University of Northern Iowa
Creighton
Creighton Scores 63-55 Triumph Over UNI
2/26/2011 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
OMAHA, Neb. - Creighton used a 14-3 run to begin the second half to score a 63-55 victory over the visiting University of Northern Iowa Panthers on Saturday at the Qwest Center.
Creighton (18-13 overall, 10-8 MVC) outscored UNI 39-27 in the second half after trailing the Panthers 28-24 at the intermission. The Bluejays were led in scoring by Doug McDermott (13 points) and Kenny Lawson Jr. (11 points).
UNI (19-12 overall, 10-8 MVC) were led by three players in double figures, including Johnny Moran (16 points), Jake Koch (10 points) and Anthony James (10 points). UNI outrebounded Creighton, 33-31.
Creighton led 8-0 early and eventually pushed the margin to 16-7 with 11:31 left in the half. But the Panthers clawed back and took a 23-21 lead following steal and layup by Moran with 1:23 left in the half. UNI closed the first half on a 13-4 run.
The Bluejays scored the first 11 points of the second half and 14 of the first 17 points. Following a McDermott 3-pointer with 15:50 left in the game, Creighton had a 38-31 lead.
The Panthers fell behind 52-39 with 6;14 left before mounting a charge. Koch's 3-pointer 3:15 left pulled UNI to within seven at 55-48. Moran drained a triple with 32 seconds left that trimmed the Bluejay lead to 58-53. James made a pair of free throws to cut the lead to four at 59-55. But the Panthers could get no closer as Lawson Jr made two free throws and a dunk in the final 13 seconds.
UNI will match up again with Creighton Friday at 2:35 p.m. in the quarterfinals of the 2011 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament at Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo.
NOTES: UNI will be the No. 4 seed in the MVC Tournament by virtue of the Panthers' non-conference strength of schedule tiebreaker vs. Creighton ... UNI's non-conferene SOS was 176, while Creighton's was 225 ... UNI was a perfect 9-for-9 at the free throw line ... UNI has connected on 224 3-pointers this season - nine away from the Panthers' single-season record of 233 set last season ... Kwadzo Ahelegbe has started 104 consecutive games - the 7th-best active mark in the nation.
