OMAHA, Neb. - The IUPUI coaching staff knew the three-point line would play a key role in Saturday's nationally televised game as the Jaguars' non-conference gauntlet continued at Creighton. However, it was the host Bluejays that connected from virtually every angle, shooting just shy of 60 percent from the floor and 12-of-21 (57.1 percent) from deep to blast past the Jaguars, 90-65. IUPUI hit just 32 percent overall and 5-of-23 (21.7 percent) from downtown in the loss.

Junior Darell Combs scored 15 of his game-high 19 points in the first half and classmate Matt O'Leary added 14 points and seven boards in the loss. Isaiah Zierden paced Creighton (7-3) with 17 points, connecting on 5-of-7 three-point attempts. Khyri Thomas chipped in 13 points and eight boards and Toby Hegner added 12, all from three-point range. Zach Hanson also hit for double-digits with 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting.

"We knew it'd be a matter of whether or not we could make shots against them," IUPUI Head Coach Jason Gardner said. "We got some pretty good looks and just didn't knock them down. I thought we settled for some quick threes early and that kind of played into their hands. It's hard to come back against a team like this if you dig into a hole. We got in some foul trouble and had to play some zone and they made shots against the zone.

"I think more than anything, we're just ready to get home and play on our home floor at this point. We've learned and grown and improved, but we'll be excited to be home."

Creighton built a 14-point lead in the game's opening 10 minutes, thanks largely to nine IUPUI missed threes as the Jags began just 3-of-12 from deep. Combs caught fire late in the half, scoring 15 of the Jaguars' final 17 points of the first stanza to cut the lead to 40-29 at the break. Combs ended the first half with a three-point play after racing the length of the floor and cutting through the defense for a hard challenge at the rim.

IUPUI (3-9) got within nine on the opening possession of the second half when Nick Osborne stroked a midrange jumper, but Creighton followed with a Hegner three. Combs later cut the lead back to 54-45 with 14:17 left when he spun in a reverse layup, but Creighton rallied with a 12-0 burst built on four three-point possessions. Thomas started the run with an old fashioned three-point play and Zierden then sandwiched three-point makes around a Hegner connection to push the game out of reach.

O'Leary was the lone Jaguar to make more than half his field goal attempts, finishing the contest 5-of-9 from the field as IUPUI shot a season-low 32.3 percent. The short-handed IUPUI bench was a combined 3-of-20 overall and 2-of-11 from three-point range while freshman Evan Hall missed his second straight game due to illness. The Creighton bench was dynamic, outscoring the Jags' reserves 41-12 in the win.

Sophomore Jordan Pickett scored nine points and Marcellus Barksdale added six points, six boards and three steals.

The loss dropped IUPUI to 0-2 all-time against Creighton and was the Jaguars' seventh loss in eight games.

IUPUI will return home to host Southern Utah next Saturday (Dec. 19) at 1:00 p.m. inside Indiana Farmers Coliseum. The Jags will come in a perfect 2-0 at home this season.

That game will be televised on HTSN and ESPN3 as Greg Rakestraw (pxp) and Hall of Famer Bob Lovell (analyst) call the action from courtside. In addition, it can be heard in Central Indiana on 107.5 FM as Morgan Adcock (pxp) is on the call. As part of Santa Jawz Day at the Coliseum, fans can get their picture taken with the IUPUI mascot before the game and the first 250 fans in attendance will receive a free IUPUI holiday ornament.