Last season, Creighton came to Cedar Falls with visions of pulling an upset. The Bluejays led 7-0 a few minutes into the game, and those visions seemed feasible. But as quickly as they built a lead, Ali Farokmanesh and Johnny Moran blew it away with a barrage of 3-pointers during a 28-5 run. UNI finished the first half shooting 50% from the field, 55% from 3-point range (hitting 6 triples), and took a 13-point lead into the break.
Creighton’s upset visions were hallucinations. And a few minute into the first half of last night’s game, it seemed a flashback was in order. The Jays and Panthers traded baskets to start the game, but then CU froze while UNI caught fire. Creighton scored 11 points in the first 5 minutes of the game, and then just 15 more during the last 15 minutes of the first half.
Meanwhile, Kwadzo Ahelegbe was busy using screens set by Lucas O’Rear and other Panthers to decimate Creighton’s defense, to the tune of 16 first-half points. CU’s Antoine Young tried to keep the Jays in the game, with Gregory Echenique having picked up two fouls and Doug McDermott struggling to shake the incessant boos raining down on him from the Cedar Falls fans. And if not for UNI missing 5 of its last 6 field goal attempts of the half, the Bluejays would have found themselves facing a margin similar to last year’s baker’s dozen halftime deficit.
The Bluejays, having weathered a mid-half run by the Panthers, started the second half as quickly as they had the first. The Jays used two baskets each from Echenique and McDermott to turn a 31-26 halftime score into a 35-33 lead in their favor. Except this time, instead of cooling off a few minutes later, the Bluejays continued to hit shots at an impressive clip. During the second half, CU shot 70% from the field and made 3 of their 5 3-point attempts.
Problem was, they couldn’t get enough shots off. After committing 9 turnovers in the first half, the Jays repeated that number in the second stanza, continuing to give away possessions. Meanwhile, the Panthers started hitting shots again, led by Ahelegbe. But more important to the overall flow and function of the game, UNI committed just 2 turnovers in the second half (7 total on the night).
Creighton’s 18 turnovers were the program’s most in a road MVC game in two years. Eleven of the turnovers were credited to the team’s wings or low post players, including a whopping 5 by Echenique. A few days after committing just 9 turnovers in a 1-point road loss at Missouri State, the Jays put themselves in a difficult position to overcome: beating a hot-shooting team on the road while giving away the ball. For the season, CU averages the third fewest turnovers per game among Valley teams. But in league play, during which the Jays are 5-5, Creighton is squarely in the middle of the pack in turnovers per game.
In the end, the Bluejays lost yet another close game. And, according to Creighton SID Rob Anderson, the Jays lost for the first time since 1985 in a game when they shot 50% or better from the field and outrebounded the opponent by 10 or more caroms. The Bluejays couldn’t get stops on defense when they needed them, and couldn’t convert key offensive opportunities. O’Rear fouled Josh Jones on a 3-point attempt after Jones had just hit one. With CU down 6, Jones could have cut the lead in half. But he made just one of the three shot attempts. A few minutes later, with CU down 4 and getting ready to inbound the ball under their own hoop, the coaches dialed up a great play that found Young receiving a pass from Korver right near the lane. Young couldn’t convert the contorting layup, even on a night when he scored a career-high 23 points and made numerous shots some would deem more difficult than the one he missed. UNI’s O’Rear made a jumper on the other end, turning what could have been a 2-point deficit for CU into a 6-point Panther lead. Then, with Creighton trailing by 5 and trying to get a good possession with 90 seconds left, Korver seemed to just give the ball to a UNI defender.
Sure, the Bluejays have played most teams close. Five of their losses came by 5 points or fewer. But the reality is this team is 5-5 in Valley play and faces a string of must-win games if Greg McDermott wants to avoid the dreaded Thursday night play-in game at Arch Madness. Indiana State, the surprise of the league, lost Wednesday at home to Evansville. The Sycamores will be seeking the sweep of CU and trying to keep pace with Wichita State and Northern Iowa behind Missouri State. The same can’t be said for Creighton right now — the Bluejays are merely trying to iron out some wrinkles that have cost this team a chance to control its own destiny in league play.
