Owen Freeman scores 19 points to lead No. 23 Creighton in 92-76 win over South Dakota
AP
Nov 05, 2025
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) Owen Freeman scored 19 points to lead five Creighton Bluejays players in double figures, and the No. 23 Bluejays started the season with a 92-76 victory over South Dakota Coyotes on Wednesday night.
The win was Greg McDermott's 500th in 25 seasons as a Division I head coach and the Bluejays' 16th straight in an opener.
Freeman showed no lingering effects from his July knee surgery. The 6-foot-10, 240-pound Iowa transfer often was out front leading the Bluejays in transition and scored mostly uncontested baskets. He shot 9 of 11 from the field and had four rebounds and a steal in 19 minutes. Four of his first six baskets were dunks.
Charlotte transfer Nik Graves scored 15 points, Jackson McAndrew added 13, Iowa transfer Josh Dix had 11 and Isaac Traudt finished with 10 for the Bluejays. Of the 12 Creighton players who got minutes, 11 scored.
Isaac Bruns scored 16 points and Jordan Crawford had 14 for the Coyotes (0-2), who opened with an 81-79 overtime loss to Utah Tech on Monday.
The Bluejays have a new look after losing the top three scorers from their 25-win NCAA Tournament team. Four-time Big East defensive player of the year Ryan Kalkbrenner is now with the Charlotte Hornets, Steven Ashworth in the G League and Jamiya Neal playing overseas.
Nine new players are on the roster, including three in the starting lineup, and the 29.5-point-underdog from the Summit League hung around for the first 10 minutes. The Bluejays outscored South Dakota 27-14 over the last 10 minutes of the half and led 48-35 at the break.
Creighton scored 29 second-chance points and 19 off South Dakota's 13 turnovers.
South Dakota hosts Ozarks Christian College on Sunday.
Creighton visits No. 21 Gonzaga on Tuesday.
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1st Half
SDAK
Coyotes
35
CREI
Bluejays
48
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
Cameron Fens vs. Isaac Traudt (Coyotes gains possession)
19:46
Cameron Fens misses two point jump shot
19:44
Blake Harper defensive rebound
19:23
Jackson McAndrew misses three point jump shot
19:21
Shey Eberwein defensive rebound
19:12
Shey Eberwein misses two point layup
19:10
Evan Anderson offensive rebound
19:08
Evan Anderson misses two point layup
19:06
Isaac Bruns offensive rebound
18:59
Isaac Bruns turnover (lost ball)
18:33
+2
Blake Harper makes two point layup
0-2
18:12
+2
Cameron Fens makes two point hook shot (Jordan Crawford assists)
2-2
18:03
Nik Graves turnover (bad pass) (Evan Anderson steals)
17:49
Cameron Fens misses two point hook shot
17:47
Blake Harper defensive rebound
17:39
+2
Blake Harper makes two point layup
2-4
17:25
Josh Dix blocks Isaac Bruns's two point layup
17:23
Isaac Traudt defensive rebound
17:17
Evan Anderson blocks Jackson McAndrew's two point layup
17:16
Bluejays offensive rebound
17:12
Josh Dix misses two point jump shot
17:10
Jackson McAndrew offensive rebound
17:04
+2
Jackson McAndrew makes two point jump shot
2-6
16:49
Jesse McIntosh misses two point jump shot
16:47
Isaac Traudt defensive rebound
16:35
Josh Dix misses three point jump shot
16:33
Vince Buzelis defensive rebound
16:24
+2
Vince Buzelis makes two point layup
4-6
16:16
+2
Nik Graves makes two point layup
4-8
16:05
Jordan Crawford misses two point jump shot
16:03
Isaac Traudt defensive rebound
15:56
Jesse McIntosh shooting foul (Nik Graves draws the foul)
15:56
TV timeout
15:56
+1
Nik Graves makes regular free throw 1 of 2
4-9
15:56
+1
Nik Graves makes regular free throw 2 of 2
4-10
15:34
+2
Vince Buzelis makes two point layup
6-10
15:34
Owen Freeman shooting foul (Vince Buzelis draws the foul)
15:34
+1
Vince Buzelis makes regular free throw 1 of 1
7-10
15:10
Blake Harper misses two point jump shot
15:08
Cameron Fens defensive rebound
14:48
Shey Eberwein misses two point jump shot
14:46
Cameron Fens offensive rebound
14:42
+2
Cameron Fens makes two point layup
9-10
14:25
Uzziah Buntyn personal foul (Jackson McAndrew draws the foul)
14:19
Cameron Fens blocks Owen Freeman's two point layup
14:17
Cameron Fens defensive rebound
14:11
Isaac Bruns misses two point jump shot
14:09
Jackson McAndrew defensive rebound
13:59
Ty Davis turnover (bad pass) (Isaac Bruns steals)
13:37
+2
Jesse McIntosh makes two point layup
11-10
13:37
Jackson McAndrew shooting foul (Jesse McIntosh draws the foul)
13:37
+1
Jesse McIntosh makes regular free throw 1 of 1
12-10
13:25
Josh Townley-Thomas offensive foul (Jordan Crawford draws the foul)
13:25
Josh Townley-Thomas turnover (offensive foul)
13:03
+2
Shey Eberwein makes two point layup
14-10
12:51
Isaac Traudt misses three point jump shot
12:49
Fedor ŽugiÄ offensive rebound
12:44
+2
Fedor ŽugiÄ makes two point layup
14-12
12:36
Shey Eberwein turnover (lost ball)
12:29
Shey Eberwein shooting foul (Isaac Traudt draws the foul)
12:29
+1
Isaac Traudt makes regular free throw 1 of 2
14-13
12:29
+1
Isaac Traudt makes regular free throw 2 of 2
14-14
12:10
Isaac Bruns misses two point jump shot
12:08
Evan Anderson offensive rebound
12:01
Uzziah Buntyn misses two point jump shot
11:59
Isaac Traudt defensive rebound
11:48
Josh Dix misses two point jump shot
11:46
Ty Davis offensive rebound
11:41
Isaac Traudt misses three point jump shot
11:41
Josh Dix offensive rebound
11:41
Uzziah Buntyn personal foul (Josh Dix draws the foul)
11:41
TV timeout
11:28
+3
Jackson McAndrew makes three point jump shot (Fedor ŽugiÄ assists)
14-17
11:17
+2
Jordan Crawford makes two point jump shot
16-17
10:50
+2
Nik Graves makes two point layup
16-19
10:50
+2
Jake Brack makes two point layup (Shey Eberwein assists)
18-19
10:50
Jackson McAndrew misses two point hook shot
10:48
Vince Buzelis defensive rebound
10:11
+3
Jordan Crawford makes three point jump shot (Vince Buzelis assists)