OMAHA, Neb. (Interstat) — Kansas State built a large early lead and withstood a second-half charge to defeat Creighton 83-76 in a men’s NCAA basketball game Saturday at a sold-out CenturyLink Center.

The Wildcats, led by David Castillo’s 19 points, dominated the first half, shooting 51 percent from the field to take an 18-point lead into halftime. The Bluejays, sparked by Isaac Traudt and Josh Dix who each scored 18 points, rallied after the break, cutting the deficit to single digits but never overtaking Kansas State. The Wildcats sealed the victory at the free-throw line, making 13 of 15 attempts.

Kansas State improved to 7-4, while Creighton fell to 5-5.