OMAHA, Neb. — In an exciting college basketball matchup on Saturday night, Creighton triumphed over Villanova with a score of 86-79, led by standout performance from Ryan Kalkbrenner, who netted 23 points.

Kalkbrenner also contributed five rebounds for the Bluejays, who now hold a record of 8-5 overall and 1-1 in the Big East Conference. Neal Jamiya played a significant role as well, scoring 20 points on an impressive 7 of 11 shooting, including 6 for 7 from beyond the arc, along with six assists. Steven Ashworth added to the scoring spree with 20 points himself, hitting 6 out of 11 shots and going a perfect 5 for 5 from the free-throw line, while also dishing out 11 assists.

On the other side, the Wildcats, who also sit at 8-5 and 1-1 in conference play, were led by Eric Dixon, who had a strong outing with 27 points. Wooga Poplar contributed with 19 points and recorded a double-double with 10 rebounds, while Jhamir Brickus chipped in 16 points along with four assists. Unfortunately for Villanova, this defeat halted their five-game winning streak.

Creighton managed to seize control of the game with just over 16 minutes remaining in the first half and maintained their lead throughout. At halftime, the Bluejays led by a narrow margin of 40-38, with Kalkbrenner contributing 10 points to the effort. The team built on a slim three-point lead in the second half, executing a swift 7-0 run that extended their advantage to 10 points, bringing the score to 56-46 with 14:40 left on the clock. Neal Jamiya’s contributions were crucial in the latter half, where he tallied 14 points in the victory.