Creighton converted seven free throws over the final 27 seconds, holding off a late Butler rally that saw Evan Haywood hit a trio of three-pointers over the final 21 seconds as the host Bluejays captured an 89-85 win Tuesday night in Omaha.
 
Creighton has now won four straight games and improves to 9-5 overall and 3-0 in early BIG EAST play. Butler falls to 10-4 (1-2 BIG EAST).
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Creighton made five of their first seven attempts from the field in taking a 12-2 lead less than four minutes into the game.
• A 10-0 Butler run was able to trim Creighton's lead to just a single point (29-28) with 5:36 remaining in the first half.
• Creighton then scored 15 of the final 22 points of the first half. The Bluejays were 8-for-18 from three-point range over the first 20 minutes to take a 44-35 halftime lead.
• A Michael Ajayi three-point play with 11:51 remaining in the game would cut the Creighton lead to 59-56. Ajayi would then pick up two fouls over the next 40 seconds and went to the bench with four fouls.
• Ajayi re-entered the game but quickly fouled out with 4:42 remaining.
• Creighton's lead would grow again to 11 at 82-71 with 3:14 to play before four Butler three-pointers made it interesting down the stretch.

 
TIP-INS:

• Jasen Green led Creighton with a career-high 23 points.
• The Bluejays made 14 of 15 free throw attempts – all in the second half.
• Austin Swartz (22 points) and Isaac Traudt (16 points) combined for nine three-pointers.
• Creighton shot 49 percent from the field and went 13-for-32 from three-point range.
• Butler shot 41 percent from the field. The Bulldogs went 8-for-26 from behind the arc but four of those came in the final 2:17 as Butler started only 4-for-20.
• Ajayi had his 11^th double-double of the season with 16 points and 13 rebounds.
• Yohan Traore led five Bulldogs in double figures with a season-high 20 points.
• Jamie Kaiser Jr. matched his career-high with 16 points on 6-for-9 shooting.
• Azavier Robinson had career-highs in both assists (eight) and steals (four).
• Kaiser, who missed the Bulldogs' last game Dec. 22 against NJIT with an ankle injury sustained in the Northwestern game Dec. 20, returned to the starting lineup Tuesday.

 
UP NEXT: Butler opens 2026 play with a pair of BIG EAST tips at Hinkle Fieldhouse against Villanova Saturday (Jan. 3) and St. John's Jan. 6.