Creighton ends Princeton’s March Madness run with 86-75 win

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Creighton coach GregMcDermott understood what his team needed to do if it wanted tomake school history.

Ryan Kalkbrenner, the Big East’s two-time defensive player ofthe year, had to use his 7-foot-1 frame to overwhelm Princeton’sdefense. And 3-point specialist Baylor Scheierman needed to showwhat he could do defensively. Together, they teamed up to endPrinceton’s March Madness run.

Kalkbrenner scored 22 points, Scheierman had 21 and sixth-seededCreighton marched on with an 86-75 victory over the 15th-seededTigers on Friday night that sent the Bluejays to their first EliteEight since being part of an eight-team NCAA Tournament in1941.

“It’s been amazing, it’s been a dream come true. This is why Icame to Creighton in the first place, to make a run with this groupof guys,” Scheierman said after making five 3-pointers andharassing Princeton’s perimeter players. “It’s just been anincredible experience. I’m looking forward to continuing that onSunday.”

Next up for Creighton is No. 5 seed San Diego State in the SouthRegion final, with each team seeking its first Final Four. Thesurprising matchup could be entertaining because of the teams’contrasting styles.

For Creighton to advance, Friday’s big stars may need toduplicate their performances against the rugged Aztecs,particularly Kalkbrenner, who was 9 of 12 shooting despite a brieffirst-half benching because McDermott thought his big man’sattitude needed work.

“He just basically told me, get that frustrated look off my faceand play with a little joy and have fun,” Kalkbrenner said. “Ifixed it after that.”

Soon after, the Bluejays (24-12) were celebrating.

The Tigers (23-9) were led by Ryan Langborg with 26 points andIvy League player of the year Tosan Evbuomwan with 24 points, sixrebounds and nine assists.

Princeton shook up brackets everywhere by beating No. 2 seedArizona in the first round, then blew out seventh-seeded Missourilast weekend in Sacramento, California, to make its first Sweet 16since 1967.

Princeton was seeking become the first Ivy League champ to makethe Elite Eight since Penn’s Final Four run in 1979, the firstTigers squad to reach the Final Four since Bill Bradley led themthere in 1965, and the second straight No. 15 seed to play in aregional final. Saint Peter’s last year became the first 15 seed toachieve that feat.

The Tigers came up short.

“We had seen great size and length against Arizona, but wehadn’t seen Kalkbrenner’s agility and the speed, the way they weregetting him the ball in different positions,” coach Mitch Hendersonsaid. “I thought he was the key. They just got easy, easy basketswhen they needed them.”

Princeton’s offense bore no resemblance to the back-cutting,deliberate style that defined the late Pete Carril’s coachingtenure. Instead, the Tigers went toe to toe against fast-pacedCreighton until stalling out at the start of the second half.

Creighton used a 9-2 run to take 56-45 lead, a four-minutestretch during which Henderson called two timeouts and Evbuomwandrew his third foul.

Nothing could stop the Bluejays, though. When Princeton cut thedeficit to 61-52, Creighton answered with seven more points and theTigers couldn’t get closer than seven points again.

Now, after beating North Carolina State and third-seeded Baylorin Denver last weekend, drawing confidence from not needing oxygenmasks like their opponents, Creighton has a chance at aprogram-changing victory.

“At the end of the day, there’s just eight teams left, and to beone of those eight teams is just crazy,” Kalkbrenner said. “It’swhat you work for all year. It’s what you work for since you gethere on campus in the summer, and this is all the hard work payingoff now.”

BIG PICTURE

Princeton: The Tigers didn’t make it to Houston but they wereamong the many lower-seeded standouts during this delightfullyunpredictable tournament.

Creighton: The Bluejays’ quick-hitting offense remains theirsignature. But over McDermott’s 13 seasons, they’ve developed astronger interior presence — and a defense that makes opponentsuncomfortable.

CASHING IN

The tourney run could prove advantageous to Evbuomwan’s bankaccount.

“There’s been some stuff,” he said when asked if he’d beenapproached with any NIL deals this month. “It’s a fun part of thegame now.”