The Creighton men’s basketball team dished a Qwest Center Omaha-record 28 assists on 32 baskets and beat Houston Baptist, 85-56, on Tuesday night in the Bluejays’ final tune-up before Missouri Valley Conference play next week.
Creighton improved to 5-6 on the season, including a 5-0 mark at home. Houston Baptist dropped to 1-11 on the year and does not play again until a Jan. 3rd date at Memphis.
The Bluejays stormed to a 14-1 lead in the opening 4:20 of the game as P’Allen Stinnett dished four straight assists before joining the scoring columns himself with a three-pointer. The Huskies would miss their first eight shots from the field before a Remy Boswell lay-up broke the ice. Creighton’s lead reached 20 for the first time on a Wayne Runnels lay-up to make it 32-11. CU’s led by as much as 42-15 in the first half after a Andrew Bock trey before taking a 44-21 halftime advantage. Both teams launched 35 attempts in the first half, with CU making 15 (42.9 percent) and HBU just eight (22.9 percent).
Creighton built its largest lead of the season in the second half at 76-40 with 8:40 to play and maintained a lead of 20 or more the entire second half.
Creighton had five men in double-figures, led by a season-best 18 points from Cavel Witter, who tied his personal best with four three-point baskets. Runnels (13), Also in double-digits were Darryl Ashford (12), Kenny Lawson Jr. (11) and Ethan Wragge (10). The Bluejays set a Qwest Center Omaha record with 28 assists on 32 field goals. CU also drained a season-best 13 three-point shots in 27 attempts from long-range.
Houston Baptist was led by 14 points and nine rebounds from Boswell. The Huskies, in their third year transitioning to Division I, shot 32.4 percent for the game and outrebounded CU by a 44-42 margin.
Creighton opens Missouri Valley Conference play on Dec. 29 with a 7:05 pm game against preseason favorite Northern Iowa. The Panthers and Bluejays split two meetings last season as well as the MVC’s regular-season title.
