Creighton 67, Cincinnati 63
In a contrast of styles, Creighton overcame a litany of turnovers to defeat the physical Bearcats in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Early on, Gregory Echenique set the tone, blocking a shot and altering several others that gave Cincinnati’s guards pause before driving the lane. He brought the same intensity he showed in St. Louis during his weekend of domination, putting teeth in their interior defense and making the paint off-limits for opposing shooters.
Ethan Wragge got red-hot from downtown, torching Cincinnati for four 3-pointers, including a stretch of three straight that had TV analyst Reggie Miller — himself no stranger to big threes — impressed. The #wraggebombs were deadly, stretching Cincinnati’s defense and allowing Doug McDermott a little more room to maneuver down low, where he took the game over. McDermott took advantage and was brilliant offensively, scoring 27 points on 7-15 shooting, connecting on a dazzling array of drives to the hoop, fadeaway jumpers, circus shots, and long-range threes.
Morning After: Creighton 67, Cincinnati 63
Duke 66, Creighton 50
Creighton’s defense has been (rightfully) maligned the past two seasons as the weakest link of an otherwise championship-caliber team. It’s ironic, therefore, that on the night this particular group of Bluejays took their swan song, they played a superior defensive game while their high-octane offense let them down. They made 16 baskets, eight in each half, all of which are below in a highlight reel that’s tough to watch.
