STORRS, Conn. (AP) — Jamiya Neal scored a career-high 24 points to propel Creighton to a 68-63 victory over No. 14 UConn on Saturday. Ryan Kalkbrenner contributed 16 points, while Steven Ashworth added 12 for the Bluejays (12-6, 5-2 Big East). Hassan Diarra and Solo Ball each notched 15 points for UConn (13-5, 5-2), whose 28-game home winning streak was snapped.
A 12-2 run early in the second half, highlighted by four consecutive points from Alex Karaban, saw the Huskies take a 43-41 lead. Creighton responded with a 6-0 run, featuring a pair of dunks, to regain control of the game. Although missing their first three 3-point attempts, Creighton found their rhythm and hit four in a row, with Isaac Traudt providing the spark that gave them their first lead midway through the first half. Despite UConn briefly regaining the lead twice in the first half, Creighton closed the half with a strong push, scoring 10 of the last 12 points to head into halftime with a 35-28 advantage.
In terms of takeaways, Creighton showcased their depth as players beyond Kalkbrenner and Ashworth stepped up to make critical plays. On the other hand, UConn faced another setback in a winnable game as freshman standout Liam McNeeley continues his recovery from a high-ankle sprain.
One key moment in the game came when UConn had just reclaimed the lead with a pair of free throws from Samson Johnson. Ryan Kalkbrenner responded by scoring the next three points and making a defensive stop against Diarra, ultimately giving Creighton a lead they would not relinquish.
A significant statistic from the game was Creighton’s advantage at the free-throw line, outscoring UConn 14-5 in free throws, including four crucial foul shots to seal the victory.
Looking ahead, Creighton is set to face DePaul on Tuesday, while UConn will host Butler on the same day at the XL Center.
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