Sophomore guard Ty-Shon Alexander scored 19 points Thursday, including eight during a decisive run early in the second half, as Creighton trounced UMKC 89-53 at Omaha, Neb.

The Bluejays' 18-point halftime margin was trimmed when the Kangaroos put up the first six points of the second half, but Creighton responded with a 12-2 run. Alexander led that flurry with back-to-back 3-pointers.

Creighton (9-4) added a 20-2 blitz later in the half.

Junior forward Martin Krampelj contributed 11 points and eight rebounds for the Bluejays, who enjoyed a 39-16 advantage on the boards and used that difference to burn the Kangaroos (5-10) in transition.

Junior guard Davion Mintz added 13 points and six assists for Creighton, which entered the game averaging a Big East-best 84.8 points and is on pace to set a school record for 3-point makes at 12.2 per game. The Bluejays went 10 of 20 from behind the arc. Ten players scored for Creighton.

Sophomore guard Brandon McKissic netted 11 points to lead UMKC, which shot 41.5 percent from the floor. Junior guards Xavier Bishop and Rob Whitfield added 10 each for the Kangaroos.

Creighton overcame a sloppy start with a 13-0 run capped by a 3-pointer by Mintz with 4:57 remaining in the first half. Krampelj was tough underneath, contributing nine points and six rebounds as the Bluejays built a 42-24 halftime margin.

The Bluejays committed 10 first-half turnovers, including eight in the first 10-plus minutes, but shot 15-of-26 (57.7 percent) and forged a 21-6 advantage on the glass.

Creighton ranked among the top 10 nationally in all 3-point offensive categories after netting a school-record 22 treys in its previous game, a 110-60 rout of Coe College on Dec. 20.

Whitfield scored seven points to lead UMKC in the first half. His stick-back with 7:46 remaining kept the Kangaroos within 20-18, but the Bluejays then erupted.

The game was the last nonconference tune-up for each team. Creighton plays its Big East opener Monday at Providence. UMKC launches Western Athletic Conference play at home on Jan. 5 against Chicago State.

--Field Level Media