Just three days ago, No. 1 UConn looked unbeatable. The Huskies clobbered then-No. 4 Marquette, 81-53, on Saturday, looking the first team that could win win back-to-back national titles since Florida in 2007. Enter No. 15 Creighton.
The Bluejays couldn't miss on Tuesday night, knocking down 14 shots from beyond the arc (50% 3FG) on their way to an 85-66 trouncing of the No. 1 team in the country.
DOWN GOES NO. 1 UCONN!!!!!!! 🔥🐦 @BluejayMBB pic.twitter.com/iM3iQaGPO0
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) February 21, 2024
Creighton's leading scorer Steven Ashworth got the party started in Omaha. He knocked down 16 of his team-leading 20 points in the first frame, helping the Bluejays take a 43-29 lead into the locker room.
BIG MONDAY: Texas' Max Abmas scores 3,000th career point, No. 2 Houston handles No. 6 Iowa State
Greg McDermott's squad had no problem carrying their momentum into the second half. The Jays opened up a 23-point lead by the 10-minute mark, all but solidifying what should have felt like an easy victory.
But this isn't a one-sided tale. No. 1 UConn is No. 1 for a reason — a seasoned squad with resilience all over the court, including Tristen Newton who helped lead the Huskies back from that 23-point deficit. Newton finished the game with 27 points, with 17 of those coming in the second half.
UConn cut it to 10, but couldn't get over the double-digit hump. After a flurry of missed shots and turnovers from both teams, the Bluejays found themselves at the free throw line 10 times knocking down nine attempts to solidify the massive Big East win.
Creighton snapped UConn's 14-game winning streak, giving the Huskies their third loss of the season. The Bluejays will head to Madison Square Garden on Sunday to face St. John's while Connecticut will look to bounce back when they host Villanova on Saturday.
