Creighton University
Drake
Men's Basketball Hangs On To Beat Drake, 73-69
1/6/2010 9:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
OMAHA, Neb. -- Kenny Lawson Jr. and Justin Carter each scored 17 points as Creighton withstood a late Drake rally to post a 73-69 win over visiting Drake on Wednesday night in Omaha.
Creighton won its second straight game to improve to 7-8 on the season and even its league mark to 2-2. Drake fell to 5-11 and is winless in four league outings.
After falling behind 10-8 in the opening minutes, Creighton would lead the remainder of the game. The Jays used a 15-2 run to take its largest lead of the first 20 minutes at 23-12. That run included six points from Casey Harriman and four points from Lawson. Creighton took several more leads of nine, but each time Drake chipped away to get within four points or less. CU took a 38-33 lead into the break, shooting 48.4 percent in the half. Lawson led CU with 13 pionts and five boards in the opening 20 minutes.
Creighton led the entire second half, but survived a nail-biting finish. Up two with 11 seconds left, Creighton inbounded the ball to big man Lawson. Lawson took a dribble and was trapped in the corner. His pass back to the middle of the floor was stolen by Drake's Ryan Wedel, who tried to tip the ball into the hoop. His attempt missed, as did a tip-in try by Josh Young, and Bluejay senior Cavel Witter was fouled by Young with 2.7 seconds left.
Witter made both free throws to ice the game, which was aided by a lane violation when Witter missed the second attempt.
Carter and Lawson each had 17 points to lead Creighton in scoring, while Casey Harriman added a season-best 10 points. Carter had a CU-best seven rebounds while Lawson had snared six caroms. Antoine Young had five assists to lead a Bluiejay offense that dished 19 helpers on 25 baskets. Creighton shot 46.3 percent for the game and 30.4 percent from three-point territory. CU was also 16-of-23 from the stripe.
Drake was paced by 15 points and six assists by Craig Stanley, while Josh Young had 14 points. Drake shot 38.6 percent for the game, including 8-of-24 from downtown. The Bulldogs also hit 17-of-19 from the line, good for 89.5 percent.
Creighton returns to the court on Saturday with a 1 pm game at Wichita State. That game can be heard on KXSP (Big Sports 590 AM) and will be televised nationally on ESPNU.
NOTES: Kenny Lawson Jr. finished with 17 points and six rebounds while finishing just short of his third straight double-double ...Creighton is now 20-0 all-time at Qwest Center Omaha and has won 32 straight home games played on Wednesday's ...Casey Harriman's 10 points were a season-high and Justin Carter's 17 points tied his personal-best against an MVC opponent ...Drake had won in Omaha each of the previous two meetings ...Kenny Lawson Jr. had three blocked shots and is tied for fifth in CU history with 109 in his career.
