Huskers Fall to Creighton

Omaha, Neb (AP) -- Reserve guard Terrell Taylor scored 21 points and was one of five Creighton players in double figures Thursday as the Bluejays beat intrastate rival Nebraska 89-72.

Nerijus Karlikanovas scored 15, Ben Walker 14 and Donnie Johnson and Ryan Sears each finished with 10 points for the Bluejays (6-0), who never trailed in the second half. Creighton has won two of the last three meetings between the state's only Division I teams. The Cornhuskers still lead the state series 21-11.

Creighton shot 50 percent in the second half while pulling away from a 40-38 halftime lead. The Jays can match their best start since the 1980-81 season with a win Sunday against Illinois State in the Missouri Valley Conference opener for both teams.

Cookie Belcher, who is recovering from surgery on his shooting hand, led Nebraska (3-4) with 16 points despite playing with his right wrist taped up and having to dribble mostly with his left hand.

Danny Walker scored 12 and Steffon Bradford finished with 10 points for the Cornhuskers, who beat Creighton in Lincoln last year 76-60.

Taylor, a freshman, scored 13 in the second half, including a 3-pointer at the buzzer. He hit 8-of-10 shots in the game and was 3-for-3 from 3-point range.

Belcher was 5-for-5 in the first half, but didn't score a point in the second until making a layup off a steal with 3:51 left. He finished 7-for-10.

The Jays forced Nebraska into 24 turnovers to Creighton's 13.

The Huskers turned the ball over nine times in the opening 11 minutes, but made up for it by hitting consistently from the outside. Nebraska shot 62 percent (16-for-26) in the opening half and used a 12-0 run to take a 32-25 lead.

The Jays rallied from a 38-33 deficit in the final minute of the half to tie it at 38 on Johnson's dunk and a 3-pointer by Karlikanovas. Creighton went to a full-court press and Taylor made a steal then drove for a layup to give the Jays a 40-38 halftime lead.

Belcher, who played carefully with his right wrist taped up, scored 11 converted consecutive alley-oop passes from Danny Walker, including a dunk that put Nebraska up 34-29.