OMAHA, Neb. (AP) Kevin Warzynski scored 15 points and Kent State pulled away in the final nine minutes to beat previously undefeated Creighton 67-58 Tuesday night.
The Golden Flashes (6-2) led most of the game, but Creighton (7-1) had closed to 45-44 when back-to-back 3-pointers by DeAndre Haynes and Warzynski started a decisive 15-4 run, making it 58-46 with 4:22 to play.
Warzynski, a center, followed with a neat pass for a layup by Scott Cutley and then hit another 3-pointer. Warzynski's three-point play made it 63-49 with 3:01 left.
Haynes finished with 13 points and Jason Edwin had 10 for Kent State, which fell behind only briefly at 35-32 early in the second half. The Golden Flashes scored the next eight points and never trailed again. The Bluejays got within one twice before Warzynski took control.
Kellen Miliner led Creighton with 21 points, including four of his team's seven 3-pointers. Nate Funk added 14 points.
But the Golden Flashes made their team-average nine 3-pointers, including two each by four players, and had a 34-25 rebounding advantage to help overcome a 17-6 deficiency in made free throws.
Kent State used a 12-0 run, keyed by two 3-pointers by Cutley, to help build an 11-point lead midway through the first half. But the Bluejays, helped by an 11-2 advantage at the line, closed within 30-29 at halftime.
The Golden Flashes, who defeated Creighton 70-55 last year in the only previous matchup of the teams, shot 49 percent (26-of-53). The Bluejays shot 40 percent (17-43).
