Ryan Kalkbrenner scored 17 points as Creighton pulled away in the second half and recorded an 80-55 victory over visiting North Dakota State on Tuesday night in Omaha, Neb.
After getting their first six wins by a combined 56 points, the Bluejays (7-1) posted their most lopsided win by dominating the second half Tuesday. They outscored the Bison 40-23 in the final 20 minutes.
Kalkbrenner made 7 of 8 shots as the Bluejays shot 52.5 percent, marking the fourth time they had made at least half their shots this season.
Arthur Kaluma added nine of his 11 points during Creighton’s dominant second half to help the Bluejays easily improve to 11-0 all-time against the Bison (4-3).
Alex O’Connell and Ryan Nembhard contributed 10 points apiece for the Bluejays, who had rallied from 16 points down to beat SIU-Edwardsville on Saturday.
Dezmond McKinney scored 13 points for North Dakota State, which shot 22.6 percent in the second half and 34 percent overall. Rocky Kreuser added 12 points and seven rebounds while Maleeck Harden-Hayes contributed 10 points as the Bison absorbed their second lopsided loss of the season.
After Creighton opened a 21-12 lead midway through the first half, the Bison were within 27-25 following two free throws by McKinney with 4:37 remaining. Nembhard hit two jumpers to help give the Bluejays a 40-32 lead by halftime.
Creighton’s lead ballooned to 50-34 on a turnaround jumper by Kaluma with 15:27 remaining, and they surged ahead to clinch the win a few minutes later. Kaluma hit a layup and a 3-pointer during a 14-0 run that opened a 74-44 lead on a jumper by KeyShawn Feazell with 5:46 remaining.
–Field Level Media
