Early March Madness as Creighton Upsets Big East Rival No.1 UConn

No. 15 Creighton (20-7, 11-5 Big East) pulled off a stunning upset against No.1 UConn (24-3, 14-2 Big East) with a commanding 85-66 victory at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska, halting UConn's historic 14-game home winning streak.

The first half was dominated by Creighton guard Steven Ashworth, who poured in 16 of his 20 points before halftime, propelling Creighton to a significant lead.

The Bluejays closed out the half with a decisive 22-6 run while limiting UConn to just 1-of-7 shooting from beyond the arc, establishing a 14-point lead.

Creighton maintained their momentum in the second half, extending their lead to as much as 20 points with an 8-2 run.

Although the Huskies mounted a comeback, going on an 18-5 run and cutting the deficit to within 10 points with just over four minutes remaining, it wasn't enough to overcome Creighton's large lead.

Foul trouble plagued the Huskies throughout the game, particularly affecting 7-foot-2 center Donovan Clingan, who played only 11 minutes after picking up two quick fouls.

Read More: NHL Trade Deadline: Flames D Noah Hanifin

In the first half, UConn struggled to contain Creighton's offense, as the Bluejays dominated the three-point battle, sinking 14 of their 28 attempts and shooting 50 percent from downtown.

Steven Ashworth led Creighton with 20 points, followed by guard Trey Alexander with 16 points and Ryan Kalkbrenner with 15 points.

For UConn, Tristen Newton recorded 27 points and 12 rebounds in a losing effort, while Donovan Clingan contributed 12 points and seven rebounds.

Despite entering the matchup on a six-game losing streak, Creighton secured its first-ever victory over a top-ranked team in program history.

Meanwhile, UConn, fresh off a win against Marquette, has been a dominant force in college basketball, currently sitting atop the Big East standings.

Despite the loss, UConn remains in contention for the No.1 seed in the NCAA tournament with four games left before the Big East Tournament.

Read More: Formula 1: Max Verstappen and Red Bull Quickest in Pre-Season Testing Day 1

© Copyright 2024 Sports World News, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

Real Time Analytics