Friday, October 17
Omaha, Neb.
7:30 PM
Creighton University
71
vs
58
Iowa State
Photo by: Creighton Athletics
#23 Men's Basketball Tops #16 Iowa State in Exhibition Opener
10/17/2025 10:20:00 PM | Men's Basketball
OMAHA, Neb. -- No. 23 Creighton men's basketball used a 23-0 run and never looked back in a 71-58 exhibition victory over No. 16 Iowa State on Friday, Oct. 17. The Bluejays led 46-23 at halftime, opened up a lead as large as 54-26, and made key plays down the stretch after the Cyclones drew within eight points with just under three minutes to play.
Nik Graves led Creighton with 13 points and five assists and fellow newcomer Blake Harper added 10 points and six rebounds. CU played without forwards Owen Freeman and Jackson McAndrew.
Iowa State was paced by Joshua Jefferson's 18 points and 12 rebounds but ISU shot 0-for-14 from three-point range. The Cyclones played without star point guard Tamin Lipsey.
Iowa State opened the game with three straight lay-ups to take a 6-0 lead before Iowa transfer Josh Dix broke the Bluejay drought with a pair of free throws. The Cyclones led 8-4 before the host Bluejays unleashed an avalanche on the visitors. CU's 23-0 run featured six points each from Fedor Zugic, Austin Swartz and Graves and saw the Cyclones miss 11 straight shots.
Creighton led 46-23 at the break, led by 11 points from Graves, as the Jays had 10 assists and just one turnover against ISU's typically-stout defense.
Iowa State got a close as 65-57 with 2:52 left before Graves found Dix and Jasen Green for back-to-back baskets from close range to squash the rally.
CU won the rebound battle 42-39, shot 40 percent from the field and made 81.8 percent of its free throw attempts. ISU shot 36.1 percent from the floor and made 14-of-24 free throw tries.
The teams will meet again in Las Vegas on Nov. 25 at the Players Era Men's Championship.
Creighton is back in action on Saturday, Oct. 25 at 6 p.m. when it hosts Colorado State in its final exhibition game.
Nik Graves led Creighton with 13 points and five assists and fellow newcomer Blake Harper added 10 points and six rebounds. CU played without forwards Owen Freeman and Jackson McAndrew.
Iowa State was paced by Joshua Jefferson's 18 points and 12 rebounds but ISU shot 0-for-14 from three-point range. The Cyclones played without star point guard Tamin Lipsey.
Iowa State opened the game with three straight lay-ups to take a 6-0 lead before Iowa transfer Josh Dix broke the Bluejay drought with a pair of free throws. The Cyclones led 8-4 before the host Bluejays unleashed an avalanche on the visitors. CU's 23-0 run featured six points each from Fedor Zugic, Austin Swartz and Graves and saw the Cyclones miss 11 straight shots.
Creighton led 46-23 at the break, led by 11 points from Graves, as the Jays had 10 assists and just one turnover against ISU's typically-stout defense.
Iowa State got a close as 65-57 with 2:52 left before Graves found Dix and Jasen Green for back-to-back baskets from close range to squash the rally.
CU won the rebound battle 42-39, shot 40 percent from the field and made 81.8 percent of its free throw attempts. ISU shot 36.1 percent from the floor and made 14-of-24 free throw tries.
The teams will meet again in Las Vegas on Nov. 25 at the Players Era Men's Championship.
Creighton is back in action on Saturday, Oct. 25 at 6 p.m. when it hosts Colorado State in its final exhibition game.
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