Wednesday, March 2
Providence, R.I.
8:00 PM
Creighton University
18-12, 9-8
66
at
70
Providence
21-9, 9-8
1
2
F
Creighton
32
34
66
Providence College
28
42
70
Malik Albert and James Milliken combined for 34 points on Wednesday.
Photo by: Jim Rash
Men's Basketball Falls At Providence, 70-66
3/2/2016 9:47:00 PM | Men's Basketball
James Milliken pours in a career-high 26 points for CU
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – James Milliken had a career-high 26 points but it wasn't enough as the Creighton men's basketball team lost a 70-66 decision on Wednesday evening at Providence.
Creighton dropped to 18-12 with the loss, while Providence improved to 21-9. Both teams are 9-8 and part of a three-way tie for fourth place in the BIG EAST Conference with one game to play.
Creighton fell behind 11-4 in the first six minutes but would regain its composure and fight back to take its first lead at 19-17 on a three-pointer by Isaiah Zierden. A Milliken three-pointer with 1.9 seconds left in the first half helped CU to a 32-28 lead at the break.
Milliken made all four of his shots and led all players with 12 points in the first half to pace a Bluejay attack that went 11-for-22 from the floor. PC shot 10-for-30 in the first 20 minutes, and were led by nine points from Ben Bentil, eight by Jalen Lindsey and seven points from Kris Dunn.
Creighton got into foul trouble early in the second half, as Groselle picked up his fourth foul with 17:40 to play and Toby Hegner his fourth with 16:56 remaining. The Bluejays would persevere, moving ahead 43-35 on a Cole Huff triple from the corner to force a Providence timeout with 15:36 remaining.
The Friars would respond with a 9-2 run to get within one (45-44) with 11:52 left. The Friars tied the score at 49-all, and would go ahead for the first time since 25-23 a Rodney Bullock finger roll with 9:01 to play. Dunn would continue the momentum for PC, getting a three-point play to push the Friars lead to 54-49.
Creighton would answer. A Milliken trey in transition preceded Isaiah Zierden's triple that returned the lead to the visitors (55-54) with 7:11 to go. The Friars rallied, getting five consecutive points from Bentil to lead 61-59 with 2:48 to play at the final media break. Bentil would complete the 3-point play after the timeout and after CU missed a pair of shots that could have tied it, Bentil put the nail in the coffin when he buried a corner three-pointer with 1:20 left to give PC a six-point lead.
Creighton got within four with 1:04 left before Kyron Cartwright made a pair of foul shots with 55 seconds left to extend the Friars lead to six. A Milliken bucket in the final 10 seconds got CU within four points once again to account for the final margin.
Coming off a 19-point effort on Sunday during Senior Day, Milliken connected on 8-of-13 shots from the field and 4-of-6 shots from downtown. Huff came off the bench and scored in double-figures for the fourth straight game, finishing with 10 points and a team-best nine rebounds. The Bluejays shot 40.4 percent for the game, including 8-of-21 three-pointers, and were 12-for-12 at the charity stripe.
The league's leading scorer, Bentil had 27 points and 10 rebounds for PC. Dunn had 17 points, six assists and six rebounds after being honored pregame during Senior Day festivities, while Lindsey tallied 13 points. The Friars shot 39.3 percent for the game, including 4-of-24 from three-point range, and made 22 free throws in 29 trips to the line.
Creighton closes out the regular-season on Saturday when it visits No. 5 Xavier for a game that will tip at 1:37 pm Central. That game will air nationally on FOX.
NOTES: Creighton fell to 1-7 all-time in games at Providence, with the lone win coming in 1970 ... Maurice Watson Jr. was hobbled by a groin injury but still led CU in assists for the 21st straight game. He dished four helpers, though his six points snapped a streak of 11 straight games in double-figures ... Creighton fell to 15-3 when leading at halftime, with two of those losses coming to Providence ... James Milliken became the fifth different Bluejay with a game of 25 points or more this season ... Creighton was whistled for 24 fouls, compared to PC's 11 ... Creighton's bench outscored PC's reserves by a 22-8 count.
Creighton dropped to 18-12 with the loss, while Providence improved to 21-9. Both teams are 9-8 and part of a three-way tie for fourth place in the BIG EAST Conference with one game to play.
Creighton fell behind 11-4 in the first six minutes but would regain its composure and fight back to take its first lead at 19-17 on a three-pointer by Isaiah Zierden. A Milliken three-pointer with 1.9 seconds left in the first half helped CU to a 32-28 lead at the break.
Milliken made all four of his shots and led all players with 12 points in the first half to pace a Bluejay attack that went 11-for-22 from the floor. PC shot 10-for-30 in the first 20 minutes, and were led by nine points from Ben Bentil, eight by Jalen Lindsey and seven points from Kris Dunn.
Creighton got into foul trouble early in the second half, as Groselle picked up his fourth foul with 17:40 to play and Toby Hegner his fourth with 16:56 remaining. The Bluejays would persevere, moving ahead 43-35 on a Cole Huff triple from the corner to force a Providence timeout with 15:36 remaining.
The Friars would respond with a 9-2 run to get within one (45-44) with 11:52 left. The Friars tied the score at 49-all, and would go ahead for the first time since 25-23 a Rodney Bullock finger roll with 9:01 to play. Dunn would continue the momentum for PC, getting a three-point play to push the Friars lead to 54-49.
Creighton would answer. A Milliken trey in transition preceded Isaiah Zierden's triple that returned the lead to the visitors (55-54) with 7:11 to go. The Friars rallied, getting five consecutive points from Bentil to lead 61-59 with 2:48 to play at the final media break. Bentil would complete the 3-point play after the timeout and after CU missed a pair of shots that could have tied it, Bentil put the nail in the coffin when he buried a corner three-pointer with 1:20 left to give PC a six-point lead.
Creighton got within four with 1:04 left before Kyron Cartwright made a pair of foul shots with 55 seconds left to extend the Friars lead to six. A Milliken bucket in the final 10 seconds got CU within four points once again to account for the final margin.
Coming off a 19-point effort on Sunday during Senior Day, Milliken connected on 8-of-13 shots from the field and 4-of-6 shots from downtown. Huff came off the bench and scored in double-figures for the fourth straight game, finishing with 10 points and a team-best nine rebounds. The Bluejays shot 40.4 percent for the game, including 8-of-21 three-pointers, and were 12-for-12 at the charity stripe.
The league's leading scorer, Bentil had 27 points and 10 rebounds for PC. Dunn had 17 points, six assists and six rebounds after being honored pregame during Senior Day festivities, while Lindsey tallied 13 points. The Friars shot 39.3 percent for the game, including 4-of-24 from three-point range, and made 22 free throws in 29 trips to the line.
Creighton closes out the regular-season on Saturday when it visits No. 5 Xavier for a game that will tip at 1:37 pm Central. That game will air nationally on FOX.
NOTES: Creighton fell to 1-7 all-time in games at Providence, with the lone win coming in 1970 ... Maurice Watson Jr. was hobbled by a groin injury but still led CU in assists for the 21st straight game. He dished four helpers, though his six points snapped a streak of 11 straight games in double-figures ... Creighton fell to 15-3 when leading at halftime, with two of those losses coming to Providence ... James Milliken became the fifth different Bluejay with a game of 25 points or more this season ... Creighton was whistled for 24 fouls, compared to PC's 11 ... Creighton's bench outscored PC's reserves by a 22-8 count.
Team Stats
CU
PROV
FG%
.404
.393
3FG%
.381
.167
FT%
1.000
.759
RB
34
36
TO
12
7
STL
5
5
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
26
FGM
8
3FGM
4
FTM
6
Pts
8
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
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