Monday, March 23rd, 7:00 p.m. (et).

FACTS & STATS: Site: Qwest Center Omaha (17,839) -- Omaha, Nebraska. Television: ESPN. NIT Record: Kentucky 11-5, Creighton 5-9. Series Record: Kentucky leads, 7-4.

GAME NOTES: A top seed in the 2009 NIT, the Creighton Bluejays welcome the fourth-seeded Kentucky Wildcats to Omaha for a second-round clash this evening. Awaiting the winner of this tilt is a quarterfinal battle with second-seeded Notre Dame. After 17 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, Kentucky is playing in its first NIT since 1979. The Wildcats beat UNLV in a 70-60 final in the first round of this event to improve to 21-13 overall. Still, they enter this clash with a 4-6 record in true road games and must contend with a Creighton squad that has lost just two home games all season. The fact that the Bluejays are playing host to an SEC opponent for the first time since 1940 figures to serve as major motivation. Creighton is 27-7 overall this season and tied for the Missouri Valley Conference regular season title. The team has won 12 of its last 13 games, including a thrilling 73-71 triumph over Bowling Green on Wednesday to open this event. The Wildcats hold a 7-4 series lead over the Bluejays, although the teams haven't met since 1948.

Kentucky played a solid all-around game in the first-round victory over UNLV, as the Wildcats connected on 50 percent of their field goal attempts and limited the Runnin' Rebels to 38.9 percent shooting. A 36-28 rebounding advantage also helped the cause, as did a 12-8 edge in points from the foul line. Jodie Meeks led the way as usual with 19 points, and Patrick Patterson posted 16 points and 11 rebounds. As for Perry Stevenson, he contributed 10 points in 33 minutes of action. Meeks is racking up 24.0 ppg and has knocked down 111 three-pointers this season. He gets plenty of help from Patterson, who provides 18.1 ppg and 9.4 ppg while shooting 60.6 percent from the field. Considering the fact that no other player on the Kentucky roster is scoring more than 7.6 ppg, those two players are counted on to be productive every time the Wildcats take the floor.

Creighton fans were finally able to exhale when a potential game-winning three-point attempt by Bowling Green missed its mark in the closing seconds of Wednesday's first-round game. The Bluejays finished that tilt with 17 assists against eight turnovers and earned an 18-8 edge in points from the foul line. P'Allen Stinnett posted 18 points and six assists, while Justin Carter contributed 14 points. Antoine Young shot 5-of-6 from the floor en route to 12 points off the bench, while Booker Woodfox finished with 10 points. Woodfox shot just 2-of-11 from the floor, but he is much better than he showed against Bowling Green. In fact, it is fair to say that he is one of the nation's best shooters. Woodfox is knocking down 47.6 percent of his three-point attempts and is averaging 15.7 ppg. Stinnett is the only other player on the roster averaging double figures in scoring, as he is posting 12.4 ppg.

Although Creighton has the advantage of playing at home, the Bluejays will have no answer for Patterson on the low block. The big man will carry his Wildcats to victory.

Predicted Outcome

Kentucky 73, Creighton 66