Creighton overcomes 18 point deficit at home to defeat #18 Oklahoma 65-63

OMAHA, Neb. - Down 42-24 early in the second half, the Creighton men's basketball team came all the way back to defeat No. 18 Oklahoma 65-63 on Wednesday, Nov. 19, before 17,393 fans in Omaha.

Creighton moved to 3-0 on the season with the second-largest comeback victory in CenturyLink Center Omaha history, while the Sooners dropped to 1-1. 

Austin Chatman had 17 points, a career-high 11 rebounds and six assists in the Bluejay victory and keyed the second-half charge after CU fell behind 42-24 with 18;30 to play.

Creighton mounted a 24-4 run to take its first lead of theg game at 48-46 on an Isaiah Zierden three-pointer with 11:35 remaining. The teams exchanged seven leads in the second half, but Creighton took the lead for good with 49 seconds left when Zach Hanson tipped in a Devin Brooks miss to make it 63-61. OU's Jordan Woodard would miss a go-ahead three-pointer and Austin Chatman was fouled with 24 seconds left. Chatman sank both for a four-point margin.

OU got within two points on a pair of free throws by Isaiah Cousins with 5.0 left before Brooks was fouled with four ticks left. He would miss both and OU called timeout with 3.6 to play.

Following timeouts by both teams, Woodard drove upcourt and missed a contested fallaway three-pointer at the buzzer as the home crowd roared.

Oklahoma star Buddy Hield scored the game's first seven points as the Sooners raced to leads of 7-0, 28-18 and 33-20 before settling for a 35-24 lead at the break. Creighton shot a paltry 24 percent (6-25) in the first half and were outrebounded 24-17 by the Sooners.

TaShawn Thomas had four points and Ryan Spangler a three-pointer as OU opened the second half with another 7-0 run to make it 42-24. A Bluejay timeout sparked the greatest comeback victory in the five-year tenure of Greg McDermott at Creighton.

The 24-4 run took just 6:37, and started with a three-pointer from Toby Hegner and followed with threee-balls from Zierden and Chatman before a Zach Hanson three-point play made it a 12-2 run and trimmed the deficit to single-figures at 44-36 with 15:26 left. The onslaught continued despite two timeouts from OU coach Lon Kruger. Hoops by Brooks and Chatman got CU within four before a Hield tip-in made it 46-40 OU wiht 13:18 left. But Hegner drained a three-pointer, and Hanson another jumper before Zierden's three-pointer gave CU its first lead at 48-46 with 11:35 left.

Neither team led by more than four points the rest of the game.

In addition to Chatman's first career point/rebound double-double (17 & 11), Hegner and Zierden both scored 11 points. Creighton shot 37.5 percent for the game and 8-for-26 (30.8 percent) from three-point range, while also sinking 15-of-21 foul shots.

Hield led all scorers with 21 points for OU before fouling out with four seconds left., while Ryan Spangler had 11 points and 11 rebounds for the double-double. Houston transfer TaShawn Thomas had 14 points and six rebounds as well for the Sooners. Oklahoma shot 35.5 percent for the game, including 8-of-24 percent from downtown (33.3 percent), while making 11-of-14 free throws. OU owned a 44-37 edge on the glass.

The Bluejays return to action on Sunday, Nov. 23 as Creighton begins play in the Emerald Coast Classic against North Carolina Central at 3:00 pm.

NOTES: No. 18 Oklahoma was the highest-ranked non-conference opponent to play Creighton in Omaha since the Bluejays overcame a 37-19 deficit to defeat No. 17 Western Kentucky on Nov. 27, 2001 ... Creighton improved to 21-119 all-time vs. AP Top 25 teams, including a 4-2 mark at CenturyLink Center Omaha, and a 7-3 mark at home since 1998-99 .. Creighton has won 25 straight regular-season home games vs. teams from the ACC, Big 10, Big 12, BIG EAST, Pac 12 and SEC dating to 1996-97 ... The win extended Creighton's home win streak to 21, but this was the first time the Jays had trailed in the second half of that streak ... Isaiah Zierden has scored in double-figures in all three games this season after doing so just three times as a freshman ... Creighton improved to 47-0 all-time in regular-season home games on or before Nov. 26th ... Oklahoma has lost 12 straight games in front of 14,000+ fans, while Creighton is 22-1 in its last 23 games before such crowds ... Creighton has started 3-0 or better in 15 of the last 17 seasons ... Creighton's only larger comeback win at CenturyLink Center Omaha came on Jan. 28, 2006 vs. Wichita State when CU trailed 25-6 and won 57-55 at the buzzer ... Creighton's 21-game home win streak is tied for the fifth-longest active streak nationally ... Creighton was just 1-8 last year when trailing at half, but is now 1-0 this season ... Creighton's previous largest comeback win under Greg McDermott was 17 points at San Diego State on Nov. 30, 2011.

Creighton rolls in first post-Doug McDermott game to open 2014-15 regular season

OMAHA, Neb. -- Rick Kreklow had a career-high 18 points to lead six men in double-figures as Creighton Men's Basketball won its 20th straight home opener, 104-77, over Central Arkansas on Friday night.

The game was played before 18,160 fans, the largest crowd in school history for an opener.

The Bluejays held UCA without a field goal for the first six minutes, quickly building an 14-1 lead at the start. Creighton never trailed, the eighth time in the last 15 years CU has led wire-to-wire in its opener.

The Jays led 55-34 at the half and extended the lead to as much as 38 (80-42) before a late flurry of baskets by the visiting Bears, who were playing their first game under new head coach Russ Pennell and returned just one player from last year's eight-win team.

In addition to Kreklow's 18 points, Isaiah Zierden poured in a career-best 16 points in his first game since tearing a patellar tendon in his knee last March. James Milliken debuted with 13 points, Devin Brooks had 12 and Austin Chatman added 10 points. In addition, Will Artino had 14 points and 10 rebounds in 17 minutes for his second career double-double.

Creighton shot 48.6 percent from the field, 9-of-26 from three-point range and 25-of-30 at the line. The Jays won the rebound battle 45-28 and outscored UCA 46-22 in the paint.

Boo Milligan had 18 points and seven rebounds before fouling out, while Jordan Howard had 11 of his game-high 19 points after halftime. UCA shot 46.4 percent from the field, including 45.8 percent from three-point range, and also sank 14-of-20 free throws.

Creighton returns to action on Sunday at 4:30 pm for a game vs. Chicago State (0-1). The contest will be televised and air nationally on FOX Sports 1.

NOTES: Each of Creighton's last six teams to score 90 or more points in the season-opener went on to the NCAA Tournament ... Creighton has won 31 straight home games against winless teams ... Creighton is now 45-0 all-time in regular-season home games played on or before Nov. 26th ... Creighton improved to 82-15 all-time on Opening Day, including 17 wins in its last 18 lid-lifters ... Greg McDermott has won 13 straight season-openers ... Before Rick Kreklow, the last Bluejay with 18 points or more in his debut was P'Allen Stinnett's 23 in 2007. Stinnett went on to win MVC Freshman of the Year honors ... Toby Hegner joined Ryan Sears (1997-98) and Doug McDermott (2010-11) as the only freshmen in the last 20 years to start CU's season-opener ... Creighton hasn't trailed in 49 of its 187 all-time games at CenturyLink Center Omaha ... Creighton has not lost a Friday home game since 1975 and won every Friday home game since Dec. 2, 1989 by double-digits ... Creighton has won 19 straight home games, the nation's eighth-longest active streak. CU hasn't trailed in the second half during any of those ... Creighton has won 21 straight games when scoring 100 points or more and improved to 49-2 when doing so ... Each of Creighton's last seven teams to have a double-double in the opener went on to either win its conference in the regular-season or postseason tournament.

B1G vs. Big East: Nebraska (6-2) at Creighton (6-2) at CenturyLink Center Omaha at 5 p.m. on FS1

Omaha, NE -- Creighton is 6-2 on the young season, with victories over Alcorn State (107-61), UMKC (96-70), Saint Joseph’s (83-79), Tulsa (82-72)  and Arizona State (88-60) to open the year before losses to San Diego State (86-80) and George Washington (60-53) to close out play at the Wooden Legacy. The Jays wrapped up an eight-day road trip on Tuesday with a 78-61 win at Long Beach State.

The Bluejays returned 11 lettermen and four starters from last year’s 28-8 team that reached the third round of the NCAA Tournament for a second consecutive season.   
    

Creighton junior PG Austin Chatman is one of four returning starters
for Jays in 2014

Senior Doug McDermott (24.4 ppg., 6.8 rpg., 44.2 3FG%) is the nation’s only returning consensus First Team All-American, as well as the nation’s leading returning scorer. He’s led the Jays in scoring and rebounding each of the past three seasons, and named Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year by league coaches.
    

The other three returning starters include guards Grant Gibbs (5.6 ppg., 4.3 apg.), Jahenns Manigat (5.6 ppg.) and Austin Chatman (8.6 ppg., 4.5 apg., 4.9 rpg.). Gibbs led the MVC in assists each of the last two years and was awarded a sixth year of eligibility in early July. Devin Brooks (9.9 ppg.) has given CU a spark off the bench, as well.
    

Junior center Will Artino (6.6 ppg., 2.9 rpg.) and reigning MVC Sixth Man of the Year Ethan Wragge(12.1 ppg., 50.8 3FG%) see time on the front line to help replace starting center Gregory Echenique(9.7 ppg., 6.6 rpg., 1.7 bpg.).
    

Creighton was picked to finish third in the 10-team BIG EAST Conference this winter.
Nebraska has won three straight games and enters Sunday’s showdown with a 6-2 mark on the season. The game will be NU’s initial true road game of the season, though the Cornhuskers did go 1-2 in three neutral-site games at the Charleston Classic late last month.
    
Five of Nebraska’s top six scorers are newcomers, a group headed by Terran Petteway (15.8 ppg., 4.9 rpg.), Deverell Biggs (10.7 ppg.) and Walter Pitchford (9.0 ppg., 4.4 rpg.).
    
Sophomore Shavon Shields (12.0 ppg., 5.4 rpg.) heads the list of returners, which also includes the team’s top three-pointer shooter, Ray Gallegos (8.0 ppg.).
    
Nebraska shoots 43.9 percent from the floor, 34.9 percent from three-point range and 71.4 percent at the line while being out-rebounded by 1.3 caroms per contest. The Cornhuskers also average 73.0 points per game while allowing just 64.2 per outing.

Series History
This is the 47th meeting all-time between Nebraska and Creighton in men's basketball, which began in the 1922-23 season.  Nebraska leads the all-time series 25-21.  Creighton's win last season snapped a seven-year streak that saw the home team win each game.  Creighton leads 15-9 all-time in games played in Omaha and the Huskers are looking for their first win at the CenturyLink Center since the 2004 NIT Tournament.  Nebraska's last regular season win against Creighton in Omaha came in 1995.  Creighton has won 11 of the last 14 regular-season games against Nebraska.  

Recent Meetings
2012 - Creighton 64, Nebraska 42 (Lincoln)
2011 - Creighton 76, Nebraska 66 (Omaha)
2010 - Nebraska 59, Creighton 54 (Lincoln)
2009 - Creighton 67, Nebraska 61 (Omaha)
2008 - Nebraska 54, Creighton 52 (Lincoln)
2007 - Creighton 74, Nebraska 62 (Omaha)
2006 - Nebraska 73, Creighton 61 (Lincoln)
2005 - Creighton 70, Nebraska 44 (Omaha)
2004 - Creighton 50, Nebraska 48 (Lincoln)
2004 - Nebraska 71, Creighton 70 (NIT Tournament) (Omaha)
2003 - Creighton 61, Nebraska 54 (Omaha)
2002 - Creighton 81, Nebraska 73 (Lincoln)
2001 - Creighton 76, Nebraska 70 (Omaha)
2000 - Creighton 62, Nebraska 51 (Lincoln)

Tim Miles vs. Greg McDermott
These two coaches have known each other for quite some time and have been coaching against each other for more than 15 years.  Greg McDermott is 9-0 all-time in games he has coached against Tim Miles.

1997-98 - Wayne State 79, Southwest Minnesota State 65
1997-98 - Wayne State 72, Southwest Minnesota State 69
1998-99 - Wayne State 84, Southwest Minnesota State 67
1998-99 - Wayne State 65, Southwest Minnesota State 62
1999-00 - Wayne State 77, Southwest Minnesota State 53
1999-00 - Wayne State 67, Southwest Minnesota State 65
1999-00 - Wayne State 84, Southwest Minnesota State 72
2006-07 - Iowa State 67, North Dakota State 54
2012-13 - Creighton 64, Nebraska 42

Nebraska Schedule (6-2)Florida Gulf Coast (W 79-55)
Western Illinois (W 62-47)
South Carolina State (W 83-57)
-----Charleston Classic-----
vs. UMass (L 90-96)
vs. UAB (L 74-87)
vs. Georgia (W 73-65)
--------------------------------------
Northern Illinois (W 63-58)
Miami (FL) (W 60-49)

Creighton Schedule (6-2)Alcorn State (W 107-61)
Missouri-Kansas City (W 96-70)
at St. Joseph's (W 83-79)
Tulsa (W 82-72)
-----Wooden Legacy-----
vs. Arizona State (W 88-60)
vs. San Diego State (L 80-86)
vs. George Washington (L 53-60)
-----------------------------------
at Long Beach State (W 78-61)