Saturday, December 21
Omaha, Neb.
3:00 PM
Creighton University
8-5,1-1Big East
86
vs
79
Villanova
8-5,1-1Big East
1
2
F
Villanova
38
41
79
Creighton
40
46
86
Jamiya Neal
Photo by: Creighton Athletics
Senior Trio Leads Men's Basketball Past Villanova
12/21/2024 6:06:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Bluejays have three men score 20+ points
OMAHA, Neb. -- Seniors Ryan Kalkbrenner, Jamiya Neal and Steven Ashworth combined for 63 points to lead the Creighton men's basketball team to an 86-79 win over visiting Villanova on Saturday before 17,125 fans at CHI Health Center Omaha.
Both teams are now 8-5 on the season and 1-1 in BIG EAST play.
Kalkbrenner had 23 points, Neal scored 20 and drained a career-high six three-pointers, and Ashworth notched his first career double-double with 20 points and a career-high 11 assists.
Eric Dixon came into the game leading the country with 25.7 points per game and scored a game-high 27 points for the Wildcats.
Creighton made its first six three-point attempts in the opening eight minutes to take a 24-18 lead and led 40-38 at the half after making 9-of-13 trifectas in the first 20 minutes.
Villanova got within one (42-41) on a three-pointer by Dixon before CU embarked on a 14-5 spurt in the next five minutes, including two Kalkbrenner dunks and three-pointers by Ashworth and Neal. CU's lead remained nine or more until the final two minutes, when the Wildcats made a final push. Nova got as close as six points with 21.1 seconds left on a three-ball by Jordan Longino, but did not foul CU until just 3.3 seconds left, when a free throw by Jasen Green iced the game for the hosts.
Creighton shot 55.4 percent from the field and 56.0 percent from three-point range -- both season-highs -- while scoring 86 points against a Villanova defense that had been surrendering just 66.4 points per game entering the afternoon.
Creighton made 31-of-56 shots overall and a season-high 14 three-pointers in 25 attempts while also claiming the rebound battle 30-28. CU dished 22 assists against just seven turnovers and outscored the Wildcats in transition 10-2.
Villanova made 32-of-64 shots from the field and 8-of-20 three-point tries, but finished the game with eight assists on 32 baskets. Villanova's one turnover was the fewest by a team in any BIG EAST game since Louisville had one in a 73-65 loss to Georgetown on Feb. 7, 2007.
NOTES: Steven Ashworth has made multiple three-pointers in 15 straight games and at least one three-pointer in 31 games in a row ... Ryan Kalkbrenner blocked a shot in his 26th straight game ... Jamiya Neal's six three-pointers were a career-best and tied the most by a Bluejay this season ... Neal also surpassed 700 career points ... Steven Ashworth's 11 assists were two more than his previous career-high ... Creighton's 10 wins over Villanova since joining the BIG EAST in 2013 are tied with Marquette for the most over VU ... Creighton is now 21-2 since 2002 in the contest following a loss by 20 points or more ... Creighton is now 6-6 all-time at CHI Health Center Omaha against Villanova, including a 4-1 mark in the last five seasons ... Eric Dixon has now made 25-of-50 career three-pointers against Creighton, 14 more three-pointers than he's hit against any other team ... Dixon's six straight games of 20+ points are the most by any BIG EAST player against another league foe since former Marquette All-American Markus Howard did it in seven in a row vs. Villanova and six in a row against Seton Hall ... ... Since the start of the 2010-11 season, Creighton's 4,451 three-pointers are the second-most nationally, while Villanova is third with 4,380 ... Steven Ashworth made all five free-throw attempts and has now made 27 in a row at the line, which is tied for the ninth-longest streak in Bluejay history ... Fedor Zugic made his Creighton debut and grabbed two rebounds and had one foul in 2:41 of playing time ... Creighton is now 7-0 all-time when scoring 79 points or more against Villanova, compared to a 3-19 mark when scoring 78 or fewer ... Creighton has won 15 straight BIG EAST games when Ryan Kalkbrenner attempts 12 or more field goals ... Today marked the first time three Creighton players scored 20+ points in the same game since Steven Ashworth (26), Baylor Scheierman (26), Trey Alexander (22) and Ryan Kalkbrenner (20) did so vs. Butler on Feb. 2, 2024 ... Steven Ashworth had Creighton's first game with at least 20 points and 10 assists since Maurice Watson Jr. had 21 points and 10 assists vs. Seton Hall on Dec. 28, 2016.
Both teams are now 8-5 on the season and 1-1 in BIG EAST play.
Kalkbrenner had 23 points, Neal scored 20 and drained a career-high six three-pointers, and Ashworth notched his first career double-double with 20 points and a career-high 11 assists.
Eric Dixon came into the game leading the country with 25.7 points per game and scored a game-high 27 points for the Wildcats.
Creighton made its first six three-point attempts in the opening eight minutes to take a 24-18 lead and led 40-38 at the half after making 9-of-13 trifectas in the first 20 minutes.
Villanova got within one (42-41) on a three-pointer by Dixon before CU embarked on a 14-5 spurt in the next five minutes, including two Kalkbrenner dunks and three-pointers by Ashworth and Neal. CU's lead remained nine or more until the final two minutes, when the Wildcats made a final push. Nova got as close as six points with 21.1 seconds left on a three-ball by Jordan Longino, but did not foul CU until just 3.3 seconds left, when a free throw by Jasen Green iced the game for the hosts.
Creighton shot 55.4 percent from the field and 56.0 percent from three-point range -- both season-highs -- while scoring 86 points against a Villanova defense that had been surrendering just 66.4 points per game entering the afternoon.
Creighton made 31-of-56 shots overall and a season-high 14 three-pointers in 25 attempts while also claiming the rebound battle 30-28. CU dished 22 assists against just seven turnovers and outscored the Wildcats in transition 10-2.
Villanova made 32-of-64 shots from the field and 8-of-20 three-point tries, but finished the game with eight assists on 32 baskets. Villanova's one turnover was the fewest by a team in any BIG EAST game since Louisville had one in a 73-65 loss to Georgetown on Feb. 7, 2007.
NOTES: Steven Ashworth has made multiple three-pointers in 15 straight games and at least one three-pointer in 31 games in a row ... Ryan Kalkbrenner blocked a shot in his 26th straight game ... Jamiya Neal's six three-pointers were a career-best and tied the most by a Bluejay this season ... Neal also surpassed 700 career points ... Steven Ashworth's 11 assists were two more than his previous career-high ... Creighton's 10 wins over Villanova since joining the BIG EAST in 2013 are tied with Marquette for the most over VU ... Creighton is now 21-2 since 2002 in the contest following a loss by 20 points or more ... Creighton is now 6-6 all-time at CHI Health Center Omaha against Villanova, including a 4-1 mark in the last five seasons ... Eric Dixon has now made 25-of-50 career three-pointers against Creighton, 14 more three-pointers than he's hit against any other team ... Dixon's six straight games of 20+ points are the most by any BIG EAST player against another league foe since former Marquette All-American Markus Howard did it in seven in a row vs. Villanova and six in a row against Seton Hall ... ... Since the start of the 2010-11 season, Creighton's 4,451 three-pointers are the second-most nationally, while Villanova is third with 4,380 ... Steven Ashworth made all five free-throw attempts and has now made 27 in a row at the line, which is tied for the ninth-longest streak in Bluejay history ... Fedor Zugic made his Creighton debut and grabbed two rebounds and had one foul in 2:41 of playing time ... Creighton is now 7-0 all-time when scoring 79 points or more against Villanova, compared to a 3-19 mark when scoring 78 or fewer ... Creighton has won 15 straight BIG EAST games when Ryan Kalkbrenner attempts 12 or more field goals ... Today marked the first time three Creighton players scored 20+ points in the same game since Steven Ashworth (26), Baylor Scheierman (26), Trey Alexander (22) and Ryan Kalkbrenner (20) did so vs. Butler on Feb. 2, 2024 ... Steven Ashworth had Creighton's first game with at least 20 points and 10 assists since Maurice Watson Jr. had 21 points and 10 assists vs. Seton Hall on Dec. 28, 2016.
Went out there and put on a show ??
?? Recap vs. Villanova#GoJays pic.twitter.com/yalfGloURh
— Creighton Men's Basketball (@BluejayMBB) December 23, 2024
Team Stats
VU
CU
FG%
.500
.554
3FG%
.400
.560
FT%
.778
.714
RB
28
30
TO
1
7
STL
4
1
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
23
FGM
10
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
20
FGM
6
3FGM
3
FTM
5
Pts
20
FGM
7
3FGM
6
FTM
0
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballC
/ Men's BasketballG/F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballMeet the Jays - MBB Blake Harper
Friday, August 15
Meet the Jays - MBB Austin Swartz
Friday, August 15
Meet the Jays - MBB Jasen Green
Friday, August 15
Meet the Jays - MBB Ty Davis
Friday, August 15
