Neal, Creighton Use Huge Run to Cruise Past Louisville in 1st Round Opener
- Best of Se7en Co
- Mar 20
- 1 min read
Updated: Mar 23
Jamiya Neal put up a career-high 29 points to power No. 9 Creighton past No. 8 Louisville in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Coming off a heartbreaking loss in the Big East title game to St. John’s, the Bluejays made a statement, proving they’re a team to be reckoned with. After claiming the lead at the 11-minute mark in the first half, Creighton never lost control. A quick 12-0 run before halftime propelled them to a 15-point lead at the break, and led by as many as 20.
Neal wasn’t the only Bluejay lighting it up. Steven Ashworth torched Louisville from beyond the arc, hitting 50% of his three-pointers en route to 22 points. As a team, Creighton shot a red-hot 45% from deep, while Louisville struggled at just 27%.
Despite the loss, Louisville had bright spots. Chucky Hepburn led the Cardinals with 22 points, while Terrence Edwards added 21. Though their tournament run was short-lived, it was a season to be proud of for Louisville, marking their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2019 and an impressive 19-win improvement from last year.
Creighton advances to the second round, where they’ll face the winner of No. 1 Auburn vs. No. 16 Alabama State in the South Region.