This was one of the worst offensive games of the season, if not the worst. The teams combined for 33/120 shooting, good for a woeful 27.5% from the floor.
Kris Dunn hit the game-winner at the buzzer and the non-pretty nature of the shot clanking around the rim before dropping through was a microcosm of the offensive game from both teams. Dunn led all scorers with 20 points on 6/17 shooting. He added 8 rebounds and was 7/8 from the free throw line.
Ben Bentil got off to a slow start and went stretches where he wasn’t involved with the offense, but he had some critical baskets down the stretch and he and Dunn were the key cogs running the offense in the second half.
Drew Edwards is the Albert “Junior” Lomomba Unsung Hero of the night. Edwards only had 6 points and 2 rebounds, but he has some critical loose balls/rebounds that may go overlooked when looking at his box score.
Mo Watson was held largely in check by Dunn and the Friars. He got loose for a few field goals, but finished with just 9 points on 3/16 shooting. The 5’10 point guard did lead Creighton with 9 rebounds, though.
Ed Cooley traveled to Omaha on the team’s charter flight on Monday, but the Friar head coach has the flu. Cooley was so ill that he almost didn’t travel to Nebraska with the team. Friar fans were immediately reminded of February 7, 2015 when Cooley walked off the court at the beginning of the second half at Xavier and wound up spending a night in a Cincinnati hospital.
The Friars return to action on January 16th against Seton Hall at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center at 4:30pm EST. The game will be televised on Fox Sports 1.
Ben Bentil has landed on the Big East’s Weekly Honor Roll of players that had good weeks, but not good enough to be the Player of the Week. That honor goes to a Butler Bulldog for the third straight week with Roosevelt Jones being named this week’s Big East Player of the Week after his 19 point and 11 rebound effort against then 9th ranked Purdue helped Butler to the win.
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