OMAHA, NEB. -- Creighton scored its last nine points at the free throw line and needed every one of them to escape with a 73-69 Missouri Valley Conference victory past Drake Wednesday night.
The Bulldogs held the Bluejays without a basket in the last 4 minutes 28 seconds of the game, while rallying from a nine-point deficit to have a chance to tie the game in the waning seconds.
After a tip-in rebound by Justin Carter gave Creighton a 64-55 lead the Bulldogs weren't to be denied in storming back to pull within 71-69 following a layup by Josh Young with 11 seconds left.
An errant pass by Creighton's Kenny Lawson against the press gave Drake two shots to tie the game in the closing seconds. However, Ryan Wedel missed a driving attempt after his steal and Young couldn't get his follow attempt to fall.
Going for the rebound, Drake forward Adam Templeton then fouled Creighton's Cavel Witter with 2.7 seconds left. Witter sank two free throws to account for the final margin.
"We went into the game with one focus, to play hard with effort," said Drake head coach Mark Phelps. "We battled. The bounces didn't go our way.
"We will learn from this and be tougher. We're getting better."
Senior point guard Craig Stanley made his first start of the season, responding with a season-high 15 points and six assists to pace Drake.
Young added 14 points, while becoming the sixth player in Drake history to reach the 1,500 point plateau pushing his career total to 1,511.
Templeton finished with nine points and six rebounds in his shortest playing stint of the season at 21 minutes.
Templeton played a season-low five minutes in the first half after picking up two quick fouls. He then sat out four minutes in the second half after suffering a deep cut on his nose.
Freshman redshirt walk-on Cory Parker provided a spark off the bench with Templeton absent in the first half. He scored six straight points in a 44-second span on a three-point basket and a three-point play late in the first half to pull Drake within 32-28.
Drake outrebounded Creighton, 38-34, with freshman Seth VanDeest snaring six rebounds.
The Bulldogs shot 38.6 percent from the floor, making 22 or 57 shots.
Wedel and Young had two three-point baskets apiece.
Drake, which slipped to 5-11 overall, will travel to Southern Illinois Saturday.
