FEB. 4, 2009

DES MOINES, IOWA -  Guard Booker Woodfox scored 15 of his game-high 23 points in the second half to rally Creighton to a 79-68 Missouri Valley Conference victory at Drake Wednesday night.

Clinging to a 29-28 halftime lead, the Bulldogs went on a 9-2 run in the opening two minutes 38 seconds of the second half to erect a 38-30 lead.

Senior forward Jonathan Cox (Barrington, Ill.), who led Drake with 19 points, scored six points during the surge.

Then Drake junior guard Josh Young (Lawton, Okla.) got hurt, receiving a cut above his left eye that forced him to leave the game with 16:26 left.

Creighton took advantage as Woodfox scored 11 points, including three three-point baskets, to key a 17-7 run enabling the Bluejays to grab a 49-45 lead it never relinquished.

Drake also suffered through a 7 minute seven-second drought without a basket from the 13:39 mark until guard Josh Parker (Harvey, Ill.) ended the spell with a three-point basket with 6:22 remaining that pulled the Bulldogs within 53-48.

Parker and Young each finished with 18 points for the Bulldogs, who suffered their third straight defeat since claiming a 74-62 victory at Creighton  Jan. 24.

Drake, which outrebounded Creighton, 48-35, in the previous meeting in Omaha, lost the battle of the boards in the rematch, 36-26.

Creighton grabbed 12 offensive rebounds compared to Drake's six which allowed the Bluejays to own a 12-6 edge in second chance points.

Young led Drake with six rebounds while collecting a season-high four assists. Cox added four boards, while moving into No. 3 on the Drake career rebounding charts at 736.

Drake shot 44.0 percent for the game, hitting 22 of 50 shots. The Bulldogs made nine three-point baskets for their highest output in the last six games.

Drake, which slipped to 14-10, including a 5-7 league mark, will host Bradley Saturday.

Cox made four treys, while Parker hit three three-point baskets.

Drake made five three-point baskets in the first half, equaling its entire output of its last two games against Wichita State (five) and Evansville (five).