OMAHA, Neb. -- The score early in the second half might have stunned the 15,072 at CHI Health Center Omaha -- University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff 53, Creighton University 40.
The shots that fell for UAPB in the first 22 minutes didn't as much the rest of the way, and Creighton built momentum with nearly 76% second-half shooting to turn the double-digit deficit into a 90-77 victory in Tuesday's season opener for both teams.
The game also marked the head coaching debut of Solomon Bozeman at UAPB.
UAPB (0-1) shot 18 for 35 (51.4%) from the floor in the first half but made only 9 of 37 (24.3%) after that. Creighton (1-0), the usual Big East Conference contender, made three straight short-range shots to ignite a turnaround after Jaylan Thomas canned a 3-pointer at the 18:28 mark to put the Golden Lions -- who went 4-21 last season -- ahead by 13 points.
Trey Sampson, who scored 29 points and pulled down 10 rebounds, interrupted the Creighton comeback with a jumper to put UAPB back up 55-46, but the Lions went cold from outside the perimeter -- 4 of 17 in the half and 10 of 35 for the game -- and the Bluejays turned a pair of UAPB turnovers into easy points on the other end to buoy what would become a 39-9 swing to give them a 79-62 lead with 7:48 to play.
The Lions inched within 81-70 at the 3:44 mark before the Bluejays bumped their lead back to 17 on two occasions.
UAPB stunned the home team with a 26-11 lead at the 9:33 mark of the first half, but Creighton pulled within 31-26 with 4:13 left. Shawn Williams canned a 3 with 24 seconds left to make it an 11-point UAPB lead with 24 seconds left, only for Ryan Nembhard to beat the first-half buzzer to pull Creighton within 47-38.
Sampson, a former Northeastern (Oklahoma) State University standout, was 10 for 18 from the floor and 7 for 7 at the free-throw line. Williams had 16 points, 3 assists and 3 rebounds, and Jaylan Thomas added 9 points, shooting 4 of 7 from the floor for the Lions.
Brahm Harris and Brandon Brown each had 8 points and Kylen Milton 7 in the loss.
UAPB made 13 of 15 free throws as a team.
For the Bluejays, former Duke University player Alex O'Connell scored 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds, Ryan Hawkins tallied 16 points and 11 rebounds, Arthur Kaluma and Nembhard each had 15 points and KeyShawn Feazell added 11. Creighton finished 38 for 65 (58.5%) from the floor, including 7 of 25 from 3-point range, and made 7 of 12 free throws.
UAPB will face Colorado State University in the second of seven straight road games to start the season on Friday. Tipoff in Fort Collins, Colo., is slated for 9 p.m. Central (8 p.m. Mountain), with audio available on The Varsity Network app.
