Dalton Knecht scores 24, Tennessee beats Creighton 82-75 to pull within a win of first Final Four
DETROIT (AP) Dalton Knecht was all over the court, jumping into passing lanes for steals, shooting 3-pointers, driving and dishing to set up teammates for shots.
He wasn't alone.
Tennessee, with its relentless defense from logo to rim and unselfish offense, was too much for Creighton.
Knecht had 24 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals, and the Volunteers moved within a victory of their first trip to the Final Four, beating the Bluejays 82-75 in a Midwest Region semifinal on Friday night.
“He was trying to rebound the ball and was really engaged defensively and wasn’t thinking, score, score score,” Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said.
Zakai Zeigler added 18 points and six assists and Josiah-Jordan James scored 17 points for the second-seeded Volunteers.
When Tennessee lost last year in the regional semifinals for the second straight season, Knecht was at Northern Colorado and Zeigler was out with a torn knee ligament.
Tennessee (27-8) matched the longest NCAA Tournament run in school history and hopes to get farther than the 2010 team that lost by one point to Michigan State in the Elite Eight.
"We're ready to go out there and hopefully make some history,” Knecht said.
Tennessee will face top-seeded Purdue, which beat Gonzaga earlier Friday night, on Sunday, with both schools seeking an elusive Final Four appearance.
The third-seeded Bluejays (25-10) reached the Sweet 16 for the third time in four years and fell a win short of equaling their first regional final appearance from last year.
“The further we get away from this game, the more I'll appreciate it,” said Ryan Kalkbrenner, who had 14 points, seven rebounds and two blocks.
Baylor Scheierman, a third-team All-America wing, scored 25 points. But some of his teammates struggled against Tennessee's strong, persistent defense.
“That’s what we do, and I think it separates us as a team,” guard Jahmai Mashack said. “To sustain that as long as we do, that wears on teams.”
Tennessee went on a breathtaking 18-0 run early in the second half - taking a 55-39 lead - that forced Creighton coach Greg McDermott to call two timeouts because he didn’t want to wait for a TV stoppage to stem the tide.
Scheierman made a 3-pointer to end the drought and later had a three-point play during a 9-0 run that pulled the Bluejays within three points with 6:04 left.
McDermott said he played a triangle-and-2 defense for the first time this season, fueling his team's rally to make it close.
“It's called desperation,” he said.
Knecht made a pair of 3-pointers that restored six-point leads and Zeigler set up Tobe Awaka for a three-point play that put the Vols ahead 71-64 with 1:39 to go.
During the pivotal burst early in the second half, Knecht was at his best.
The 6-foot-6 wing, who previously played at Northern Colorado and Northeastern Junior College, became the first former junior college player to earn All-America recognition since Larry Johnson in 1991.
“When I transferred here, this is what they said I was going to do and this is what we were going to do," he said. "We knew it could be something special.”
Knecht had 10 points in a closely contested first half with eight lead changes, three ties and neither team going ahead by more than four points.
The Vols were pesky on defense, playing chest-to-chest 40 feet from the basket, and forced a team that averages 10-plus turnovers to lose possession four times in the opening five minutes.
Perhaps fittingly, both teams didn’t get much breathing room on the court or scoreboard.
BIG PICTURE
Creighton: A year after a heartbreaking, one-point loss to San Diego State prevented the program from its first Final Four, the Bluejays will have another long offseason to wonder what they could have done to get over the hump.
Tennessee: Barnes had his team prepared and made sound adjustments, but the veteran coach needs another win to quiet the critics of his postseason record. He acknowledged he couldn't enjoy the latest win.
“I'm not sure I'll be able to do that until it's finished,” Barnes said.
UP NEXT
The Vols will play in front of a pro-Boilermakers crowd when Purdue tries to make its first Final Four since 1980.
Purdue beat Tennessee 71-67 in November at the Maui Invitational in Honolulu.
“They're much better and I'd like to think we are too,” Barnes said.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | Ryan Kalkbrenner vs. Jonas Aidoo (Zakai Zeigler gains possession) | |||
19:46 | Jahmai Mashack misses three point jump shot | |||
19:44 | Ryan Kalkbrenner defensive rebound | |||
19:25 | +2 | Ryan Kalkbrenner makes two point layup (Steven Ashworth assists) | 2-0 | |
19:08 | Zakai Zeigler misses three point jump shot | |||
19:06 | Jahmai Mashack offensive rebound | |||
19:02 | Jump ball. Jahmai Mashack vs. Trey Alexander (Trey Alexander gains possession) | |||
19:02 | Jahmai Mashack turnover (lost ball) (Trey Alexander steals) | |||
18:35 | Ryan Kalkbrenner turnover (lost ball) | |||
18:23 | +2 | Dalton Knecht makes two point jump shot | 2-2 | |
18:05 | Trey Alexander turnover (lost ball) (Jahmai Mashack steals) | |||
18:00 | Ryan Kalkbrenner blocks Dalton Knecht's two point dunk | |||
17:58 | Josiah-Jordan James offensive rebound | |||
17:45 | Zakai Zeigler misses two point jump shot | |||
17:43 | Ryan Kalkbrenner defensive rebound | |||
17:28 | Baylor Scheierman misses two point jump shot | |||
17:26 | Jonas Aidoo defensive rebound | |||
17:17 | Jonas Aidoo misses two point jump shot | |||
17:15 | Steven Ashworth defensive rebound | |||
16:56 | +3 | Mason Miller makes three point jump shot (Trey Alexander assists) | 5-2 | |
16:41 | Baylor Scheierman shooting foul (Dalton Knecht draws the foul) | |||
16:41 | +1 | Dalton Knecht makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 5-3 | |
16:41 | Dalton Knecht misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
16:41 | Baylor Scheierman defensive rebound | |||
16:24 | +2 | Baylor Scheierman makes two point layup | 7-3 | |
15:55 | Jahmai Mashack misses three point jump shot | |||
15:53 | Steven Ashworth defensive rebound | |||
15:41 | Trey Alexander turnover (bad pass) (Jonas Aidoo steals) | |||
15:32 | +3 | Josiah-Jordan James makes three point jump shot (Jahmai Mashack assists) | 7-6 | |
14:56 | Baylor Scheierman misses three point jump shot | |||
14:55 | Bluejays turnover (shot clock violation) | |||
14:55 | TV timeout | |||
14:40 | +3 | Josiah-Jordan James makes three point jump shot (Zakai Zeigler assists) | 7-9 | |
14:15 | +2 | Baylor Scheierman makes two point hook shot | 9-9 | |
14:02 | +2 | Jordan Gainey makes two point layup (Zakai Zeigler assists) | 9-11 | |
13:35 | +3 | Baylor Scheierman makes three point jump shot | 12-11 | |
13:16 | +3 | Zakai Zeigler makes three point jump shot (Josiah-Jordan James assists) | 12-14 | |
12:49 | Trey Alexander misses two point jump shot | |||
12:47 | Tobe Awaka defensive rebound | |||
12:38 | Zakai Zeigler misses three point jump shot | |||
12:36 | Trey Alexander defensive rebound | |||
12:06 | Baylor Scheierman misses three point jump shot | |||
12:04 | Zakai Zeigler defensive rebound | |||
11:49 | Tobe Awaka misses two point layup | |||
11:47 | Ryan Kalkbrenner defensive rebound | |||
11:30 | Jordan Gainey personal foul (Ryan Kalkbrenner draws the foul) | |||
11:30 | TV timeout | |||
11:28 | Trey Alexander misses two point jump shot | |||
11:26 | Jordan Gainey defensive rebound | |||
11:19 | +2 | Jordan Gainey makes two point jump shot | 12-16 | |
10:55 | +2 | Ryan Kalkbrenner makes two point dunk | 14-16 | |
10:45 | Dalton Knecht misses two point jump shot | |||
10:43 | Baylor Scheierman defensive rebound | |||
10:28 | Baylor Scheierman misses two point layup | |||
10:26 | Dalton Knecht defensive rebound | |||
10:18 | Jahmai Mashack offensive foul | |||
10:18 | Jahmai Mashack turnover (offensive foul) | |||
9:51 | Trey Alexander misses two point jump shot | |||
9:49 | Dalton Knecht defensive rebound | |||
9:43 | +2 | Dalton Knecht makes two point jump shot | 14-18 | |
9:29 | Baylor Scheierman misses three point jump shot | |||
9:27 | Volunteers defensive rebound | |||
9:15 | Dalton Knecht misses two point jump shot | |||
9:13 | Jonas Aidoo offensive rebound | |||
9:08 | Dalton Knecht misses three point jump shot | |||
9:06 | Jordan Gainey offensive rebound | |||
8:59 | Zakai Zeigler misses two point layup | |||
8:57 | Jasen Green defensive rebound | |||
8:45 | Dalton Knecht blocks Baylor Scheierman's two point layup | |||
8:45 | Bluejays offensive rebound | |||
8:42 | Ryan Kalkbrenner misses two point layup | |||
8:40 | Bluejays offensive rebound | |||
8:40 | Josiah-Jordan James personal foul | |||
8:38 | Francisco Farabello misses three point jump shot | |||
8:36 | Zakai Zeigler defensive rebound | |||
8:16 | Jonas Aidoo misses two point jump shot | |||
8:14 | Ryan Kalkbrenner defensive rebound | |||
7:48 | Jahmai Mashack shooting foul (Baylor Scheierman draws the foul) | |||
7:48 | TV timeout | |||
7:48 | +1 | Baylor Scheierman makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 15-18 | |
7:48 | +1 | Baylor Scheierman makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 16-18 | |
7:32 | +2 | Zakai Zeigler makes two point layup | 16-20 | |
7:04 | +2 | Ryan Kalkbrenner makes two point dunk (Trey Alexander assists) | 18-20 | |
6:46 | +2 | Jonas Aidoo makes two point jump shot (Zakai Zeigler assists) | 18-22 | |
6:14 | Trey Alexander misses three point jump shot | |||
6:12 | Jonas Aidoo defensive rebound | |||
6:02 | Jonas Aidoo misses two point layup | |||
6:00 | Mason Miller defensive rebound | |||
5:44 | +3 | Baylor Scheierman makes three point jump shot (Trey Alexander assists) | 21-22 | |
5:32 | +2 | Dalton Knecht makes two point layup | 21-24 | |
5:06 | +2 | Trey Alexander makes two point layup | 23-24 | |
5:06 | Jordan Gainey shooting foul (Trey Alexander draws the foul) | |||
5:06 | +1 | Trey Alexander makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 24-24 | |
4:52 | +2 | Jonas Aidoo makes two point jump shot (Zakai Zeigler assists) | 24-26 | |
4:36 | +3 | Steven Ashworth makes three point jump shot (Baylor Scheierman assists) | 27-26 | |
4:16 | Dalton Knecht misses two point layup | |||
4:14 | Baylor Scheierman defensive rebound | |||
4:10 | Trey Alexander misses three point jump shot | |||
4:08 | Josiah-Jordan James defensive rebound | |||
4:02 | +3 | Dalton Knecht makes three point jump shot (Freddie Dilione V assists) | 27-29 | |
3:41 | Freddie Dilione V personal foul (Trey Alexander draws the foul) | |||
3:41 | TV timeout | |||
3:27 | Tobe Awaka personal foul (Ryan Kalkbrenner draws the foul) | |||
3:27 | Ryan Kalkbrenner misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
3:27 | Dalton Knecht defensive rebound | |||
3:14 | Dalton Knecht misses two point jump shot | |||
3:12 | Baylor Scheierman defensive rebound | |||
2:56 | +3 | Steven Ashworth makes three point jump shot (Trey Alexander assists) | 30-29 | |
2:45 | Trey Alexander personal foul | |||
2:29 | Tobe Awaka misses two point jump shot | |||
2:27 | Ryan Kalkbrenner defensive rebound | |||
2:22 | +3 | Baylor Scheierman makes three point jump shot (Steven Ashworth assists) | 33-29 | |
2:20 | Volunteers 30 second timeout | |||
2:20 | TV timeout | |||
2:08 | Jonas Aidoo misses two point jump shot | |||
2:08 | Francisco Farabello personal foul | |||
2:06 | Jonas Aidoo misses two point layup | |||
2:04 | Ryan Kalkbrenner defensive rebound | |||
1:55 | Steven Ashworth misses three point jump shot | |||
1:53 | Jonas Aidoo defensive rebound | |||
1:39 | +3 | Cameron Carr makes three point jump shot (Dalton Knecht assists) | 33-32 | |
1:09 | Francisco Farabello misses two point layup | |||
1:07 | Cameron Carr defensive rebound | |||
1:01 | Trey Alexander personal foul (Zakai Zeigler draws the foul) | |||
0:56 | +2 | Zakai Zeigler makes two point layup | 33-34 | |
0:39 | +2 | Ryan Kalkbrenner makes two point dunk (Baylor Scheierman assists) | 35-34 | |
0:07 | Zakai Zeigler misses two point layup | |||
0:05 | Francisco Farabello defensive rebound | |||
0:03 | Francisco Farabello misses three point jump shot | |||
0:01 | Jasen Green offensive rebound | |||
0:00 | End of period |