Kansas City
Creighton
Creighton, McDermott Pull Past 'Roos on Monday, 96-70
11/11/2013 11:32:00 PM | Men's Basketball
(Omaha, Neb.) - The UMKC men's basketball team held a two point lead more than half way through the opening period at Creighton on Monday, but All-American Doug McDermott led the Bluejays on a run to end the half on the way to a 96-70 victory.
Kansas City (0-2) shot only 37.7 percent in the game, while Creighton (2-0) hit 51.5 percent from the floor and out-rebounded the 'Roos 51-35. McDermott finished the night with 37 points and seven rebounds.
“He is a pro, and he deserves to be a preseason first-team All-American,” Head Coach Kareem Richardson said of McDermott. “He can finish with the left, he can finish with the right, he can step out and shoot and he does a great job with angles. His teammates also do a tremendous job of finding him in the right spots, and he is fun to watch.”
McDermott put on a show in the opening half, hitting 10-of-15 shots for 25 points. Even with his performance, Kansas City was right in it, overcoming an early 16-8 deficit to lead 19-18 with 10:11 on the clock on a fastbreak steal and layup by freshman Martez Harrison.
Harrison picked up his second foul on the following play, forcing him to sit down though, and Creighton made a run. After CU took the lead 21-20, the 'Roos got a three-pointer from senior Caleb Johnson, to go up two with 7:35 on the clock.
Creighton answered that bucket with a 15-2 run, paced by seven points from McDermott over the next six minutes.
“That was big when he went out of the game,” Richardson said. “It seemed like the momentum changed so quickly, but you have to give credit to Creighton, they are a very good ball club and do a great job of sharing the basketball.”
The Bluejays went into the half with a 48-31 advantage after banking in a three at the buzzer by guard Austin Chatman. Trinity Hall led the 'Roos with nine points in the half, while Nelson Kirksey tallied eight. CU shot 52.9 percent in the period while UMKC hit only 31.4 percent. Creighton also out-scored the 'Roos 22-8 in the paint during the half.
The 'Roos stayed pretty even with CU over the first eight minutes of the second stanza, but the Bluejays rallied to push the score to as many as 28 with 6:07 to play.
Kansas City allowed the Creighton to score 48 in each half though, and the home squad shot better than 50 percent in both halves. UMKC did turn the Bluejays over 14 times, but CU had 27 assists, including nine with no turnovers for Chatman to go with his 12 points.
“We did a much better job with our turnovers this game as opposed to Emporia, only turning the ball over eight times, and that was an emphasis this week,” Richardson said. “Obviously there are a lot of things we have to improve on, especially on the defensive end.”
The 'Roos had five players in double figures, led by Hall with 15, while Harrison tallied 12, Frank Williams had 11, Kirksey had 10, and freshman center Isaac Kreuer had a career-best 10 points and eight rebounds.
Kansas City will remain in Omaha for a contest with Nebraska-Omaha on Wednesday night at Ralston Arena at 7:00 p.m.
