Ade Dagunduro scored from underneath the basket with :2.7 left as Nebraska used another strong defensive performance to come back from a 13-point halftime deficit and defeat Creighton 54-52 Saturday night at the Devaney Center.

Steve Harley scored 14 of his game-high 18 points in the second half and looked to be setting up for the final shot, but as he drove into the lane he found Dagunduro all alone.

"That might have been the closest shot I've ever got, but the toughest shot I ever shot," said Dagunduro. "To be honest with you, I was a little nervous. Knowing me, something would go wrong. I'm just happy I made it."

Harley's decision to pass up what would have been a tough jumper and get the ball to Dagunduro earned NU coach Doc Sadler's praise. "Steve, I told the players, made the most unselfish play of the whole game," Sadler said.

Creighton (3-2) had tied it 52-52 on a Josh Dotzler three-pointer with :17.9 left. The Huskers (5-0) trailed 31-18 at the half, but held Creighton scoreless for 5 1/2 minutes while going on a 13-0 run.

Dagunduro added 11 points for NU. Kenny Lawson had 10 points and nine rebounds for the Bluejays.

Nebraska, which came into the game forcing an average of 18.8 turnovers, got Creighton to cough up the ball 24 times. Harley and Ryan Anderson made three steals apiece and Toney McCray and Cookie Miller two each. The Huskers also held Creighton to 35-percent shooting.

"The turnovers were awful," said Creighton coach Dana Altman. "We went small and still turned it over 24 times. It was the difference in the game. Nebraska did a good job, but it was mostly bad decision making. Some of our possessions set basketball back 10 years."

The work on the defensive end helped Nebraska offset Creighton's 39-27 rebounding advantage and the Huskers' 30-percent shooting in the first half.

"We told them to go back to doing what we do," said Sadler. "Offensively, we were out of sync the whole first half and didn't run our stuff."

Miller had five of his six assists in the second half. "Cookie is one of our best players and I've been bringing him off the bench because he can give us a spark," Sadler said. "He's one of the best point guards in the country. When he comes into the game, it picks our offense up."

P'Allen Stinnett, who averaged 13 points through Creighton's first four games, suited up but did not play. He injured his right wrist against Arkansas-Little Rock on Tuesday and Altman hinted later in the week that he may face disciplinary action.

Nebraska controlled the second half after both teams combined for more turnovers (22) than field goals (16) the first 20 minutes.

Harley converted a no-look pass from Miller into an easy layup and Paul Velander hit a three-pointer to pull the Huskers to within 36-34 and Anderson made another three a few seconds later to give Nebraska its first lead at 37-36.

"To be honest, we needed some points and we were having a hard time finding them," Velander said. "It's a big adrenaline boost for the team and the fans."

"We were running, that's the thing we have to do," said Miller. "If we keep doing that, we'll be a team to reckon with."

Dagunduro added 11 points and Velander scored all nine of his in the second half.

It was only the Huskers' second win in the last 10 regular-season meetings with their in-state rival. Nebraska leads the series 24-18.