Martavious Newby and M.J. Rhett added nine points apiece for Ole Miss (4-1) which will take on 5-0 Cincinnati – a 69-51 winner over Middle Tennessee in the first semifinal – in Saturday night’s championship game. Summers was 9-of-10 at free-throw line and Newby was 4-of-4 – all in the final 20 seconds – as the Rebels finished 19-of-21 overall.
Isaiah Zierden scored 18 points and Austin Chatman added 15 for Creighton (5-1), which will face the Blue Raiders (3-2) in the third-place contest Saturday. Devin Brooks also scored in double figures with 14 for the Bluejays who hit a season-high 13 3-pointers – five by Zierden – in 31 attempts.
After trailing by six at halftime and 65-63 after Toby Hegner hit one of two free throws with 2:13 remaining, Ole Miss took the lead for good on Newby’s 3-pointer from the wing with just under 1:45 to play. Rhett followed Brooks’ missed 1-and-1 free throw with a baseline jumper, and Summers and Newby combined to sink 7-of-8 free throws down the stretch to close out the comeback.
Ole Miss got the early jump, scoring the game’s first four points and led 16-10 with just under 13 minutes to play in the half before Zierden caught fire and scored nine points in a 17-2 Creighton run over the ensuing 4:30. In all, the Bluejays hit seven of their 17 first-half 3-point attempts and took a 37-31 advantage into the break.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Mississippi shot season highs from the field (52.1 percent), 3-point arc (40) and free-throw stripe (90.5). … The game marked the first time Creighton has hit more 3-pointers than its opponent this season. … Bluejays coach Greg McDermott is 4-13 all-time against SEC opponents.
Creighton | Mississippi | |
Isaiah Zierden 18 | Scoring | Jarvis Summers 23 |
Austin Chatman 6 | Assists | Martavious Newby 4 |
Austin Chatman 5 | Rebounds | Martavious Newby 7 |
Zach Hanson 4 | Free Throws Made | Jarvis Summers 9 |
Devin Brooks 2 | Steals | Martavious Newby 2 |
Zach Hanson 1 | Blocks | LaDarius White 2 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
Creighton | 68 | 44.0 | 13-31 | 11-17 | 15 | 25 | 2 | 3 | 12 |
Mississippi | 75 | 52.1 | 6-15 | 19-21 | 9 | 23 | 3 | 9 | 8 |