03/26/23 04:05:00
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03/26 16:03 CDT San Diego State muscles past Creighton, makes 1st Final Four
San Diego State muscles past Creighton, makes 1st Final Four
By GARY B. GRAVES
AP Sports Writer
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) --- Darrion Trammell converted a go-ahead free throw after
he was fouled on a floater with 1.2 seconds left, and San Diego State muscled
its way into its first Final Four, grinding out a 57-56 victory over Creighton
on Sunday in the NCAA Tournament's South Region final.
Lamont Butler scored 18 points and Trammell had 12 for the fifth-seeded Aztecs
(31-6), who slowed down the high-scoring, sixth-seeded Bluejays (24-13) and
became the first Mountain West Conference team to reach the national semifinals.
The experienced Aztecs, in their sixth season under coach Brian Dutcher, will
play the surprising East Region champion, ninth-seeded Florida Atlantic, on
Saturday in Houston for a spot in the national title game.
With the game tied at 56-all on San Diego State's final possession, Trammell
drove toward the free-throw line, elevated for the shot and was fouled by
Creighton's Ryan Nembhard. Trammell missed the first free throw but converted
the second.
Creighton's Baylor Scheierman threw the ensuing inbound pass the length of the
floor. San Diego State's Aguek Arop and Creighton's Arthur Kaluma both jumped
for it and the ball deflected out of bounds. Officials reviewed the play and
determined that time had expired, and the celebration was on for the Aztecs.
Scheierman had tied the game at 56-all when he stole an inbounds pass and
converted a layup with 34 seconds remaining.
Ryan Kalkbrenner scored 17 points and Scheierman and Arthur Kaluma had 12
apiece for the Bluejays, who went 2 of 17 from 3-point range.
The Aztecs, who got this far thanks to defense and physical play, held the
Bluejays to 23 second-half points on 28% shooting. Creighton shot 40% overall.
San Diego State shot 38% but got clutch baskets from Nathan Mensah, whose
jumper gave the Aztecs a 56-54 lead with 1:37 left, and Arop, who made two
straight shots to put San Diego State ahead 54-50 with 3:03 remaining.
Creighton, which beat San Diego State in overtime in the first round of last
year's NCAA Tournament, fell just short of joining Big East rival UConn in the
Final Four.
Kaluma played against his brother, San Diego State's Adam Seiko. Their parents
sat a few rows up at midcourt, sitting quietly before joining Seiko to
celebrate.
___
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