West Virginia came out firing at the T-Mobile Arena, building a commanding 43-37 halftime lead and never letting Creighton back into it. The Mountaineers extended their advantage to 19 points at one stage, suffocating the Bluejays' offense with relentless defense. Two devastating second-half runs—a 10-1 surge that pushed the lead to 16, then another 10-1 burst that sealed the game—left Creighton with no answer. The Bluejays fought hard early, stringing together a 9-0 first-half run to stay competitive, but it wasn't enough to overcome West Virginia's second-half dominance. Despite a valiant effort down the stretch, Creighton couldn't close the gap as the Mountaineers pulled away 87-70 in the College Basketball Crown Round of 64 at the neutral site.