Kansas Basketball: 3 takeaways from thrilling win over Creighton Bluejays

In one of the best games of the early season, Kansas Basketball defeated the Creighton Bluejays in the final moment of the game.

While the ACC/Big Ten Challenge has most of the attention in the college hoops world, there was a top-10 matchup elsewhere on the calendar. After getting a big win in the Champions Classic last week, No. 5 Kansas Basketball took on the No. 8 Creighton Bluejays in Allen Fieldhouse with a limited number of fans.

They were witnesses to an outstanding game. The lead never got bigger than six points either way, with a back-and-forth battle between a pair of Final Four contenders showcasing why they were highly viewed in the preseason.

The Jayhawks did have a secure multi-possession lead with about a minute to go but multiple tough deep made shots by Denzel Mahoney kept Creighton within striking range. They had a chance to tie the game with just a second to go after star guard Marcus Zegarowski was fouled on a three-point attempt.

He made the first two shots but clanked on the third, giving Kansas a 73-72 victory. Mahoney led the Bluejays with 19 points and was one of four starters who reached double figures. One three did that for the Jayhawks, with Jalen Wilson leading all players with a game-high 23 points and 10 rebounds.

Kansas is now 5-1 on the season, including a pair of big wins over both Creighton and Kentucky, although the Wildcats are 1-3 and have some work to do right now. Six games in, we’re starting to see how this team’s rotation and key roles are setting up. Here are some takeaways from this specific matchup, and the effect it has going forward.