Bluejays Host Shockers in Women's Basketball Thursday
1/5/2010 1:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Game 12 vs. Wichita State • Thursday, Jan. 7 • 7:05 p.m.
Wichita State Shockers at Creighton Bluejays
Ryan Athletic Center & D.J. Sokol Arena • Omaha, Neb.
Radio: 1180 AM, www.koilam1180.com • Video: www.gocreighton.com
Series History: Creighton leads 26-19
Last Meeting: CU won 49-41, March 13, 2009 in St. Charles, Mo.
• The game can be heard on KOIL AM 1180 in Omaha and online at www.koilam1180.com. Jake Ryan and Sara Cizek Going will call the action.
• Live stats for this game and all home games can be found on the CU athletics website at www.gocreighton.com.
• Live video for all home games are available for an annual fee of $69.95 or a monthly fee of $11.95. More information is available at www.gocreighton.com.
• Sam Schuett was named MVC Player of the Week on Monday after averaging 17 points and nine rebounds per game last week.
• Creighton's strength of schedule ranks 15th in the nation this week (tops in the MVC), compared to Wichita State's league-low 295 SOS.
• The Bluejays lead the MVC and rank seventh in the NCAA with 8.8 three-pointers per game, including 10.5 per game in MVC play.
• Megan Neuvirth enters the game with 995 career points, five shy of becoming the 20th player in CU history with 1,000 points.
• CU's 25-point win at Illinois State on Saturday was its largest winning margin on the road under Jim Flanery.
• Creighton has won seven straight meetings with Wichita State and the last eight meetings in Omaha.
Scouting the Bluejays (7-4, 2-0 MVC)
The Bluejays are the preseason favorites in the MVC, returning seven letterwinners and four starters from last year's team which finished 22-12 and advanced to the WNIT for the fifth time in seven years ... CU leads the league with 8.8 three-pointers per game, while it shoots better from beyond the arc (.373) than inside the arc (.368) ... The Jays are led by MVC Preseason Player of the Year, senior forward Megan Neuvirth, who is the reigning MVC Defensive Player of the Year. Neuvirth leads the team with 13.5 points and 2.6 steals per game and leads all active MVC players in career rebounds (790) and steals (240) ... Junior forward Sam Schuett (11.3 ppg) tops the team in rebounds (7.5), three-point field goal percentage (.438) and free-throw percentage (.816) after missing last year with an injury ... Junior guard Kelsey Woodard, who has 171 career three-pointers, leads the MVC and ranks 29th in the NCAA with 2.8 threes per game ... Senior point guard Chevelle Herring, a second-team all-MVC honoree last year, leads the team with 2.8 assists per game.
Scouting the Shockers (10-3, 2-0 MVC)
Wichita State is off to its best start in school history at 10-3, including a 2-0 start in MVC play for the first time since 1999 ... The Shocker roster boasts eight newcomers (four transfers and four freshmen) of its 11 members ... The Shockers have played what currently ranks as the worst strength of schedule (295) in the MVC ... WSU leads the MVC, allowing just 58.4 points per game ... Sophomore Haleigh Lankster leads the team with 13.5 points per game and 24 three-pointers ... Five newcomers follow Lankster atop the WSU scoring leader board ... Jazimen Gordon leads the team with 5.5 rebounds per game ... Marisah Henderson leads the team and ranks second in the MVC with 5.9 assists per game, adding 5.5 boards and 5.8 points from her point guard spot ... WSU is shooting 38.8 percent from the field and league-worst 28.7 percent from three-point range.
The Coaches
Jim Flanery (Creighton, 1987) is in his eighth season as head coach, where he has led his team to five WNIT postseason appearances and four 20-win seasons. He owns a career record of 138-96 (.590). In 2003 he became the winningest rookie coach in school and MVC history and led the Jays to the 2004 WNIT Championship. Prior to serving as CU's head coach, Flanery served as CU's top assistant for a decade. He is 13-2 all-time against Wichita State. Jody Adams (Tennessee, 1994) is in her second year at Wichita State where she is 23-21 (.523) and third year as a collegiate head coach after leading Murray State to the NCAA Tournament in 2008 with a 24-8 mark. Adams is a former UMKC and Southern Illinois assistant coach.
Creighton-Wichita State Series History
Creighton leads the all-time series with Wichita State, 26-19, including a 14-6 record in Omaha. The Bluejays have won seven straight overall and 13 of the last 14 meetings with the Shockers. The Jays have won the last eight meetings in Omaha, dating to a Jan. 1, 2001 loss.
Last Year Against Wichita State
The Bluejays won all three meetings with the Shockers last year, by an average score of 50.3 to 44.3. WSU never scored more than 47 points in the three match ups, while CU failed to reach 50 in two of the wins. CU shot a combined .338 from the field and .263 from three-point range in the three games, while WSU made only 30.1 percent of its field goals and 20 percent of its threes. Kelsey Woodard led the Jays with 13 points per game, while Megan Neuvirth averaged 12.3 points and 8.3 boards per game against WSU last year. CU won 49-41 in the MVC Tournament, with Kelsey Crites pulling down a career-best 10 rebounds. Neuvirth scored 24 points in a 49-47 win at Wichita, making up for Chevelle Herring's only scoreless game of the year. DaNae Moore had a career-high 12 rebounds and nine points as CU out-rebounded WSU 50-30 in a 53-45 win in Omaha last January.
Bluejay Individuals vs. Shockers
Kelsey Woodard is the only Bluejay to average double figures in her career against Wichita State, averaging 11.6 points and 5.4 rebounds in five games against WSU. She is 12-for-29 (.414) from three-point range against the Shockers. Megan Neuvirth averages 8.1 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, while Sam Schuett adds 8.3 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. Chevelle Herring averages 6.6 points and 3.3 turnovers per game against WSU and has made just 6-of-30 (.200) three-pointers against the Shockers. Kelsey Crites averaged 7.0 rebounds per game against WSU last year and averages 4.4 boards in her career.
Bluejays Start MVC 2-0
Creighton is 2-0 in the MVC for the seventh time in the last nine years and is aiming for its fourth 3-0 start in conference play in Jim Flanery's eight years at the helm. The Jays last started 3-0 in MVC play when the 2005-06 team won four straight. CU has started 3-0 in The Valley six times previously.
MVC Home Openers
Creighton is 13-4 all-time in its first MVC home game of the season, including 6-1 under Jim Flanery. CU's only loss under Flanery in its Valley debut came on Jan. 4, 2007, a 56-53 loss to Northern Iowa. Creighton has won seven of its last eight MVC home debuts, including a 92-63 win over Missouri State last year. The Jays' average winning margin in their last two MVC home openers is 32.5.
Schuett Named MVC Player of the Week
Junior Sam Schuett enjoyed her return to MVC play for the first time in two years by being named MVC Player of the Week after averaging 17 points and nine rebounds in wins at Indiana State and Illinois State. Against the Sycamores, Schuett scored a season-high 19 points and made a career-best five three-point field goals. At Illinois State she had 15 points and a career-best 14 rebounds for her second double-double of the season, eighth career.
At Home in The Valley
Creighton is 16-2 at home in MVC play over the last two seasons, going 8-1 in both campaigns. The Jays are 16-0 in Valley play at home against teams not from Des Moines in that span, as Drake is the only MVC team to leave Omaha with a win since the start of the 2007-08 season.
Home is Where the Wins Are
The Bluejays have won 15 of their last 17 home games and are 76-25 (.752) at home under Jim Flanery. The Jays are now 70-21 (.769) all-time on-campus (4-1 at D.J Sokol Arena, 26-12 at Kiewit Fitness Center and 40-8 at Vinardi Athletic Center). The Bluejays played 301 of their first 428 recorded home games at the Omaha Civic Auditorium where they posted a 213-88 (.708) record. Despite all of the moving, Creighton has managed to post a 315-118 (.727) recorded home record all-time at 12 different “home” sites.
Flan Likes Jan.
Head coach Jim Flanery opened the month of January with a win to move his record in the month to 41-16 (.719) all-time. It is by far his most successful month, as his next best winning percentage in a single month is .636 (March). His all-time record in the other four months of the year is 97-80 (.548).
Fun With Free-Throws
Creighton shot just 66.7 percent from the free-throw line in non-conference play, but the Bluejays have opened MVC action with excellent shooting at the stripe, making 23-of-27 shots in their first two Valley games for a league-leading 85.2 free-throw percentage.
Three For All
Creighton continues to lead the MVC and ranks seventh in the NCAA this week with 8.8 three-point field goals per game. Of the Bluejays' 15 field goals at Indiana State (Dec. 31), 11 were three-pointers and they followed with 10 more at Illinois State. They have now posted back-to-back games with at least 10 three-pointers twice this year and six times under Jim Flanery. The Bluejays are 5-0 this year when making at least 10 three-pointers and 29-11 when making 10-plus threes under Flanery.
Jays Post Largest Road Win Since 2002
Creighton's 25-point win (69-44) at Illinois State (Jan. 2) was the largest winning margin in a Bluejay road game since Jan. 14, 2002 and the largest under head coach Jim Flanery. The previous best road margin was a 23-point win at UC Irvine (80-57) on Dec. 20, 2002. The Jays did post a 27-point win against Stephen F. Austin on a neutral court in Nov. 2003. CU has logged 19 20-plus point victories under Flanery, including five on the road.
Neuvirth Aims to Join Club First
Megan Neuvirth enters the game with 995 career points, just five shy of becoming the 20th player in Creighton history to score 1,000 career points. She'll be the first to join the club since Ally Thrall did so on Feb. 21, 2008. Not far behind are Kelsey Woodard with 914 points and Chevelle Herring with 910 points as the three Jays look to become the first trio to hit the 1,000 point plateau in the same season. Woodard, a junior, is aiming to become the first junior to reach 1,000 career points at CU since Angie Janis did so in 2004-05.
We're Going Streaking
• Sam Schuett enters the week having made her last 16 free-throw attempts to move her percentage to a team-best 81.6 at the stripe.
• Kelsey Woodard has made a three-point field goal in every game this year to extend her streak to 18 straight games with a three-pointer made.
Steady Chevy
Chevelle Herring had a solid four-assist, zero-turnover game for the Bluejays in their win at Illinois State (Jan. 2), marking the first time in her career she had more than two assists in a game with zero turnovers. It was also just the second time in her last 47 games she did not have a turnover and the sixth time in her career finishing without a turnover while playing at least 20 minutes.
Can't Reach 50
Creighton limited both Indiana State and Illinois State to season-lows of 44 points to open MVC play. Dating back to the 2009 MVC Tournament, CU's last five Valley opponents have failed to reach 50 points, as the Jays held Wichita State (41), Drake (35) and Evansville (47) below 50 in the postseason. The Jays allowed just 54 points per game in MVC play last year and have allowed just 42.2 points per game against their last five Valley foes.
Toughest Schedule in MVC
Creighton has once again managed to put together the most difficult non-conference schedule in the Missouri Valley Conference. CU is one of only three MVC teams with a strength of schedule (SOS) better than 100 through games on Jan. 3. The Jays' SOS is a league-best 15, while UNI is second at 20 and Illinois State is at 53. The average SOS of the nine MVC teams outside of Creighton is 160 (up 20 points after MVC opening weekend) – including three teams with an SOS of worse than 200. Wichita State's SOS is a league-worst 295 and its RPI is 127. CU also has the best RPI in the MVC at 38, while Illinois State is second at 80. (All figures according to CollegeRPI.com through games on Jan. 3).
Good Losses?
Creighton lost its final three non-conference games, but each of the three opponents were ranked in the top 25 and each of the teams' RPI are currently in the top 20. Nebraska (4), Kansas (20), and Oklahoma (6) have an average RPI of 10. If you factor in Marquette (35), the average RPI of teams the Jays have lost to is 16.3.
Bluejays & Bison Can't Beat Blizzard
The Christmas Blizzard that hit much of the midwest cost Creighton its final non-conference game of the season, as its game with North Dakota State on Dec. 28 was postponed. The contest was called off when NDSU notified Creighton it was unable to get its players back to Fargo from Christmas break in time to make the trip down I-29 to Omaha. At press time of these notes, the schools were attempting to find a date to play still this season, but if they are not able to do so, the Bison will be put on the Creighton home schedule in 2010-11.
Pulling Rank
The Bluejays played three straight ranked teams from Dec. 9-20, losing to No. 24 Nebraska, No. 23 Kansas and No. 15 Oklahoma. The Jays are 1-12 against the top-25 under Jim Flanery.
Live and Die by the Three
Creighton ranks seventh in the NCAA with 8.8 three-pointers per game, but the Jays have done considerably better from long range in wins than losses. CU is shooting 40.7 percent (81-199) from three-point range, an average of 11.6 threes per game, in wins. In losses, the Jays have made only 16-of-61 for 26.2 percent at an average of 4.0 per game.
Career Milestone Updates
• Megan Neuvirth started the season ranked sixth in school history with 211 career steals, but now ranks fifth with 240 swipes.
• Neuvirth opened the year ranked seventh at CU with 714 career rebounds, but has since moved to into third with 790 boards.
• Kelsey Woodard became the eighth player in school history to reach 150 career three-point field goals earlier this season, and has moved from eighth to sixth in CU history with 171 treys - just four shy of Holly Sivesind (175) for fifth.
• Woodard scored her 900th point at Indiana State (Dec. 31).
• Chevelle Herring scored her 900th career point against Oklahoma (Dec. 20).
• Sam Schuett recorded her 500th career rebound against Saint Louis (Dec. 4).
• Schuett is 14 three-pointers shy of becoming the 15th player at CU with 100 career three-point field goals.
Free-Throw Facts
Creighton made and attempted season-highs by going 19-of-27 at the free-throw line against Oklahoma (Dec. 20). Leading the way were career days from Sam Schuett and Megan Neuvirth. Schuett was a perfect 8-for-8 at the stripe – both career highs. Neuvirth tied her career-best by making eight of her career-high 13 attempts at the line.
Jensen Ties School Record
Freshman Ally Jensen tied a school record by making a three-point field goal in each of her first seven career games. The guard equalled the school mark established by Laura Spanheimer in 2001-02, before going 0-for-2 from long range at Kansas (Dec. 13).
Getting Chevy in Gear
Senior Chevelle Herring played in her 100th career game at Kansas on Dec. 13. She was held scoreless for just the third time in her last 75 games and held without a field goal for the second straight game. In Creighton's four losses this year, Chevy has 20 points and 18 turnovers, while she is just 7-for-38 (.184) from the field and 0-for-8 from three-point range. In wins she is 22-for-71 (.310) from the floor and 12-for-32 (.375) from beyond the arc, averaging 8.4 points.
Hot Starts
Creighton got off to one of its best starts under eighth-year head coach Jim Flanery this year. CU's 5-1 start was its best start through six games since the 2000-01 team opened 5-1. At 5-2, the Jays matched the 2002-03 team, which went on to open the year 9-2. Of the previous seven teams to open the season with at least four wins in their first five games, six have gone on to win at least 20 games.
Neuvirth's Double-Double
Megan Neuvirth grabbed her 14th career double-double, first of the season, at Nebraska (Dec. 9), finishing one point shy of a career-high with 25 points and 12 rebounds. Her 11 field goals and 21 field goal attempts were both career-highs.
Record Setting Day From Long Range
Creighton tied and set school records and tied an MVC record in its 63-61 overtime win at UC Davis on Nov. 27. The Bluejays unloaded a school-record 41 three-point attempts (surpassing the former mark by four), which also tied the MVC record set by Illinois State against Air Force on Nov. 26, 2003. CU tied the school record by making 16 three-pointers, originally done against Oral Roberts on Dec. 16, 1989. The 16 treys tie for the fourth-most ever by an MVC team.
More Three Info
In Creighton's record-tying effort against UC Davis, the Bluejays made 10-of-20 three-point shots in the first half alone. But it was after halftime they truly relied on the three-ball, as the Jays did not make any “two-point” field goals in the second half, all of their 15 points came from behind the arc and their only non-three-point field goal after halftime was Kelsey Woodard's game-winning, left-handed layup at the buzzer in overtime. Woodard finished 6-for-12 from three-point range, while Sam Schuett made four, Ally Jensen added three, Chevelle Herring had two and Megan Neuvirth had one triple to contribute to tying the school record.
Not Done With 3FG Notes Just Yet
Creighton's 55 three-pointers through its first five games were the most ever in a five-game span in school history. In addition to the school-record tying 16 triples at UC Davis (Nov. 27), the Bluejays also set a school record for three-pointers in a two-game span, draining 28 over its first two games this year – 13 against Arkansas State (Nov. 13) and 15 against Davidson (Nov. 15).
November Reign
Creighton went 4-1 this November, securing just its fourth four-win November in school history. The 2007-08 team set a school record by playing seven games in November, posting a 4-3 mark in the month. The 1985-86 team went 4-1 in November and the 1984-85 squad posted a perfect 5-0 mark in the month. The Bluejays are now 16-19 in November under Jim Flanery – the only month on the calendar the Bluejays are under .500 with Flan at the helm.
Lets Be Frank
Senior forward Katie Frank earned her first career start at UC Davis on Nov. 27, after coming off the bench in her first 73 career games. She's been helpful this season, with 12 assists in 11 games, including a career-best three helpers in each of the first two contests this year, she has already eclipsed her single-season high of eight helpers, which she needed 31 games to reach last year. She had 13 career assists in 69 games, before having 11 helpers through eight games this year.
The State of Basketball in Nebraska
Creighton's starting lineup every game this year has featured all Nebraska natives – the first time in recorded school history the Bluejays have started five home state players. In fact, seven of CU's 10 players on this year's roster are from Nebraska – Bellevue natives Chevelle Herring (East) and Kelsey Woodard (West), Omaha products Jasmin Corbin (Millard West) Kellie Nelson (Westside) and Sam Schuett (Millard West), along with Katie Frank (South Sioux City) and Megan Neuvirth (West Point Central Catholic).
It's Raining Threes
Creighton made 28 three-pointers in its first two games of the season – setting a school record for three-pointers in a two-game span. The previous mark also came in the first two contests of a season, when the 2004-05 team drained 27 threes (14,13) in its first two games. The Jays have now made at least 10 three-pointers in a game 38 times under Jim Flanery (since 2002-03).
Oh Schuett
Junior Sam Schuett has returned to her rebounding form after missing all of last year while taking a medical redshirt because of an ankle injury. The Omaha native is averaging 11.3 points and leads the team with 7.5 rebounds per game. She has three games with at least 10 rebounds and owns a pair of double-doubles to lead the team this year.
Cleaning the Glass
Creighton owned a 53-36 rebounding edge over Arkansas State (Nov. 13) in its season-opener, including an impressive 36-16 advantage in the first half. CU's 53 boards were its most in a regulation contest since nabbing 53 rebounds against Louisiana-Monroe on Dec. 10, 2005.
The 20-20-20 Precedent
Creighton has won at least 20 games in each of its previous two seasons. Taking a look at CU history, every time the Jays have won 20 games in a season, it has come in groups of at least three – winning at least 20 in three straight years (1985-87), four straight years (1991-94), three straight years (2002-04) and now two straight (2008-09) – setting a standard for this year's team to live up to.
Welcome to a Home!
Creighton's season-opener marked its first regular-season home game on campus since March 7, 1992 – an 81-69 win over Wyoming in the Vinardi Athletic Center (Old Gym). The 1991-92 team played four of its 14 home games at the Old Gym.
About the New Facility
Creighton will play all of its home games at the Wayne and Eileen Ryan Athletic Center and D.J. Sokol Arena this year, a 75,600 square-foot facility which seats approximately 2,950 fans. In addition to the arena, the facility also includes a locker room, weight room and training room for the student-athletes and houses coaches' offices, meeting rooms, athletic staff offices, a media work room and much more. More information can be found on the facility in the first four pages of the 2009-10 Women's Basketball Media Guide.
Last Home Game of the 00's
Creighton's loss to No. 15 Oklahoma on Dec. 20 proved to be its final home game of the decade. The Jays enjoyed their most successful decade at home in school history, winning 101 of their 135 home games for a .748 winning percentage from 2000 to 2009.
Creighton Home Records by Decade
W L Pct.
1970s 30 12 .714
1980s 91 37 .711
1990s 93 35 .727
2000s 101 34 .748
Decade Breakdown
Creighton's 185 wins last decade were the most of any decade in school history, topping the 1990s 177 wins. The Jays posted a .595 winning percentage in the 00s compared to a .621 winning percentage in the 90s. See the chart below:
Bluejays by Decade
W L Pct.
2000s 185 125 .597
1990s 177 108 .621
1980s 151 132 .534
1970s 60 52 .536
Decade of Success
In the recently concluded decade, the Bluejays won 59.7 percent of their games, going 185-125. The only MVC team to win more last decade was Drake, with 191 wins and a 61.9 winning percentage.
Preseason Picks
The Bluejays have been picked as the preseason favorites in the MVC preseason poll as voted on by league coaches, media and sports information directors. CU received 34 of a possible 40 first-place votes and 393 of 400 points in the poll. This marks just the third time in 18 seasons as MVC members that the Jays are preseason favorites. CU was picked to win the title in 2002-03 and would go on to share the regular-season crown that year. The 1994-95 team was also picked first, but would finish fourth.
They're Back
The Bluejays return seven letterwinners and four starters, while losing just one major contributor from last season's team. Senior Chevelle Herring, senior Megan Neuvirth and junior Kelsey Woodard started all 34 games for the Bluejays last year, while senior Kelsey Crites (11) and sophomore DaNae Moore (18) split starting duties at guard, with Crites closing the year in the starting line up. Kristina Voss started 31 of the 34 games and is the only major loss from last year's team.
Schuett Returns From Medical Redshirt
The Jays also return starting forward Sam Schuett who missed all of last season after suffering an ankle injury in practice on Oct. 31. The redshirt junior led the Jays and ranked fourth in the MVC in rebounding with 6.8 boards per game as a sophomore in 2007-08. Schuett, a member of the MVC All-Freshman team in 2006-07 averages 8.1 points and 6.4 rebounds per game in her career.
Playing the Percentages
The Bluejays return 83.9 percent of their scoring from last year, including three of the MVC's top-nine scorers from 2008-09. They return 84.0 percent of their rebounding from last year – and will also welcome 2007-08 leading rebounder Sam Schuett back to the line up after a medical redshirt season. They also bring back 88.2 percent of their assists from last year.
Welcome to Creighton
The Bluejays welcome two freshmen to the team this season. Jasmin Corbin is a Omaha Millard West product, where the 5-foot-6 guard played for one season alongside redshirt junior Sam Schuett. Corbin had 10 points, making 3-of-6 three-pointers in CU's exhibition. Ally Jensen, from Ames, Iowa, attended Ballard High School, where the 5-foot-7 guard owns school records for career three-pointers (220) and steals (261).
Exhibition Summary
Creighton played just one exhibition game for the third time in the last four years, but also played a closed door scrimmage at Iowa on Nov. 1. The Bluejays defeated Nebraska-Omaha, 80-57, on Nov. 5 at D.J. Sokol Arena. Kelsey Woodard's 17 points led five Bluejays in double figures, as all 10 CU players played at least 12 minutes in the game. Megan Neuvirth led the team with seven rebounds and six steals, while Kelsey Crites came off the bench to lead the Jays with five assists.
