No. 17 Creighton pulls away early in 2nd half and beats DePaul a 20th straight time, 85-62
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) It took a while for Creighton to get going Saturday night. Once the Bluejays did, their game against DePaul looked a lot like most of their other meetings over the decade they've both been in the Big East.
Trey Alexander scored 23 points and Ryan Kalkbrenner had 22, and the 17th-ranked Bluejays broke open a close game at half to win 85-62 and move into second place in the conference behind top-ranked Connecticut.
“We started 0-2 in the league and our backs were against the wall,” Bluejays coach Greg McDermott said. “The month of January we were able to dig our way out of that. We had some tough games on the road during that stretch.”
Creighton (16-5, 7-3 Big East) has won 20 straight against DePaul, the longest streak against a conference opponent in the six major basketball leagues, and 25 of 26. The last 13 in Omaha have been decided by double digits.
It looked like a recent three-games-in-seven-days stretch caught up to Creighton early. While the Bluejays were missing shots under the basket and struggling in transition, the Blue Demons kept it close in their first road game under interim coach Matt Brady.
Jalen Terry and Jeremiah Oden provided most of the offense and Churchill Abass dunked over the 7-foot-1 Kalkbrenner to give DePaul a brief lead.
The Bluejays went ahead for good with nine minutes left in the first half but a run of careless turnovers and 1-for-7 shooting to end the half kept them from pulling away until early in the second.
“I don’t know what it was,” McDermott said. “Usually, if you don’t respect your opponent, that shows its face in preparation. I didn’t see any of that Thursday or yesterday. I thought we were really locked in at shootaround and going through our final prep. ... We just seemed a little flat for whatever reason.”
Steven Ashworth matched his season highs with 17 points and five 3-pointers and Baylor Scheierman had 16 points and 10 rebounds for his seventh double-double of the season.
Elijah Fisher had 12 points to lead DePaul (3-17, 0-9). The Blue Demons lost their 18th straight road game, and their conference losing streak reached 10.
“It's a hard thing for athletes who aspire to being good to go through a season like this,” Brady said. “End of the day, we’re not going to let these guys get too down. We want them to learn some lessons here. Every athlete is going to go through trials, tribulations and adversity, and we're going through it right now.”
Alexander's 3-pointer, jumper and 3-point play came during a 14-2 spurt that stretched Creighton's lead to double digits. Another 14-2 run pushed it to 68-45 with 11 minutes left.
“For about 25 minutes I thought we were good," Brady said, "and then the game got away from us.”
The Bluejays were playing their 14th annual Pink Out Game, which raises money for the American Cancer Society. More than 18,000 fans showed up.
“Just another amazing crowd and amazing Pink Out,” McDermott said. “Everything was good except our play the first half. I was pleased the way the guys flipped the script.”
BIG PICTURE
DePaul: The Blue Demons have come out with more energy in the two games since Tony Stubblefield was fired. They were competitive in an 86-73 loss to No. 14 Marquette on Wednesday, and they were within 40-37 at halftime Saturday before Creighton took over. They're still looking for their first Big East road win since February 2022.
Creighton: The Bluejays, who won 84-58 at DePaul on Jan. 9, completed the season sweep and went 7-1 in January. They've reached the halfway point of Big East play 7-3 for the third time in four seasons.
CARTER OUT 2 MORE WEEKS
DePaul guard Chico Carter Jr. will be out for a minimum of two additional weeks with a rib injury he suffered against Providence on Jan. 17. Carter is averaging a team-best 11.8 points per game.
UP NEXT
DePaul: Hosts Seton Hall on Tuesday night.
Creighton: Hosts Butler on Friday night.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | (Bluejays gains possession) | |||
19:50 | Ryan Kalkbrenner misses two point layup | |||
19:48 | Ryan Kalkbrenner offensive rebound | |||
19:45 | Ryan Kalkbrenner misses two point layup | |||
19:43 | Churchill Abass defensive rebound | |||
19:17 | +2 | Elijah Fisher makes two point layup | 2-0 | |
19:03 | Trey Alexander misses two point jump shot | |||
19:01 | Jalen Terry defensive rebound | |||
18:53 | Jeremiah Oden misses two point jump shot | |||
18:51 | Jeremiah Oden offensive rebound | |||
18:45 | +3 | Jalen Terry makes three point jump shot (Jeremiah Oden assists) | 5-0 | |
18:28 | +3 | Baylor Scheierman makes three point jump shot (Trey Alexander assists) | 5-3 | |
18:06 | Elijah Fisher misses three point jump shot | |||
18:04 | Jaden Henley offensive rebound | |||
18:00 | Jeremiah Oden misses three point jump shot | |||
17:58 | Bluejays defensive rebound | |||
17:41 | Steven Ashworth misses three point jump shot | |||
17:39 | Elijah Fisher defensive rebound | |||
17:25 | Ryan Kalkbrenner shooting foul | |||
17:25 | +1 | Jaden Henley makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 6-3 | |
17:25 | +1 | Jaden Henley makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 7-3 | |
17:14 | Baylor Scheierman misses three point jump shot | |||
17:12 | Ryan Kalkbrenner offensive rebound | |||
17:11 | Jalen Terry shooting foul | |||
17:11 | +1 | Ryan Kalkbrenner makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 7-4 | |
17:11 | +1 | Ryan Kalkbrenner makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 7-5 | |
16:56 | +2 | Da'Sean Nelson makes two point jump shot (Elijah Fisher assists) | 9-5 | |
16:47 | Da'Sean Nelson shooting foul | |||
16:47 | +1 | Ryan Kalkbrenner makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 9-6 | |
16:47 | Ryan Kalkbrenner misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
16:47 | Jeremiah Oden defensive rebound | |||
16:28 | Da'Sean Nelson misses two point jump shot | |||
16:26 | Mason Miller defensive rebound | |||
16:18 | +2 | Ryan Kalkbrenner makes two point hook shot | 9-8 | |
15:51 | +2 | Jaden Henley makes two point jump shot | 11-8 | |
15:39 | Trey Alexander misses three point jump shot | |||
15:37 | Steven Ashworth offensive rebound | |||
15:30 | +3 | Trey Alexander makes three point jump shot (Mason Miller assists) | 11-11 | |
15:06 | Elijah Fisher misses three point jump shot | |||
15:04 | Trey Alexander defensive rebound | |||
14:57 | Da'Sean Nelson personal foul | |||
14:57 | TV timeout | |||
14:49 | +2 | Baylor Scheierman makes two point layup | 11-13 | |
14:22 | Mac Etienne misses two point jump shot | |||
14:20 | Ryan Kalkbrenner defensive rebound | |||
14:08 | +2 | Trey Alexander makes two point jump shot | 11-15 | |
13:43 | K.T. Raimey misses two point jump shot | |||
13:41 | Ryan Kalkbrenner defensive rebound | |||
13:30 | Ryan Kalkbrenner misses two point layup | |||
13:28 | Mac Etienne defensive rebound | |||
13:21 | Steven Ashworth shooting foul | |||
13:21 | +1 | Jalen Terry makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 12-15 | |
13:21 | +1 | Jalen Terry makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 13-15 | |
12:56 | Mason Miller misses three point jump shot | |||
12:54 | K.T. Raimey defensive rebound | |||
12:45 | +2 | Jaden Henley makes two point layup | 15-15 | |
12:21 | Mason Miller misses three point jump shot | |||
12:19 | K.T. Raimey defensive rebound | |||
12:11 | Jeremiah Oden misses two point jump shot | |||
12:09 | Francisco Farabello defensive rebound | |||
11:59 | +2 | Francisco Farabello makes two point jump shot | 15-17 | |
11:33 | +2 | Jalen Terry makes two point jump shot | 17-17 | |
11:20 | +3 | Baylor Scheierman makes three point jump shot (Fredrick King assists) | 17-20 | |
10:58 | +2 | Churchill Abass makes two point layup | 19-20 | |
10:32 | +2 | Trey Alexander makes two point jump shot | 19-22 | |
10:32 | TV timeout | |||
10:21 | +2 | Elijah Fisher makes two point layup | 21-22 | |
9:55 | Trey Alexander misses three point jump shot | |||
9:53 | Churchill Abass defensive rebound | |||
9:42 | +2 | Churchill Abass makes two point dunk (Keyondre Young assists) | 23-22 | |
9:22 | Churchill Abass shooting foul | |||
9:22 | +1 | Ryan Kalkbrenner makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 23-23 | |
9:22 | +1 | Ryan Kalkbrenner makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 23-24 | |
9:22 | Keyondre Young turnover | |||
9:18 | +3 | Steven Ashworth makes three point jump shot (Francisco Farabello assists) | 23-27 | |
8:55 | Churchill Abass misses two point hook shot | |||
8:53 | Baylor Scheierman defensive rebound | |||
8:48 | Baylor Scheierman turnover (bad pass) | |||
8:34 | K.T. Raimey misses three point jump shot | |||
8:32 | Francisco Farabello defensive rebound | |||
8:26 | Steven Ashworth turnover (Churchill Abass steals) | |||
8:26 | Ryan Kalkbrenner personal foul | |||
8:08 | Jeremiah Oden misses two point layup | |||
8:06 | Isaac Traudt defensive rebound | |||
7:59 | Isaac Traudt turnover (Churchill Abass steals) | |||
7:54 | +2 | K.T. Raimey makes two point layup | 25-27 | |
7:45 | Fredrick King misses two point layup | |||
7:43 | Fredrick King offensive rebound | |||
7:38 | +2 | Fredrick King makes two point layup | 25-29 | |
7:17 | K.T. Raimey misses two point layup | |||
7:15 | Fredrick King defensive rebound | |||
7:10 | Steven Ashworth turnover (K.T. Raimey steals) | |||
7:05 | Francisco Farabello personal foul | |||
7:05 | TV timeout | |||
7:05 | +1 | K.T. Raimey makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 26-29 | |
7:05 | +1 | K.T. Raimey makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 27-29 | |
6:42 | +2 | Trey Alexander makes two point layup | 27-31 | |
6:24 | Elijah Fisher misses two point jump shot | |||
6:22 | Trey Alexander defensive rebound | |||
6:11 | K.T. Raimey blocks Trey Alexander's two point jump shot | |||
6:09 | Bluejays offensive rebound | |||
6:04 | +3 | Steven Ashworth makes three point jump shot (Baylor Scheierman assists) | 27-34 | |
5:37 | +2 | Elijah Fisher makes two point layup | 29-34 | |
5:24 | +2 | Trey Alexander makes two point layup (Baylor Scheierman assists) | 29-36 | |
4:58 | Jeremiah Oden misses two point layup | |||
4:56 | Steven Ashworth defensive rebound | |||
4:46 | Ryan Kalkbrenner misses three point jump shot | |||
4:44 | Jalen Terry defensive rebound | |||
4:17 | Trey Alexander shooting foul | |||
4:17 | +1 | Jalen Terry makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 30-36 | |
4:17 | +1 | Jalen Terry makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 31-36 | |
3:57 | Trey Alexander turnover (Churchill Abass steals) | |||
3:45 | +2 | Jeremiah Oden makes two point hook shot (K.T. Raimey assists) | 33-36 | |
3:35 | Steven Ashworth misses three point jump shot | |||
3:33 | Churchill Abass defensive rebound | |||
3:20 | Churchill Abass misses two point hook shot | |||
3:18 | Baylor Scheierman defensive rebound | |||
3:14 | Churchill Abass personal foul | |||
3:14 | TV timeout | |||
2:58 | Mason Miller misses two point jump shot | |||
2:56 | Jalen Terry defensive rebound | |||
2:40 | K.T. Raimey misses two point jump shot | |||
2:38 | Mason Miller defensive rebound | |||
2:29 | +2 | Ryan Kalkbrenner makes two point hook shot | 33-38 | |
2:02 | Jaden Henley misses two point jump shot | |||
2:00 | Baylor Scheierman defensive rebound | |||
1:43 | Ryan Kalkbrenner misses two point layup | |||
1:43 | Ryan Kalkbrenner offensive rebound | |||
1:43 | Mac Etienne shooting foul | |||
1:43 | +1 | Ryan Kalkbrenner makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 33-39 | |
1:43 | +1 | Ryan Kalkbrenner makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 33-40 | |
1:16 | +2 | Elijah Fisher makes two point layup | 35-40 | |
1:00 | Steven Ashworth misses three point jump shot | |||
0:58 | Mac Etienne defensive rebound | |||
0:37 | +2 | Mac Etienne makes two point hook shot (Jalen Terry assists) | 37-40 | |
0:23 | Bluejays 30 second timeout | |||
0:01 | Trey Alexander misses three point jump shot | |||
0:00 | Blue Demons defensive rebound | |||
0:00 | End of period |