Wednesday, December 17
Cincinnati, OH
5:30 PM
Creighton University
6-5,1-0Big East
98
at
57
Xavier
8-4,0-1Big East
1
2
F
Creighton
49
49
98
Xavier
22
35
57
Nik Graves
Photo by: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
Men's Basketball Hands Xavier Worst Home Loss Ever in BIG EAST Opener
12/17/2025 7:19:00 PM | Men's Basketball
CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Austin Swartz had 13 of his career-high 27 points in the first half to help Creighton men's basketball to a 49-22 lead, and the Bluejays never looked back in a 98-57 win at Xavier on Wednesday night to open BIG EAST play. It was the largest home loss in Xavier history.
Back-to-back three-pointers by Swartz and Josh Dix helped Creighton open up a 6-2 lead early. After the Musketeers answered with the next eight points, Creighton scored on six straight possessions as part of 16-2 run to build a 22-12 lead. CU kept up its offensive onslaught, getting back-to-back baskets from Swartz to move in front 32-18 and force a second Xavier timeout of the half. Things were going so well that even a pass from Swartz -- intended to be a lob -- rolled in to put CU up 34-18.
The lead grew to 39-20 after a four-point possession by the Jays just after the final media timeout of the first half, and it started after an Owen Freeman blocked shot. Freeman then tipped in a lob pass and drew a foul. Isaac Traudt then grabbed the offensive rebound for a putback. A Traudt free throw on the next trip helped CU double-up the Musketeers.Â
Creighton led 49-22 at the half, its' largest advantage at the break in a conference road game in at least 20 years. Swartz had 13 at the half,with Dix (9), Freeman (8), Graves (7) and Green (7) also pumping in the points. CU shot 58.1 percent in the first half (18-31), making 8-of-15 three-pointers, and had 15 assists against just one turnover on those 18 baskets. CU's bench owned a 17-4 scoring advantage, led 10-0 in fast break points and outscored the Muskies 12-3 in points off turnovers.
The momentum carried into the second half, as Creighton outscored the X-men 8-1 in the first 99 seconds to lead to yet another timeout from head coach Richard Pitino, who was making his BIG EAST coaching debut. The Bluejay surge included three-balls from Swartz and Traudt, as well as a lay-up from Traudt to make it 60-23. After Xavier missed a lay-up, Swartz buried another triple to become the first Bluejay this season to surpass 20 points and establish a new career high in points.
The Bluejay lead remained larger than 28 the remainder of the game as Creighton coasted to its first victory to open league play since 2021.
In addition to 27 points from Swartz, Graves had 12 points and Green and Blake Harper both scored 11. Ten different Bluejays scored and CU buried 16 three-pointers in 33 tries and had 31 assists on 38 made baskets. CU had 43 bench points, 42 points in the paint and 21 fast break points.
Xavier was led by 14 points by Malik Messina-Moore. The Musketeers were held to 36.4 percent shooting in the contest.
Creighton is back home on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. when it hosts Marquette.
NOTES: Creighton had never before faced Xavier in a conference opener ... Josh Dix made a three-pointer for the 23rd straight game, tied for the nation's 14th-longest active streak ... Creighton has made a three-pointer in 1,067 straight games and five or more three-pointers in 82 games in a row ... Austin Swartz had his fourth straight game in double-figures after scoring eight total points in CU's first seven games .. Swartz also became the first Creighton player ever with 20 points or more in his BIG EAST debut ... Jasen Green surpassed 300 career points .. Creighton snapped Xavier's five-game win streak ... Creighton is now 7-6 all-time in BIG EAST openers with its first win in a conference lid-lifter since 2021 vs. Villanova, and 9-7 under Greg McDermott in conference openers ... Creighton (6x) joined Villanova (7)x) as the only visiting teams to beat Xavier at Cintas Center more than five times ... Nik Graves made his 100th career three-pointer ... Creighton's previous largest road victory margin at Xavier was 12 (77-64 on Jan. 11, 2020), and its previous eight wins in Cincinnati over the Musketeers had come by a combined 41 points ...  Creighton's previous largest halftime leads in BIG EAST play on the road were 18, both at Georgetown (45-27 on Jan. 6, 2018) and at St. John's (44-26) on Jan. 4, 2017) ... Xavier's previous largest loss at Cintas Center was 64-42 to Oral Roberts on Dec. 18, 2011 and its only previous home loss by 32 points or more was an 86-48 loss to Dayton on March 5, 1977. ... Creighton's 16 three-pointers were the most allowed by Xavier at Cintas Center since Evansville made 2011 in 2018 ... Creighton's largest previous margin of victory in 20 wins over Xavier had been 17 (84-67 in Omaha on Jan. 28, 2023) ... Creighton's previous largest margin of victory in a BIG EAST road game was a 93-58 win at DePaul on Feb. 11, 2017 ... Creighton's 98 points were the most ever allowed by Xavier inside Cintas Center .. Creighton's 41 point victory tied its second-largest victory in a conference game ever, trailing only a January 9, 1943 win vs. Saint Louis (69-25). CU also defeated St. John's 100-59 on Feb. 28, 2016.
Back-to-back three-pointers by Swartz and Josh Dix helped Creighton open up a 6-2 lead early. After the Musketeers answered with the next eight points, Creighton scored on six straight possessions as part of 16-2 run to build a 22-12 lead. CU kept up its offensive onslaught, getting back-to-back baskets from Swartz to move in front 32-18 and force a second Xavier timeout of the half. Things were going so well that even a pass from Swartz -- intended to be a lob -- rolled in to put CU up 34-18.
The lead grew to 39-20 after a four-point possession by the Jays just after the final media timeout of the first half, and it started after an Owen Freeman blocked shot. Freeman then tipped in a lob pass and drew a foul. Isaac Traudt then grabbed the offensive rebound for a putback. A Traudt free throw on the next trip helped CU double-up the Musketeers.Â
Creighton led 49-22 at the half, its' largest advantage at the break in a conference road game in at least 20 years. Swartz had 13 at the half,with Dix (9), Freeman (8), Graves (7) and Green (7) also pumping in the points. CU shot 58.1 percent in the first half (18-31), making 8-of-15 three-pointers, and had 15 assists against just one turnover on those 18 baskets. CU's bench owned a 17-4 scoring advantage, led 10-0 in fast break points and outscored the Muskies 12-3 in points off turnovers.
The momentum carried into the second half, as Creighton outscored the X-men 8-1 in the first 99 seconds to lead to yet another timeout from head coach Richard Pitino, who was making his BIG EAST coaching debut. The Bluejay surge included three-balls from Swartz and Traudt, as well as a lay-up from Traudt to make it 60-23. After Xavier missed a lay-up, Swartz buried another triple to become the first Bluejay this season to surpass 20 points and establish a new career high in points.
The Bluejay lead remained larger than 28 the remainder of the game as Creighton coasted to its first victory to open league play since 2021.
In addition to 27 points from Swartz, Graves had 12 points and Green and Blake Harper both scored 11. Ten different Bluejays scored and CU buried 16 three-pointers in 33 tries and had 31 assists on 38 made baskets. CU had 43 bench points, 42 points in the paint and 21 fast break points.
Xavier was led by 14 points by Malik Messina-Moore. The Musketeers were held to 36.4 percent shooting in the contest.
Creighton is back home on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. when it hosts Marquette.
NOTES: Creighton had never before faced Xavier in a conference opener ... Josh Dix made a three-pointer for the 23rd straight game, tied for the nation's 14th-longest active streak ... Creighton has made a three-pointer in 1,067 straight games and five or more three-pointers in 82 games in a row ... Austin Swartz had his fourth straight game in double-figures after scoring eight total points in CU's first seven games .. Swartz also became the first Creighton player ever with 20 points or more in his BIG EAST debut ... Jasen Green surpassed 300 career points .. Creighton snapped Xavier's five-game win streak ... Creighton is now 7-6 all-time in BIG EAST openers with its first win in a conference lid-lifter since 2021 vs. Villanova, and 9-7 under Greg McDermott in conference openers ... Creighton (6x) joined Villanova (7)x) as the only visiting teams to beat Xavier at Cintas Center more than five times ... Nik Graves made his 100th career three-pointer ... Creighton's previous largest road victory margin at Xavier was 12 (77-64 on Jan. 11, 2020), and its previous eight wins in Cincinnati over the Musketeers had come by a combined 41 points ...  Creighton's previous largest halftime leads in BIG EAST play on the road were 18, both at Georgetown (45-27 on Jan. 6, 2018) and at St. John's (44-26) on Jan. 4, 2017) ... Xavier's previous largest loss at Cintas Center was 64-42 to Oral Roberts on Dec. 18, 2011 and its only previous home loss by 32 points or more was an 86-48 loss to Dayton on March 5, 1977. ... Creighton's 16 three-pointers were the most allowed by Xavier at Cintas Center since Evansville made 2011 in 2018 ... Creighton's largest previous margin of victory in 20 wins over Xavier had been 17 (84-67 in Omaha on Jan. 28, 2023) ... Creighton's previous largest margin of victory in a BIG EAST road game was a 93-58 win at DePaul on Feb. 11, 2017 ... Creighton's 98 points were the most ever allowed by Xavier inside Cintas Center .. Creighton's 41 point victory tied its second-largest victory in a conference game ever, trailing only a January 9, 1943 win vs. Saint Louis (69-25). CU also defeated St. John's 100-59 on Feb. 28, 2016.
Team Stats
CU
XU
FG%
.603
.364
3FG%
.485
.250
FT%
.600
.500
RB
42
28
TO
12
14
STL
11
5
Game Leaders
Pts
27
FGM
10
3FGM
7
FTM
0
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
3
FTM
1
Pts
11
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Pts
11
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
3
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
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