Creighton defeats Villanova 72-76

Creighton Edges Villanova in Thrilling Comeback Victory

76, Villanova Falls Just Short at Home

In a dramatic turn of events, Creighton (AWAY) pulled off an impressive comeback to defeat Villanova (HOME) 76-72 on the road Wednesday night at Finneran Pavilion.

The Wildcats took an early lead in the contest, outscoring the Bluejays 34-30 at halftime. However, Creighton's offense found its rhythm in the second half, as they erased a four-point deficit to take a surprising lead with just over five minutes remaining.

Austin Swartz led the charge for Creighton, scoring 20 points on 60.0% shooting from the field. The senior guard's ability to create for himself and his teammates proved instrumental in the comeback victory.

Villanova's Acaden Lewis was the team's primary scorer, putting up 20 points and seven assists in the loss. Duke Brennan provided a strong supporting effort, grabbing 12 rebounds and scoring 16 points off the bench.

The Bluejays' bench played a crucial role in their win, outscoring Villanova's reserves by nine points. Creighton's ability to close the gap on the glass was also key, as they outrebounded the Wildcats 39-30.

In the end, it was Creighton's balanced attack that proved too much for Villanova to handle. The Bluejays' four-point margin of victory marked a significant upset in conference play, and it will be an intriguing matchup when these teams meet again this season.

Advanced Statistics

* Villanova (HOME) Game Stats:

* eFG%: 48.5%

* FT Rate: 16.7%

* OREB%: 40.0%

* TO Ratio: 9.5%

* True Shooting%: 50.8%

* Creighton (AWAY) Game Stats:

* eFG%: 56.0%

* FT Rate: 27.6%

* OREB%: 33.3%

* TO Ratio: 12.7%

* True Shooting%: 58.4%

The win marks Creighton's second straight victory in conference play, and it will be important to see if they can sustain their momentum over the course of the season.