ST. LOUIS — Reserve Kenny Lawson scored 18 points and made a crucial putback in the final minute of Creighton's 60-57 victory over Northern Iowa on Friday in the quarterfinals of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament.
Doug McDermott added 16 points and seven rebounds for fifth-seeded Creighton (19-13).
Kwadzo Ahelegbe scored all but two of his 14 points in the second half for fourth-seeded Northern Iowa (19-13) but missed two shots in the final half-minute.
Lawson followed Antoine Young's missed layup that rolled out with 27 seconds to go for the game's final points.
Young added 11 points and seven assists for two-time defending champion Northern Iowa, which never led.
Lawson was 4-for-5 from 3-point range to match his career high.
Jake Koch had 15 points and Anthony James 10 for Northern Iowa, but the losers were just 1-for-4 from the free throw line while Creighton went 8-for-10.