Men's Basketball Notes For NIT Game at Florida
3/20/2008 4:15:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Next Game
Creighton (22-10) takes on two-time defending national champion Florida (22-11) Friday night at 8:30 pm in a second-round game in the 2008 MasterCard National Invitation Tournament.
Friday's game in Gainesville, Fla., will take place at Stephen C. O'Connell Center (12,000).
At stake is a berth into the NIT quarterfinals.
Radio Broadcast Information
KXSP (“Big Sports 590” AM) will broadcast all Creighton men's basketball games during the 2007-08 season. T. Scott Marr and Jimmy Motz will call the action. NIT rules prohibit the game from being webcast live at www.bigsports590.com.
Television Broadcast Information
Friday's game will be televised by ESPNU. Announcers and coordinates were not available on late Wednesday night when these notes were finished.
Video Webcast Information
Friday's game will not be video webcast.
Live Stats Information
The game will have live stats. Fans can go to www.gocreighton.com and look for the Live Stats graphic for the exact link to Florida's site.
Scouting Creighton
This season's Creighton team has extended three league records that showcase the team's dominance over the past decade. This is Creighton's 12th straight season with 10 or more league wins, 11th straight postseason bid and 10th straight 20-win season.
The Jays are 22-10 overall after finishing fourth in the Missouri Valley Conference with a 10-8 mark. Included in that mark is a 12-1 mark against non-conference foes.
The 2007-08 Creighton team boasts just one returning starter from last year's MVC Tournament champion squad that finished 22-11 and played in the NCAA's for the seventh time in nine years.
That starter is leading rebounder and second-leading scorer Dane Watts (11.3 ppg., 6.4 rpg.), who is expected to make his 118th consecutive start on Friday. Watts also leads the team with 29 blocked shots.
Freshman guard P'Allen Stinnett averages a team-high 12.7 points per game and is the fifth player in MVC history to sweep the league's MVC Freshman and Newcomer of the Year Awards.
The Jays boast two other difference-makers off the bench. Booker Woodfox is the third-leading scorer with 9.8 points per game and has scored in double-figures in a league-best 14 straight contests.
Cavel Witter averages 9.0 points per game and had a career-high and Qwest Center Omaha record with 42 points against Bradley on March 1st. He has hit game-winning baskets in each of CU's last two home wins, including Tuesday's three-pointer that beat Rhode Island.
Creighton's bench averages 37.2 points per contest (second-most nationally) and has outscored the starting five by 78 points this year.
The Bluejays are 16-2 at home this season, including non-conference wins over DePaul, Nebraska and Saint Joseph's. CU averaged 15,333 fans per home game, which ranks 15th nationally.
As a team, Creighton averages 72.1 points per game while allowing 65.5. The Jays also own a +1.6 advantage on the glass. CU shoots 44.8 percent from the floor, 37.1 percent on three-pointers and 72.1 percent at the line.
Scouting Florida
Florida is 22-11 this season despite losing three top-10 NBA draft picks from back-to-back NCAA champion squads.
The Gators won their first NIT game with a 73-49 rout of San Diego State on Wednesday night in Gainesville, improving to 16-4 on the season at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.
Co-SEC Freshman of the Year Nick Calathes leads the Gators with 15.7 points and 6.0 assists per game., as well as 1.5 steals per contest.
Marreese Speights also scores in double-digits with 14.5 points per game and a 7.8 rebounding average.
The Gators average 78.0 points per game and surrender 68.0 per game. UF shoots 48.9 percent from the field, 36.1 percent from three-point range and 70.9 percent at the line.
The Coaches
The dean of Missouri Valley Conference coaches, Creighton's Dana Altman (Eastern New Mexico, 1980) is in his 14th year as head coach of the Bluejays. He owns a 282-151 (.651) mark at CU and a career record of 365-218 (.626) in 19 years as a 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 22 previous 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. In March, 2007, Altman was named a coach on the MVC's All-Centennial Team.
Additionally, Altman has led Creighton to seven NCAA Tournaments and his teams have played in the postseason in 10 straight seasons. He is assisted by Brian Fish, Darian DeVries and Mike Maker. Nick Earnest is the team's film coordinator.
Billy Donovan (Providence, 1987) owns a 284-114 record in his 12th season at Florida. That moves his overall record to 319-134 in 14 seasons, which includes a two-year stay at Marshall. Donovan led the Gators to NCAA crowns in 2006 and 2007, while also coaching seven first-round draft picks in that time. He is assisted by Larry Shyatt, Lewis Preston and Rob Lanier.
Series History
Creighton has won both previous meetings with Florida, with Dana Altman and Billy Donovan coaching against each other in both contests.
Creighton won the last meeting, 83-82 in double-overtime, in a thrilling 12/5 upset in the 2002 NCAA Tournament game played in Chicago, Ill. In that game, Terrell Taylor drained a three-pointer with 0.2 seconds left to key the Bluejay win.
The other previous meeting came on Nov. 29, 1996, when the Jays topped UF 75-73 at the San Juan Shootout in Caguas, Puerto Rico.
Is Anyone Left?
Coming into the season, both Creighton and Florida ranked among the top-10 schools nationally in fewest percentage of points returning.
However, both schools are rebuilding and have extended lengthy postseason streaks with NIT bids this March.
Creighton returned just 24.7 percent of its scoring from last season's team. According to STATS Inc., that ranks 10th-lowest nationally among Division I schools, as seen below.
Lowest Percentage of Points Returning
Source: STATS -- Chicago
Rk. School Last Year Return %
1. Long Beach State 2,575 85 3.3
2. Pepperdine 2,389 223 9.3
3. Colorado State 2,178 309 14.2
4. Florida 3,193 472 14.8
5. Louisiana Tech 1,922 354 18.4
6. Citadel 1,758 363 20.6
7. Eastern Washington 2,443 535 21.9
8. Southeastern Louisiana 2,050 501 24.4
9. Loyola Marymount 2,030 497 24.5
10. Creighton 2,220 548 24.7
Marshall! Marshall! Marshall!
Did you know that both Dana Altman and Billy Donovan got their first head coaching jobs at Marshall University. Altman coached just the 1989-90 season in Huntington, W.V., while Donovan was there from 1994-96.
Additionally, Creighton assistant coach Brian Fish played at Marshall (1987-89) and later assisted there from 1989-92.
Facing The Champs
After nearly a 20-year drought, Friday's game will pit Creighton against a team that reached the previous season's Final Four for the second straight year.
In November of 2006, Creighton played 2005-06 Cinderella George Mason in Omaha and picked up a two-point win.
Prior to that Creighton hadn't faced a team that qualified for the previous season's Final Four since 1987 (UNLV).
Creighton is 4-12 all-time against teams that made the Final Four the previous year, including a 1-7 away mark.
Creighton is 1-5 all-time against defending national champions, having beaten Oklahoma State in February of 1947.
Creighton is 1-1 all-time against two-time defending national champions, having split with Oklahoma State in 1946-47 after the (then) Aggies had won it in both 1945 and 1946.
Looking For History
Playing its 39th all-time postseason game (in 25 different years), the 2008 Creighton team has a chance at history on Friday night. Never before have the Bluejays won consecutive games in the same postseason.
Creighton has won its first game of the NCAA Tournament on seven occasions, only to fall in the subsequent contest each time.
Additionally, CU was unable to follow up its win in the quarterfinal round of the eight-team NIT in 1942.
Sunshine State Success
Creighton has won seven of its last eight games against teams from the state of Florida and own a 6-1 mark under Dana Altman. That includes a win in its last postseason meeting with a Florida school away from home, an 83-82 double-overtime NCAA Tournament win over then-#15 Florida in 2002.
Other Tidbits
-Booker Woodfox's 22 points against Rhode Island were a career-high, two more than his previous best of 20 points done twice previously.
-Creighton's crowd of 7,948 was the fourth-largest in Qwest Center Omaha's postseason history.
-Creighton's talented trio of Booker Woodfox, Cavel Witter and P'Allen Stinnett scored the team's final 41 points against Rhode Island. A fourth newcomer, Kenny Lawson Jr., scored CU's first four points of the second stanza to account for all of CU's 45 second-half points.
-Creighton is 1-0 against the Calathes family this season. The Bluejays downed the Saint Joseph's team starring Pat Calathes (brother of Florida star Nick Calathes) on Dec. 9, 2007 in Omaha. In that game, Pat had 14 points, six rebounds, three steals and two blocks.
-Both Creighton and Florida are making their 11th straight postseason appearances.
-Both Dana Altman and Billy Donovan are the dean's of their respective leagues.
-Creighton is 6-0 in games decided by three points or less, including a 4-0 mark in games decided by a single point.
-Jimmy Motz, Creighton radio's color man on Friday, was a true freshman on the Jays 2001-02 team that beat the Gators in the NCAA Tournament, though he did not play in that upset victory.
Witter's World
Cavel Witter can score when it counts. He missed his first seven shots from the field before hitting his only basket, a go-ahead three-pointer, with 3.2 seconds left in the win over Rhode Island. He also made seven free-throws and scored all 10 of his points in the game's final 9:25.
In the Jays previous game, Witter scored all 10 of his points in the final 3:50 of a loss to #20 Drake.
And in CU's final regular-season game against Bradley, he scored 17 of his career-best 42 points in the overtime sessions.
Postseason x 11
Creighton has made either the NIT or NCAA in 11 consecutive seasons, the longest streak of postseason bids in MVC history. It is one more than the 10 straight from 1966 to 1975 by Louisville.
The only 12 schools to make the postseason in each of the last 11 years are Arizona, Creighton, Duke, Florida, Gonzaga, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan State, Oklahoma State, Stanford and Syracuse.
Creighton, which also boasts a men's soccer team with 16 straight NCAA appearances, is the nation's only school with 11 straight postseason appearances in both men's basketball and men's soccer.
Creighton's NIT History
Creighton is playing in its ninth National Invitation Tournament, owning a 4-8 all-time record in the event.
Creighton owns a 2-4 home record, an 0-2 road record and a 2-2 neutral-site record in games played at Madison Square Garden.
This is Creighton's fourth NIT appearance under Dana Altman, who is 2-3 in NIT games at Creighton and 6-6 in his career when you include two NIT appearances while at Kansas State.
1942 (2-1) in New York City, N.Y.
3/16 Creighton 59, West Texas A&M 58
3/23 W. Kentucky 49, Creighton 36
3/25 Creighton 48, Toledo 46
1943 (0-1) in New York City, N.Y.
3/18 Washington & Jefferson 43, Creighton 42
1977 (0-1) in Omaha, Neb.
3/08 Illinois State 65, Creighton 58
1984 (0-1) in Omaha, Neb.
3/15 Nebraska 56, Creighton 54
1990 (0-1) in Chicago, Ill.
3/16 DePaul 89, Creighton 72
1998 (0-1) in Milwaukee, Wis.
3/11 Marquette 80, Creighton 68
2004 (0-1) in Omaha, Neb.
3/16 Nebraska 71, Creighton 70
2006 (1-1) in Omaha, Neb.
3/16 Creighton 71, Akron 60
3/20 Miami (Fla.) 53, Creighton 52
2008 (1-0) in Omaha, Neb.
3/18 Creighton 74, Rhode Island 73
Against Postseason Opponents
Creighton and Florida have both played a bunch of games versus teams that qualified for the NIT or NCAA Tournament this season. Creighton went 3-6 in those contests, while the Gators were 4-5.
Against NIT qualifiers, Creighton was 3-1, while UF was 1-3.
vs. NIT Qualifiers
Opponent Creighton Florida
Nebraska CU 74-62
Southern Illinois SIU 48-44
CU 72-53
Rhode Island CU 74-73
Florida State FSU 65-51
Ohio State OSU 62-49
Mississippi Ole Miss 89-87
San Diego State UF 73-49
vs. NCAA Qualifiers
Opponent Creighton Florida
Miss. Valley St. CU 76-46
Xavier XU 79-66
Saint Joseph's CU 90-84 (ot)
Oral Roberts CU 65-64
Illinois State ILS 80-67
ILS 68-54
Drake DU 68-60 (ot)
DU 75-65
DU 75-67
Kentucky UF 81-70 (ot)
UK 75-70
Vanderbilt UF 86-64
Arkansas ARK 61-80
Tennessee TENN, 104-82
TENN 89-86
Georgia UF 77-67
Mississippi State MSU 68-59
Temple UF 86-69
Common Opponents
Creighton and Florida have played just one common opponent this season. Both teams hammered Division I newcomer North Carolina Central.
Opponent Creighton Florida
N.C. Central CU 88-54 W 105-51
A Busy Week On The Hilltop
Creighton's NIT game on Friday is just one of numerous events going on in the school's athletic programs this week.
Creighton and the Missouri Valley Conference are co-hosts of the NCAA Tournament first- and second-round games, which start Thursday at Qwest Center Omaha.
On Tuesday night, Creighton hosted Rhode Island in an NIT game at Qwest Center Omaha.
Creighton's baseball team hosted Northern Colorado on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Creighton's softball team hosted a doubleheader against Iowa State on Tuesday.
Creighton's women's basketball team, which won 20 games and reached the MVC Tournament semifinals, opened play in the Women's NIT on March 20.
Heartbreak Hotel
Six of Creighton's last seven postseason runs have included a game that was decided in the final seconds, including the past five seasons.
This season saw Creighton rally from a 12-point deficit in the final 3:15 to stun Rhode Island, 74-73. Cavel Witter's three-pointer with 3.2 seconds left was the go-ahead basket.
Last season Creighton had the ball for a final shot in a tie game against Nevada in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Nate Funk's shot attempt missed, and a tip-in try was also not converted. The Jays would lose 77-71 in overtime.
In the 2006 NIT, Miami (Fla.) guard Guilermo Diaz drained a free throw with 2.6 seconds left to beat Creighton 53-52. A last-second shot attempt by Bluejay senior Johnny Mathies was knocked out of his hands.
In the 2005 NCAA Tourney, Funk had his three-point try with seven seconds left blocked by Tyrone Sally, and Sally raced downcourt for a breakaway dunk with 2.4 seconds left to give West Virginia a 63-61 win. Funk's three-point try from the corner missed at the buzzer.
In 2004, Creighton fell 71-70 to Nebraska in the NIT. The Jays led nearly the entire second half before NU's go-ahead basket with 12 seconds left. Nate Funk's game-winning jumper from 18-feet away was blocked by Husker guard Jake Muhleisen.
In 2002, Creighton beat #15 Florida, 83-82, in Chicago. Terrell Taylor hit a game-winning trey with 0.2 seconds left in double-overtime, his final three of 28 points after a scoreless first half.
Altman In The NIT
Creighton coach Dana Altman is making his sixth appearance in the NIT, and fourth with the Bluejays. Altman owns a 6-6 record in the NIT and a 2-3 mark at Creighton. Below is a list of the games his teams have played in:
Date Result
03/18/08 Creighton 74, Rhode Island 73
03/20/06 Miami (Fla.) 53, at Creighton 52
03/16/06 at Creighton 71, Akron 60
03/16/04 Nebraska 71, at Creighton 70
03/11/98 at Marquette 80, Creighton 68
03/30/94 Siena 92, Kansas State 79 (in New York)
03/28/94 Vanderbilt 82, Kansas State 76 (in New York)
03/24/94 at Kansas State 115, Fresno State 77
03/22/94 at Kansas State 66, Gonzaga 64
03/17/94 at Kansas State 78, Mississippi State 67
03/23/92 at Notre Dame 64, Kansas State 47
03/18/92 at Kansas State 85, Western Kentucky 74
Altman Goes From Manhattan To Manhattan
Dana Altman's 1994 Kansas State team won three straight home games in Manhattan, Kansas to advance to the NIT Final Four, which is played in Manhattan, New York at the world's most famous arena, Madison Square Garden. Bluejay assistant coach Brian Fish was also a film coordinator on that team.
Helping key Kansas State's 1994 run to the NIT Final Four was a masterful quarterfinal round performance by Askia Jones. Jones scored 62 points while draining 14-of-18 three-pointers in a 38-point win over Fresno State. Jones made 11 treys in the second half, including nine straight at one point. Jones' 62 points remain the 12th-most points in a game in NCAA history and rank second in postseason tournament history.
More Trips To New York, Too
Two other members of the Creighton program have reached the Final Four of the NIT in New York City as well.
Creighton assistant coach Mike Maker was an assistant coach on last year's champion, West Virginia.
Additionally, Chad Millard's Louisville team reached the semifinals of the NIT in 2005-06 before he transferred to Creighton.
Recent NIT History for the MVC
The MVC went 1-2 in NIT action last season, with Bradley beating Providence for the only win. So far this year, the league is 3-0 with wins over Rhode Island (by Creighton), Utah State (by Illinois State) and Oklahoma State (by Southern Illinois).
The last MVC school to win the men's NIT championship was the 1982 Bradley team that beat American, Syracuse, Tulane, Oklahoma and Purdue en route to the title.
The MVC has had a women's team reach the Final Four of the WNIT (held at campus sites) three of the last five seasons. The 2003 Creighton's women's team lost in the semifinals to eventual champion Auburn, while the 2004 Creighton women's team won the WNIT. In 2005, Missouri State's women's team won the WNIT.
Non-Conference Home Success
Creighton owns a 71-12 (.855) record in non-conference home games under Dana Altman. Equally impressive, CU is 31-5 (.861) in non-conference home games since moving to Qwest Center Omaha.
During CU's active string of 11 straight postseason bids, the Bluejays are 62-7 (.899) in home games against non-conference foes.
Can It Get Any Better?
March, 2008 may prove to be the best month in Qwest Center Omaha's young history.
Creighton opened the month with a thrilling 111-110 double-overtime win over Bradley that some local media ranked among the state's best sporting events this century.
A week later, Nebraska-Omaha hockey won its first-round playoff series with a 2-1 triple-overtime win over Alaska in the eighth-longest game in NCAA history.
Last Friday, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band rocked a sold-out Qwest Center Omaha.
On Tuesday, Creighton rallied from a 12-point deficit in the final 3:15 to beat Rhode Island, 74-73.
Starting Thursday, the facility will host six NCAA Tournament games over three days as part of a spectacle that many are calling the biggest sporting event this city has ever seen.
Later this year the building will host the US Olympic Swimming Trials and the NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship.
Converting Turnovers In Points = Wins
One common theme when Creighton is successful is that they have had an advantage in “points off turnovers” in many of those contests.
For the season, Creighton is 17-4 when scoring more points off turnovers than its opponent. In the last four years, Creighton is 61-10 when winning this category.
Inside Game Still A Priority
Though it's often overlooked by the school's traditionally strong perimeter game, Creighton's inside game continues to be a focal point that often dictates CU's success.
When scoring 28 or more points in the paint this season, Creighton is 13-2 this season. Since the school started tracking points in the paint five years ago, CU is 52-8 when scoring 28 or more in the paint.
Slow Out Of The Gate
Creighton has trailed at the half in 11 of its last 13 postseason games under Dana Altman. The Jays 40-26 lead over Akron in 2006 and 32-31 lead over Nevada last year stand as the only exceptions. It is worth noting that in nine of those 13 games, CU tied or outscored the opposition in the second half.
Year Opponent 1st Half 2nd Half W-L
2008 Rhode Island 30-45 44-28 W
2007 Nevada 32-31 27-28 L
2006 Miami (Fla.) 19-29 33-24 L
2006 Akron 40-26 31-34 W
2005 West Virginia 31-33 30-30 L
2004 Nebraska 29-35 41-36 L
2003 Central Michigan 22-38 51-41 L
2002 Illinois 26-31 34-41 L
2002 Florida 31-38 38-31 W
2001 Iowa 30-32 26-37 L
2000 Auburn 25-40 44-32 L
1999 Maryland 32-45 31-30 L
1999 Louisville 23-31 39-27 W
20 Overall Wins x 10 Years = MVC History
Creighton is the only school in the 101-year history of the Missouri Valley Conference to post 10 straight 20-win campaigns. No other school owns more than six straight.
Creighton entered this season as one of nine teams nationally with 20 or more wins in each of last nine seasons. That list consists of Arizona, Creighton, Duke, Florida, Gonzaga, Kansas, Kent State, Kentucky and Syracuse.
Schools from the above list still seeking to continue that streak this year are shown below:
Team Current W-L Next Game
Arizona 19-14 March 20 vs. West Virginia
Kentucky 18-12 March 20 vs. Marquette
10 Conference Wins x 12 Seasons
The March 1 win over Bradley extended Creighton's MVC record by winning 10 or more league games for a 12th consecutive season. Prior to Dana Altman's arrival, the Bluejays had 10 or more conference wins in only six different seasons all-time.
On a national basis, the only teams that will enter 2008-09 with at least 12 straight years of 10 or more league wins will be Stanford (14), Kansas (14) and Creighton (12).
Six Out Of 10 Tourney Titles
Creighton owns six league tournament titles in the last 10 years. On a national basis, the only schools that can claim this are Gonzaga (8), Winthrop (8), Duke (7) and Creighton (6).
Creighton's 10 Valley Tournament titles are twice as many as the next closest school, Southern Illinois (5).
Consistent Challengers
One of the most impressive facets of the Dana Altman tenure is how often his teams have been in the running for the MVC regular-season title. Eight of his last 11 teams have finished either first or second in The Valley, and two of the three that didn't both won the MVC Tournament.
The Bluejays won the MVC in 2000-01 and tied for the title in 2001-02. CU was second in the MVC in 1997-98 and 2006-07, tied for second in the MVC in 1998-99, 2003-04 and 2005-06, and finished tied for third in 2004-05. The 1999-00 club was fourth in the MVC, but won the MVC Tournament.
Creighton's MVC Finishes, Last 11 Years
1st Place 2000-01
Tied for First 2001-02 (won MVC Tourn.)
2nd Place 1997-98, 2002-03 (won MVC Tourn.), 2006-07 (won MVC Tourn.)
Tied for 2nd 1998-99 (won MVC Tourn.), 2003-04, 2005-06
Tied for 3rd Place 2004-05 (won MVC Tourn.)
4th Place 1999-00 (won MVC Tourn.); 2007-08
Game Tested
Senior Dane Watts has played in 129 games as a Bluejay, which puts him second in Creighton history. Below is a list of the all-time Creighton leaders in games played:
GP Name Years
135 Nate Funk 2002-07
129 Dane Watts 2004-Present
128 Bob Harstad 1987-91
128 Kyle Korver 1999-03
127 Joe Dabbert 2000-04
Witter Wonderland
Cavel Witter's career-high 42 points against Bradley on March 1 was noteworthy for numerous reasons.
Witter's 42 points were double his previous career-high of 21 points against Indiana State on Jan. 19, 2008.
Witter's 42 points were the most by any Missouri Valley Conference player since Indiana State's Nate Green scored 45 points against Eastern Illinois on Dec. 19,1999.
Witter's 42 points were the most by a sophomore in any game this year nationally.
According to ESPN.com, Witter became one of three players nationally to score 40 or more points off the bench this season.
Witter's 42 points were the most by a Creighton player since Benoit Benjamin had 45 vs. Indiana State on Jan. 19, 1985.
Witter's 42 points were the most by a Creighton player ever in the month of March.
Witter's 42 points were tied for eighth-most in Creighton history.
Witter's 42 points made him the first Creighton player with at least 40 points since Rodney Buford had 40 on Dec. 30, 1996 vs. Bradley.
Witter's 42 points was a Qwest Center Omaha record, four more than Nate Funk's 38 points on Nov. 26, 2005 vs. Dayton.
Witter's 42 points came just two weeks to the day after he was held scoreless in the first meeting against Bradley.
Thirty-Point Bluejays
Cavel Witter is one of five Creighton players in the Dana Altman era to score 30 points or more in a game, and one of two to score 40 or more under Altman (joining Rodney Buford). The other four players that did it were Nate Funk, Johnny Mathies, Kyle Korver and Buford.
The most points an Altman player has ever scored in a game was 62, which Kansas State's Askia Jones did in only 28 minutes against Fresno State on March 24, 1994, in an NIT quarterfinal. Jones hit an incredible 11 three-pointers in the second half of that game, and finished 14-of-18 from three-point range.
Below is the list of Creighton's 30-point games since Altman became head coach:
Pts. Name Opp. Date Result
42 Cavel Witter Bradley 03/01/08 W 111-110
40 Rodney Buford Bradley 12/30/98 W 65-44
38 Nate Funk Dayton 11/26/05 W 91-90
36 Rodney Buford Illinois St. 02/05/96 L 72-74
35 Nate Funk @Wichita St. 02/16/05 W 82-68
33 Nate Funk vs. Missouri St. 03/03/07 W 75-58
32 Kyle Korver @Xavier 12/31/02 L 73-75
32 Johnny Mathies Drake 01/08/06 W 82-69
31 Kyle Korver Evansville 01/15/03 W 93-56
30 Rodney Buford So. Illinois 02/05/98 W 91-73
30 Rodney Buford @No. Iowa 12/30/97 W 83-75
30 Rodney Buford Missouri St. 02/15/97 L 82-88
Top Bench Effort This Year
Cavel Witter's 42 points off the bench on March 1 vs. Bradley are the most by any reserve in the country this season. Below is the top-10 of that list, as compiled by STATS Inc.
Most Points in a Game this year off Bench -- D-I Players only
Through games of 03/13/08
Source: STATS -- Chicago
Rank Name, School Date Pts.
1 Cavel Witter, Creighton 03/01/2008 42
2 Steven Rush, NC A&T 11/24/2007 40
Dane Brumagin, UMKC 12/06/2007 40
4 Reggie Williams, Va Military 11/14/2007 38
LaceDarius Dunn, Baylor 03/08/2008 38
6 Tyrone Shelley, Pepperdine 11/17/2007 34
Robert Jarvis, Oral Roberts 01/26/2008 34
8 Tywain McKee, Coppin State 11/23/2007 33
9 Frank Tolbert, Auburn 02/02/2008 32
10 Jaret Von Rosenberg, Hartford 11/24/2007 31
Deon Tresvant, Cal-Northridge 01/05/2008 31
Draelon Burns, DePaul 02/27/2008 31
More Qwest Center Omaha Records
The March 1 game between Creighton and Bradley rewrote many Qwest Center Omaha records.
Creighton's 111 points were a QCO record for one team, one more than the Jays total against Houston Baptist on Dec. 17, 2007.
The combined 221 points smashed the previous QCO record of 183 from the aforementioned Creighton (110)/Houston Baptist (73) game.
Bradley's 78 field goals attempted were seven more than the previous mark of 71 by Creighton against DePaul on Nov. 9, 2007.
The 48 minutes played by Bradley's Daniel Ruffin were a QCO record, one more minute than the 47 played by Dayton's Brian Roberts on Nov. 26, 2005.
Overtime News & Notes
Creighton's 111-110 double-overtime win over Bradley on March 1 improved the Bluejays to 46-43 all-time in games that have played at least one overtime, including a 24-12 mark at home.
The Bluejays are 4-2 at Qwest Center Omaha in overtime games, which includes a 2-0 mark in double-overtime contests.
Creighton is 13-5 in double-overtime games all-time, including an 8-1 home mark.
Dana Altman is 14-11 at Creighton in overtime games, including a 7-3 record in home games.
Piling Up The Points, and Wins
Creighton's recent win over Rhode Island continued five impressive streaks.
Creighton has won 37 straight home games when scoring 68 points or more since Feb. 5, 2005.
Creighton has won 42 straight games when scoring 72 points or more dating to Jan. 29, 2005.
The Bluejays have won 58 consecutive games when scoring 80 points or more, dating to Feb. 19, 2000.
Creighton has also won 44 straight games when scoring 90 points or more, dating to Jan. 11, 1988.
Creighton has won 15 straight when scoring 100 points or more, dating to Feb. 26, 1977.
To The Century Mark And Beyond
Creighton's 111 points on March 1 against Bradley were its most points in a game since 1985, and fifth-most in school history.
It marked Creighton's 42nd all-time game of 100 or more points. CU is 40-2 in those games.
CU's 111 points were its most since scoring 115-80 over Indiana State on Jan. 19, 1985.
Below is a list of Creighton's top-six scoring games all-time. A complete list can be found on page 145 of the 2007-08 Creighton Men's Basketball Media Guide.
Score Opponent Date
124-94 Miami (Fla.) 02/10/1964
120-76 Nevada 12/21/1962
115-80 Indiana State 01/19/1985
115-82 Memphis 02/02/1966
111-110 (2ot) Bradley 03/01/2008
110-73 Houston Baptist 12/17/2007
More Notes About 100 Points
Bradley became the first opponent to score 100 points or more against Creighton since Iowa State had 107 on Dec. 1, 1993.
Bradley's 110 points against Creighton on March 1 were the most allowed by the Jays since Iowa State rolled up 115 points on Dec. 12, 1987.
This was the fourth game in Creighton history that both teams scored 100 points or more (and first since Feb. 16, 1989), and first that saw both teams reach 110 or more in the same game.
Bradley's 110 points were the most ever allowed by Creighton in a Bluejay win.
The combined 221 points made it the highest-scoring game in Creighton history. The previous mark had been Utah State's 124-96 win over the Jays on Jan. 14, 1967 in Logan, Utah.
The combined 221 points tied it for the fourth-highest scoring conference game in MVC history.
20 Wins Is Important
Since the NCAA Tournament field was expanded to 64 teams (1984-85), 67 MVC teams have posted 20 wins prior to “Selection Sunday”. Forty-seven have reached the NCAA's, and another 19 were in the NIT. Only Creighton's 1985 team that went 20-12 has been left out of the postseason.
Over .500 Again
Creighton has been better than .500 in either the first or second-half of the league season in 26 straight trips through the league, including the both halves this year.
Here's how Dana Altman's clubs have fared in the various halves of the MVC season since his arrival:
Year 1st Half 2nd Half
2007-08 5-4 5-4
2006-07 6-3 7-2
2005-06 7-2 5-4
2004-05 5-4 6-3
2003-04 7-2 5-4
2002-03 8-1 7-2
2001-02 8-1 6-3
2000-01 5-4 9-0
1999-00 5-4 6-3
1998-99 6-3 5-4
1997-98 5-4 7-2
1996-97 5-4 5-4
1995-96 4-5 5-4
1994-95 3-6 1-8
Total 79-47 (.627) 79-47 (.627)
Jays Among Attendance Leaders, Again
During the 2006-07 season, Creighton finished ranked 13th nationally in average attendance with 15,909 fans per game.
The Jays are doing well once again, currently ranking 15th nationally with 15,333 fans per home game.
Below is a list of the nation's attendance leaders, according to figures compiled by Creighton Sports Information, through games of March 19.
2007-08 Attendance Leaders
Rk. School Average Upcoming
1. Kentucky 22,554 None
2. Syracuse 20,633 3/20
3. North Carolina 20,497 None
4. Tennessee 20,267 None
5. Louisville 19,481 None
6. Maryland 17,950 3/20 NIT road
7. Wisconsin 17,190 None
8. Arkansas 17,148 None
9. Indiana 16,876 None
10. Memphis 16,748 None
11. Ohio State 16,634 3/24
12. Illinois 16,618 None
13. Kansas 16,409 None
14. Marquette 16,329 None
15. Creighton 15,333 3/21 road
16. North Carolina State 15,043 None
17. Michigan State 14,759 None
18. New Mexico 14,361 None
More information available by clicking on PDF link at top of page.
Creighton (22-10) takes on two-time defending national champion Florida (22-11) Friday night at 8:30 pm in a second-round game in the 2008 MasterCard National Invitation Tournament.
Friday's game in Gainesville, Fla., will take place at Stephen C. O'Connell Center (12,000).
At stake is a berth into the NIT quarterfinals.
Radio Broadcast Information
KXSP (“Big Sports 590” AM) will broadcast all Creighton men's basketball games during the 2007-08 season. T. Scott Marr and Jimmy Motz will call the action. NIT rules prohibit the game from being webcast live at www.bigsports590.com.
Television Broadcast Information
Friday's game will be televised by ESPNU. Announcers and coordinates were not available on late Wednesday night when these notes were finished.
Video Webcast Information
Friday's game will not be video webcast.
Live Stats Information
The game will have live stats. Fans can go to www.gocreighton.com and look for the Live Stats graphic for the exact link to Florida's site.
Scouting Creighton
This season's Creighton team has extended three league records that showcase the team's dominance over the past decade. This is Creighton's 12th straight season with 10 or more league wins, 11th straight postseason bid and 10th straight 20-win season.
The Jays are 22-10 overall after finishing fourth in the Missouri Valley Conference with a 10-8 mark. Included in that mark is a 12-1 mark against non-conference foes.
The 2007-08 Creighton team boasts just one returning starter from last year's MVC Tournament champion squad that finished 22-11 and played in the NCAA's for the seventh time in nine years.
That starter is leading rebounder and second-leading scorer Dane Watts (11.3 ppg., 6.4 rpg.), who is expected to make his 118th consecutive start on Friday. Watts also leads the team with 29 blocked shots.
Freshman guard P'Allen Stinnett averages a team-high 12.7 points per game and is the fifth player in MVC history to sweep the league's MVC Freshman and Newcomer of the Year Awards.
The Jays boast two other difference-makers off the bench. Booker Woodfox is the third-leading scorer with 9.8 points per game and has scored in double-figures in a league-best 14 straight contests.
Cavel Witter averages 9.0 points per game and had a career-high and Qwest Center Omaha record with 42 points against Bradley on March 1st. He has hit game-winning baskets in each of CU's last two home wins, including Tuesday's three-pointer that beat Rhode Island.
Creighton's bench averages 37.2 points per contest (second-most nationally) and has outscored the starting five by 78 points this year.
The Bluejays are 16-2 at home this season, including non-conference wins over DePaul, Nebraska and Saint Joseph's. CU averaged 15,333 fans per home game, which ranks 15th nationally.
As a team, Creighton averages 72.1 points per game while allowing 65.5. The Jays also own a +1.6 advantage on the glass. CU shoots 44.8 percent from the floor, 37.1 percent on three-pointers and 72.1 percent at the line.
Scouting Florida
Florida is 22-11 this season despite losing three top-10 NBA draft picks from back-to-back NCAA champion squads.
The Gators won their first NIT game with a 73-49 rout of San Diego State on Wednesday night in Gainesville, improving to 16-4 on the season at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.
Co-SEC Freshman of the Year Nick Calathes leads the Gators with 15.7 points and 6.0 assists per game., as well as 1.5 steals per contest.
Marreese Speights also scores in double-digits with 14.5 points per game and a 7.8 rebounding average.
The Gators average 78.0 points per game and surrender 68.0 per game. UF shoots 48.9 percent from the field, 36.1 percent from three-point range and 70.9 percent at the line.
The Coaches
The dean of Missouri Valley Conference coaches, Creighton's Dana Altman (Eastern New Mexico, 1980) is in his 14th year as head coach of the Bluejays. He owns a 282-151 (.651) mark at CU and a career record of 365-218 (.626) in 19 years as a 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 22 previous 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. In March, 2007, Altman was named a coach on the MVC's All-Centennial Team.
Additionally, Altman has led Creighton to seven NCAA Tournaments and his teams have played in the postseason in 10 straight seasons. He is assisted by Brian Fish, Darian DeVries and Mike Maker. Nick Earnest is the team's film coordinator.
Billy Donovan (Providence, 1987) owns a 284-114 record in his 12th season at Florida. That moves his overall record to 319-134 in 14 seasons, which includes a two-year stay at Marshall. Donovan led the Gators to NCAA crowns in 2006 and 2007, while also coaching seven first-round draft picks in that time. He is assisted by Larry Shyatt, Lewis Preston and Rob Lanier.
Series History
Creighton has won both previous meetings with Florida, with Dana Altman and Billy Donovan coaching against each other in both contests.
Creighton won the last meeting, 83-82 in double-overtime, in a thrilling 12/5 upset in the 2002 NCAA Tournament game played in Chicago, Ill. In that game, Terrell Taylor drained a three-pointer with 0.2 seconds left to key the Bluejay win.
The other previous meeting came on Nov. 29, 1996, when the Jays topped UF 75-73 at the San Juan Shootout in Caguas, Puerto Rico.
Is Anyone Left?
Coming into the season, both Creighton and Florida ranked among the top-10 schools nationally in fewest percentage of points returning.
However, both schools are rebuilding and have extended lengthy postseason streaks with NIT bids this March.
Creighton returned just 24.7 percent of its scoring from last season's team. According to STATS Inc., that ranks 10th-lowest nationally among Division I schools, as seen below.
Lowest Percentage of Points Returning
Source: STATS -- Chicago
Rk. School Last Year Return %
1. Long Beach State 2,575 85 3.3
2. Pepperdine 2,389 223 9.3
3. Colorado State 2,178 309 14.2
4. Florida 3,193 472 14.8
5. Louisiana Tech 1,922 354 18.4
6. Citadel 1,758 363 20.6
7. Eastern Washington 2,443 535 21.9
8. Southeastern Louisiana 2,050 501 24.4
9. Loyola Marymount 2,030 497 24.5
10. Creighton 2,220 548 24.7
Marshall! Marshall! Marshall!
Did you know that both Dana Altman and Billy Donovan got their first head coaching jobs at Marshall University. Altman coached just the 1989-90 season in Huntington, W.V., while Donovan was there from 1994-96.
Additionally, Creighton assistant coach Brian Fish played at Marshall (1987-89) and later assisted there from 1989-92.
Facing The Champs
After nearly a 20-year drought, Friday's game will pit Creighton against a team that reached the previous season's Final Four for the second straight year.
In November of 2006, Creighton played 2005-06 Cinderella George Mason in Omaha and picked up a two-point win.
Prior to that Creighton hadn't faced a team that qualified for the previous season's Final Four since 1987 (UNLV).
Creighton is 4-12 all-time against teams that made the Final Four the previous year, including a 1-7 away mark.
Creighton is 1-5 all-time against defending national champions, having beaten Oklahoma State in February of 1947.
Creighton is 1-1 all-time against two-time defending national champions, having split with Oklahoma State in 1946-47 after the (then) Aggies had won it in both 1945 and 1946.
Looking For History
Playing its 39th all-time postseason game (in 25 different years), the 2008 Creighton team has a chance at history on Friday night. Never before have the Bluejays won consecutive games in the same postseason.
Creighton has won its first game of the NCAA Tournament on seven occasions, only to fall in the subsequent contest each time.
Additionally, CU was unable to follow up its win in the quarterfinal round of the eight-team NIT in 1942.
Sunshine State Success
Creighton has won seven of its last eight games against teams from the state of Florida and own a 6-1 mark under Dana Altman. That includes a win in its last postseason meeting with a Florida school away from home, an 83-82 double-overtime NCAA Tournament win over then-#15 Florida in 2002.
Other Tidbits
-Booker Woodfox's 22 points against Rhode Island were a career-high, two more than his previous best of 20 points done twice previously.
-Creighton's crowd of 7,948 was the fourth-largest in Qwest Center Omaha's postseason history.
-Creighton's talented trio of Booker Woodfox, Cavel Witter and P'Allen Stinnett scored the team's final 41 points against Rhode Island. A fourth newcomer, Kenny Lawson Jr., scored CU's first four points of the second stanza to account for all of CU's 45 second-half points.
-Creighton is 1-0 against the Calathes family this season. The Bluejays downed the Saint Joseph's team starring Pat Calathes (brother of Florida star Nick Calathes) on Dec. 9, 2007 in Omaha. In that game, Pat had 14 points, six rebounds, three steals and two blocks.
-Both Creighton and Florida are making their 11th straight postseason appearances.
-Both Dana Altman and Billy Donovan are the dean's of their respective leagues.
-Creighton is 6-0 in games decided by three points or less, including a 4-0 mark in games decided by a single point.
-Jimmy Motz, Creighton radio's color man on Friday, was a true freshman on the Jays 2001-02 team that beat the Gators in the NCAA Tournament, though he did not play in that upset victory.
Witter's World
Cavel Witter can score when it counts. He missed his first seven shots from the field before hitting his only basket, a go-ahead three-pointer, with 3.2 seconds left in the win over Rhode Island. He also made seven free-throws and scored all 10 of his points in the game's final 9:25.
In the Jays previous game, Witter scored all 10 of his points in the final 3:50 of a loss to #20 Drake.
And in CU's final regular-season game against Bradley, he scored 17 of his career-best 42 points in the overtime sessions.
Postseason x 11
Creighton has made either the NIT or NCAA in 11 consecutive seasons, the longest streak of postseason bids in MVC history. It is one more than the 10 straight from 1966 to 1975 by Louisville.
The only 12 schools to make the postseason in each of the last 11 years are Arizona, Creighton, Duke, Florida, Gonzaga, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan State, Oklahoma State, Stanford and Syracuse.
Creighton, which also boasts a men's soccer team with 16 straight NCAA appearances, is the nation's only school with 11 straight postseason appearances in both men's basketball and men's soccer.
Creighton's NIT History
Creighton is playing in its ninth National Invitation Tournament, owning a 4-8 all-time record in the event.
Creighton owns a 2-4 home record, an 0-2 road record and a 2-2 neutral-site record in games played at Madison Square Garden.
This is Creighton's fourth NIT appearance under Dana Altman, who is 2-3 in NIT games at Creighton and 6-6 in his career when you include two NIT appearances while at Kansas State.
1942 (2-1) in New York City, N.Y.
3/16 Creighton 59, West Texas A&M 58
3/23 W. Kentucky 49, Creighton 36
3/25 Creighton 48, Toledo 46
1943 (0-1) in New York City, N.Y.
3/18 Washington & Jefferson 43, Creighton 42
1977 (0-1) in Omaha, Neb.
3/08 Illinois State 65, Creighton 58
1984 (0-1) in Omaha, Neb.
3/15 Nebraska 56, Creighton 54
1990 (0-1) in Chicago, Ill.
3/16 DePaul 89, Creighton 72
1998 (0-1) in Milwaukee, Wis.
3/11 Marquette 80, Creighton 68
2004 (0-1) in Omaha, Neb.
3/16 Nebraska 71, Creighton 70
2006 (1-1) in Omaha, Neb.
3/16 Creighton 71, Akron 60
3/20 Miami (Fla.) 53, Creighton 52
2008 (1-0) in Omaha, Neb.
3/18 Creighton 74, Rhode Island 73
Against Postseason Opponents
Creighton and Florida have both played a bunch of games versus teams that qualified for the NIT or NCAA Tournament this season. Creighton went 3-6 in those contests, while the Gators were 4-5.
Against NIT qualifiers, Creighton was 3-1, while UF was 1-3.
vs. NIT Qualifiers
Opponent Creighton Florida
Nebraska CU 74-62
Southern Illinois SIU 48-44
CU 72-53
Rhode Island CU 74-73
Florida State FSU 65-51
Ohio State OSU 62-49
Mississippi Ole Miss 89-87
San Diego State UF 73-49
vs. NCAA Qualifiers
Opponent Creighton Florida
Miss. Valley St. CU 76-46
Xavier XU 79-66
Saint Joseph's CU 90-84 (ot)
Oral Roberts CU 65-64
Illinois State ILS 80-67
ILS 68-54
Drake DU 68-60 (ot)
DU 75-65
DU 75-67
Kentucky UF 81-70 (ot)
UK 75-70
Vanderbilt UF 86-64
Arkansas ARK 61-80
Tennessee TENN, 104-82
TENN 89-86
Georgia UF 77-67
Mississippi State MSU 68-59
Temple UF 86-69
Common Opponents
Creighton and Florida have played just one common opponent this season. Both teams hammered Division I newcomer North Carolina Central.
Opponent Creighton Florida
N.C. Central CU 88-54 W 105-51
A Busy Week On The Hilltop
Creighton's NIT game on Friday is just one of numerous events going on in the school's athletic programs this week.
Creighton and the Missouri Valley Conference are co-hosts of the NCAA Tournament first- and second-round games, which start Thursday at Qwest Center Omaha.
On Tuesday night, Creighton hosted Rhode Island in an NIT game at Qwest Center Omaha.
Creighton's baseball team hosted Northern Colorado on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Creighton's softball team hosted a doubleheader against Iowa State on Tuesday.
Creighton's women's basketball team, which won 20 games and reached the MVC Tournament semifinals, opened play in the Women's NIT on March 20.
Heartbreak Hotel
Six of Creighton's last seven postseason runs have included a game that was decided in the final seconds, including the past five seasons.
This season saw Creighton rally from a 12-point deficit in the final 3:15 to stun Rhode Island, 74-73. Cavel Witter's three-pointer with 3.2 seconds left was the go-ahead basket.
Last season Creighton had the ball for a final shot in a tie game against Nevada in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Nate Funk's shot attempt missed, and a tip-in try was also not converted. The Jays would lose 77-71 in overtime.
In the 2006 NIT, Miami (Fla.) guard Guilermo Diaz drained a free throw with 2.6 seconds left to beat Creighton 53-52. A last-second shot attempt by Bluejay senior Johnny Mathies was knocked out of his hands.
In the 2005 NCAA Tourney, Funk had his three-point try with seven seconds left blocked by Tyrone Sally, and Sally raced downcourt for a breakaway dunk with 2.4 seconds left to give West Virginia a 63-61 win. Funk's three-point try from the corner missed at the buzzer.
In 2004, Creighton fell 71-70 to Nebraska in the NIT. The Jays led nearly the entire second half before NU's go-ahead basket with 12 seconds left. Nate Funk's game-winning jumper from 18-feet away was blocked by Husker guard Jake Muhleisen.
In 2002, Creighton beat #15 Florida, 83-82, in Chicago. Terrell Taylor hit a game-winning trey with 0.2 seconds left in double-overtime, his final three of 28 points after a scoreless first half.
Altman In The NIT
Creighton coach Dana Altman is making his sixth appearance in the NIT, and fourth with the Bluejays. Altman owns a 6-6 record in the NIT and a 2-3 mark at Creighton. Below is a list of the games his teams have played in:
Date Result
03/18/08 Creighton 74, Rhode Island 73
03/20/06 Miami (Fla.) 53, at Creighton 52
03/16/06 at Creighton 71, Akron 60
03/16/04 Nebraska 71, at Creighton 70
03/11/98 at Marquette 80, Creighton 68
03/30/94 Siena 92, Kansas State 79 (in New York)
03/28/94 Vanderbilt 82, Kansas State 76 (in New York)
03/24/94 at Kansas State 115, Fresno State 77
03/22/94 at Kansas State 66, Gonzaga 64
03/17/94 at Kansas State 78, Mississippi State 67
03/23/92 at Notre Dame 64, Kansas State 47
03/18/92 at Kansas State 85, Western Kentucky 74
Altman Goes From Manhattan To Manhattan
Dana Altman's 1994 Kansas State team won three straight home games in Manhattan, Kansas to advance to the NIT Final Four, which is played in Manhattan, New York at the world's most famous arena, Madison Square Garden. Bluejay assistant coach Brian Fish was also a film coordinator on that team.
Helping key Kansas State's 1994 run to the NIT Final Four was a masterful quarterfinal round performance by Askia Jones. Jones scored 62 points while draining 14-of-18 three-pointers in a 38-point win over Fresno State. Jones made 11 treys in the second half, including nine straight at one point. Jones' 62 points remain the 12th-most points in a game in NCAA history and rank second in postseason tournament history.
More Trips To New York, Too
Two other members of the Creighton program have reached the Final Four of the NIT in New York City as well.
Creighton assistant coach Mike Maker was an assistant coach on last year's champion, West Virginia.
Additionally, Chad Millard's Louisville team reached the semifinals of the NIT in 2005-06 before he transferred to Creighton.
Recent NIT History for the MVC
The MVC went 1-2 in NIT action last season, with Bradley beating Providence for the only win. So far this year, the league is 3-0 with wins over Rhode Island (by Creighton), Utah State (by Illinois State) and Oklahoma State (by Southern Illinois).
The last MVC school to win the men's NIT championship was the 1982 Bradley team that beat American, Syracuse, Tulane, Oklahoma and Purdue en route to the title.
The MVC has had a women's team reach the Final Four of the WNIT (held at campus sites) three of the last five seasons. The 2003 Creighton's women's team lost in the semifinals to eventual champion Auburn, while the 2004 Creighton women's team won the WNIT. In 2005, Missouri State's women's team won the WNIT.
Non-Conference Home Success
Creighton owns a 71-12 (.855) record in non-conference home games under Dana Altman. Equally impressive, CU is 31-5 (.861) in non-conference home games since moving to Qwest Center Omaha.
During CU's active string of 11 straight postseason bids, the Bluejays are 62-7 (.899) in home games against non-conference foes.
Can It Get Any Better?
March, 2008 may prove to be the best month in Qwest Center Omaha's young history.
Creighton opened the month with a thrilling 111-110 double-overtime win over Bradley that some local media ranked among the state's best sporting events this century.
A week later, Nebraska-Omaha hockey won its first-round playoff series with a 2-1 triple-overtime win over Alaska in the eighth-longest game in NCAA history.
Last Friday, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band rocked a sold-out Qwest Center Omaha.
On Tuesday, Creighton rallied from a 12-point deficit in the final 3:15 to beat Rhode Island, 74-73.
Starting Thursday, the facility will host six NCAA Tournament games over three days as part of a spectacle that many are calling the biggest sporting event this city has ever seen.
Later this year the building will host the US Olympic Swimming Trials and the NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship.
Converting Turnovers In Points = Wins
One common theme when Creighton is successful is that they have had an advantage in “points off turnovers” in many of those contests.
For the season, Creighton is 17-4 when scoring more points off turnovers than its opponent. In the last four years, Creighton is 61-10 when winning this category.
Inside Game Still A Priority
Though it's often overlooked by the school's traditionally strong perimeter game, Creighton's inside game continues to be a focal point that often dictates CU's success.
When scoring 28 or more points in the paint this season, Creighton is 13-2 this season. Since the school started tracking points in the paint five years ago, CU is 52-8 when scoring 28 or more in the paint.
Slow Out Of The Gate
Creighton has trailed at the half in 11 of its last 13 postseason games under Dana Altman. The Jays 40-26 lead over Akron in 2006 and 32-31 lead over Nevada last year stand as the only exceptions. It is worth noting that in nine of those 13 games, CU tied or outscored the opposition in the second half.
Year Opponent 1st Half 2nd Half W-L
2008 Rhode Island 30-45 44-28 W
2007 Nevada 32-31 27-28 L
2006 Miami (Fla.) 19-29 33-24 L
2006 Akron 40-26 31-34 W
2005 West Virginia 31-33 30-30 L
2004 Nebraska 29-35 41-36 L
2003 Central Michigan 22-38 51-41 L
2002 Illinois 26-31 34-41 L
2002 Florida 31-38 38-31 W
2001 Iowa 30-32 26-37 L
2000 Auburn 25-40 44-32 L
1999 Maryland 32-45 31-30 L
1999 Louisville 23-31 39-27 W
20 Overall Wins x 10 Years = MVC History
Creighton is the only school in the 101-year history of the Missouri Valley Conference to post 10 straight 20-win campaigns. No other school owns more than six straight.
Creighton entered this season as one of nine teams nationally with 20 or more wins in each of last nine seasons. That list consists of Arizona, Creighton, Duke, Florida, Gonzaga, Kansas, Kent State, Kentucky and Syracuse.
Schools from the above list still seeking to continue that streak this year are shown below:
Team Current W-L Next Game
Arizona 19-14 March 20 vs. West Virginia
Kentucky 18-12 March 20 vs. Marquette
10 Conference Wins x 12 Seasons
The March 1 win over Bradley extended Creighton's MVC record by winning 10 or more league games for a 12th consecutive season. Prior to Dana Altman's arrival, the Bluejays had 10 or more conference wins in only six different seasons all-time.
On a national basis, the only teams that will enter 2008-09 with at least 12 straight years of 10 or more league wins will be Stanford (14), Kansas (14) and Creighton (12).
Six Out Of 10 Tourney Titles
Creighton owns six league tournament titles in the last 10 years. On a national basis, the only schools that can claim this are Gonzaga (8), Winthrop (8), Duke (7) and Creighton (6).
Creighton's 10 Valley Tournament titles are twice as many as the next closest school, Southern Illinois (5).
Consistent Challengers
One of the most impressive facets of the Dana Altman tenure is how often his teams have been in the running for the MVC regular-season title. Eight of his last 11 teams have finished either first or second in The Valley, and two of the three that didn't both won the MVC Tournament.
The Bluejays won the MVC in 2000-01 and tied for the title in 2001-02. CU was second in the MVC in 1997-98 and 2006-07, tied for second in the MVC in 1998-99, 2003-04 and 2005-06, and finished tied for third in 2004-05. The 1999-00 club was fourth in the MVC, but won the MVC Tournament.
Creighton's MVC Finishes, Last 11 Years
1st Place 2000-01
Tied for First 2001-02 (won MVC Tourn.)
2nd Place 1997-98, 2002-03 (won MVC Tourn.), 2006-07 (won MVC Tourn.)
Tied for 2nd 1998-99 (won MVC Tourn.), 2003-04, 2005-06
Tied for 3rd Place 2004-05 (won MVC Tourn.)
4th Place 1999-00 (won MVC Tourn.); 2007-08
Game Tested
Senior Dane Watts has played in 129 games as a Bluejay, which puts him second in Creighton history. Below is a list of the all-time Creighton leaders in games played:
GP Name Years
135 Nate Funk 2002-07
129 Dane Watts 2004-Present
128 Bob Harstad 1987-91
128 Kyle Korver 1999-03
127 Joe Dabbert 2000-04
Witter Wonderland
Cavel Witter's career-high 42 points against Bradley on March 1 was noteworthy for numerous reasons.
Witter's 42 points were double his previous career-high of 21 points against Indiana State on Jan. 19, 2008.
Witter's 42 points were the most by any Missouri Valley Conference player since Indiana State's Nate Green scored 45 points against Eastern Illinois on Dec. 19,1999.
Witter's 42 points were the most by a sophomore in any game this year nationally.
According to ESPN.com, Witter became one of three players nationally to score 40 or more points off the bench this season.
Witter's 42 points were the most by a Creighton player since Benoit Benjamin had 45 vs. Indiana State on Jan. 19, 1985.
Witter's 42 points were the most by a Creighton player ever in the month of March.
Witter's 42 points were tied for eighth-most in Creighton history.
Witter's 42 points made him the first Creighton player with at least 40 points since Rodney Buford had 40 on Dec. 30, 1996 vs. Bradley.
Witter's 42 points was a Qwest Center Omaha record, four more than Nate Funk's 38 points on Nov. 26, 2005 vs. Dayton.
Witter's 42 points came just two weeks to the day after he was held scoreless in the first meeting against Bradley.
Thirty-Point Bluejays
Cavel Witter is one of five Creighton players in the Dana Altman era to score 30 points or more in a game, and one of two to score 40 or more under Altman (joining Rodney Buford). The other four players that did it were Nate Funk, Johnny Mathies, Kyle Korver and Buford.
The most points an Altman player has ever scored in a game was 62, which Kansas State's Askia Jones did in only 28 minutes against Fresno State on March 24, 1994, in an NIT quarterfinal. Jones hit an incredible 11 three-pointers in the second half of that game, and finished 14-of-18 from three-point range.
Below is the list of Creighton's 30-point games since Altman became head coach:
Pts. Name Opp. Date Result
42 Cavel Witter Bradley 03/01/08 W 111-110
40 Rodney Buford Bradley 12/30/98 W 65-44
38 Nate Funk Dayton 11/26/05 W 91-90
36 Rodney Buford Illinois St. 02/05/96 L 72-74
35 Nate Funk @Wichita St. 02/16/05 W 82-68
33 Nate Funk vs. Missouri St. 03/03/07 W 75-58
32 Kyle Korver @Xavier 12/31/02 L 73-75
32 Johnny Mathies Drake 01/08/06 W 82-69
31 Kyle Korver Evansville 01/15/03 W 93-56
30 Rodney Buford So. Illinois 02/05/98 W 91-73
30 Rodney Buford @No. Iowa 12/30/97 W 83-75
30 Rodney Buford Missouri St. 02/15/97 L 82-88
Top Bench Effort This Year
Cavel Witter's 42 points off the bench on March 1 vs. Bradley are the most by any reserve in the country this season. Below is the top-10 of that list, as compiled by STATS Inc.
Most Points in a Game this year off Bench -- D-I Players only
Through games of 03/13/08
Source: STATS -- Chicago
Rank Name, School Date Pts.
1 Cavel Witter, Creighton 03/01/2008 42
2 Steven Rush, NC A&T 11/24/2007 40
Dane Brumagin, UMKC 12/06/2007 40
4 Reggie Williams, Va Military 11/14/2007 38
LaceDarius Dunn, Baylor 03/08/2008 38
6 Tyrone Shelley, Pepperdine 11/17/2007 34
Robert Jarvis, Oral Roberts 01/26/2008 34
8 Tywain McKee, Coppin State 11/23/2007 33
9 Frank Tolbert, Auburn 02/02/2008 32
10 Jaret Von Rosenberg, Hartford 11/24/2007 31
Deon Tresvant, Cal-Northridge 01/05/2008 31
Draelon Burns, DePaul 02/27/2008 31
More Qwest Center Omaha Records
The March 1 game between Creighton and Bradley rewrote many Qwest Center Omaha records.
Creighton's 111 points were a QCO record for one team, one more than the Jays total against Houston Baptist on Dec. 17, 2007.
The combined 221 points smashed the previous QCO record of 183 from the aforementioned Creighton (110)/Houston Baptist (73) game.
Bradley's 78 field goals attempted were seven more than the previous mark of 71 by Creighton against DePaul on Nov. 9, 2007.
The 48 minutes played by Bradley's Daniel Ruffin were a QCO record, one more minute than the 47 played by Dayton's Brian Roberts on Nov. 26, 2005.
Overtime News & Notes
Creighton's 111-110 double-overtime win over Bradley on March 1 improved the Bluejays to 46-43 all-time in games that have played at least one overtime, including a 24-12 mark at home.
The Bluejays are 4-2 at Qwest Center Omaha in overtime games, which includes a 2-0 mark in double-overtime contests.
Creighton is 13-5 in double-overtime games all-time, including an 8-1 home mark.
Dana Altman is 14-11 at Creighton in overtime games, including a 7-3 record in home games.
Piling Up The Points, and Wins
Creighton's recent win over Rhode Island continued five impressive streaks.
Creighton has won 37 straight home games when scoring 68 points or more since Feb. 5, 2005.
Creighton has won 42 straight games when scoring 72 points or more dating to Jan. 29, 2005.
The Bluejays have won 58 consecutive games when scoring 80 points or more, dating to Feb. 19, 2000.
Creighton has also won 44 straight games when scoring 90 points or more, dating to Jan. 11, 1988.
Creighton has won 15 straight when scoring 100 points or more, dating to Feb. 26, 1977.
To The Century Mark And Beyond
Creighton's 111 points on March 1 against Bradley were its most points in a game since 1985, and fifth-most in school history.
It marked Creighton's 42nd all-time game of 100 or more points. CU is 40-2 in those games.
CU's 111 points were its most since scoring 115-80 over Indiana State on Jan. 19, 1985.
Below is a list of Creighton's top-six scoring games all-time. A complete list can be found on page 145 of the 2007-08 Creighton Men's Basketball Media Guide.
Score Opponent Date
124-94 Miami (Fla.) 02/10/1964
120-76 Nevada 12/21/1962
115-80 Indiana State 01/19/1985
115-82 Memphis 02/02/1966
111-110 (2ot) Bradley 03/01/2008
110-73 Houston Baptist 12/17/2007
More Notes About 100 Points
Bradley became the first opponent to score 100 points or more against Creighton since Iowa State had 107 on Dec. 1, 1993.
Bradley's 110 points against Creighton on March 1 were the most allowed by the Jays since Iowa State rolled up 115 points on Dec. 12, 1987.
This was the fourth game in Creighton history that both teams scored 100 points or more (and first since Feb. 16, 1989), and first that saw both teams reach 110 or more in the same game.
Bradley's 110 points were the most ever allowed by Creighton in a Bluejay win.
The combined 221 points made it the highest-scoring game in Creighton history. The previous mark had been Utah State's 124-96 win over the Jays on Jan. 14, 1967 in Logan, Utah.
The combined 221 points tied it for the fourth-highest scoring conference game in MVC history.
20 Wins Is Important
Since the NCAA Tournament field was expanded to 64 teams (1984-85), 67 MVC teams have posted 20 wins prior to “Selection Sunday”. Forty-seven have reached the NCAA's, and another 19 were in the NIT. Only Creighton's 1985 team that went 20-12 has been left out of the postseason.
Over .500 Again
Creighton has been better than .500 in either the first or second-half of the league season in 26 straight trips through the league, including the both halves this year.
Here's how Dana Altman's clubs have fared in the various halves of the MVC season since his arrival:
Year 1st Half 2nd Half
2007-08 5-4 5-4
2006-07 6-3 7-2
2005-06 7-2 5-4
2004-05 5-4 6-3
2003-04 7-2 5-4
2002-03 8-1 7-2
2001-02 8-1 6-3
2000-01 5-4 9-0
1999-00 5-4 6-3
1998-99 6-3 5-4
1997-98 5-4 7-2
1996-97 5-4 5-4
1995-96 4-5 5-4
1994-95 3-6 1-8
Total 79-47 (.627) 79-47 (.627)
Jays Among Attendance Leaders, Again
During the 2006-07 season, Creighton finished ranked 13th nationally in average attendance with 15,909 fans per game.
The Jays are doing well once again, currently ranking 15th nationally with 15,333 fans per home game.
Below is a list of the nation's attendance leaders, according to figures compiled by Creighton Sports Information, through games of March 19.
2007-08 Attendance Leaders
Rk. School Average Upcoming
1. Kentucky 22,554 None
2. Syracuse 20,633 3/20
3. North Carolina 20,497 None
4. Tennessee 20,267 None
5. Louisville 19,481 None
6. Maryland 17,950 3/20 NIT road
7. Wisconsin 17,190 None
8. Arkansas 17,148 None
9. Indiana 16,876 None
10. Memphis 16,748 None
11. Ohio State 16,634 3/24
12. Illinois 16,618 None
13. Kansas 16,409 None
14. Marquette 16,329 None
15. Creighton 15,333 3/21 road
16. North Carolina State 15,043 None
17. Michigan State 14,759 None
18. New Mexico 14,361 None
More information available by clicking on PDF link at top of page.
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's BasketballCreighton Men's Basketball Availability - 9/24/25
Wednesday, September 24
Meet the Jays - MBB Blake Harper
Friday, August 15
Meet the Jays - MBB Austin Swartz
Friday, August 15
Meet the Jays - MBB Jasen Green
Friday, August 15
