Ryan Hawkins recorded his sixth double-double of the season and Creighton held UConn to two field goals over the final seven minutes Tuesday as the visiting Bluejays surprised the 17th-ranked Huskies 59-55 in Storrs, Conn.
Hawkins put up game highs with 23 points and 11 rebounds for the Bluejays (13-7, 5-4 Big East), who had lost their previous two games and their past three on the road.
Senior Isaiah Whaley scored a career-high 20 points for the Huskies (15-5, 6-3), who had won five in a row, all against unranked opponents.
After Whaley drilled his fourth 3-pointer to forge the second half’s fifth and final tie at 46-all with 7:15 to go, Alex O’Connell gave Creighton the lead for good with a layup, and Hawkins doubled the margin with a jumper.
The visitors made just two others baskets the rest of the way, including a dunk by O’Connell with 13 seconds left. However, five free throws by Trey Alexander, including a pair with two seconds left after an Andre Jackson 3-pointer had gotten Connecticut within 57-55, allowed the Bluejays to retain the lead.
Hawkins, who shot 8-for-12, wound up two points shy of his season high of 25 points, which he achieved twice.
Alexander’s late free throws raised his point total to 11 off the bench. O’Connell chipped in with six points to complement 10 rebounds for the Bluejays, who outscored the hosts 21-15 on 3-pointers.
Whaley also found time for six rebounds and four blocks on for UConn, which shot just 29.9 percent overall and 23.8 percent (5 of 21) on 3-point attempts.
R.J. Cole added 13 points, a team-high-tying nine rebounds, three assists and three steals for the Huskies.
With Hawkins scoring 13 of his 23 points, Creighton dominated the first half, building as much as a 12-point lead.
UConn trailed 32-22 at the break, having shot 28.6 percent overall in the half, including 1-for-9 on 3-point tries.
But things flipped quickly in the second period, with the visitors suddenly going ice cold. The Bluejays led 37-28 at the 15:51 mark before they missed four straight shots and mixed in three turnovers, allowing the Huskies to draw even at 37-all.
–Field Level Media
