Baylor Scheierman's 27 points powers No. 17 Creighton to 79-57 rout of Butler
Creighton's Baylor Scheierman (55) goes to the basket against Butler's Augusto Cassia (0) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024, in Indianapolis. Credit: AP/Darron Cummings
INDIANAPOLIS — Baylor Scheierman finished with 27 points and 10 rebounds, his sixth consecutive double-double, and Ryan Kalkbrenner added 21 points as No. 17 Creighton rolled past Butler 79-57 on Saturday.
Trey Alexander contributed 15 points, eight rebounds and five assists, while Steven Ashworth had 12 points, eight assists and five boards for the Bluejays (19-7, 10-5 Big East).
“Great win, especially with what they did to us at our place,” said Creighton coach Greg McDermott, referencing Butler’s 99-98 win over the Bluejays on Feb. 2. “We don’t give up 99 points anywhere very often, let alone on our home court. I thought our guys were really locked in to the changes we made.”
Jalen Thomas scored 18 points for Butler (16-10, 7-8). Posh Alexander added 13 and DJ Davis 12 for the Bulldogs, who shot 40% from the field to Creighton’s 52%.
“Creighton did a phenomenal job defensively,” Butler coach Thad Matta said. “We lost our defensive focus. They got hot. They got rolling on us.”
After trailing by eight midway through the first half, Creighton cut its deficit to 35-34 at halftime. Creighton’s offense, which entered 20th in the nation in field-goal percentage, overwhelmed Butler after the break. The Bluejays scored on 12 of their first 19 second-half possessions and went ahead 62-46 on Scheierman’s basket in the lane with 10:38 left.
“First half we came out fire,” Thomas said. “Second half we came out flat. We couldn’t get a stop. They went on a run. One of the best offenses in the country. We weren’t able to clap back.”
Creighton's Baylor Scheierman reacts during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Butler, Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024, in Indianapolis. Credit: AP/Darron Cummings
TURNING POINT: In the second half, the Bluejays’ pace turned the game into a more-up tempo affair. Despite two starters playing all 40 minutes and only a single reserve playing more than two minutes, Creighton scored 22 fast-break points. Butler had two.
“Sometimes people think because we don’t have a deep bench we can’t play fast,” McDermott said. “That’s the farthest from the truth. Our guys are really well-conditioned. (The running game) is a point of emphasis.”
STAT OF THE NIGHT: The double-double was the 50th of Scheierman’s career and Big East-leading 12th this season. The 6-foot-7, 205-pounder’s double-double streak of six in a row is Creighton’s longest since Benoit Benjamin had 28 consecutive double-doubles in the 1984-85 season.
BIG PICTURE
Creighton's Baylor Scheierman (55) shoots over Butler's Boden Kapke (33) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024, in Indianapolis. Credit: AP/Darron Cummings
Creighton: Often known for offense under McDermott, the Bluejays’ defense made the proper adjustments on Saturday. Following the home loss to Butler, Creighton won the second meeting by shutting down Butler forwards Pierre Brooks II and Jahmyl Telfort. The duo entered averaging 30.1 points but combined for just six points on 3-of-18 shooting.
Butler: This game took on added importance after a competitive home loss to No. 4 Marquette on Tuesday. The Bulldogs don’t have any bad losses, and they boast road wins over Marquette and Creighton. Butler can’t afford an extended losing streak down the stretch if the Bulldogs hope to get a bid to the NCAA Tournament.
UP NEXT
Creighton: The Bluejays return home to face No. 1 Connecticut on Tuesday night.
Butler: The Bulldogs play Tuesday night at Villanova.
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