LOUISVILLE, Ky. — It was some ride for Princeton, a journey that lasted a lot longer than even those closely associated with the program had dared to dream possible.

The Princeton players, who get less media coverage than some high school teams in New Jersey, basked in the adoration not only from their Ivy League community, but also from the nation, as they advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first since 1967.

America got to know Princeton as the No. 15 seed — comprised of a locker room full of characters with unique talents and coached by Mitch Henderson, a former Tigers player with an amazing tale himself — made its stunning move through upsets of No. 2 seed Arizona and No. 7 seed Missouri last week in Sacramento, Calif.

But at the end of a rainy Friday night at KFC Yum! Center, Princeton’s excellent adventure through March Madness came to an end.

Sixth seed Creighton simply proved to be too strong and too mighty for the Tigers to handle and the Bluejays won, 86-75, in the NCAA Tournament South Region semifinal.

Creighton (24-12), playing in the Sweet 16 for second time in the past three years, advanced to play San Diego State in the Elite Eight on Sunday after the No. 5 seeded Aztecs knocked out No. 1 seed Alabama on Friday night.

The Bluejays seized control of the game early in the second half and looked dominant doing it.

But Princeton, even after falling behind by as many as 16 points in the second half, refused to go away and kept it close until the end.

“It’s been a great run,’’ Princeton sophomore guard Blake Peters said through tears in a dead-quite Tigers locker room after the game. “It’s tough … but we walk out of here with our heads held high, knowing that this wasn’t so bad for a bunch of nerds.’’

Creighton had an answer for everything Princeton (23-9) threw at it.

The Bluejays hurt the Tigers badly in transition and their shooting was almost impeccable — 58.2 percent from the field for the game.

Princeton was no slouch from the field, either, shooting 46.2 percent for the game and 42.9 percent from 3-point range.

The Tigers simply had no answers for Creighton’s sharp-shooting guard Baylor Scheierman, who scored 21 points on 8-for-11 shooting (5-for-7 from long distance) or its 7-foot-1 center Ryan Kalkbrenner, who scored 22 points on 9-for-12 shooting.

Trey Alexander also scored 19 points for the Bluejays.

“It was very difficult to figure out how to get stops,’’ Henderson said. “We only had only five turnovers and took 10 more shots than they did, but we just couldn’t stop them.’’

Princeton trailed 47-43 at the end of a pulsating first half, but was on the verge of being boat-raced by Creighton in the final 20 minutes as the Bluejays pushed to a 68-52 lead with 12:19 remaining in the game.

Even as Creighton threatened to blow out the Tigers in the second half, Princeton, on brand, refused to pack it in.

Princeton seniors Ryan Langborg, who scored a game-high 26 points, and Tosan Evbuomwan of Newcastle, England, who scored 24 points and dished nine assists, refused to allow the Tigers to go away.

“Tosan is a very unique player,’’ Henderson said before the game. “I call him a brilliant, blinding light from heaven in our program. It’s exquisite watching him play.’’

An Evbuomwan 3-pointer with 7:52 remaining cut the Creighton lead to 68-60 and gave the Tigers hope.

Then Scheierman (who else?) dashed those hopes with a dagger when he drained a 3-pointer with the shot clock bleeding to :00 to give Creighton a 71-60 lead with 7:22 remaining.

Every time Princeton inched closer, someone from Creighton had an answer.

“We fought hard, but they countered every punch we had,’’ Princeton junior forward Zach Martini said.

Creighton coach Greg McDermott said after the game his team “defeated a really good basketball team,’’ adding, “If you didn’t care who won, you had to appreciate the brand of basketball both teams were playing.”

None of those compliments, of course, soothed the pain Princeton was feeling after the suddenness of its season ending.

The Tigers were trying to do what tiny Saint Peter’s from Jersey City did a year ago when, as a No. 15 seed, the Peacocks charged into the Elite Eight.

“We followed Saint Peter’s run last year very, very closely,’’ Henderson said. “I just think that each team has like a special life to live in this tournament.’’

Princeton lived a wonderfully unexpected life this March. Louisville’s home arena, which seats 22,000 and was filled, sounded like a larger version of Jadwin Gym, the Tigers’ home back in Princeton.

In the quiet of the Tigers locker room afterward, when Princeton junior guard Matt Allocco was asked what he’ll reflect on once the raw emotions of the ending settle in, he didn’t have to think very long.

“For me personally,’’ Allocco said, “I’m thinking about doing it again. I’ve got one more go at this. So, in a couple weeks, it’s time to get back to work again.’’