite taking control of the game, the Bluejays needed a critical bucket down the stretch to secure their second victory of the season. Leading 47-44 with just over one minute remaining, Creighton head coach Greg McDermott used a timeout to diagram the pivotal play in the contest. The Bluejays went to senior transfer Ryan Hawkins. The three-time national champion at the Division II level (Northwest Missouri State), worked his way into the paint, scoring with his back to the basket on a post move as the shot clock wound down to seal the win.Â
An early run in the opening half for the Bluejays almost held up for Creighton. In the opening stanza the Bluejays turned a 3-2 deficit in the opening moments into a 10-3 lead with eight straight points. Senior Alex O'Connell led that Bluejay surge with the final four points. Creighton maintained the lead until Kennesaw took a 22-20 advantage with 2:37 left in the first half.
O'Connell closed the contest with a game-high 13 points, while freshman Ryan Nembhard delivered 11 points and sophomore Ryan Kalkbrenner finished with 10 points. Hawkins led the Bluejays on the glass with 10 rebounds, his second consecutive game with double-digit rebounds. Creighton closed the night just 1-of-19 (5.3%) from beyond the arc, extending the nation's 14th-longest active streak of a made three-pointer to 915 games in a row.
Demond Robinson led the Owls with 11 points, the only Kennesaw State player to reach double figures. Kennesaw State shot 17-of-65 (26.2%) from the field, including 3-of-19 three-pointers. KSU's 26.2 percent shooting was the lowest by a Creighton opponent since Maryland-Eastern Shore shot 23.6 percent (13-55) vs. CU on Dec. 15, 2017.
The Bluejays return to action on Tuesday, November 16 as Creighton travels to Lincoln to face Nebraska in the Gavitt Tipoff Games. That contest will start at 6:00 pm in Pinnacle Bank Arena and be nationally-televised on FS1.
NOTES: Creighton improved 4-0 all-time against Kennesaw State, but this was the first matchup decided by single-digits ... Creighton has won 20 straight non-conference home games ... Creighton has started 2-0 for the 11th time in the last 12 seasons ... Teams with Ryan Hawkins improved to 161-8 at the collegiate level ... Creighton's 51 points were its fewest in a win since a 50-48 win at Missouri State in 2008 and Creighton's fewest in a home win since a 48-47 triumph vs. West Texas A&M on Feb. 20, 1986Â ... Creighton has won 43 straight home games against teams that are winless entering the day, a streak that dates to Dana Altman's home debut in 1994 ... Creighton improved to 66-1 all-time in regular-season home games that take place on or before Nov. 26 ... Tonight was just the fifth time during the 915 game three-pointers made streak that CU converted just one triple, and first time since Jan. 25, 2017 at Georgetown ... Creighton outscored KSU 34-20 in the paint ... Ryan Hawkins is the first Bluejay with 10 or more rebounds in each of CU's first two games of a season since Doug Swenson in 1998-99.
The win pushed the Bluejays to 2-0 on the season, while Kennesaw State fell to 0-2.
Trailing 26-24 just after the second half began, Creighton imposed its will with a 10-0 run to take the lead for good. Five different Bluejays contributed with two points during the run, yet it wasn't the scoring that was impressive. Rather the Bluejay defense held the Owls to just two points in the opening eight minutes of the second half.
Despite taking control of the game, the Bluejays needed a critical bucket down the stretch to secure their second victory of the season. Leading 47-44 with just over one minute remaining, Creighton head coach Greg McDermott used a timeout to diagram the pivotal play in the contest. The Bluejays went to senior transfer Ryan Hawkins. The three-time national champion at the Division II level (Northwest Missouri State), worked his way into the paint, scoring with his back to the basket on a post move as the shot clock wound down to seal the win.Â
An early run in the opening half for the Bluejays almost held up for Creighton. In the opening stanza the Bluejays turned a 3-2 deficit in the opening moments into a 10-3 lead with eight straight points. Senior Alex O'Connell led that Bluejay surge with the final four points. Creighton maintained the lead until Kennesaw took a 22-20 advantage with 2:37 left in the first half.
O'Connell closed the contest with a game-high 13 points, while freshman Ryan Nembhard delivered 11 points and sophomore Ryan Kalkbrenner finished with 10 points. Hawkins led the Bluejays on the glass with 10 rebounds, his second consecutive game with double-digit rebounds. Creighton closed the night just 1-of-19 (5.3%) from beyond the arc, extending the nation's 14th-longest active streak of a made three-pointer to 915 games in a row.
Demond Robinson led the Owls with 11 points, the only Kennesaw State player to reach double figures. Kennesaw State shot 17-of-65 (26.2%) from the field, including 3-of-19 three-pointers. KSU's 26.2 percent shooting was the lowest by a Creighton opponent since Maryland-Eastern Shore shot 23.6 percent (13-55) vs. CU on Dec. 15, 2017.
The Bluejays return to action on Tuesday, November 16 as Creighton travels to Lincoln to face Nebraska in the Gavitt Tipoff Games. That contest will start at 6:00 pm in Pinnacle Bank Arena and be nationally-televised on FS1.
NOTES: Creighton improved 4-0 all-time against Kennesaw State, but this was the first matchup decided by single-digits ... Creighton has won 20 straight non-conference home games ... Creighton has started 2-0 for the 11th time in the last 12 seasons ... Teams with Ryan Hawkins improved to 161-8 at the collegiate level ... Creighton's 51 points were its fewest in a win since a 50-48 win at Missouri State in 2008 and Creighton's fewest in a home win since a 48-47 triumph vs. West Texas A&M on Feb. 20, 1986Â ... Creighton has won 43 straight home games against teams that are winless entering the day, a streak that dates to Dana Altman's home debut in 1994 ... Creighton improved to 66-1 all-time in regular-season home games that take place on or before Nov. 26 ... Tonight was just the fifth time during the 915 game three-pointers made streak that CU converted just one triple, and first time since Jan. 25, 2017 at Georgetown ... Creighton outscored KSU 34-20 in the paint ... Ryan Hawkins is the first Bluejay with 10 or more rebounds in each of CU's first two games of a season since Doug Swenson in 1998-99.
Team Stats
KENNST
CU
FG%
.262
.385
3FG%
.158
.053
FT%
.700
.556
RB
40
46
TO
10
14
STL
4
6
Game Leaders
Pts
13
FGM
6
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Pts
11
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
6
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's BasketballC
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