Tuesday, March 22
Provo, UT
8:00 PM
Creighton University
20-15, 9-9BE
82
at
88
BYU
26-10, 13-5WCC
1
2
F
Creighton
37
45
82
BYU
38
50
88
Geoffrey Groselle
Photo by: Jim Rash
NIT Run Ends in Quarterfinals In Loss at BYU
3/22/2016 9:46:00 PM | Men's Basketball
PROVO, Utah -- BYU stretched its NIT home-court win streak to 11 with an 88-82 win over visiting Creighton on Tuesday night before 15,525 fans in the quarterfinal round of the National Invitation Tournament.
The Cougars advance to the NIT semifinals for the second straight season, improving to 26-10, while Creighton ended its season with a 20-15 mark. The contest marked the final game for Bluejay seniors Geoffrey Groselle and James Milliken.
Cole Huff came out firing early, scoring 12 of the Jays first 18 points as CU built an 18-10 lead. The CU margin stretched as large as 27-15 in the first half after Milliken converted a steal into a lay-up and prompt a BYU timeout with 8:57 left in the opening half. After Huff was sent to the bench with his second foul and 6:35 to go in the half, the tide turned, as BYU would close the half on a 17-8 run. The Cougars earned the game's first tie on two free throws by Zac Seljaas with 1:05 left in the half, and took their first lead on a dunk from Kyle Davis with 27 seconds left in the period. The Cougars led 38-37 at the break, paced by 11 from Seljaas and 10 from Davis. Huff led CU with 12 points in the first half, wihle Maurice Watson Jr. had six points, four assists and a pair of rebounds.
Creighton rode the play of Groselle early in the second half, as he scored eight of the team's first 10 points, but BYU hurt CU inside to extend its lead. A three-pointer by Zac Seljaas gave the Cougars a 61-51 lead with 11:23 left in the half and prompted a Bluejay timeout. Seljaas' later drained another triple to make it 67-52 with just over nine minutes to play and its largest lead of the evening.
The Jays did draw within 10 with just over four minutes left before a deep triple from Chase Fischer ended that threat. CU trailed 74-67 with two minutes to play after Milliken and Huff scored seconds apart. After some BYU free throws, Milliken would drain a triple to with 1:03 left to close the gap to eight. CU got within five with 25.8 left on a hoop by Cole Huff, but Nick Emery sank two free throws to extend BYU's lead.
Groselle led CU with 22 points and added eight rebounds, while Huff had 18 points and 11 rebounds. Also in double-figures was Milliken, who had 10 point in his final game as a Bluejay. CU shot 44.8 percent overall, including 8-of-26 from three-point range, and were 14-of-22 at the line.
BYU had five men in double-figues, led by 19 from Seljaas. Chase Fischer had 14 of his 15 points after half, while Kyle Collinsworth battled illness to add 10 points, five rebounds and four assists in his first game off the bench all season. The Cougars shot 59.3 percent in the second half and 50.9 percent overall.
NOTES: Geoffrey Groselle reached the necessary 200 field goal attempt minimum to take over the No. 1 spot on Creighton's single-season field goal percentage list ...BYU improved to 11-1 all-time in home NIT games, while Creighton fell to 0-4 in road NIT contests ... Creighton fell to 7-12 all-time in the NIT with the loss ... Maurice Watson Jr. finished with nine assists, and the season with 229. That ranks second in CU single-season history.
The Cougars advance to the NIT semifinals for the second straight season, improving to 26-10, while Creighton ended its season with a 20-15 mark. The contest marked the final game for Bluejay seniors Geoffrey Groselle and James Milliken.
Cole Huff came out firing early, scoring 12 of the Jays first 18 points as CU built an 18-10 lead. The CU margin stretched as large as 27-15 in the first half after Milliken converted a steal into a lay-up and prompt a BYU timeout with 8:57 left in the opening half. After Huff was sent to the bench with his second foul and 6:35 to go in the half, the tide turned, as BYU would close the half on a 17-8 run. The Cougars earned the game's first tie on two free throws by Zac Seljaas with 1:05 left in the half, and took their first lead on a dunk from Kyle Davis with 27 seconds left in the period. The Cougars led 38-37 at the break, paced by 11 from Seljaas and 10 from Davis. Huff led CU with 12 points in the first half, wihle Maurice Watson Jr. had six points, four assists and a pair of rebounds.
Creighton rode the play of Groselle early in the second half, as he scored eight of the team's first 10 points, but BYU hurt CU inside to extend its lead. A three-pointer by Zac Seljaas gave the Cougars a 61-51 lead with 11:23 left in the half and prompted a Bluejay timeout. Seljaas' later drained another triple to make it 67-52 with just over nine minutes to play and its largest lead of the evening.
The Jays did draw within 10 with just over four minutes left before a deep triple from Chase Fischer ended that threat. CU trailed 74-67 with two minutes to play after Milliken and Huff scored seconds apart. After some BYU free throws, Milliken would drain a triple to with 1:03 left to close the gap to eight. CU got within five with 25.8 left on a hoop by Cole Huff, but Nick Emery sank two free throws to extend BYU's lead.
Groselle led CU with 22 points and added eight rebounds, while Huff had 18 points and 11 rebounds. Also in double-figures was Milliken, who had 10 point in his final game as a Bluejay. CU shot 44.8 percent overall, including 8-of-26 from three-point range, and were 14-of-22 at the line.
BYU had five men in double-figues, led by 19 from Seljaas. Chase Fischer had 14 of his 15 points after half, while Kyle Collinsworth battled illness to add 10 points, five rebounds and four assists in his first game off the bench all season. The Cougars shot 59.3 percent in the second half and 50.9 percent overall.
NOTES: Geoffrey Groselle reached the necessary 200 field goal attempt minimum to take over the No. 1 spot on Creighton's single-season field goal percentage list ...BYU improved to 11-1 all-time in home NIT games, while Creighton fell to 0-4 in road NIT contests ... Creighton fell to 7-12 all-time in the NIT with the loss ... Maurice Watson Jr. finished with nine assists, and the season with 229. That ranks second in CU single-season history.
Team Stats
CU
BYU
FG%
.448
.509
3FG%
.308
.381
FT%
.636
.759
RB
37
39
TO
9
13
STL
5
7
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
22
FGM
8
3FGM
0
FTM
6
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
1
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
C
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