Creighton never found its footing on Saturday, overwhelmed early as Villanova blitzed out to a 25–10 lead and controlled the afternoon inside a packed CHI Health Center Omaha. Before 16,479 fans, the Bluejays spent much of the day chasing a Wildcats squad determined to rewrite the recent history of a series Creighton had dominated. The 80–69 loss not only dropped the Jays to 13–13 overall and 7–8 in Big East play. It also marked Villanova’s first road win in Omaha since 2023, snapping Creighton’s four‑game grip on the rivalry between the league’s two winningest programs of the reconfigured Big East era.
Villanova’s frontcourt duo set the tone all afternoon, with Duke Brennan powering his way to 21 points and 12 rebounds and Tyler Perkins adding 17 points and 11 boards, giving the Wildcats two steady double‑double anchors in their road win. Creighton countered behind Nik Graves, who delivered 15 points and five assists to lead three Bluejays in double figures, but his effort wasn’t enough to match Villanova’s balanced punch at the top of the stat sheet.
Brennan owned the glass for the Wildcats, finishing with 12 rebounds (10 on the defensive end). Creighton countered with forward Jasen Green, who battled his way to 11 boards (seven defensive, and four offensive) to keep the Bluejays competitive inside…