Creighton overcomes Seton Hall 79-66

Updated: Jan 4, 2014, 06:21 pm

NEWARK, N.J. -- Doug McDermott scored 30 points in leading Creighton to its seventh in a row, 79-66, over Seton Hall in a Big East Conference game Saturday.

In the game, the 6-8 McDermott extended his streak of consecutive free throws made to 45, before missing one with 5:46 left. He hit 12 of 23 shots overall and finished with 10 rebounds and five assists.

It was the first meeting between the schools since the 1991 NCAA Tournament, a second-round victory for Seton Hall.

McDermott was complemented by Jahenns Manigat with 14 points, Grant Gibbs with 12 and Devin Brooks with 11 for Creighton (12-2, 2-0 Big East).

Sterling Gibbs had 17 points, Brian Oliver 12 and Patrik Auda with 10 for Seton Hall (10-5, 1-1).

Ethan Wragge's 3-pointer handed Creighton a 69-48 lead with 11:46 left before Seton Hall put together a 9-0 run that cut its deficit to 69-57. Auda then missed two free throws for the Pirates before McDermott followed his own miss to give Creighton a 71-57 lead with 7:09 showing.

Early in the second half, Fuquan Edwin gave Seton Hall a spark with his hustle. First, he made a 3-pointer and then made a hustling save of a loose ball that carried him over the Creighton coaching staff and onto the floor behind the bench. Sterling Gibbs completed the play at the other end with a Pirate basket before time was called.

But the Bluejays quickly regained control. Grant Gibbs drove for two and hit the bonus free throw for a three-point play before Manigat nailed a 3-pointer off a pass from McDermott to stake Creighton to a 58-43 lead with 15:23 to go.

McDermott dominated the scoring in the first half, hitting 8 of 15 shots for 22 points. He got his last two points of the first half when he sank both free throws following a technical foul on Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard. The Bluejays took a 45-33 lead into the break.

Nine scouts from the NBA were at the game to see McDermott, including two from the Brooklyn Nets and Orlando Magic. Also present were representatives from the Oklahoma City Thunder, Charlotte Bobcats, Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks, Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards.