Feb. 28, 2009
Box Score 
OMAHA, Neb. - Senior guard Emmanuel Holloway was a perfect 4-for-4 from the field in the first half, but was 0-for-9 in the second half, including a pair of potential game-tying three-point baskets in a 74-70 loss to Creighton at the Qwest Center Omaha, as the Bluejays clinched at least a share of the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season title Saturday afternoon. Holloway finished with 14 points, including 13 in the first half.
With the loss, the Redbirds suffered their third-straight defeat, the longest losing skid in the Tim Jankovich-era, and ended the regular season with a 22-8 overall mark and an 11-7 league record. Creighton improved to 25-6 and 14-4, respectively.
To start the second half, ISU scored the first five points on a dunk by Dinma Odiakosa and a three-point basket from Osiris Eldridge and trailed, 46-43. Odiakosa and Eldridge each finished with 13 points apiece. Creighton bumped the lead to 49-44, before Champ Oguchi made back-to-back driving layups and brought the Redbirds to within one point, 49-48, with 16:31 left in the game. Oguchi shared the team lead for points with Holloway with 14 points.
Brandon Sampay's baseline basket at the 13:05 mark tied the game, 52-52, but Creighton's Josh Dotzler and Booker Woodfox nailed back-to-back threes and regained a 58-52 advantage. Woodfox followed with two more baskets and the Bluejays took their largest lead to that point, 62-52, with 9:54 left.
With two baskets by Odiakosa and three-pointer by Lloyd Phillips, the Redbirds continued to fight back, closing the deficit to 64-59 with 7:27 remaining. After a technical foul called against the Illinois State bench, Creighton pushed the lead back to eight points, 68-60, with 5:10 on the clock. Eldridge's traditional three-point play with 3:33 left closed the gap to 68-63.
After two Creighton free throws, Phillips, who finished with 12 points, sank his fourth three-pointer and ISU trailed, 70-66. After Eldridge hit the front end of a one-and-one with 1:20 left, he missed the second, but Odiakosa's offensive rebound gave ISU the chance to tie. Holloway missed back-to-back three-point attempts with a minute left, but brought the Redbirds to within two points, 70-68, with the backend of a one-and-one.
Woodfox added two free throws for a 72-68 Creighton lead, but Odiakosa slammed home his fourth dunk of the game and ISU trailed, 72-70, with 11.2 seconds left. Woodfox added two more charity tosses with 7.4 seconds left and sealed the Creighton victory. Woodfox and P'Allen Stinnett each tossed in a game-high 20 points to lead the Bluejays.
After an Eldridge bucket, a three-pointer by Oguchi and a pair of free throws by Holloway, the Redbirds jumped out to a 7-4 lead at the 17:43 mark. Creighton responded with an 8-0 run, that included four baskets by four different Bluejays, for a 12-7 edge.
Holloway, Eldridge and Oguchi combined for the next six points on a 6-0 ISU spurt to give the Redbirds a 13-12 lead with 14:16 on the clock. Back-to-back threes by Phillips provided the last ISU lead of the first half, 19-17, with 12:15 remaining.
Creighton used a 7-0 run to take control of the half and led 24-19, with 9:57 left. ISU cut the deficit to three points, 23-26, but the Bluejays used another 6-0 run and held a 32-23 advantage with 7:54 on the clock. It looked like Creighton was going to hold its nine-point lead at the intermission, but Holloway ended his perfect half with a two-point basket at the buzzer for the 45-38 halftime deficit.
