OMAHA, Neb. – The No. 23-ranked Creighton Bluejays posted a 63-60 win over the University of Northern Iowa Panthers on Tuesday in the CenturyLink Center.
UNI buried a season-high 12 3-pointers in the game but fell to 12-5 overall and 2-3 in Missouri Valley Conference action. Creighton improved to 14-2 overall and 4-1 in league action.
UNI led 31-20 in the first half on the strength of burying eight of its first 10 3-pointers. UNI’s Marc Sonnen made all five 3-pointers he attempted in the game – all of them in the first half.
UNI led 33-32 at the intermission despite not scoring a field goal in the final 6:52 of the first half. Creighton took advantage of the Panther field goal drought and eventually took a 37-33 lead early in the second half. UNI rallied with a 7-0 run to take a 40-37 lead.
The Panthers’ Austin Pehl dropped in a basket with just over seven minutes to go to give UNI a 52-48 lead. Creighton battled back and took a 54-53 lead before Jake Koch dropped in a 3-pointer to give UNI its final lead of the night at 56-54 with 4:12 left in the game.
Creighton’s Antoine Young knocked in a 3-pointer with 2:07 left go give the Bluejays a 61-56 lead. UNI’s Anthony James scored in the lane and Koch hit a jumper with 21 seconds left to pull UNI within one at 61-60.
CU’s Grant Gibbs hit a pair of free throws to put the Jays back on top by three. James then missed on a long 3-pointer that would have tied the game with five seconds left. CU’s Doug McDermott missed a one-and-one with two seconds left, but Chip Rank‘s 3/4 court heave hit the top of the shot clock and the Jays escaped with a 63-60 victory.
