Creighton University
Indiana State
Men's Basketball Trims Sycamores, 65-52
2/9/2010 9:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
OMAHA, Neb. -- Creighton dished 21 assists on 25 baskets and Kenny Lawson Jr. had 17 points and 10 rebounds as the host Bluejays defeated visiting Indiana State, 65-52 on Tuesday night.
Creighton is now 13-12 on the season and tied for third in the Missouri Valley Conference with Illinois State at 8-6 in league play. Indiana State is 14-11 on the season and 6-8 in league action.
Creighton led the entire first half, with 2-2 being the only tie. The Jays were up 10-3 after seven minutes and extended that margin into double-figures when it went ahead 17-6 on a nifty pass inside from Kaleb Korver to Wayne Runnels. ISU answered with seven straight points to get within four points, but that would be as close as it came the rest of the evening.
The Jays fired up three-pointers on 19 of its 31 first half attempts, making five shots from deep. The Bluejays featured a balanced attack in the opening stanza, being led by seven points off the bench by Runnels. Fellow post man Lawson was also a force in the first half, with six points, five rebounds and four blocks in the first half.
Lawson came out with a purpose early in the second half, scoring at will against an undermanned Indiana State team that suited up just eight players and was also hampered by foul trouble. He had two dunks in traffic and the Jays got three-pointers by Ethan Wragge and Darryl Ashford to go up 43-28. The lead eventually reached 52-32 with 10:24 left on a trey by Ethan Wragge.
The lead remained in double-figures the rest of the way.
Creighton was led by Lawson's fourth double-double of the season, as he finished with 17 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks on 7-of-11 shooting. Six other men had between six and nine points for CU, including nine points from Ethan Wragge. Justin Carter and Darryl Ashford each had five assists to lead CU's distribution on the night. CU shot 41.7 percent for the game, 34.5 percent from three-point range and 55.6 percent at the line while outrebounding ISU 38-31. CU also had a season-low five turnovers in the victory.
Indiana State was led by 15 points from Carl Richard, while Rashad Reed (13) and Aaron Carter (11) also scored in double-figures. ISU hit 37.2 percent from the floor, 33.3 percent from downtown and 65.2 percent at the line.
Creighton returns to action on Saturday with a 2:05 pm game against Illinois State. The game can be heard on KXSP (Big Sports 590 AM) and will be televised by KMTV.
NOTES: Ethan Wragge made a three-pointer for the 12th straight game, tying Rodney Buford for the longest streak by a freshman in school history and tied for the second-longest active streak in the league among all players ...Kenny Lawson Jr. made his first two free throw attempts before missing early in the second half, snapping his streak at 19 in a row. He had been seeking to become the first Bluejay 6-foot-9 or taller to make 20 in a row at the line ...Creighton never trailed for the fifth time this year and 24th time in 112 games at Qwest Center Omaha ...Creighton has won 11 in a row at home over Indiana State and has not been swept by the Sycamores since 1992-93 ...Creighton is now 12-0 at Qwest Center Omaha in games televised by NET Sports ...Creighton has beaten Indiana State in 16 of its last 18 meetings when scoring 55 points or more ...Creighton is now 50-11 all-time at Qwest Center Omaha in conference games.
