Graves’ Second-Half Explosion Propels Creighton into Crown Semifinals
Graves’ Second-Half Explosion Propels Creighton into Crown Semifinals
The Creighton Bluejays secured their spot in the College Basketball Crown semifinals with a commanding 82-69 victory over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. In a game that was tightly contested for the first twenty minutes, it was a spectacular second-half performance by senior guard Nik Graves that ultimately separated the two teams. Graves scored 25 of his game-high 28 points after the intermission, spearheading a run that Rutgers simply could not answer.
Rutgers actually held the upper hand early, jumping out to a 16-7 lead behind the energy of freshman Lino Mark and junior Tariq Francis. However, Creighton’s veteran poise began to show late in the first half. A 12-2 run, capped by a Josh Dix three-pointer, allowed the Bluejays to take a 31-28 lead into the locker room. From there, it was the Nik Graves show, as he relentlessly attacked the rim and drew foul after foul against a frustrated Rutgers defense.
Graves and Dix: The Veteran Connection
Graves, a transfer from Charlotte, played with the urgency of a senior who didn't want his college career to end. He was nearly perfect from the free-throw line, finishing 12-of-13, and his ability to find open teammates resulted in eight assists. His backcourt partner, Josh Dix, provided the perimeter spacing necessary for Graves to operate. Dix finished with 14 points, including four critical three-pointers that thwarted every Rutgers attempt at a comeback.
"Nik was on another level tonight," said Creighton head coach Greg McDermott. "When he gets downhill like that, he’s almost impossible to stop without fouling. And Josh hit those big shots whenever the game felt like it might slip away. That’s the benefit of having seniors who have been in these moments before." The Bluejays’ offensive efficiency in the second half was staggering, as they shot over 62 percent from the floor to blow the game open.
A Bittersweet Victory for McDermott
The win carries extra weight for the Creighton program, as it was recently confirmed that longtime head coach Greg McDermott will be stepping down at the end of this season. With Alan Huss already waiting in the wings to take over, the Bluejays are playing for more than just a trophy—they are playing for the legacy of the man who built their program into a national powerhouse. Every win in this tournament extends McDermott's historic tenure by another few days.
The atmosphere in Las Vegas was electric, with a significant contingent of Bluejay fans making the trip to witness what could be McDermott's final run. The team has embraced the "one last dance" narrative, and their focused performance against a physical Rutgers squad suggests they have the chemistry to go all the way. Creighton now moves to 16-17 on the season and will face West Virginia in what promises to be a high-stakes semifinal matchup.
Rutgers' Offensive Struggles
For Rutgers, the loss ends a season of transition at 14-20. While the Scarlet Knights showed flashes of brilliance, particularly during their 10-point first-half lead, they were plagued by the same scoring droughts that have haunted them all season. After their hot start, they missed 15 of their final 16 shots to end the first half, a slump from which they never truly recovered. Tariq Francis led the Knights with 19 points, but his 3-for-14 shooting from the field illustrated the team's difficulty in finishing plays.
Coach Steve Pikiell noted the disparity in experience after the game. "Creighton’s guards are seniors, and it showed. They knew how to manipulate the game and get to their spots. We’re young, and we’re learning, but you can’t have those empty stretches in postseason play." Despite the exit, the emergence of Lino Mark as a dynamic playmaker provides a silver lining for a Rutgers fanbase looking forward to a revamped roster next season.
