Creighton Bluejays vs Texas Christian Horned Frogs Match Player Stats On Mar 26, 2019

Kouat Noi poured in a game-high 25 points Tuesday night, and top-seeded TCU scored 16 consecutive points to start the second half as it clinched a spot in the NIT semifinals with a 71-58 win over second-seeded Creighton in Fort Worth, Texas.

Alex Robinson added 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Horned Frogs (23-13), who will play either Texas or Colorado on April 2 in New York's Madison Square Garden. JD Miller chipped in 15 points for TCU, which is shooting for its second NIT title in coach Jamie Dixon's three years.

Mitch Ballock sank 4 of 10 3-point attempts and scored 14 points for the Bluejays (20-15), while Ty-Shon Alexander and Christian Bishop added 10 each. Creighton couldn't establish its perimeter game, connecting on just 9 of 31 shots from behind the arc and hitting only 36.2 percent from the field.

The first 3:56 of the second half decided the outcome. Trailing by three points, the Horned Frogs got nine points from Noi. He started the run with a 3-pointer, untied the game with three foul shots and finished the spurt with a trey that made it 46-33 with 16:04 left.

The Bluejays never got the game closer than eight points over the last 14 minutes.

Creighton, which has never won a road game in the NIT, controlled the first 10 minutes. When Martin Krampelj canned a jumper off a Ballock assist with 10:46 left in the half, the Bluejays held a 20-13 lead.

The margin was still 27-21 with 6:38 remaining before TCU began clamping down on defense. Creighton managed just two buckets for the half's remainder, both 3-pointers, and the Horned Frogs tied it at 30 when Miller sank two free throws with 1:44 on the clock.

Ballock's 3-pointer 1:10 before intermission allowed the Bluejays to head to the locker room with a 33-30 edge, but a sign of things to come could be seen in the turnover department. They committed 10 after coming in averaging just 13 per game.

Overall, Creighton gave the ball away 15 times while TCU committed 13 turnovers.

--Field Level Media