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Field Level Media - Professional sports content solutions | FLM

Mar 15, 2025 12:01 am

Career night for Jasen Green carries Creighton past UConn

Creighton, huskies

NEW YORK — Jasen Green scored a career-high 19 points and second-seeded Creighton withstood a comeback try by third-seeded UConn and earned a 71-62 victory Friday night in the semifinals of the Big East tournament.

The Bluejays (24-9) advanced to the championship game for the fifth time since joining the Big East, but they have yet to win the title. Creighton will face top-seeded St. John’s, which pulled away to beat Marquette 79-63 in the first semifinal.

Green made all seven of his shots in the first half, and the Bluejays led by 11 at halftime. He got his only second-half basket with 2:43 left when he sank a turnaround jumper at the left side of the paint over Alex Karaban, who was playing with four fouls.

Green, who entered averaging 4.3 points, eclipsed his previous career high of 14 against Georgetown set Feb. 23. He scored one point in 21 minutes during Creighton’s double-overtime comeback win over 10th-seeded DePaul on Thursday.

The biggest night of Green’s career occurred when UConn keyed on Ryan Kalkbrenner and held the star center to 12 points on 5-of-13 shooting.

Kalkbrenner had help from others besides Green. Jamiya Neal also scored 19, including a dunk in the final seconds that infuriated the Huskies and resulted in double technical fouls. Steven Ashworth contributed 12 a night after hitting the tying 3 with 21 seconds left in regulation.

The Bluejays shot 75 percent in the opening half and 52 percent overall.

Solo Ball and Liam McNeeley scored 13 apiece as the Huskies (23-10) had their five-game winning streak halted. Hassan Diarra added 11, but Karaban was held to six on 3-of-10 shooting and picked up his fourth foul with about 15 1/2 minutes left.

McNeeley made 6 of 20 shots for the Huskies, who hit 42.6 percent from the floor and were 8 of 21 (38.1 percent) from 3-point range.

Karaban’s drive to the rim forged a 28-28 tie with 6:44 remaining in the first half, but Creighton got others besides Kalkbrenner involved in an 18-7 run to end the half. Green scored 10 first-half points, including a basket on a drive to the hoop with 29 seconds left before the break to help the Bluejays hold a 46-35 edge at halftime.

Kalkbrenner hit a difficult jumper in the lane for a 55-38 lead with 16:27 left. The Huskies answered with 12 straight points, getting within 55-50 when Aidan Mahaney sank a 3-pointer from the right side with 12:11 left.

The Huskies were within 59-56 following consecutive hoops from Tarris Reed Jr. Neal sank a trey with 5:24 to go for a six-point edge after UConn coach Dan Hurley berated the officials for an out-of-bounds call against his team. Creighton hiked its lead to 66-58 when Green made his final shot.

–Larry Fleisher, Field Level Media

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