Saturday, February 1
Philadelphia, Pa.
12:00 PM
Creighton University
16-6,9-2Big East
62
at
60
Villanova
12-10,5-6Big East
1
2
F
Creighton
29
33
62
Villanova
29
31
60
Jamiya Neal
Photo by: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
Ashworth Uses Glass As Men's Basketball Tops Villanova, 62-60
2/1/2025 2:16:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Bluejays win seventh straight game
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- Steven Ashworth banked in a three-pointer with 5.8 seconds left to help Creighton to a 62-60 win at Villanova on Saturday afternoon.
The Bluejays improved to 16-6 overall and 9-2 in BIG EAST play with their seventh straight win, while Villanova dropped to 12-10 (5-6 BIG EAST).
Creighton controlled much of the first half, though it was played at Villanova's pace. The Bluejays led by as much as 23-15 after a three-point play by Ryan Kalkbrenner, only to have Villanova counter with a 12-2 run that featured seven points by Eric Dixon and a three-ball from Jordann Dumont that gave Villanova a 27-25 lead, its first of the game. The teams traded buckets after that and went to the half knotted at 29-all.
Creighton made 10-of-12 two-pointers in the opening half but shot just 1-of-14 from downtown in that time, when it outrebounded Nova 24-15 Kalkbrenner paced CU with 10 points at the break, but Villanova converted nine Bluejay turnovers into 13 points to keep pace.
Wooga Poplar, who played just five first half minutes after a pair of early fouls, led Villanova's charge in the second half. The Miami (Fla.) transfer made three straight baskets to help Nova take a 50-45 lead before a Steven Ashworth three-ball made it a one-possession game with 6:34 left. Kalkbrenner then slammed home an alley-oop with 4:47 left to tie the score at 50. Kalkbrenner then sank both ends of a 1-and-1 with 4:06 left to give Creighton a 52-50 lead and cap the 7-0 run. VU's Dixon tied the game back up with a pair at the charity stripe with 3:52 remaining after the final media timeout.
The teams traded scores before an Ashworth pull-up three-pointer with 2:49 left, but Poplar's driving lay-up dropped at the 1:53 mark to trim CU's lead to one. After both teams traded empty possesions, Jamiya Neal put back his own miss to give CU a 59-56 lead with 49.1 left. Poplar made another hoop with 43.2 left to make it a one-point edge.
Creighton would turn it over on its next trip as Poplar got a breakaway dunk with 15.3 remaining as Nova took back the lead, 60-59. CU pushed the ball up-court, where Ashworth missed a three-pointer, but Jasen Green hustled for the rebound and called timeout with 8.8 left.
The Jays faked a pass inside to Kalkbrenner before finding Ashworth in the left corner. He banked in the three-pointer with 5.8 left to give Creighton the lead. Villanova called timeout with 3.8 left at midcourt and got it to Dixon, who dribbled it off his foot with 0.7 left. CU then inbounded it to Neal, who dribbled out the final second.
Kalkbrenner had 22 points and eight rebounds, while Neal and Ashworth both had 13 points. CU's seniors scored its final 19 points.
Poplar led Nova with 24 points and Dixon finished with 17.
Creighton is back in action on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. Central when it meets Providence.
NOTES: Villanova became the first BIG EAST opponent to get into the bonus in the first half vs. Creighton since the 2022-23 season ... Eric Dixon surpassed 2,000 career points in the game ... Steven Ashworth made a three-pointer in his 40th straight game … Villanova's Eric Dixon (200) became the second player since 1996-97 to score 200+ career points against Creighton, joining Evansville's Colt Ryan (201) … Creighton is now 2-15 all-time against Villanova when making eight or fewer three-pointers compared to a 9-4 mark when making nine or more trifectas … Creighton's six three-pointers tied a season-low ... Creighton's 9-2 BIG EAST start matches its best start ever in BIG EAST play, as the 2013-14 club also opened 9-2 …. Creighton improved to 4-2 inside Wells Fargo Center against Villanova since joining the BIG EAST in 2013 … Creighton's seven-game win streak in BIG EAST play is its second-longest ever, one behind the record … Creighton has won four straight BIG EAST road games for the first time since Jan. 27-Feb. 10, 2021 … Creighton has won nine straight games on FOX … Creighton's 11 wins over Villanova since 2013-14 are tied with the Marquette as the most by any opponent … Creighton won both regular-season meetings against Villanova for the first time since 2013-14.
The Bluejays improved to 16-6 overall and 9-2 in BIG EAST play with their seventh straight win, while Villanova dropped to 12-10 (5-6 BIG EAST).
Creighton controlled much of the first half, though it was played at Villanova's pace. The Bluejays led by as much as 23-15 after a three-point play by Ryan Kalkbrenner, only to have Villanova counter with a 12-2 run that featured seven points by Eric Dixon and a three-ball from Jordann Dumont that gave Villanova a 27-25 lead, its first of the game. The teams traded buckets after that and went to the half knotted at 29-all.
Creighton made 10-of-12 two-pointers in the opening half but shot just 1-of-14 from downtown in that time, when it outrebounded Nova 24-15 Kalkbrenner paced CU with 10 points at the break, but Villanova converted nine Bluejay turnovers into 13 points to keep pace.
Wooga Poplar, who played just five first half minutes after a pair of early fouls, led Villanova's charge in the second half. The Miami (Fla.) transfer made three straight baskets to help Nova take a 50-45 lead before a Steven Ashworth three-ball made it a one-possession game with 6:34 left. Kalkbrenner then slammed home an alley-oop with 4:47 left to tie the score at 50. Kalkbrenner then sank both ends of a 1-and-1 with 4:06 left to give Creighton a 52-50 lead and cap the 7-0 run. VU's Dixon tied the game back up with a pair at the charity stripe with 3:52 remaining after the final media timeout.
The teams traded scores before an Ashworth pull-up three-pointer with 2:49 left, but Poplar's driving lay-up dropped at the 1:53 mark to trim CU's lead to one. After both teams traded empty possesions, Jamiya Neal put back his own miss to give CU a 59-56 lead with 49.1 left. Poplar made another hoop with 43.2 left to make it a one-point edge.
Creighton would turn it over on its next trip as Poplar got a breakaway dunk with 15.3 remaining as Nova took back the lead, 60-59. CU pushed the ball up-court, where Ashworth missed a three-pointer, but Jasen Green hustled for the rebound and called timeout with 8.8 left.
The Jays faked a pass inside to Kalkbrenner before finding Ashworth in the left corner. He banked in the three-pointer with 5.8 left to give Creighton the lead. Villanova called timeout with 3.8 left at midcourt and got it to Dixon, who dribbled it off his foot with 0.7 left. CU then inbounded it to Neal, who dribbled out the final second.
Kalkbrenner had 22 points and eight rebounds, while Neal and Ashworth both had 13 points. CU's seniors scored its final 19 points.
Poplar led Nova with 24 points and Dixon finished with 17.
Creighton is back in action on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. Central when it meets Providence.
NOTES: Villanova became the first BIG EAST opponent to get into the bonus in the first half vs. Creighton since the 2022-23 season ... Eric Dixon surpassed 2,000 career points in the game ... Steven Ashworth made a three-pointer in his 40th straight game … Villanova's Eric Dixon (200) became the second player since 1996-97 to score 200+ career points against Creighton, joining Evansville's Colt Ryan (201) … Creighton is now 2-15 all-time against Villanova when making eight or fewer three-pointers compared to a 9-4 mark when making nine or more trifectas … Creighton's six three-pointers tied a season-low ... Creighton's 9-2 BIG EAST start matches its best start ever in BIG EAST play, as the 2013-14 club also opened 9-2 …. Creighton improved to 4-2 inside Wells Fargo Center against Villanova since joining the BIG EAST in 2013 … Creighton's seven-game win streak in BIG EAST play is its second-longest ever, one behind the record … Creighton has won four straight BIG EAST road games for the first time since Jan. 27-Feb. 10, 2021 … Creighton has won nine straight games on FOX … Creighton's 11 wins over Villanova since 2013-14 are tied with the Marquette as the most by any opponent … Creighton won both regular-season meetings against Villanova for the first time since 2013-14.
Team Stats
CU
VU
FG%
.471
.397
3FG%
.231
.176
FT%
.571
.917
RB
40
28
TO
18
6
STL
2
13
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
22
FGM
9
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
13
FGM
4
3FGM
3
FTM
2
Pts
13
FGM
6
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballC
/ Men's BasketballG/F
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