Creighton's Josh Dix Scores 21 After Mom's Cancer Death

Josh Dix walked onto the court at UConn knowing his mother was watching from somewhere beyond, and he played like it mattered more than ever.

The Creighton basketball star scored 21 points Wednesday night, leading his team to a stunning 91-84 upset over fifth-ranked UConn. The victory came just two weeks after Dix's mother died from colon cancer.

Before the game, UConn held a moment of silence for Dix's mom. The gesture moved the grieving player deeply.

"I really respect this university for doing that and thinking of my mom," Dix said after the game. "I know she would greatly appreciate it."

Creighton entered the game as 15.5-point underdogs. The team had lost to UConn by 27 points just before Dix's mother passed away, making Wednesday's win even more remarkable.

Why This Inspires

Coach Greg McDermott said his team needed this moment of triumph. The Bluejays roster has faced more than its share of heartbreak, with another player, Blake Harper, having lost his mother to breast cancer in 2023.

"That locker room is still healing," McDermott said. "We have been through a lot as a group. We've shed a lot of tears, and they needed something like this."

Dix, who transferred from Iowa and now leads Creighton in scoring, credits his support system for getting him through. He's learned that showing up matters, even when your heart is broken.

"I couldn't do it alone," he said. "My family, my teammates, my coaches, they all stick by my side."

Basketball has become his refuge in grief. The game gives him moments where joy still exists alongside pain, where he can honor his mother's memory by doing what he loves.

After the final buzzer, Creighton fans who traveled from Nebraska to Connecticut embraced Dix with hugs and encouragement. Even UConn coach Dan Hurley, whose team had just suffered their first conference home loss of the season, sent his respect to the Creighton squad.

The night proved that sometimes the biggest victories happen when people choose to keep showing up for each other, especially when everything feels impossibly hard.