Creighton ensured there would be no surprises on Saturday, as they battled their way to victory in a double-overtime thriller against Oregon. The No. 3 Bluejays triumphed 86-73 over the No. 11 Ducks, securing their spot in the Sweet 16 of the Midwest region.
The game teetered on the edge throughout regulation, with Baylor Scheierman’s clutch jumper knotting the score just before the end of regulation. Then, in a heart-stopping moment, Steven Ashworth’s shot nearly sealed Oregon’s fate at the close of the first overtime, only to bounce off the rim, prolonging the drama.
Despite Oregon’s reliance solely on Jermaine Couisnard and N’Faly Dante for scoring during the latter half of the game, they managed to push Creighton to the brink. However, their efforts fell short in the face of Creighton’s resilience.
The Bluejays dominated the second half, rendering Oregon’s star duo less effective as the game wore on. The Ducks struggled to find points outside of Couisnard and Dante, their offensive prowess faltering in the critical moments. Creighton capitalized on this, outscoring Oregon 15-2 in the final overtime period, ultimately securing a decisive victory in what had been a tightly contested match.
Couisnard led the charge for Creighton with an impressive 32 points, closely followed by Dante, who contributed 28 points along with a remarkable 20 rebounds. Only two other Oregon players managed to find the basket, with Shelstad tallying seven points and Tracey adding six.
For Creighton, Ashworth led the scoring with 21 points, closely trailed by Trey Alexander with 20 points, Ryan Kalkbrenner with 19, and Scheierman with 18. The game remained fiercely competitive throughout, with neither team establishing a lead of more than six points until Creighton’s final surge in overtime.
This victory marks Creighton’s third appearance in the Sweet 16 in the last four seasons. After reaching the Elite Eight the previous season, the Bluejays have their sights set on a potential maiden Final Four berth, with a showdown against No. 2 Tennessee looming in the next round.
Meanwhile, in other tournament action, both North Carolina and North Carolina State secured victories, further intensifying the competition. North Carolina comfortably dispatched No. 9 Michigan State with an 85-69 win in the West region, while North Carolina State continued their impressive run with a hard-fought 79-73 overtime victory over No. 14 Oakland.
If Duke can secure a win against James Madison, it would mark the first time since 2015 that all three ACC programs from the Raleigh-Durham region advance to the Sweet 16.
In another series of compelling matchups, Arizona, Iowa State, and Tennessee, all No. 2 seeds, emerged victorious to secure their spots in the Sweet 16. Arizona overpowered No. 7 Dayton with a 78-68 win, while Iowa State outplayed No. 7 Washington State with a 67-56 victory. Tennessee, despite a challenging shooting night, managed to fend off a resilient No. 7 Texas, sealing a 62-58 win to advance.
Gonzaga asserted their dominance with a commanding 89-68 victory over No. 4 Kansas, while No. 3 Illinois cruised to an 89-63 win over No. 11 Duquesne, securing their spot in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2005.
