OMAHA, Neb.—Since dropping back-to-back games in early January, Missouri Valley Conference preseason favorite Creighton has been chasing first-place Northern Iowa in the league standings.
Thanks to reserve guards Cavel Witter and Antoine Young, the Bluejays (22-6, 12-4) are riding a seven-game winning streak and still in the title hunt with two conference games to play.
The duo combined for 27 second-half points in an 89-84 win over Evansville Tuesday at Qwest Center Omaha. Both Witter and Young finished with 15 points as the Jays got 43 points from their bench to remain a half game behind idle UNI.
“They play hard. That’s what I like about Antoine and Cavel,” said senior guard Booker Woodfox, one of five Creighton players to score in double figures. “Having them come in and hit big shots and free throws, that’s what we need.”
Witter scored nine of his team’s final 11 points and Young tallied all of his career-high 15 points in the second half to help the Jays overcome the Purple Aces (15-11, 7-9), who shot 59 percent from the field after halftime and 51 percent for the game.
Creighton led 40-37 at the half, but neither team had an advantage of more than five points through the first 32 minutes. The Jays eventually broke in front to stay by scoring eight consecutive points, all by Young and Witter, to claim at 72-65 lead with 7:20 to play.
The Aces stayed close. They pulled within three at 80-77 on a four-point play by Jason Holsinger with 3:44 to go. Holsinger was 8-for-12 from the floor and finished with a game-high 30 points, 20 coming after halftime.
Shy Ely, who had 26 points, dropped two free throws with 21 seconds left to get Evansville within one at 85-84. Witter answered with a pair of his own, the last of his 15 points, four seconds later to push Creighton’s lead back to three.
The Aces had a chance to tie the game on their last possession, but Ely missed an open 3-point attempt from the left corner. Justin Carter dove to the floor and grabbed the rebound for the Jays, then called a timeout as Evansville defenders surrounded him
Young broke free on the ensuing inbounds play, racing downcourt alone for a game-ending dunk.
The loss was the fourth in the last five games for the Aces, despite scoring the second-most points against Creighton this season.
“That’s one of the better offensive games that we’ve played,” Evansville coach Marty Simmons said. “But we obviously had a very hard time stopping them.”
