Ryan Kalkbrenner single-handedly saved the Blue Jays in their season opener on Wednesday night.
Kalkbrenner dropped a career-high 49 points to lift No. 15 Creighton past UT-Rio Grande Valley at 99-86 at the CHI Health Center in Omaha. He finished just two points shy of Creighton’s single-game scoring record, which was set back in 1967, and he became the first player in Big East history to drop 40 points or more in a season opener.
The 7-foot-1 center shot a near-perfect 20-of-22 from the field, too, and went 7-of-8 from the free throw line with a pair of 3-pointers. The Blue Jays, and even coach Greg McDermott, were all trying to get him to score one last time on their final few possessions to hit the 50-point mark, too, but Kalkbrenner didn’t seem interested.
If it weren’t for an all-time performance from Kalkbrenner, though, McDermott’s group would’ve been in trouble. The Vaqueros stuck with Creighton the entire way, and they put up 48 points in the second half to keep the game in single digits down the stretch.
Steven Ashworth was the only Creighton starter to hit double figures. He added 25 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, though 17 of his points came from the free throw line.
Hasan Abdul Hakim led the Vaqueros with 26 points and 11 rebounds, and both Cliff Davis and DK Thorn added 17 points apiece. UT-Rio Grande Valley went just 6-25 last season, its final in the WAC before making the jump to the Southland Conference this season under new head coach Khalil Fennell.
Creighton is back in action on Sunday against Fairleigh Dickinson.
This post will be updated with more information shortly.