Mitch Ballock was flying all over the court on Saturday against Villanova (Spomer / WBR)) $CLICK TO BUY$
The Creighton men’s basketball team was looking for a signature victory to put on their resume. They got that on Saturday afternoon as they knocked off #5 Villanova in an 86-70 victory at CHI Health Center Omaha.
Earlier in the day, the NCAA Selection Committee released their top 16 seeds as of today. The Bluejays were not on there. That may have provided some additional motivation as the Bluejays seemed to be hitting on all cylinders on offense to start the game. Creighton his 65% of their shots in the first half and went into the locker room up 42-36. With both teams going back and forth, it looked like the second half was going to go to the wire.
However, in the second half, the Bluejay offense kept things going, hitting their first 5 shots, including 3 baskets to start the half by Denzel Mahoney. Mahoney was saddled with foul trouble in the first half, but came right out shooting, getting a quick 7 points. Those were his only points of the game. It was Marcus Zegarowski, Mitch Ballock, Christian Bishop, and Damien Jefferson who continued the onslaught.
Zegarowski was going to the rim early and often. He finished with a game high 25 points. Villanova couldn’t keep track of Mitch Ballock throughout the game whether taking three’s (where he was 6-of-8) or blowing past Villanova defenders expecting him to pull up, to instead drive to the hoop. Ballock finished with 25 points. Jefferson and Bishop both came through with double-doubles as the Bluejays cleaned up the offensive rebounding Villanova was getting in the first half. The Bluejays ran away with things in the second half and it was celebration city in the CHI Health Center.
Matt DeMarinis got together with Ravi Lulla from Bluejay Shootaround, and John Bishop, the voice of the Jays, to talk afterwards on the Bluejay Beat Postgame Podcast, presented by Courtdate.
The Bluejays were diving on the ground to get the loose balls today. (Spomer / WBR) $CLICK TO BUY$
WBR Photographer Mike Spomer was also on hand to take in the action with photos.