OMAHA, Neb. -- After leading by as many as nine points in the first half, the Missouri State Bears find themselves on the short end of a 35-34 halftime score at the half against the Creighton Bluejays in Missouri Valley Conference play.

Creighton stromed out to a 12-5 lead and made seven of its first 10 shots.

After a basket by P'Allen Stinnett at the 13:44 mark, the Bears scored the game's next nine points to lead 20-16 on a shot by Will Creekmore with 9:16 to go in the opening period.

Antoine Young's three-pointer just 23 seconds later made it a one-point game, but the Bears stormed back behind Nafis Ricks who scored eight points in the ensuing 12-4 run by Missouri State as Cuonzo Martin's troops built a 32-23 lead with 4:39 to play.

From there, Creighton benefited from the whistles, getting to the free throw line 10 times in the final 3:20, while the Bears were called for five fouls down the stretch. MSU had just a jumper by Jerome Jones to put on the scoreboard during that stretch, and Creighton took advantage to own a 35-34 halftime lead.

Missouri State has outrebounded the Bluejays 19-17 and has just four turnovers to six by CU. The Bears are 12-of-32 (.375) from the field and 1-of-8 (.125) from three-point range, but made 9-of-10 at the free throw line, all in the first 15 minutes of the half.

Ricks has a game-high 10 points, while Kyle Weems has scored 5, and Jermaine Mallett and Caleb Patterson have each scored four points.

Daryl Ashford and Cavel Witter have each scored six points for Creighton which is 11-for-22 (.500) overall and 2-of-7 (.286) from three.

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