Creighton Bluejays Stun Connecticut Huskies 91-84 Behind Josh Dix's 21 Points

The Creighton Bluejays, ranked 83rd in the NET rankings, walked into Gampel Pavilion and handed the 10th-ranked Connecticut Huskies a shocking 91-84 defeat, a 7-point margin that belies the significance of this upset, given UConn's 24-3 record and Creighton's 14-13 mark, with the Huskies having been favored by 17.8 points according to CHD Scout's predictions, a number that now seems laughable given the final score, as Creighton outscored UConn 46-39 in the second half. This loss is a major setback for UConn, which had been averaging 81.6 points per game over its last 5 contests, while allowing just 68.8 points per game, and had gone 4-1 in that stretch, with the lone loss coming against St. John's, 72-81, a game in which they were outscored by 9 points in the second half, a trend that continued tonight. Creighton, on the other hand, had been struggling, averaging just 67 points per game over its last 5 contests, while allowing 76.2 points per game, and had gone 1-4 in that stretch, with the lone win coming against Seton Hall, 69-68, a game that saw them come from behind to win by a single point.

The game was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams trading baskets and neither able to gain a significant advantage, until Creighton began to pull away in the second half, outscoring UConn 14-6 over a 4-minute stretch to take a 75-68 lead with 6:22 remaining, a lead that they would never relinquish, as UConn was only able to get as close as 4 points, at 85-81, with 1:15 remaining, before Creighton sealed the win with 6 straight free throws, including 4 from Josh Dix, who finished with 21 points and 8 rebounds, and was a major factor in Creighton's upset win, as he hit several big shots, including a 3-pointer with 2:15 remaining that gave Creighton an 85-78 lead, and essentially sealed the win.

Beyond the numbers, it was clear that Dix was the catalyst for Creighton's win, as he hit several big shots and played tough defense, while UConn's Braylon Mullins, who finished with 25 points and 6 rebounds, was unable to carry his team to victory, despite his best efforts, as he scored 15 of his points in the first half, but was limited to just 10 points in the second half, as Creighton's defense tightened up and made it difficult for him to get open looks. Meanwhile, Creighton's Nik Graves, who finished with 18 points and 5 assists, was a major factor in the team's win, as he hit several big shots and played tough defense, and was able to get past UConn's defenders and get into the lane, where he was able to score or draw fouls, and get to the free throw line, where he was 6-6, including 4-4 in the second half.

The CHD Scout prediction of a 17.8-point UConn win now seems like a major miscalculation, as Creighton was able to outscore UConn by 7 points, despite being outrebounded 41-36, and turning the ball over 14 times, compared to UConn's 10 turnovers, a difference of 4, which could have been a major factor in the game, if not for Creighton's ability to shoot 51.7% from the field, including 42.9% from 3-point range, where they made 9-21 shots, compared to UConn's 6-20, a difference of 3 made 3-pointers, which was a major factor in the game.

The model clearly missed something, as Creighton was able to come into Gampel Pavilion and pull off a stunning upset, despite being ranked 73 spots lower in the NET rankings, and having lost to UConn by 27 points just a few weeks ago, 85-58, a game in which they were outscored by 20 points in the second half, a trend that they were able to reverse tonight, as they outscored UConn by 7 points, despite being outscored by 6 points in the first half, 45-39, a deficit that they were able to overcome in the second half, as they outscored UConn 52-39 over the final 20 minutes, including 14-6 over a 4-minute stretch to take a 75-68 lead with 6:22 remaining.

This win is a major boost to Creighton's tournament resume, as it gives them a Quadrant 1 win, and moves them to 14-13 on the season, with a NET ranking of 83, which could potentially put them in the bubble conversation, depending on how they finish the season, as they have several tough games remaining, including contests against Villanova, Seton Hall, and Xavier, all of which matters in determining their tournament fate. Meanwhile, UConn's loss is a significant setback, as it drops them to 24-4 on the season, and could potentially cost them a seed line in the tournament, as they had been considered a potential 2-seed, but may now be more likely to be a 3-seed, depending on how they finish the season, as they have several tough games remaining, including contests against Georgetown, Butler, and St. John's, all of which matters in determining their tournament seeding.

The implications of this win are significant, as it gives Creighton a much-needed boost to their tournament resume, and potentially puts them in the bubble conversation, while UConn's loss is a major setback, as it could potentially cost them a seed line in the tournament, and drops them to 24-4 on the season, with a NET ranking of 10, which could potentially put them in a difficult position, as they try to navigate the remainder of their schedule, and secure a high seed in the tournament, as they have several tough games remaining, including contests against Georgetown, Butler, and St. John's, all of which matters in determining their tournament fate, and could potentially make or break their season, as they try to bounce back from this tough loss, and get back on track, with 7 games remaining in the regular season.