Men's Hoops Hosts Redbirds Saturday Night
1/21/2005 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Next Game
Creighton (12-6, 4-3 MVC) hosts Illinois State (12-5, 4-3 MVC) on Saturday in a battle of teams tied for fourth-place.
Tip-off on ConAgra Foods Court at Qwest Center OMAHA™ (15,500) is set for 7:07 p.m.
Radio Broadcast Information
KOMJ (“Magic” 590 AM) will broadcast all Creighton’s men’s basketball games during the 2004-05 season. The games are also webcast live at www.magic590.com. T. Scott Marr and Michael Lindeman will call the action.
Saturday’s game can also be heard on Sirius Satellite Radio channel 136.
Television Broadcast Information
Saturday’s game between Creighton and Illinois State will be televised by both KMTV (in Omaha) and WMBD (in Bloomington-Normal).
Travis Justice and Scott Schumacher will broadcast the KMTV feed, while Kurt Pegler and Matt Taphorn will do the WMBD telecast. Below are the coordinates for both broadcasts:
KMTV Coordinates
Uplink Frequency: 14175.625 H
Satellite: AMC-5
Downlink Frequency: 11876 V
Transponder: 5 J
Data Rate: 5.5 mbps
Symbol Rate: 3.979 msps
FEC Rate: 3/4
WMBD Coordinates
AMC 9 K08 6:30-9:00 pm Central with 30 approx.
Downlink 11860 H
Video Webcast Available
Creighton University Athletics, XOS Technologies and Cox Communications will present a live, pay-per-view video webcast of at least 19 games (including all remaining home games except Feb. 9 and all KM3 road broadcasts) this season.
To sign up for the video webcast, fans can register by going directly to http://www.gocreighton.com/creighton. Cost for a season pass is $39.95 with Visa and Mastercard accepted.
Once registered, fans will only need to log-in with their password on game night. The video stream, which will include an audio simulcast of the Magic 590 AM broadcast, begins at 30 minutes before tipoff featuring live video of Qwest Center OMAHA and the audio of the Magic 590 AM pre-game show.
In order to view the webcast, users must have high speed Internet access (cable modem or DSL service) and Windows Media Player version 9.0 or above.
Live Stats Information
All Creighton home basketball games will have live stats this season. Fans can go to www.gocreighton.com and click on the Live Stats tab in the top middle of the page. The exact address link is http://www.gocreighton.com/sport_stats/live/mbb/xlive.htm.
Scouting Creighton
After a 7-0 start Creighton is currently 12-6 on the season, including a 4-3 mark in the Missouri Valley Conference.
The Bluejays earned wins away from home over Missouri, Ohio State, Xavier and Nebraska in its’ first nine games, only to lose five of its’ next seven games. However, CU has played better in its last two games, wins at Northern Iowa and at home over Drake.
Junior guard Nate Funk leads the team in scoring average (17.1 ppg.) and rebounding (5.5 rpg.). Senior guard Kellen Miliner is the team’s only other double-figure scorer, pumping in 10.3 points per game off the bench.
Senior point guard Tyler McKinney has returned from a pair of career-threatening cornea transplants and not missed a beat, with 97 assists and just 42 turnovers on the season.
Creighton has won four games in its final possession this season, including wins in the final second at Nebraska (a Miliner basket with 0.7 seconds left) and at Northern Iowa (a Funk basket at the buzzer). Earlier this year, McKinney hit the game-winning basket in victories over Ohio State (with 4.5 seconds left in OT) and at Xavier (with 21.5 seconds left).
Creighton’s bench has outscored the opponents bench by a 412-253 margin.
Scouting Illinois State
Picked to finish last in the MVC’s preseason poll, Illinois State has turned heads with a 12-5 start. The Redbirds are 8-1 at home and has already beaten Penn State, Mississippi, St. John’s and SMS this season.
Junior college transfer Lorenzo Gordon scored 26 points in his debut for ISU and hasn’t slowed down, leading the MVC with 18.4 points per game. Gordon also leads the team with 6.4 rebounds per game.
Trey Guidry scored his 1,000th career point at the Division I level earlier this season and is one of the nation’s top shooters, averaging 12.7 points per game.
Helping to distribute the ball is veteran point guard Vince Greene. Greene averages 4.6 assists per game and also leads the league with 91.5 percent accuracy at the charity stripe.
The Redbirds shoot 46.1 percent as a team, 63.6 percent at the free throw line, and are almost even on the boards.
The Coaches
The dean of Missouri Valley Conference coaches, Creighton’s Dana Altman (Eastern New Mexico, 1980) is in his 11th year as head coach of the Bluejays. He owns a 207-115 (.643) mark at CU and a career record of 290-182 (.614) in his 16th year as an NCAA Division I head coach.
Creighton’s all-time winningest coach, Altman has been named national, conference, regional or district coach of the year in 10 of his 19 years as a head coach. The 2001 and 2002 MVC Coach of the Year was a finalist for the Naismith National Coach of the Year Award in 2003. In 2004, Altman was named the Collegeinsider.com Jim Phelan National Mid-Season Coach of the Year. Additionally, Altman has led Creighton to five NCAA Tournaments and his teams have played in the postseason in seven straight seasons. He’s helped by associate head coach Greg Grensing and assistant coaches Brian Fish and Darian DeVries. Len Gordy serves as CU’s Director of Basketball Operations.
Illinois State is led by Porter Moser (Creighton, 1990), who owns a 22-24 record in his second year with the Redbirds. Moser, who also spent three seasons at Arkansas-Little Rock, owns a career mark of 76-58. Moser played at Creighton from 1986-90, including the Jays’ 1989 squad that won the MVC and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. Moser is assisted by Chris Jans, Daniyal Robinson and Brian Barone.
Series History vs. Illinois State
Illinois State leads the all-time series with Creighton by a 31-19 margin, but the Bluejays have won the last eight meetings in the series. Creighton has won six straight meetings in Omaha, where the teams have split 24 all-time encounters.
Illinois State’s last win in the series came on Jan. 8, 2001 in Normal.
Creighton coach Dana Altman is 12-9 all-time against Illinois State and 2-0 against Porter Moser.
Last Game Recap
Junior Nate Funk hit 10-of-14 shots en route to a career-high 26 points in Creighton’s 82-67 win over Drake. Funk’s 26 points bested the previous Qwest Center OMAHA™ record of 22.
Creighton scored the first eight points of the game and never trailed. CU led 37-27 at the half and later used a 14-0 run to take a 63-40 lead with 10:30 to play.
In addition to Funk, freshman Dane Watts scored all 17 of his points in the second half for the victors. Pete Eggers led Drake with 13 points.
Moser & Barone Return To Omaha
A pair of familiar faces return to town when Illinois State heads to Omaha this weekend. ISU head coach Porter Moser played four years at Creighton from 1986-90, scoring 469 points and grabbing 133 rebounds in 107 games for CU. One of Moser’s assistants, Brian Barone, is the son of former CU head coach Tony Barone.
Local Prep Returns Home
Nedu Onyeuku, a 2002 graduate of Creighton Prep, is a junior guard on the Illinois State team. Onyeuku was a second-team all-State pick for the Junior Jays, then headed across the river to play for Iowa Western Community College the past two seasons.
Onyeuku averages 4.8 points and 1.8 rebounds per game while seeing time in 15 contests. He scored a season-high 16 points in ISU’s season-opening win over Penn State.
Hot Shooting Funk
Nate Funk’s 26 points and 10 field goals against Drake were not only career-highs, but also Qwest Center OMAHA™ records. Funk, teammate Kellen Miliner and Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s Tamarius Brown shared the previous single-game scoring record with 22 points.
The previous arena best for field goals in a game of nine was done twice last season by former Nebraska player Andrew Drevo.
New Chairman of the Boards
Junior center Jeffrey Day grabbed a season-high seven rebounds on Wednesday against Drake. It also marked the first time this season that Day had led the team in that category.
Statistical Anomalies
Wednesday’s game vs. Drake featured a couple of circumstances that Creighton fans hadn’t seen much of this year.
For just the second time all year, senior Tyler McKinney did not lead the Jays in assists. McKinney led or tied for the Creighton team-lead in assists in 16 of the first 17 games.
Speaking of assists, freshman Dane Watts recorded an assist when he fed Johnny Mathies for the first points of the game. Watts hadn’t recorded an assist since he had a pair vs. Ohio State on Nov. 24th.
Statistically speaking though, one thing did not change. All four baskets made by Jimmy Motz were assisted on by a teammate. For the season, Motz has made 38 baskets. All but one field goal, a lay-up against Ohio State, has had an assist, including his last 23 buckets.
The Tipping Point
Need a reason why Saturday’s game is pivotal In each of the last 10 years, the winner of the Illinois State at Creighton game has earned a postseason bid. The loser has made just two NIT appearances. The list is below:
Illinois State at Creighton, Last 10 Years
Year Winner/Postseason Loser/Postseason
‘03-04 CU (NIT) ISU
‘02-03 CU (NCAA) ISU
‘01-02 CU (NCAA) ISU
‘00-01 CU (NCAA) ISU (NIT)
‘99-00 CU (NCAA) ISU
‘98-99 CU (NCAA) ISU
‘97-98 ISU (NCAA) CU (NIT)
‘96-97 ISU (NCAA) CU
‘95-96 ISU (NIT) CU
‘94-95 ISU (NIT) CU
The Reverse Is Also True
Need a reason why the Feb. 28 Creighton at Illinois State game will be pivotal In nine of the last 10 years, the winner of the Creighton at Illinois State game has earned a postseason bid. The loser has made just three postseason appearances. The list is below:
Creighton at Illinois State, Last 10 Years
Year Winner/Postseason Loser/Postseason
‘03-04 CU (NIT) ISU
‘02-03 CU (NCAA) ISU
‘01-02 CU (NCAA) ISU
‘00-01 ISU (NIT) CU (NCAA)
‘99-00 CU (NCAA) ISU
‘98-99 ISU CU (NCAA)
‘97-98 ISU (NCAA) CU (NIT)
‘96-97 ISU (NCAA) CU
‘95-96 ISU (NIT) CU
‘94-95 ISU (NIT) CU
Split City
Saturday will be the first meeting of the year between Creighton and Illinois State. The Bluejays and Redbirds will also meet on the final night of the regular-season when the teams tangle at Redbird Arena on Feb. 28th.
In each of Creighton’s last six seasons, the Bluejays have split the regular-season series with the team they closed the MVC slate with.
Field Goals For Funk
Nate Funk had 10 field goals against Drake while scoring 26 points. Creighton had played 50 games since their last player made 10 field goals in a game. That player was Larry House, who was 11-for-16 from the field in a Senior Night victory over Wichita State on March 3, 2003.
House also had 11 field goals at Drake, while Kyle Korver made 11 buckets at #19 Xavier earlier in that same season.
Treys For The Jays
Creighton has made five or more three-pointers in 22 straight games, dating to a Feb. 24, 2004 game at Southern Illinois. According to STATS Inc., Creighton’s streak, while impressive, ranks as the nation’s seventh-longest active streak through games of Jan. 20th. Here’s the leaders:
Consecutive Games With 5+ Treys
Rank School Streak Next Game
1. Vanderbilt 36 Jan. 22
2. Notre Dame 31 Jan. 23
3. Evansville 30 Jan. 22
4. Gardner-Webb 28 Jan. 22
5. Louisville 26 Jan. 22
6. Central Florida 23 Jan. 23
7. Creighton 22 Jan. 22
8. Lafayette 21 Jan. 21
Michigan State 21 Jan. 22
San Diego 21 Jan. 22
Pizza Patrol
Thanks to a promotion with Godfather’s Pizza, Creighton fans can redeem their ticket stubs for a free mini-pizza (with purchase of a large drink) after any home game in which the Jays score at least 70 points.
Saturday’s opponent, Illinois State, has limited its foes to less than 70 points in 15 of 17 games this season, and no team has scored more than 75 points against the ‘Birds this year.
It’s worth noting that Creighton has scored 58 points or more in 121 consecutive home games, dating to a 54-45 loss to Illinois State on Dec. 29, 1996.
McKinney Ties Career-High Scoring Outing
Playing his final game in Iowa, Tyler McKinney tied his career-high with 14 points in last Saturday’s win at Northern Iowa. McKinney’s last 14-point game came against a different team from his home state, Drake.
Creighton is now 11-1 in the last four seasons when McKinney scores 10 points or more, including nine straight wins.
McKinney, who also had a season-high two three-pointers, has led Creighton to a 7-1 record when he makes two or more trifectas in a game during his career.
Bench Goes Bust vs. UNI
Creighton’s bench scored a season-low nine points at Northern Iowa. In fact, it snapped a streak of 134 straight games of double-figure scoring performances from the Bluejay bench. CU’s last single-digit performance off the bench was on Dec. 19, 2000, when it scored nine points in a road win at Tulsa.
Down To The Wire
Seven of Creighton’s last eight games away from home have been decided by a shot that was in the air at the final buzzer.
Creighton won games vs. Ohio State, Xavier, Nebraska and Drake when those teams missed three-pointers at the horn. CU beat Northern Iowa on a 19-footer from Nate Funk at the buzzer.
CU lost at Evansville when Kyle Anslinger hit a shot at the buzzer. The Jays also lost at Indiana State when Johnny Mathies missed a potential-game tying shot at the final gun.
The Jays have won eight straight games away from home that have been decided by one point.
Close Road Games
Creighton has played nine games away from home this season, going 6-3 in those contests. CU’s first game, a neutral site game vs. Missouri, was a 24-point Bluejay win.
CU’s last eight games outside of Omaha have been decided by a combined 25 points. Included in that stretch has been two games decided by one point (Xavier and Northern Iowa), four games decided by two points (Ohio State, Nebraska, Evansville, Indiana State), one contest decided by three points (Drake), and one decided by 12 points (San Diego).
Mathies Filling It Up As A Starter
Junior guard Johnny Mathies has scored in double-figures in seven of his eight games as a starter this season. By comparison, he reached double-figures only three times in 10 games as a reserve. He is averaging 12.4 points and 3.9 rebounds per game as a starter, compared to 7.0 points and 1.7 rebounds per game off the bench.
McKinney A Winner
According to research by the Kentucky Sports Information Office, Creighton guard Tyler McKinney ranks seventh nationally in winning percentage among games he’s started (min. 70 starts). McKinney owns a record of 66-15 as a starter. The complete list, through games of Jan. 21, is below:
Best Winning Percentage as a Starter
(through games of 1/21/05)
Player, School W-L Pct. Next
1. Chuck Hayes, Kentucky 78-14 .8478 1/22
2. J.J. Redick, Duke 66-13 .8354 1/22
3. Gerry McNamara, Syracuse 71-14 .8353 1/22
4. Dee Brown, Illinois 69-14 .8313 1/25
5. Hakim Warrick, Syracuse 86-18 .8269 1/22
6. Aaron Miles, Kansas 100-21 .8264 1/22
7. Tyler McKinney, Creighton 66-15 .8148 1/22
8. Darren Brooks, Southern Ill. 65-15 .8125 1/22
9. Stetson Hairston, Southern Ill. 87-22 .7982 1/22
10. Pat Carroll, St. Joseph’s 61-16 .7922 1/22
One Of The Greatest of All-Time
Creighton basketball is featured in an upcoming book, Street & Smith’s 100 Greatest College Basketball Programs. The book, which tabs CU as the 45th-best program includes a one-page profile on the Bluejays. Creighton’s entered this season with an all-time record of 1,235-866 in 86 seasons of play.
The book, which becomes available January 25th, will retail for $6.99 per copy. To call and reserve a copy, call 1-800-883-7323, ext. #31269.
Road Wins = Home Wins
In the last five seasons, Creighton owns 22 road wins in MVC action. Against those same schools in that season, CU is 21-1 at home. The only setback in that time was a season-ending 75-73 setback to Drake on Feb. 25, 2002. That defeat cost CU the outright MVC regular-season title, but did help refocus a team that went on to win the MVC Tournament title and a first-round NCAA Tournament contest vs. #15 Florida.
Iowans x 3
Every Creighton team since 1988-89 has had at least one Iowa native, and this season is no exception. Creighton has three players from Iowa on this season’s team, continuing a long trend of relying on some of the Hawkeye State’s top preps. CU’s native Iowans this season include senior guard Tyler McKinney (Urbandale), junior guard Nate Funk (Sioux City) and redshirt freshman guard Pierce Hibma (Pella).
Creighton has started at least one native of Iowa in 237 consecutive games, dating back to the first game of the 1997-98 season. In fact, Creighton has started multiple players from Iowa in all but one of its last 145 games (12/4/04 vs. High Point).
Creighton’s starters that hailed from Iowa in that time are Tyler McKinney (Urbandale, 81 starts during this streak), Nate Funk (Sioux City, 46), Brody Deren (Harlan, 89), Michael Lindeman (Iowa Falls, 94), Kyle Korver (Pella, 95), Ryan Sears (Ankeny, 124) and Joel Templeman (Urbandale, 28).
Iowans Against The State of Iowa Teams
Creighton has had at least one Iowa native score in double-figures in 18 straight games against Iowa schools (9 vs. UNI, 8 vs. Drake, 1 vs. Iowa). That streak dates back to a Feb. 21, 2001 win at Northern Iowa.
Have We Done This Before
The 2004-05 season is shaping up to be very similar to Creighton’s 1999-2000 campaign. In that season, Creighton opened 9-0 with wins over two Big 12 teams and one Big 10 team. Creighton then limped through four straight losses and would start MVC play 2-3. The Bluejays finished that season 23-10, won the MVC Tournament, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. CU’s leading scorer and rebounder that season was a 6’2” guard, Ben Walker.
This season’s team was 8-1 after nine games, and also had two wins over the Big 12 and one over the Big 10. The Jays then lost five of their next seven games, and started MVC play 2-3. This season’s leading scorer and rebounder is another guard, 6’3” Nate Funk.
Success In MVC Game Six
Creighton has won its sixth game of the MVC season in all 11 years with Dana Altman as head coach. Last Saturday’s buzzer-beater at UNI was CU’s sixth MVC game this season. Altman was also 5-0 in his sixth league game of the year at previous stops at Kansas State and Marshall.
Interestingly enough, the Bluejays have never had a losing record after exactly six league games under Dana Altman. Creighton has not been under .500 in league play after six games or more since Jan. 17, 1998, when the team was 3-4. That squad responded with nine straight wins and advanced to the NIT.
Motz Putting Up Career Nights
Junior forward Jimmy Motz had a career-high four assists against Southern Illinois on Jan. 9 in 16 minutes. On Jan. 12th at Indiana State, Motz made 4-of-5 three-point shots en route to a career-high 14 points.
The Lincoln native is 17-of-30 (56.7 percent) from the field in the last seven games, including 9-of-19 (47.4 percent) from three-point territory.
Ironically, Motz’s productivity seems to have an inverse effect on the success of his team. In the six games when he plays 20 minutes or more, Creighton is 6-0, but he shoots just 9-of-27 (33.3 percent) from the floor and 7-of-22 (31.8 percent) from three-point range. He averages 4.3 points and 3.0 rebounds in those contests.
In the 12 games he has played less than 20 minutes, Creighton is just 6-6, but he averages 6.5 points and 2.0 rebounds per game. Motz shoots 29-of-53 (54.7 percent) from the floor and 20-of-38 (52.6 percent) from three-point range in those games.
Mega-Watts
Freshman Dane Watts continues to flourish as a starter, making 20-of-36 shots (55.6 percent) from the floor in the seven games since he joined the starting line-up. Watts has also made 9-of-17 (52.9 percent) of his three-point attempts in that time.
As a reserve, Watts was shooting 30-of-69 (43.5 percent) from the field and 9-of-27 (33.3 percent) from three-point range.
Watts leads the league in three-point percentage during conference games with a 57.9 percent (11-of-19) accuracy mark.
Not So Nifty Over 50
Despite shooting 52.2 percent (24-46) from the floor, Creighton still lost to Southern Illinois on Jan. 9th Since coming to Creighton, head coach Dana Altman is 83-3 when his teams make at least half of their shots from the field. The Jays had won 51 straight games when shooting 50 percent or better, dating to a Jan. 23, 2000 game at Evansville. CU’s other loss in that scenario was a 73-71 overtime loss to Missouri on Dec. 1, 1996.
The Slimmest of Margins
Creighton has won eight of its last 10 games decided by one point, improving to 10-8 under Dana Altman in such contests. Even more impressive is the fact that Creighton has won its last eight games away from home that have been decided by a single point.
Date Winner Loser Score
01/15/05 Creighton at Northern Iowa 67-66
11/30/04 Creighton at Xavier 73-72
03/06/04 Nebraska at Creighton 71-70
02/07/04 So. Illinois at Creighton 61-60
01/07/04 Creighton at Illinois State 56-55
03/09/03 Creighton Wichita State# 70-69
03/08/03 Creighton Indiana State# 57-56
02/22/03 at Creighton Fresno State 67-66
03/15/02 Creighton #15 Florida$ 83-82 (2OT)
02/06/02 Creighton at Indiana State 64-63
12/29/99 SMS at Creighton 59-58
12/04/99 Creighton at Baylor 77-76 (OT)
01/17/99 Indiana State at Creighton 70-69
02/20/97 at Creighton Wichita State 59-58
12/21/96 at Houston Creighton 74-73
11/30/96 #24 Minnesota Creighton% 64-63
02/24/96 at SMS Creighton 67-66
02/17/96 Northern Iowa at Creighton 58-57 (OT)
#MVC Tournament in St. Louis, Mo.
$NCAA Tournament in Chicago, Ill.
%San Juan Shootout, Caguas, Puerto Rico
Funk Is Leading The Way
Junior Nate Funk led Creighton in scoring in seven straight games from Dec. 18 to Jan. 12th, before that stretch was snapped at Northern Iowa. It was the longest streak by a CU scoring leader since Rodney Buford’s streak of eight straight from Jan. 27-Feb. 17, 1997.
Funk has scored 10 or more points in 21 of his last 22 games. The only exception was CU’s overtime victory over Ohio State, in which he had eight points, six rebounds and five assists.
Foul Play For McKinney
Creighton point guard Tyler McKinney played his first 90 college games, including 77 starts, without fouling out. However, he’s fouled out in three of Creighton’s last four games since that streak ended.
McKinney has been living dangerously lately, with four or more fouls in nine games this season, including eight of the last 11.
Top of the Valley
Punch up the numbers in the last six seasons and it quickly becomes apparent just how dominant Creighton has been in that time. Creighton owns a league-high 131 wins in that time. Below is the updated standings of all MVC schools in the last six seasons, through games of Jan. 20th.
School MVC Only All Games
Creighton 70-27 131-47
Southern Illinois 75-21 128-50
SMS 54-43 95-76
Wichita State 47-49 87-76
Northern Iowa 41-55 80-85
Bradley 45-52 79-87
Illinois State 42-55 78-88
Indiana State 37-60 73-98
Evansville 38-60 67-94
Drake 35-62 65-94
Not Half Bad
Creighton is 77-11 in the last five years when leading at the half, including a 50-4 home record in such contests. Three of those home losses were against Southern Illinois after wasting halftime leads.
Playing From Behind
Creighton has trailed 44.1 percent of the time in all games this season. However, in the last 14 games, CU has trailed 52.4 percent of the time, including 10 minutes or more in every game but one (Bradley and Drake) since then. Creighton trailed for more than 80 percent of the game at UNI (32 minutes, 3 seconds), only to win at the buzzer.
Creighton never trailed in Wednesday’s game against Drake. It was CU’s second game of the season in which it didn’t trail...joining the season-opening win over Alcorn State.
Home Losses In Consecutive Seasons
Home losses have been few and far between for Creighton in recent seasons. That being said, it should come as no surprise that it had been a while since Creighton lost at home to the same team in consecutive seasons.
Southern Illinois snapped CU’s 28-game home winning streak last season, 61-60. Sunday, they came into Omaha and won again, this time by a 69-63 score.
The last previous team to beat Creighton in Omaha in consecutive seasons was Illinois State, which did it in both the 1996-97 and 1997-98 campaigns.
Taking Care of Business
Only four of Creighton’s first 18 opponents this season, High Point, Drake (twice) and Indiana State, have entered a game against Creighton with a losing record this season.
In the past two seasons, Creighton is 13-2 against teams with a losing record. Creighton is 67-8 in the last seven seasons against teams that enter a game with a losing record.
Are You Sirius
Three of Creighton’s games later this month can be heard nationally by customers of Sirius satellite radio. Below is a list of those scheduled games:
Date Home Team Road Team Sirius Channel
01/22 Creighton Illinois State 136
01/26 Bradley Creighton 180
01/29 SMS Creighton 135
Top Draw
Creighton continues to be one of the MVC’s top draws, both home and away. The Bluejays lead the MVC by averaging 10,896 fans per home game.
CU has proven its drawing power in its road games as well, averaging 6,292 fans per road game to rank fifth in the league.
Creighton was the MVC’s top draw last season, both home (12,016) and away (7,502).
Another Huge Crowd at Qwest Center
A crowd of 14,235 fans (15,398 paid) played a key role in supporting Creighton’s 71-62 win over Bradley on Dec. 28th. The crowd ranks as the fourth-largest in school history, and is CU’s largest of the season in any game.
CU has now played 37 straight home games in front of crowds of 8,000 fans or more.
Below is Creighton’s 10 largest home crowds of all-time.
Largest Home Crowds, Creighton History
Att. Opp. Result Date
15,561 Nebraska W 61-54 12/10/03
14,372 Southern Illinois L 60-61 02/07/04
14,313 Illinois State W 72-63 01/24/04
14,235 Bradley W 71-62 12/28/04
14,183 SMS W 59-54 12/30/03
13,483 Nebraska (NIT) L 70-71 03/16/04
13,353 Drake W 78-67 01/11/04
13,151 Drake W 82-67 01/19/05
12,255 San Diego W 79-44 11/22/03
12,003 Wyoming L 64-68 12/18/04
Win Streak Without TV Ends
Prior to its Jan. 12 loss at Indiana State, Creighton had won 24 straight games that had not been televised, dating to a Jan. 23, 2003 loss at Evansville. Creighton is now 33-3 over the last three seasons when they aren’t on TV.
CU is a combined 28-17 in televised games in the last three seasons, including a 12-8 mark on KM3. Creighton went 4-2 on games aired on KM3 in 2002-03, and were 6-3 last season on KM3. The Jays are also 14-8 in games that air regionally or nationally in that time, including a 10-6 mark on MVC TV.
After The Meltdown
Creighton entered last Valentine’s Day with a 51-10 record in its previous 61 games. However, CU lost a four-point lead in the final 27 seconds of double-overtime, eventually losing by five at Drake. Since the start of that game, CU is just 14-12.
Watts Lights Up Braves In First Start
Freshman Dane Watts had 11 points while making his first career start on Dec. 28 vs. Bradley. He became the first CU player to score in double-figures in his first career start since DeAnthony Bowden had 10 points vs. North Carolina A&T on Nov. 18, 2001.
The last Creighton player with 11 points or more in his first start was Terrell Taylor, who had 17 points on Nov. 20, 2000 against Western Illinois.
Starting Five Juggled
Jimmy Motz and Kellen Miliner came off the bench for the first time this season against Bradley on Dec. 28. Moving into the starting five were junior Johnny Mathies and freshman Dane Watts. For Mathies, it was his second start of the season and 23rd of his career.
It was the first career start for Watts. He became the first CU freshman to earn a starting nod since Tyler McKinney started CU’s final 20 games in the 2001-02 campaign.
Creighton has used eight different players in the starting line-up this season. By comparison, CU used just six different starters in each of the past two seasons. CU used nine different starters during the 2001-02 season.
Ringing In The New Year
Creighton took a 9-4 record into the 2005 calendar year. Below is a list of Creighton’s most victorious starts through games of Dec. 31st.
Most Wins Through Games of Dec. 31st
W-L Year Final W-L Postseason
11-1 1963-64 22-7 NCAA
10-1 2002-03 29-5 NCAA
9-0 2003-04 20-9 NIT
9-2 2000-01 24-8 NCAA
9-2 1999-00 23-10 NCAA
9-2 1998-99 22-9 NCAA
9-3 1984-85 20-12 None
9-4 2004-05
McKinney Featured in Sports Illustrated
Senior guard Tyler McKinney is featured in the Dec. 27, 2004 year-end double-issue of Sports Illustrated that has Shaquille O’Neal on the cover. College basketball writer Grant Wahl wrote the two-page feature on McKinney, which details his comeback from a pair of cornea transplants.
Road Games Go Down To The Wire
Creighton has won six games this season away from Qwest Center OMAHA™, taking down Missouri, Ohio State, Xavier, Nebraska and Drake. In seven of CU’s past eight road games, a potential go-ahead or game-tying shot has been attempted in the final seconds, and those seven have all been decided by three points or less.
Tyler McKinney hit shots in the waning seconds to beat the Buckeyes (4.2 seconds left) and Musketeers (21.5 seconds left), while Kellen Miliner drained a jumper with 0.7 seconds left to beat Nebraska on Dec. 11th. Creighton took the lead in the final minute at Drake on Jan. 5th, then held on as the Bulldogs missed a pair of potential game-tying three-pointers in the final five seconds. Most recently, Nate Funk drained a 19-foot jumper as time expired to beat Northern Iowa by one, 67-66, on Jan. 15th in Cedar Falls.
Creighton got a taste of its own medicine in its Dec. 22 road game, a 63-61 loss at Evansville. UE’s Kyle Anslinger grabbed an offensive rebound and made an 18-foot jumper at the buzzer for the winning points in that one.
In addition, Creighton missed a game-tying free throw with seven seconds left, then missed a game-tying jumper as time expired in a two-point loss at Indiana State on Jan. 12.
Charity Stripe Perfection
Creighton tied a school record at Evansville on Dec. 22 with a perfect 14-of-14 performance from the free-throw line. According to the CU records, that matches the school’s all-time best, a 14-of-14 showing at the stripe against SMS on Jan. 18, 1993.
Jays Suffer Rare Home Defeats
Creighton’s 69-63 home loss to Southern Illinois on Jan. 9th was just CU’s eighth home setback in the last five seasons.
Earlier this season, the Jays fell to Kent State and Wyoming to suffer consecutive home losses for the first time since Dec. 29, 1999 (vs. SMS) and Jan. 12, 2000 (Tulsa).
Qwest To Be The Best
Creighton owns a 20-5 (.800) record all-time while playing at Qwest Center OMAHA™. The five setbacks have been by a combined 21 points, including a pair of one-point setbacks. Creighton has outscored its opponents 1,789-1,475 in games at Qwest Center OMAHA™, an average victory margin of 12.6 points per contest.
Early Success = Postseason Berths
Off to an 8-2 start after 10 games this season, Creighton hopes to parlay its early success into a postseason bid. Creighton has had a winning record after 10 games nine times since 1989-90. In each of those occasions, CU ended the season with either an NIT or NCAA Tournament appearance in March. Below is that list.
Recent Starts of 6-4 Or Better After 10 games
Year First 10 W-L Final W-L Postseason
2004-05 8-2
2003-04 10-0 20-9 NIT
2002-03 10-0 29-5 NCAA
2001-02 6-4 23-9 NCAA
2000-01 8-2 24-8 NCAA
1999-00 9-1 23-10 NCAA
1998-99 8-2 22-9 NCAA
1997-98 7-3 18-10 NIT
1990-91 6-4 24-8 NCAA
1989-90 6-4 21-12 NIT
McKinney Makes a Difference
Dating to the start of last season, Creighton has played 47 games, with Tyler McKinney playing in 28 of those. The Bluejays are 22-6 in the 28 games he’s played in, but 10-9 in the 19 games he’s missed. Without McKinney, CU’s scoring margin drops by 8.5 points per game, the team forces 4.3 fewer turnovers per game and it allows 5.2 fewer points per game. Below is a quick summary of those numbers:
Last Two Seasons Combined
With Tyler Without Tyler
Team Games 28 19
Overall W-L 22-6 10-9
Road/Neutral W-L 10-3 2-7
Scoring Offense 69.9 66.6
Scoring Defense 60.1 65.3
Scoring Margin +9.8 +1.3
Reb. Margin +0.5 +1.1
FG% .455 .444
Opp. FG% .429 .441
3FG% .387 .382
Opp. 3FG% .311 .374
FT% .684 .695
Opp. FT% .643 .642
Assists/Game 14.8 13.2
Turnovers/Game 13.4 13.4
TO’s Forced/Game 16.6 12.3
Steals/Game 7.4 6.0
Games dec. by 8 or less 10-4 3-4
Streaks Remain Intact
Kellen Miliner’s three-point basket in the waning seconds against Kent State kept a pair of long Creighton streaks alive in their 67-58 loss.
The Bluejays have scored at least 58 points in 121 straight home games, dating to a 54-45 loss to Illinois State on Dec. 29, 1996.
In addition, Creighton has not lost at home by double-digits in 135 straight contests, dating to a 75-62 loss to Bradley on Jan. 3, 1996. That ranks as the nation’s oldest streak without a double-digit home loss.
Bench Points
Creighton has outscored its opponents’ bench by a 203-129 margin in the last nine games. For the season, CU’s bench is averaging 22.9 points per game.
Creighton has outscored its opponents bench by a 412-253 (+159) margin this season, and by a 2,146-1,350 count over the past three seasons. Before its nine-point showing at UNI on Jan. 15th, the Bluejays had scored 10 or more points off the bench in 134 straight games (since Dec. 19, 2000 vs. Tulsa). Nonetheless, CU has outscored their opponent’s bench in 17 of its last 21 contests dating to late last season.
Jays Faced Largest Deficit at New Home
Last season, Creighton faced a double-digit deficit at home just once on their new homecourt. This season, CU has fallen behind by double-digits in three different home games.
Creighton fell behind 65-49 late against Kent State, its’ largest deficit ever at Qwest Center OMAHA™.
Creighton has not lost a game at home by 10 or more points since Jan. 3, 1996 (Bradley), a span of 135 straight home games. That ranks as the nation’s oldest streak without a double-digit home setback.
In fact, Creighton has won six of its last eight home games in which has fallen behind by 10 points or more, as seen below:
Double Digit Deficits At Home, Last 4 Years
Date Opponent Deficit Final Score
11/27/01 Western Kentucky 18 W 95-91 2ot
01/18/03 Southern Illinois 13 W 85-76
01/26/03 TCU 16 W 89-79
02/12/03 SMS 17 W 70-67 ot
12/30/03 SMS 10 W 59-54
12/04/04 High Point 13 W 79-60
12/07/04 Kent State 16 L 58-67
12/18/04 Wyoming 13 L 64-68
McKinney Passes Into Top 10
Tyler McKinney’s first assist on Dec. 18 at Nebraska was the 300th of his career. McKinney ranks sixth in Creighton history in assists, as seen below:
Career Assists, Since 1970-71
Ast. Name Years
570 Ryan Sears 1997-01
549 Ralph Bobik 1971-74
458 Randy Eccker 1974-78
418 Vernon Moore 1981-85
382 Duan Cole 1987-92
343 Tyler McKinney 2001-Present
332 Kevin McKenna 1977-81
317 Latrell Wrightsell 1988-92
294 Kyle Korver 1999-03
292 Gary Swain 1983-87
McKinney Earns ESPN.com Weekly Honor
Senior point guard Tyler McKinney was named the ESPN.com National Player of the Week for Nov. 29. McKinney was named Guardians Classic MVP while averaging 8.5 assists and 6.5 points in wins over Missouri and Ohio State, including the game-winning overtime basket with 4.2 seconds left vs. the Buckeyes.
McKinney Nabs MVP Honor
Creighton point guard Tyler McKinney was named the MVP of the Guardians Classic after a near-perfect tournament.
McKinney had 11 assists without a turnover while also finishing with three rebounds and two steals vs. Missouri. It was his third career game with at least 10 assists, and second-only to his Dec. 21, 2002 game at Nebraska where he had 12 assists without a turnover.
In the final, McKinney had then-season-highs with 11 points and four rebounds while playing a career-best 40 minutes vs. Ohio State. He finished with six more assists and had just two turnovers. McKinney also drained the game-winning basket with 4.2 seconds left, a short jumper in the lane.
McKinney rewrote the Guardians Classic record book with 30 assists in the event, and his 11 helpers vs. Missouri tied the single-game record held by Notre Dame All-American Chris Thomas.
Big 10/Big 12 Sweep
Creighton pulled off a rare double on Nov. 23-24 when they beat Missouri and Ohio State in back-to-back games at the Guardians Classic.
A search through the Bluejay record book finds that Creighton hadn’t beat teams from the Big 10 and Big 12 in consecutive games since the 1925-26 season, when the Jays beat Minnesota and Iowa State in back-to-back games.
Great Dane!
Freshman Dane Watts poured in a career-high 18 points in Creighton’s 73-72 win at Xavier on Nov. 30th. His 18 points were the most by a Bluejay freshman since Kyle Korver scored 25 points vs. Bradley on March 4, 2000. Korver was named to the MVC’s all-Freshman team and eventually became the MVC Player of the Year.
3-0 The Way To Go
With its win on Nov. 20 vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Creighton has now started of 3-0 (or better) for the seventh straight season. According to research by STATS Inc., the only other school to start 3-0 each of the last seven seasons is Pittsburgh.
Each of Creighton’s last six 3-0 starts under Dana Altman have been culminated in a postseason tournament appearance at the end of the year.
Another Long Winning Streak
Creighton’s 7-0 start gave the Bluejays at least a five-game win streak for the 13th different time in the last eight years. Creighton has had five such streaks in the last three seasons. CU’s longest streak under Dana Altman is a 12-game stretch from Nov. 22, 2003-Jan. 11, 2004.
Tolliver Earns MVC’s Scholar-Athlete Award
Anthony Tolliver was named the Prairie Farms/MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week for Dec. 2nd.
Tolliver, who has a 3.55 cumulative grade-point average in health administration, drained his first career three-point field goal in his first career start versus Missouri on Nov. 23 and then established career-highs with 13 points and 10 rebounds -- his first career-double-double -- in the title game against Ohio State on Nov. 24. For the week, he averaged 9.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.0 blocked shots per contest as the Bluejays won the Guardians Classic.
Tolliver Gets First Double-Double
Sophomore forward Anthony Tolliver had the first double-double of his career when he finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds against Ohio State. Tolliver is CU’s first player with a double-double since Brody Deren had 13 points and 13 rebounds on Feb. 24, 2004 vs. Illinois State.
Altman Reaches 200 Wins at CU
Creighton head coach Dana Altman picked up his 200th victory with the Bluejays on Nov. 24 vs. Ohio State. Altman’s 100th win at Creighton came on Nov. 20, 2000 vs. Western Illinois, which improved his record to 100-78 at the time. Since then, his teams are 107-37.
The only five other coaches in the 98-year history of the Missouri Valley Conference to win 200 or more games at one school are Henry Iba (466 at Oklahoma A&M), Rich Herrin (225 at Southern Illinois), Ralph Miller (220 at Wichita State), Maury John (211 at Drake) and Eddie Hickey (211 at Saint Louis). Iba, Miller and Hickey have been inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Late Game Heroics
Creighton has won numerous games in the final seconds during the last four seasons, with the majority of those coming on the road.
Jan. 15, 2005: Nate Funk’s 19-foot jumper as time expires gives Creighton a much-needed 67-66 win at Northern Iowa.
Dec. 11, 2004: Kellen Miliner’s 15-foot jumper with 0.7 seconds left gives Creighton a 50-48 win at Nebraska.
Nov. 30, 2004: Tyler McKinney’s five-foot basket with 21.5 seconds left hands Xavier a rare home loss, 73-72.
Nov. 24, 2004: Tyler McKinney makes a five-foot shot with 4.2 seconds left to give Creighton a 65-63 overtime win over Ohio State in the final of the Guardians Classic.
Dec. 13, 2003: Nate Funk drained a three-pointer as time expired in regulation to send Creighton’s game at Fresno State to overtime, where it later won 70-62. Down three with 5.1 seconds left, Creighton went the length of the floor to find Funk, who had time for a pump-fake and dribble before draining his shot.
January 7, 2004: Johnny Mathies made 1-of-2 free throws with 1.4 seconds left to give the Jays a 56-55 win at Illinois State.
March 15, 2002: Terrell Taylor’s three-pointer with 0.2 seconds left in double-overtime lifts Creighton to an 83-82 win over #15 Florida in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Feb. 17, 2002: Tyler McKinney drives the length of the floor and hits a driving lay-up with 0.4 seconds left to beat Wichita State, 69-67.
Feb. 6, 2002: Tyler McKinney drains two free throws with 6.8 seconds left to lead Creighton to a 64-63 road win at Indiana State.
Taking Care of the Ball
Led by the 97 assists and just 42 turnovers, of Tyler McKinney, Creighton’s starting guards continue to take care of the ball. Nate Funk (44/33) and Kellen Miliner (26/22) also boast assist:turnover ratios at 1.18 or better. As a group, Funk, Miliner and McKinney own a combined 167 assists and just 97 turnovers on the season.
Television Coverage Expands
At least 18 of Creighton’s final 27 regular-season Creighton games will be televised this season in the Omaha market. At least three other games could be added at a later date. Creighton will play nine games on local CBS affiliate KM3. The Jays will have three games on Fox Sports Net, two games that will be carried on ESPN2, and one game each scheduled for NETV/CSTV, Cox 23 and Cox 802. Other possible telecasts include Feb. 19, 26 and 28.
Funk Named Regional MVP
Junior guard Nate Funk was named MVP of the Omaha Regional of the Guardians Classic. Funk led Creighton with averages of 17.5 points and 6.5 rebounds while also shooting 57.1 percent from the floor. Funk grabbed eight offensive rebounds in the two games. Those offensive boards resulted in a Bluejay score on seven occasions, totaling 14 points for him and his teammates. Other Regional MVP’s included Missouri’s Thomas Gardner and Ohio State’s Terence Dials.
Good Defense, A Good Sign
Creighton held Alcorn State to just 40 points on Nov. 15. That’s the fewest points for a Bluejay opponent in a season opener since 1976-77, when St. Thomas was held to 39 points.
Each of the last seven times that Creighton has held its season-opening opponent to 50 points or less, the Bluejays have advanced to the postseason. That list is seen below:
Date Opponent Score NCAA/NIT
11/30/73 Regis W 93-38 NCAA
11/27/76 St. Thomas (MN) W 79-39 NIT
11/30/90 UT San Antonio W 93-47 NCAA
11/14/98 Towson State W 93-48 NCAA
11/20/00 Western Illinois W 96-50 NCAA
11/17/02 Texas-Arlington W 106-50 NCAA
11/22/03 San Diego W 76-44 NIT
11/15/04 Alcorn State W 74-40
Taking It To The 11th Level
Creighton held Alcorn State to just 11 first half points, its best defensive half in more than 20 years. The last time CU held an opponent to 11 points or less in a half was on March 6, 1984. In that game, Bradley scored just 10 second-half points in a 50-40 loss in Omaha.
Creighton has now won 21 straight games in which it has held an opponent below 20 points in a half, dating to Dec. 29, 1996. In that game, Illinois State trailed 25-18 at the intermission and came back to win 54-45 in Omaha.
State Champs...Again
Creighton continued its run of success against the state’s only other Division I team with a 50-48 win over Nebraska on Dec. 11th. CU has now won the last six regular-season meetings between the schools, including victories in its last three trips to Lincoln.
10-Game History
Creighton was 8-2 after 10 games this season, continuing a trend of early-season success under Dana Altman. Creighton is 28-2 over the course of the first 10 games during the last three seasons, and 80-30 overall in his 11 years.
After 10 Games Under Dana Altman
Year First 10 W-L Overall W-L Postseason
2004-05 8-2 12-6
2003-04 10-0 20-9 NIT
2002-03 10-0 29-5 NCAA
2001-02 6-4 23-9 NCAA
2000-01 8-2 24-8 NCAA
1999-00 9-1 23-10 NCAA
1998-99 8-2 22-9 NCAA
1997-98 7-3 18-10 NIT
1996-97 5-5 15-15 --
1995-96 5-5 14-15 --
1994-95 4-6 7-19 --
Overall 80-30 207-115 5 NCAA, 2 NIT
BCS Bracket Buster
Some of Creighton’s most thrilling victories in recent seasons have been against teams from the six major college football BCS Conferences. Head coach Dana Altman is now 18-13 at CU against those schools, including a 16-6 mark in the past seven seasons.
Among CU’s victims in that time have been Nebraska (seven times), Florida (twice), Iowa (twice), Baylor (twice), Oklahoma State (once), Notre Dame (once), Providence (once), Missouri (once) and Ohio State (once).
Playing Big vs. the Big 12
Senior Tyler McKinney continues to thrive against teams from the Big 12. McKinney had three assists and scored his only basket of the game in the final minute as Creighton topped Nebraska, 50-48, on Dec. 11.
Creighton is now 5-0 in games against Big 12 teams that McKinney plays in, having beaten Nebraska four times and Missouri once. The Jays have won those games by an average of 9.4 points. McKinney has combined for 20 points, 30 assists and just one turnover in 129 career minutes against Big 12 foes.
November Reign
Creighton wrapped up its fourth straight unbeaten November this season. The Bluejays have now won 15 straight games in November, and are 24-1 in that month since the start of the 1998-99 campaign.
Rare Four-Point Play
Dane Watts first collegiate points came in rare fashion, as the freshman from Warrensburg, Mo., converted a four-point play. Watts hit a trey with 4:31 left vs. Alcorn State, then drained the subsequent free throw. Creighton had three four-point plays last season. Johnny Mathies did it twice last season vs. SMS (Feb. 28 and March 6th), while Kellen Miliner also had one last season vs. Drake on Jan. 11th.
Success Follows Guardians Champs
Heading into this season, five of the six schools that reached the championship game of the Guardians Classic have also reached the NCAA Tournament that spring. The only exception to that was runner-up Iowa in 2001. In this season’s title match-up, Creighton defeated Ohio State.
All Day Block Party
Creighton newcomer Jeffrey Day made an impact on the defensive end in his Bluejay debut, swatting five Alcorn State shots in 16 minutes of play. Day’s five rejections were the most in one game since Brody Deren had five blocks vs. Northern Iowa on Feb. 9, 2002.
Day’s previous collegiate best was four blocked shots against Gonzaga on Dec. 11, 2001.
Jays Ink Two In Fall Signing Period
Creighton signed a pair of future Bluejays in the fall signing period.
Bellevue (Neb.) West guard Josh Dotzler (pronounced DOATS-ler) is a 6-0 point guard who led the Thunderbirds to the Nebraska Class A title last spring. He averaged 15.8 points, 6.1 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 5.3 steals per game last winter. Last spring Dotzler became the first junior to be named honorary captain of the Omaha World Herald all-state team since 1990. Dotzler is coached by Doug Woodard, the father of CU women’s basketball junior guard Kristi Woodard.
Brice Nengsu (pronounced BREES • NEN-sue) is a 6-5, 185 lb., wing player from Nkongsamba, Cameroon. Nengsu redshirted last season at Compton (Calif.) Community College and is currently playing as a freshman at Weatherford College in Weatherford, Texas. As of mid-December, Nengsu was averaging 15 points and seven rebounds per game while shooting 44 percent from three-point range for the Coyotes. He is being coached at Weatherford by Mark Osina.
Postseason x 7
Creighton has made either the NIT or NCAA in seven consecutive seasons, which is tied for the second-longest streak of postseason bids in MVC history.
The longest streak in MVC history was 10 straight from 1966 to 1975 by Louisville. The only other MVC school to make the postseason seven straight years was Southern Illinois, which did it from 1989-95.
According to STATS Inc., the only 20 schools to make the postseason in each of the last seven years are Arizona, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Creighton, Duke, Florida, Gonzaga, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan State, Missouri, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Stanford, Syracuse, Temple, Utah, Wake Forest and Xavier.
Jays Start 7-0 For Third Straight Year
This year marks the third straight season that Creighton started 7-0. The only other team in the country that has done that is Pittsburgh.
Around the MVC, Creighton owns half of the league’s eight different 7-0 starts since 1984-85, as seen below.
MVC’s Best Starts, Since 1984-85
Start Team (Year) How It Ended
12-0 Creighton (2003-04) at UNI
10-0 SMS (1996-97) Cincinnati
10-0 Creighton (2002-03) at Xavier
9-0 Bradley (1985-86) Clemson
9-0 Creighton (1999-00) at Hawaii
9-0 Wichita State (2004-05) Manhattan
8-0 SMS (1994-95) at Evansville
7-0 Creighton (2004-05) Kent State
Creighton Started 7-0
Creighton’s 79-60 win over High Point on Dec. 4 assured the Bluejays of its fourth 7-0 start in the last seven seasons. Creighton has now started 7-0 13 times in 87 years of basketball. Below is a list of Creighton’s most successful starts all-time:
Start Year Final W-L
16-0 1942-43 16-1
13-0 1916-17 18-2
12-0 2003-04 20-9
11-0 1917-18 11-0
10-0 2002-03 29-5
10-0 1918-19 10-0
9-0 1999-00 23-10
9-0 1963-64 22-7
8-0 1928-29 13-4
8-0 1919-20 15-2
7-0 1980-81 21-9
7-0 1931-32 17-4
7-0 2004-05
Funk Did It All
Nate Funk joined some elite company by leading Creighton in points scored (322) and assists (78) last season. In doing so, he was one of just seven sophomores nationally to lead a postseason club in those categories, joining an elite list that included Carl Krauser (Pittsburgh), Anthony Roberson (Florida), Tim Smith (East Tennessee State), John Gilchrist (Maryland), Francisco Garcia (Louisville) and Daniel Horton (Michigan).
Since 1970, the only other Creighton players to lead the team in scoring and assists for an entire year are Kyle Korver (2001-02), Matt Petty (1992-93) and Kevin McKenna (1979-80). Both Korver and McKenna played in the NBA after their days at Creighton.
McKinney Making A Miraculous Comeback
After undergoing cornea transplants on March 5th and April 1st, even the most optimistic prognosis figured that Tyler McKinney would have to miss the 2004-05 season. However, the senior leader from Urbandale, Iowa, was cleared to return to the court in mid-September and continues his recovery from a freak eye infection that caused him to miss 19 games last year.
McKinney’s transplants were necessitated after a rare case of acanthamoeba caused the vision in his right eye to slip to 20/300.
The disease first started to bother him in mid-November, 2003 and evolved to the extent that he missed CU’s Dec. 30, 2003 game against SMS. After playing in games on Jan. 5th and Jan. 7th, 2004, McKinney returned to the sidelines and did not practice or play after that.
McKinney’s vision has returned to 20/25. The only lingering side-effect is that he now must wear goggles during all contact drills.
Since he arrived on campus, Creighton is 66-15 with McKinney in the starting line-up, and 18-14 in games he does not start. Last year CU was 10-0 with McKinney in the line-up, and 10-9 in the games he missed. Creighton has lost consecutive games with McKinney in the starting five just twice in his 81 career starts. He has never lost three straight starts.
Gender Equity Equals Excellence
Creighton is one of five schools with men’s and women’s basketball teams that have won 20 or more games in each of the previous three seasons. Joining the Bluejays in this elite group are Connecticut, Duke, Stanford and Texas.
Jays Tie MVC Record With Sixth 20-Win Year
Creighton reached the 20-win plateau for the sixth consecutive season last year. In the 98-year history of the Missouri Valley Conference, only three teams had done this previously in six straight years. Those schools were Cincinnati (1957-58 to 1962-63), Bradley (1956-57 to 1961-62) and Oklahoma A&M (1943-44 to 1948-49).
According to STATS Inc., the only 16 schools to win 20 games in each of the previous six seasons are Arizona, Charleston, Connecticut, Creighton, Duke, Florida, Gonzaga, Kansas, Kent State, Kentucky, Maryland, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Stanford, Syracuse and Xavier.
First Or Second Streak Alive
Creighton defeated Wichita State on the final night of the regular-season last year to ensure a three-way tie for second place in the MVC. That marked the fourth consecutive season that CU finished either first or second in its league and made the postseason.
The only eight teams to finish first or second in their league and make the postseason each of the previous four years are Duke, Illinois, Kansas, Kent State, Creighton, Stanford, Kentucky and Gonzaga.
‘W’inning Edge
Creighton’s men’s and women’s basketball teams have been nearly unbeatable at home in recent seasons, going a combined 116-17 in the previous four seasons. In fact, the men and women have both lost a home game in the same month just twice since March, 2000.
Creighton has not been swept at home by a MVC team in both men’s and women’s play during the same season since SMS did it in 1996-97.
Creighton’s Home Records, Last Five Years
Year Men Women Combined
2004-05 6-3 7-2 13-5
2003-04 14-2 12-1 26-3
2002-03 17-0 13-1 30-1
2001-02 12-3 11-1 23-4
2000-01 14-0 10-4 24-4
TOTALS 63-8 53-9 116-17
The 40 Percent Rule
Since coming to Creighton, Dana Altman’s teams are 90-10 when holding opponents under 40 percent, including a 64-3 mark in the last seven seasons.
Altman & Opponent Field Goal Percentages
Year Under 40 % Season Mark W-L
2004-05 5-0 .445 12-6
2003-04 8-1 .428 20-9
2002-03 10-0 .435 29-5
2001-02 9-1 .435 23-9
2000-01 10-1 .428 24-8
1999-00 11-0 .433 23-10
1998-99 11-0 .450 22-9
1997-98 8-1 .428 18-10
1996-97 5-1 .438 15-15
1995-96 8-4 .410 14-15
1994-95 5-1 .455 7-19
Totals 90-10 -- 207-115
Rule of 70
Creighton is 149-36 all-time under Dana Altman and 51-6 in the last three seasons when holding opponents under 70 points.
Altman is 33-0 in his college coaching career when holding opponents to 50 points or less.
Long-Distance Streaks Alive
Creighton has made at least two three-point baskets in 344 consecutive games, including every game under the direction of coach Dana Altman. The last time they had just one three-pointer was a 74-70 win over Florida A&M on Dec. 22, 1993.
Overall, Creighton has made at least one trifecta in 354 straight games since a 59-53 loss at Illinois St. on Feb. 20, 1993 when Rick Johnson was coach.
Altman Approaching Coaching Legends
Dana Altman continues to approach some of the coaching greats in MVC history in a pair of categories. Altman’s 207 wins at Creighton are sixth in league history, while his 116 triumphs in conference games have him fourth in league history. Here is those lists:
MVC Coaches--Most Wins In Conference Games
Wins Coach School(s)
1. 187 Henry Iba Oklahoma A&M
2. 163 Eddie Hickey Creighton & St. Louis
3. 126 Phog Allen Kansas
4. 116 Dana Altman Creighton
Coaches--Most Wins As MVC Member--All Games
Wins Coach School(s)
1. 486 Henry Iba Oklahoma A&M
2. 337 Eddie Hickey Creighton & St. Louis
3. 225 Rich Herrin Southern Illinois
4. 220 Ralph Miller Wichita State
5. 211 Maury John Drake
6. 207 Dana Altman Creighton
Bluejays In The NBA, CBA
Four recent Creighton players are continuing their playing careers in the NBA or CBA.
Kyle Korver (1999-2003) is averaging 11.3 points and 4.0 rebounds per contest for the Philadelphia 76ers. He ranks first in the NBA in three-point field goals per 48 minutes (4.38), and is third in three-point field goals made with 104.
Rodney Buford (1995-99) is averaging 8.2 points and 3.4 rebounds per game for the New Jersey Nets.
Joe Dabbert (2000-04) is playing for the Great Lakes Storm in the CBA. He is averaging 4.7 points and 2.9 rebounds through 23 games.
Livan Pyfrom (1999-2001) signed with the CBA’s Rockford Lightning in January and has played three games, averaging 2.0 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.
Overtime News
Creighton has not lost an overtime game at home since Feb. 17, 1996 ...The Jays are 39-39 all-time in regular-season overtime games.
Henderson Leaves Team
Quincy Henderson, a 6-5 sophomore forward from Madison, Wis., left the Creighton program on Jan. 8th. He intends to transfer to a smaller school closer to his Madison, Wis., home.
Henderson had played in four games this season, totaling five points and five rebounds in those contests.
Last Season Recap
After a 12-0 start that earned them a spot in the national rankings, Creighton finished with a 20-9 record and spot in the National Invitation Tournament. Nate Funk led the team in scoring and assists, while Brody Deren was named first-team all-MVC and led the team in blocked shots and rebounding. Creighton ranked 29th nationally by averaging 12,016 fans per game in its first year at Qwest Center OMAHA™.
Ticket Information
Single-game tickets are now available. Fans can purchase tickets in advance at Qwest Center OMAHA Box Office, the Omaha Civic Auditorium Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations (Baker’s, Younkers), Ticketmaster online at http://www.ticketmaster.com or by calling Ticketmaster and charging by phone at (402) 422-1212. Only upper bowl seats will be available for any game and cost is $10 for adults and $6 for youth ages 3-18 (children two and under are free). For more information, call the Creighton Ticket Office at (402) 280-JAYS.
Creighton sold 9,356 season-tickets for the 2004-05 season.
Shuttle Service To Qwest Center OMAHA™
Metro Area Transit and Creighton University have partnered to provide shuttle bus service from the CU campus to Qwest Center OMAHA for all men’s basketball home games this season. The service is available to all fans, not just Creighton students. Round-trip cost is 50 cents for Creighton students with identification; $1.00 for adults and 50 cents for children under the age of 12.
The shuttle will start one-hour before tip-off and at least two buses will continue to operate the route during the game. The four designated stops for pick-up around the CU campus are: 24th and Cuming (farside/southbound); 24th & California (nearside/southbound); 20th & Cass (nearside/eastbound) and 18th & Cass (nearside/eastbound by Morrison Stadium).
The shuttle will then go eastbound on Capitol Avenue and then go north up 10th Street for drop-off at the Qwest Center OMAHA Arena entrance. The route is designed for each shuttle driver to make a roundtrip every 15 minutes. Following the game’s conclusion, the shuttle will start at the Qwest Center OMAHA Arena entrance on 10th Street and loop the original route with the first of four stops at 24th & Cuming Streets.
