After a thrilling seventh straight win last time out, Creighton bids to continue its recent Big East success when it travels to Providence to complete the teams’ regular-season series on Wednesday evening.
The Bluejays (16-6, 9-2) were 62-60 winners Saturday at Villanova, overcoming 18 turnovers and shooting just 6 of 26 from long distance as Steven Ashworth banked in a corner 3-pointer with 5.8 seconds left and Ryan Kalkbrenner scored 22 points with eight rebounds.
“Sometimes you need good fortune,” Creighton coach Greg McDermott said. “Sometimes you have to be lucky.”
Luck may have been on the Jays’ side, but Kalkbrenner extended his run of three consecutive 20-point performances and led a finish that saw seniors score Creighton’s final 19 points. Villanova’s nation-leading scorer Eric Dixon (24.2 ppg) was held to 17 points.
It was a similar story in Creighton’s 84-64 home win over Providence on Jan. 14. Kalkbrenner and Ashworth each scored 20 points, and the former made it a double-double with 10 rebounds.
“They’ve played their whole careers for this,” McDermott said after the two teams last faced off. “Their teammates know what they’re going to get out of them every single day.”
Ashworth has made one trey in each of the last 40 games, the second-longest streak in Creighton history.
The Friars (11-11, 5-6) were on the down side of a late-game result on Saturday, erasing a 19-point, second-half deficit before falling 68-66 at St. John’s. It was their third loss in five games.
While Jayden Pierre and Bensley Joseph — who both average double-figure scoring — were held to 11 and three points, respectively, Jabri Abdur-Rahim scored 27 on the Red Storm, going 8 of 11 from 3-point range. He is the first Providence player to sink eight triples since 2005.
“He’s locked in,” English said. “He’s playing the right way — rebounding, guarding the ball. When you do that, the ball goes through the net, especially when you’re a great player.”
However, turnovers were Providence’s downfall unlike Creighton over the weekend. The Friars turned the ball over 20 times for the third time this season.
English knows his team is better than what that statistic shows.
“Didn’t deserve to win, but I thought our guys fought hard and showed some great resolve,” English said. “If we take care of the ball, we like our chances.”
Creighton has won 15 of the teams’ 27 Big East meetings, but Providence has won the last two in Rhode Island in overtime.
–Field Level Media
