In Lexington, Kentucky, Jamiya Neal shone brightly on the basketball court, achieving a personal best with 29 points and grabbing 12 rebounds, as Creighton triumphed over Louisville with a score of 89-75 in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday. Steven Ashworth contributed significantly to the ninth-seeded Creighton Bluejays’ victory by sinking shots from beyond the arc, accumulating a total of 22 points. This win marks Coach Greg McDermott’s team’s fifth consecutive success in their March Madness opener.
The Bluejays, who are ranked No. 9, demonstrated their strength by defeating a top 10 team for the second time this season. Despite their position as the No. 8 seed, Louisville entered the tournament ranked 10th in the AP Top 25. Creighton, currently 25-10, aspires to make their fourth Sweet 16 appearance in the past five years. Their next challenge will be against either the top-seeded Auburn or 16th-seeded Alabama State in the South Region second round, set to happen on Saturday.
Louisville, with a 27-8 record, saw standout performances from Chucky Hepburn, who scored 22 points, and Terrence Edwards Jr., who contributed 21 points. The team, led by first-year coach Pat Kelsey, improved significantly this season with the help of several transfers, marking a 19-win improvement over the previous year. This was their first appearance in March Madness since 2019.
Creighton had a slow start but quickly gained momentum thanks to Ashworth and Jackson McAndrew, who scored 11 points. Their shooting prowess became evident as they each hit two 3-pointers, part of a 12-0 scoring run. Ashworth’s long-range three-pointer stretched the lead to 31-25, followed by McAndrew netting from deep after an offensive rebound. The duo’s shooting skills put Creighton ahead 40-25, with a commanding 20-point lead by the end of the first half, setting the stage for a comfortable win.
Ashworth ended the game with a record of 4 out of 8 from three-point range, contributing to Creighton’s 11 out of 24 from deep and an impressive overall shooting rate of 58%, hitting 32 of 56 shots. Neal continued his impressive scoring in the second half, tallying 17 points, surpassing his previous high from a game against UConn earlier in the season. Ryan Kalkbrenner, a seasoned fifth-year player, added 14 points, aiming to reach the Sweet 16 for the fourth time since his collegiate career began in 2020-21.
