Post-Game Video
EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- The always-popular five-point play came in very handy for the visiting Creighton Bluejays Sunday afternoon. As a result, Creighton (12-5, 4-1) escaped Roberts Stadium with a 74-69 victory over the University of Evansville Purple Aces (7-8, 1-4), who have now faced four of the top five teams in the Missouri Valley Conference in the opening 12 days of league play.
Creighton led 55-52 with 9:27 to play when UE's
Denver Holmes was called for a foul against Doug McDermott under the basket. Kaleb Korver immediately followed the whistle by making a three-pointer that was allowed to stand, and McDermott then hit the two free throws as a result of Holmes's foul to give the Jays a 60-52 advantage. They increased the lead to 10 at 62-52 on Kenny Lawson, Jr.'s layup, but Evansville had one more surge left, and it nearly gave UE the victory.
Baskets by
Ned Cox and
Colt Ryan, and two free throws by
Kenneth Harris cut the margin to three at 68-65 with less than three minutes to play, and four more points by Harris put the Aces within one with 33 seconds to go. Darryl Ashford then hit one of two free throws for Creighton to make it a 71-69 game in Creighton's favor with 32 seconds to play. Cox had a chance to tie the game with 20 seconds to play, but his 15-footer rimmed out, and two free throws by Creighton's Antoine Young with 13 seconds sealed the win for the Bluejays.
Ryan scored 16 on 7-for-12 shooting to lead the Aces, and Harris came up with his second career double, totaling 11 points and 10 rebounds. Holmes also scored in double figures, with 12. Center Gregory Echenique led the balanced Bluejay offense with 16 points, and McDermott and Korver added 15 each. The Jays hit 10 of 22 three-pointers and shot 51 percent overall. Evansville had three more field goals than Creighton, hitting 28 of 59 shots. But the Aces were outscored 30-12 from three-point range and 14-9 at the free throw line.
Evansville is back home Wednesday to play Drake at 7:05 at Roberts Stadium.
Boxscore
