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NEW YORK -- Ryan Kalkbrenner scored 32 points, including the go-ahead hook shot with 2:12 remaining in the second overtime as Creighton survived a major scare from DePaul to earn a wild 85-81 victory on Thursday in the Big East tournament quarterfinals.
Creighton rallied from an 11-point deficit in the final 2:12 of regulation and blew an eight-point lead in the final 93 seconds of the first overtime.
Fedor Zugic added 13 points, including a pair of 3-pointers in Creighton's comeback late in regulation. Steven Ashworth was held to 10 on 3-of-16 shooting but hit the tying trey with 21 seconds left in regulation for the second-seeded Bluejays (23-9).
Layden Blocker scored 25 for DePaul (14-19), including the Blue Demons' final nine points of the first overtime. Isaiah Rivera added 17 and CJ Gunn chipped in 14 points and six steals for the 10th-seeded Blue Demons, who were attempting to reach the semifinals for the first time since joining the Big East.
DePaul held a 76-75 lead when Rivera hit a step-back 3-pointer over Zugic with 3:37 remaining in the second extra session. After the Blue Demons' David Thomas missed a 3-point attempt with 2:26 left, Kalkbrenner put Creighton ahead for good with a hook shot over NJ Benson.
Kalkbrenner hit a layup around a double team with 91 seconds left, and teammate Jamiya Neal dunked 20 seconds later for a 81-76 edge. The Blue Demons were within 83-81 after a trey by Blocker with 12 seconds to go, and Creighton finally secured matters when Ty Davis sank two free throws with nine seconds remaining.
The Bluejays beat DePaul for the 23rd straight time and advanced to a Friday semifinals against third-seeded UConn or sixth-seeded Villanova.
DePaul held a 62-51 lead after a layup by Thomas with 2:12 left in the second half. Zugic started Creighton's run with two 3-pointers in 20 seconds. Kalkbrenner had a layup with 1:11 left, and Ashworth forged a 62-62 tie with a deep 3-pointer from the right side with 21 seconds left following a Bluejays timeout.
In overtime, Zugic dunked on the first possession and Creighton extended its lead to 72-64 on a basket Davis with 1:33 to go. Blocker forced double overtime by getting by Davis for a short jumper with one second left.
Before Creighton stormed back, the Blue Demons held a 36-21 lead at halftime and a 17-point edge in the opening minutes of the second half.
--Larry Fleisher, Field Level Media
More must-reads:
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Significant concern emerges for Bengals, Joe Burrow
The Cincinnati Bengals defense has stepped up its game in training camp this summer, and it's giving the coaching staff some pause about Joe Burrow's protection. The Bengals were tied with the New York Giants, giving up the 11th most sacks in the league last year (48). Given Burrow's importance to the team and long injury history dating back to his time at LSU, Cincinnati needs to see improvement from the offensive line. Per Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic, the Bengals' depth on the offensive line is a concern at training camp. During one practice, backups Cody Ford and Devin Cochran were seen getting first-team reps while starting right tackle Amarius Mims was sidelined, dealing with a hand injury. But it's not just the backups that are a worry. Cincinnati is expected to give third-round rookie Dylan Fairchild the starting job at left guard. "On top of concern regarding rookie third-round pick Dylan Fairchild, currently the leader in the clubhouse to start at left guard, the cast of question marks lacking experience, floating behind the starting tackles, is startling," Dehner wrote. "If the Bengals had to play Cleveland this Sunday without Mims, they couldn’t tell you who would hold down the starting spot. "Meanwhile, the Bengals’ defensive line consistently produced disruptive reps, and they are a group lacking historically potent pass rushers in their own right...The Bengals just feel notably weak and inexperienced. When the rest of the offense is so stacked with talent, and the history of the performance in front of Burrow being what it is, that’s hard to look past right now." The Bengals decided to spend their money on pass catchers for Burrow. Given the results of the offense last season, it's easy to understand why Cincinnati wants Burrow to deliver the ball to exceptional athletes. The risk is that Burrow won't hold up behind an offensive line that is lacking investment. If injuries pile up during the regular season, it's a concern that will only increase.
Minnesota Vikings roster move ahead of night practice raises major cause for concern for injured rookie
The Minnesota Vikings are set to have their annual night practice on Monday night, and just like last year, they have some news coming right before it's set to begin. This time, it's not quarterback J.J. McCarthy missing practice with an undiagnosed knee injury that ended his season. The Vikings signed tight end Nick Vannett and waived offensive tackle Marcellus Johnson Vannett has been around the block during the course of his nine year career. After being a third-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks in 2016, the player who was once nicknamed "Baby Gronk," Vannett has played for eight teams. He was most productive in 2018 with the Seahawks, catching 29 passes for 269 yards and three touchdowns. In 2024 with the Tennessee Titans, Vannett caught 17 passes for 135 yards and three touchdowns. He's been the number two or three tight end for the majority of his career. Even so, Vannett has started 53 of his 111 career games. This is the second time that the Vikings have added depth at the tight end position this offseason. Right before mandatory minicamp, they added Giovanni Ricci with sixth-round pick Gavin Bartholomew nursing a back injury. He is still on the Physically Unable to Perform list, which is a cause for concern as we move forward in the preseason. Vannett is another veteran to add in a room with multiple rookies who could learn a thing or two. Also, he can eat up some snaps during the course of the preseason to keep both T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver off the field. What does this mean for the Vikings and the tight end position? From the onset of the addition, Vannett is a threat to make the roster, as he's a versatile depth piece who can play a multitude of different roles on the offense. It could also spell disaster for Bartholomew, as his back injury could be worse than we realize, especially with Vannett being the second tight end that has been added in as many weeks.
Spurs risk roster issues with De'Aaron Fox extension
When the San Antonio Spurs traded for De'Aaron Fox midway through last season, their guard rotation appeared to be wide open. Stephon Castle was the only other long-term ball-handling prospect on the roster and, despite a strong year, was still a rookie. However, the NBA Draft has seen the addition of Dylan Harper, another young guard with All-Star potential, and the ability to one day lead the Spurs franchise next to Victor Wembanyama. Harper's addition and Castle's emergence as the 2025 Rookie of the Year raised questions about Fox's fit and long-term future in Texas. The problem was that Fox was eligible for an extension this summer. On Monday the Spurs inked Fox to a four-year $229M deal, with no player option for the final year. The new contract, which will see Fox earn approximately $57.25M per year, will kick in next summer. Suddenly, San Antonio has a young guard rotation of Harper, Castle and Fox, all of whom struggle to score on the perimeter, and have shown issues when letting shots fly off the dribble. "The Spurs already had two point guards who struggled from distance in Stephon Castle, whom they spent the No. 4 overall pick on in 2024, and De'Aaron Fox, whom they acquired in a deal with the Sacramento Kings ahead of the February trade deadline," Bryan Toporek wrote for Forbes on Saturday. "Castle shot 28.5% from deep on 4.1 attempts per game as a rookie, while Fox is a career 33.0% three-point shooter who has shot 32.5% or worse from downtown in five of his seven NBA seasons." Fox's new salary will ensure teams will think twice about trading for him. He is, after all, a high-level talent, but not one capable of spearheading a roster. In truth, San Antonio may have repeated the Chicago Bulls' error from when they paid Zach LaVine $215M over five years back in 2022. We saw how difficult it was for Chicago to move on from LaVine. Fox is a tertiary star on a contending roster. And now, he's being paid like one of the top talents in the NBA. The Spurs would have been wiser to cut their losses with Fox and build around Castle and Harper as their guard rotation. Still, the decision has been made, and Fox is now cemented as the lead guard for the next half a decade (once you include the upcoming season), giving Castle and Harper room to grow as two guards who can complement Fox's play style and add some grit or explosiveness to the rotation. San Antonio is a franchise that rarely puts a foot wrong. However, the decision to pay Fox may come back to haunt it as a costly misstep. In the modern NBA, you can't have three non-shooting guards in the same rotation. Yet, somehow, head coach Mitch Johnson must figure out how to make it work. Not the greatest task for a young coach heading into his first full season with the franchise.
Texas' Arch Manning has concern on OL after season-ending injury
Texas, the No. 1 team in the preseason coaches poll, has a big concern for its offensive line with a few weeks to go before it opens the season at Ohio State on Aug. 30. Per On Texas Football, right tackle Andre Cojoe suffered a season-ending injury. Per On3, the injury is believed to be a torn ACL. The third-year offensive tackle has played in four career games and was competing with Brandon Baker for the starting job on the right side. "Texas O-lineman Andre Cojoe suffered what’s feared to be a torn ACL, Inside Texas has learned," wrote Eric Nahlin of On3. "Cojoe was in competition with Brandon Baker for Texas’ right tackle role during preseason camp. Baker is set to win the starting job with Cojoe out for the season. The second-year offensive lineman played in eight games for the Longhorns in 2024, including against Ohio State in the College Football Playoff semifinal. The loss of Cojoe is a big blow to the Longhorns' depth on the offensive line that is tasked with protecting quarterback Arch Manning. On3 projects true freshman Nick Brooks to become the swing tackle behind Baker and starting left tackle Trevor Goosby, a tall order for an 18-year-old in the SEC. Texas comes into the season with high expectations in Manning's first season as a full-time starter. How comfortable Manning is behind his offensive line will play a key role in how efficient the offense is. Texas ranked 118th in sacks given up in 2024 with 37. Those hits took a toll on Quinn Ewers, who played through injuries while leading the Longhorns to the CFP.
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