Creighton-UConn Big East Semifinal Sparks Drama Over Final-Second Dunk

Madison Square Garden was electric Friday night as Creighton clinched their spot in the Big East final, defeating UConn 69-62. But let’s not pretend that the drama ended with the scoreboard. A late-game windmill dunk by Creighton’s Jamiya Neal turned up the heat and sparked a brief scuffle that added an edge to an already intense rivalry.

With just under 10 seconds remaining, UConn head coach Dan Hurley signaled for his players to let the clock run out after Creighton grabbed a defensive rebound. The sportsmanship vibes were strong—or so it seemed. Neal, apparently not one for subtle exits, raced down the court and threw down a flashy dunk with 1.5 seconds left, hanging on the rim for emphasis. Let’s just say UConn wasn’t charmed.

Huskies guard Hassan Diarra wasn’t having it. He shoved Neal in the chest, momentarily squaring up for what looked like a confrontation. Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner stepped in to diffuse the situation, pushing Neal away as whistles filled the air and players poured off the benches. Order was quickly restored, but the tension lingered like the smell of popcorn in the arena.

"I mean, they were already up with seven seconds left," Diarra said post-game, clearly still annoyed. "He didn’t want to dribble the ball out. Went in for a fancy dunk. I just felt it was disrespectful to the game of basketball." Neal admitted that he "got caught up in the emotions of the game" and issued an apology.

The timing of Neal’s dunk couldn’t have been worse—or perhaps perfect, depending on how much you love drama. Creighton coach Greg McDermott was already walking over to shake hands with Hurley when the dunk happened. McDermott immediately apologized, not once but twice—once during the chaos and again after the game ended.

To be fair, this isn’t the first time these two teams have clashed. Hurley has been known to stir the pot, taunting Creighton fans last month after a UConn road win with a defiant "Two rings!" And let’s not forget last year’s headline-grabber when Hurley reportedly threatened to "knock out" a Creighton fan. Clearly, bad blood doesn’t evaporate overnight.

Now, the focus shifts to Saturday night’s Big East final, where Creighton will face St. John’s at Madison Square Garden. With a heavy Red Storm crowd expected, it’s shaping up to be another electric showdown. Buckle up, basketball fans.