Creighton 75Nebraska 65
1 2 Creighton 28 47 NEBRASKA 33 32 |
Isaac Copeland had a team-high 20 points, but Marcus Foster’s 3-pointer with 47 seconds left give host Creighton the margin it needed in a 75-65 win over Nebraska at the CenturyLink Center.
Nebraska was within 66-63 after a James Palmer jumper with 1:04 remaining, but Foster’s long 3-pointer from the wing pushed the margin to 69-63, and Creighton sealed the win by going 6-of-6 from the line in the final 30 seconds.
The Huskers, who were without Glynn Watson, who had fouled out earlier after picking up a phantom fifth foul with 2:47 left after Nebraska was within 60-57. NU was able to keep it close before Foster’s 3-pointer started a game-ending 9-2 run for the Bluejays.
 Palmer |  Copeland |  Roby |
Copeland, who had 20 points, 11 rebounds, two blocks and two steals, was one of three to finish in double figures. James Palmer Jr. had 16 points, while Isaiah Roby had 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting after playing just two minutes because of foul trouble.
Foster’s 19-point effort led five Creighton players in double figures, as the Bluejays shot 50 percent from the field and out-rebounded the Huskers, 43-33.
In the first half, a strong effort from Copeland and a strong defensive effort gave the Huskers a 33-28 lead into the locker room. Nebraska’s defense held Creighton to its lowest-scoring half of the season, as the Bluejays shot just 41 percent from the field, including 2-of-15 from 3-point range, in the opening 20 minutes.
Nebraska used some strong 3-point shooting early, as the Huskers hit a trio of 3-pointers, including two by Palmer, in the first five minutes as part of 11-4 run to take a 11-7 lead at the first media timeout.
NU had a chance to extend the lead heading into that timeout, but the initial call of a block that would have given Jordy Tshimanga a basket and a chance to extend a six-point lead was changed into a charge, giving Tshimanga a second foul instead of two fouls on Creighton’s Toby Hegner.
Nebraska, was battled foul trouble for most of the first half, got Glynn Watson going midway through the first half, as the junior guard keyed a 6-0 run that pushed the lead to 25-19 after a Roby slam. The Huskers eventually pushed the lead to seven after a Copeland jumper with 3:53 left in the half. Creighton pulled to within 31-28, but Watson’s basket pushed the lead back to five at the break.
The Huskers built an eight-point lead at 36-28 after a Copeland 3-pointer in the opening minutes of the second half, but the Bluejays went on a 15-4 spurt to regain the lead at 43-40 on a Davion Mintz basket. Foster, who scored 17 of his 19 points in the second half, and Mitchell Ballock keyed the Bluejay rally.
Nebraska quickly answered, as a Roby 3-pointer knotted the score at 43 and the score was tied at 47 after a Palmer basket before Creighton scored eight of the next 10 points to stretch the margin to 56-49 after a Martin Krampelj basket. The Huskers would not go away, as a basket from Copeland and a 3-pointer from Roby made it a one-point game at 55-54 with 4:42 left, setting the stage for the finish.
The Huskers are off for final exams before returning to the court next Saturday as they host No. 2 Kansas. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. from a sold out Pinnacle Bank Arena and the game will be on the Husker Sports Network and televised by FS1.
Source: University of Nebraska Athletic Dept.
