Creighton head coach Greg McDermott warned anyone who would listen that the person or people guarding Bluejays guard Steven Ashworth would find themselves worn down after the game. The veteran guard was compared to Stephen Curry for how much he runs without the ball and around screens, always looking to get open and drain another three.

After chasing him around Rupp Arena for 35 minutes, Denver Jones learned that McDermott was telling the truth.

"Not going to lie, I was pretty tired after the game," the Auburn guard said. "It was a lot of work chasing him around those screens."

In the first half, Ashworth was getting the best of the Tigers, scoring 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting, including 3-of-4 from three, as the Bluejays drained nine triples to take a two-point halftime lead.

Jones made sure that wasn't the case during the final 20 minutes. He and the Tigers had Ashworth locked up as he finished 1-of-6 from the floor and 0-for-3 from three. Only a meaningless layup with 35 seconds to go in a game already decided kept Ashworth from ending the half scoreless.

"Guys have to step up and make plays and guard Ashworth the whole time," Miles Kelly said. "Even though he moves a whole lot, Denver did a good job on him in the second half and limited his shots."

Jones' head coach was more blunt about his impact on the Tigers' defense.

"This guy sitting right there in the middle, Denver Jones, I've been telling everybody he is one of the best defensive guards in all of college basketball, and he proved it tonight with the effort and energy that he put forth and obviously making it really hard for their best player to get any kind of open look," Bruce Pearl said.

And even though Jones was expending a lot of energy on the defensive side of the floor, his offense was just as crucial in helping Auburn reach the Sweet 16. The New Market, Ala., scored 11 of his 15 points in the second half, including the kill shot with 1:11 left that had the Tigers doing Curry's "night night" pose.

"I felt all the energy," Jones said. "I seen all my teammates come over there. I seen Johni bounce the ball with my chest; it just felt good, man, the energy in the atmosphere, that's just what it was."