Tuesday, January 5
CenturyLink Center Omaha
8:15 PM
Creighton University
11-5, 2-1BE
79
vs
66
Georgetown
9-6, 2-1BE
1
2
F
Georgetown
36
30
66
Creighton
38
41
79
James Milliken
Photo by: Corey Solotorovsky
Defense Steps Up As Men's Basketball Stops Georgetown, 79-66
1/5/2016 9:55:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Watson has career-high with 27 points
OMAHA, Neb. -- Maurice Watson Jr. had a career-high 27 points and tied a season-high with seven rebounds as Creighton picked up a 79-66 win over Georgetown on Tuesday night before 16,425 fans at CenturyLink Center Omaha.
Creighton (11-5, 2-1 BIG EAST) closed the game on a 26-10 run to snap a four-game losing streak against the Hoyas (9-6, 2-1 BIG EAST), as GU scored on just two of 13 possessions down the stretch before a basket in the closing seconds.
Creighton led for most of the first half, building a lead as large as 29-19 before a Hoyas rally would even the score at 36-all. Creighton took a 38-36 lead into the break thanks to 10 points off the bench from James Milliken, while GU was led by eight points and five assists from D'Vauntes Smith Rivera at the break.
Georgetown quickly assumed the second half lead, moving ahead by three points on five different occasions before CU made its push. A 10-0 run capped by a lob to Zach Hanson gave CU a 63-56 lead with eight minutes to play. After GU answered with the next four points Creighton answered with a three-pointer by Watson and two foul shots by Milliken.
Georgetown got as close as eight points in the final three minutes, but Creighton drained 7-of-8 foul shots to hold the Hoyas at bay.
Watson's 27 points enabled him to surpass the 1,000 point mark in his collegiate career, as he now owns 1,021 points when you add in his 800 points in two seasons as Boston University. Milliken had 12 points and Zierden added 11. CU shot 48.1 percent for the game and 42.1 percent from downtown while also sinking a season-high 84 percent of its free-throw attempts.
Georgetown was led by 17 points from Smith-Rivera, while freshman Jessie Govan also had a career-high 17 points. The Hoyas shot 47.3 percent from the field and 45.8 percent from three-point range while sinking a season-high 11 trifectas. The Hoyas were 3-of-7 at the line on the night.
Creighton returns to action on Saturday at 1:07 pm Central when it plays at Seton Hall.
NOTES: Creighton's 79 points were its fewest in a win this season, but does extend the program's home win streak when scoring 78 points or more to 115 straight games ... Creighton is 3-0 all-time against Georgetown when scoring 64 points or more, but 0-5 against the Hoyas when scoring 63 or less points ... Creighton outscored Georgetown 25-10 in points off turnovers ... Maurice Watson Jr.'s 221 points are 19 more than any other Bluejay after his first 16 games in the last 20 years. Doug McDermott's 202 stands in second place on that list ... Geoffrey Groselle, James Milliken and Maurice Watson Jr. all took charges in the first half for CU ... Central High School product Akoy Agau made his return to Omaha, but did not suit up for the Hoyas due to injury ... Among those in attendance were Omaha native and junior welterweight champion Terence "Bud" Crawford, the 2014 Boxing Writers Association of America Fighter of the Year.
Creighton (11-5, 2-1 BIG EAST) closed the game on a 26-10 run to snap a four-game losing streak against the Hoyas (9-6, 2-1 BIG EAST), as GU scored on just two of 13 possessions down the stretch before a basket in the closing seconds.
Creighton led for most of the first half, building a lead as large as 29-19 before a Hoyas rally would even the score at 36-all. Creighton took a 38-36 lead into the break thanks to 10 points off the bench from James Milliken, while GU was led by eight points and five assists from D'Vauntes Smith Rivera at the break.
Georgetown quickly assumed the second half lead, moving ahead by three points on five different occasions before CU made its push. A 10-0 run capped by a lob to Zach Hanson gave CU a 63-56 lead with eight minutes to play. After GU answered with the next four points Creighton answered with a three-pointer by Watson and two foul shots by Milliken.
Georgetown got as close as eight points in the final three minutes, but Creighton drained 7-of-8 foul shots to hold the Hoyas at bay.
Watson's 27 points enabled him to surpass the 1,000 point mark in his collegiate career, as he now owns 1,021 points when you add in his 800 points in two seasons as Boston University. Milliken had 12 points and Zierden added 11. CU shot 48.1 percent for the game and 42.1 percent from downtown while also sinking a season-high 84 percent of its free-throw attempts.
Georgetown was led by 17 points from Smith-Rivera, while freshman Jessie Govan also had a career-high 17 points. The Hoyas shot 47.3 percent from the field and 45.8 percent from three-point range while sinking a season-high 11 trifectas. The Hoyas were 3-of-7 at the line on the night.
Creighton returns to action on Saturday at 1:07 pm Central when it plays at Seton Hall.
NOTES: Creighton's 79 points were its fewest in a win this season, but does extend the program's home win streak when scoring 78 points or more to 115 straight games ... Creighton is 3-0 all-time against Georgetown when scoring 64 points or more, but 0-5 against the Hoyas when scoring 63 or less points ... Creighton outscored Georgetown 25-10 in points off turnovers ... Maurice Watson Jr.'s 221 points are 19 more than any other Bluejay after his first 16 games in the last 20 years. Doug McDermott's 202 stands in second place on that list ... Geoffrey Groselle, James Milliken and Maurice Watson Jr. all took charges in the first half for CU ... Central High School product Akoy Agau made his return to Omaha, but did not suit up for the Hoyas due to injury ... Among those in attendance were Omaha native and junior welterweight champion Terence "Bud" Crawford, the 2014 Boxing Writers Association of America Fighter of the Year.
Team Stats
GU
CU
FG%
.473
.481
3FG%
.458
.421
FT%
.429
.840
RB
27
32
TO
15
9
STL
6
6
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
27
FGM
9
3FGM
2
FTM
7
Pts
12
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
4
Pts
11
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
3
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Players Mentioned
C
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
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