Men's Basketball Takes on Iowa State on Sunday
11/19/2010 10:55:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Game #4 vs. Iowa State • Sunday, Nov. 21, 2010 • 2:05 p.m.
Creighton Bluejays vs. Iowa State Cyclones
Wells Fargo Arena (16,110) • Des Moines, Iowa
Radio: KXSP 590 AM, www.bigsports590.com
Television: None
Series History: Series tied, 15-15
Last Meeting: Iowa State won 70-52 on Jan. 18, 1995 in Omaha, Neb.
Next Game
Creighton (3-0) returns to action in the Global Sports Hy-Vee Challenge with a match-up with Iowa State (3-0).
Sunday's tip-off at Wells Fargo Arena (16,110) in Des Moines, Iowa, is set for 2:05 p.m.
Radio Broadcast Information
KXSP (“Big Sports 590” AM) will broadcast all Creighton men's basketball games during the 2010-11 season. T. Scott Marr and former Bluejay Nick Bahe will call the action. The audio is also webcast live at www.bigsports590.com.
Television Broadcast Information
Sunday's game will not be televised.
Video Webcast Information
Sunday's game will not be video webcast.
Live Stats Information
All of Creighton's games this season will have free live stats. Visit www.gocreighton.com and click on the Live Stats tab on the left-hand side of the page for links the exact link.
Home games can also be followed by those who have mobile devices with internet capability at www.gocreightonstats.com.
Scouting Creighton
Creighton is off to a 3-0 start after picking up home wins over Alabama State, Northern Arizona and Louisiana to start the season.
The Bluejays have outrebounded all three foes by an average of 5.4 caroms per contest and outscored opponents 69-13 at the line through three games.
Junior guard Antoine Young (15.0 ppg., 5.0 rpg., 3.3 apg.), freshman forward Doug McDermott (12.7 ppg., 5.0 rpg.) and senior center Kenny Lawson Jr. (12.0 ppg., 7.7 rpg.) have each scored in double-figures in all three wins.
Off the bench, Wayne Runnels (7.3 ppg., 7.7 rpg.), Darryl Ashford (7.0 ppg., 3.0 rpg.) and Jahenns Manigat (6.0 ppg.) have provided a lift.
Creighton was picked fourth in the MVC after returning four starters and 10 lettermen from last year's team that finished 18-16 and advanced to the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament semifinals.
Scouting Iowa State
Iowa State is 3-0 on the year, having posted home wins over Northern Arizona (78-64), Alabama State (74-47) and Drake (91-43) thus far. The Cyclones have led by 15 or more points at halftime of all three games, outscoring foes 121-63 in the first half.
All five starters are averaging in double-figures, a quintet led by Scott Christopherson's 16.3 points per game. Christopherson scored a career-high 29 points on Wednesday vs. Drake, tying a school-record by going 11-for-11 from the floor.
Also in double-digits are Diante Garrett (15.3 ppg., 7.3 apg.), Melvin Ejim (13.0 ppg., 5.0 rpg.), Jamie Vanderbeken (13.0 ppg., 2.7 bpg.) and Jake Anderson (10.7 ppg., 8.3 rpg.).
The Cyclone defense is holding the opposition to 30.6 percent shooting from the floor, including 17.5 percent from three-point range. ISU also outrebounds foes by 6.7 caroms per contest and owns a sparkling 56/39 assist/turnover ratio.
The Coaches
Greg McDermott (Northern Iowa, 1988) is in his first season as head coach at Creighton, but is no stranger to coaching in the state of Nebraska or in the Missouri Valley Conference. McDermott was hired in April after spending the previous four seasons as head coach at Iowa State (2006-10). He has also been a head coach at Northern Iowa (2001-06), North Dakota State (2000-01) and Wayne State (1994-2000).
McDermott owns a head coaching record of 283-195 in 17 seasons, a 152-131 mark in 10 Division I campaigns and 3-0 mark at Creighton.
He is assisted by Darian DeVries, Steve Lutz and Steve Merfeld.
Fred Hoiberg (Iowa State, 1995) is off to a 3-0 start to his coaching career. The former Cyclone All-American enjoyed a long NBA playing career before moving into the front office with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He is assisted by T.J. Otzelberger, Bobby Lutz and Elwyn McRoy.
The Series With Iowa State
Creighton and Iowa State have split the first 30 meetings, 15-15, but the Cyclones have won the past five encounters.
Creighton won the only previous neutral-site match-up, a 1941 district qualifier played in Kansas City that advanced Creighton to its first NCAA Tournament.
Greg McDermott is 1-4 in his career against Iowa State, with all those match-ups coming when he coached at Northern Iowa from 2001-06. McDermott has never coached against Fred Hoiberg.
McDermott is 13-16 in his Division I career in neutral site games, which includes an 0-4 mark against Big 12 competition and an 8-7 mark in regular-season.
Since moving to the Division I ranks, McDermott is 4-5 in games played in Des Moines, including an 0-2 mark at Wells Fargo Arena.
Last Game Recap
Creighton held Louisiana to 33.8 percent shooting and picked up a 63-58 win on Wednesday night to improve to 3-0. The Jays closed the first half on a 9-2 run, then started the second half with the first five points, and would not trail again.
Kenny Lawson Jr. led Creighton with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Also in double-figures for CU were Antoine Young (13 points) and Doug McDermott (12 points).
UL was paced by 25 points from Randell Daigle, including seven three-pointers.
Clone War
Sunday will see new Creighton head coach Greg McDermott square off against the Iowa State program he coached the past four seasons.
In the over 100-year history of the Iowa State men's basketball program, no Iowa State team has ever faced a team with a former head coach as its head coach, as it will on Sunday.
That's not the only coaching connection between Iowa State and Creighton.
Creighton Director of Basketball Operations Erik Crawford and Video Coordinator Nathan Wieseler were both on McDermott's staff at Iowa State.
Bluejay assistant coach Steve Merfeld led 15th-seeded Hampton to a memorable upset of second-seeded Iowa State in the 2001 NCAA Tournament. At the time, the Pirates were just the fourth 15th-seed to ever win an NCAA Tournament game. The celebration of Merfeld racing across the court and being hoisted by Hampton forward David Johnson remains an iconic image of the NCAA Tournament that is replayed annually in highlight montages to this day.
Army of Iowans
Every Creighton team since 1988-89 has had at least one Iowa native, and this season is no exception.
Creighton has six 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 seniors Casey Harriman (Ida Grove) and Kaleb Korver (Pella) as well as redshirting sophomore Grant Gibbs (Marion) and freshmen Doug McDermott (Ames), Kody Ingle (Altoona) and Will Artino (Waukee).
Other past notable Iowans include Kyle Korver and Pierce Hibma (Pella), Ryan Sears (Ankeny), Brody Deren (Harlan), Tyler McKinney (Urbandale), Nate Funk (Sioux City) and Michael Lindeman (Iowa Falls).
Creighton has played at least one Iowa native in 514 straight games. That streak dates to a Feb. 5, 1994 win against Wichita State.
Big 10, Big 12, Big Time
Creighton will play two teams from the Big 12 Conference (Iowa State, Nebraska) and another from the Big Ten Conference (Northwestern) in 2010-11, all away from home.
The last time the Jays played three Big Ten/Big 12 teams in pre-conference action was 2004-05. In that season, Creighton beat Missouri and Ohio State on a neutral floor and also won in Lincoln, Neb., against Nebraska.
Since 1997-98, Creighton is 14-4 against the Big 12 and 3-1 against Big Ten teams in regular-season play, including a combined 10 straight home wins against those two leagues.
Put It In Neutral
For RPI purposes, Sunday's game will count as a neutral site game.
That's a good thing if you consider that since the start of the 2009-10 season, the Big 12 Conference is a staggering 132-1 in regular-season non-conference home games.
Creighton, which went 15-2 at home last season, was 3-10 in road matches and 0-4 in neutral-site games.
Since the start of the 2002-03 season, Creighton is 18-1 in non-NCAA Tournament neutral site games of odd numbered seasons such as 2010-11.
Jays Sweep Weekly Awards
Creighton swept the weekly awards handed out by the Missouri Valley Conference on Monday, as Antoine Young was named MVC Player of the Week and Doug McDermott named MVC Newcomer of the Week.
Young averaged 16.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game in wins over Alabama State and Northern Arizona. He opened the year with 21 points against ASU while also grabbing a career-high seven rebounds. He scored the first four points and assisted a three-pointer in the 11-0 second half run that gave Creighton the lead for good. On Sunday, he had 11 points, four rebounds, three steals and three assists in a win over NAU.
McDermott averaged 13.0 points and 4.5 rebounds in his first weekend of play. He began his career with 16 points and seven rebounds against Alabama State, becoming the first freshman to start the opener since 1997-98. He then had 10 points in Creighton's 74-70 win over Northern Arizona.
Looking To Go 4-0
With a win on Sunday, Creighton will start 4-0 for the first time since the 2007-08 season. Each of Creighton's last seven teams to start 4-0 have reached the postseason.
No Blues On The First Trip
Sunday will mark Creighton's first foray away from the friendly confines of Qwest Center Omaha.
In the previous 12 years, Creighton is 8-4 in its first non-home game of the season, which includes a 3-0 mark when that game takes place on a neutral floor.
First Time Since 1921
It might seem hard to believe given the lineage of Creighton coaches (such as Eddie Sutton, Tony Barone, Dana Altman, Red McManus, Tom Apke, etc...) through the years, but Wednesday night's win over Louisiana made Greg McDermott the first Creighton coach to start 3-0 on the Bluejay sidelines since 1921.
The only other men to start their Creighton careers 3-0 were the school's first three coaches. Thomas E. Mills started 6-0 in 1916-19, Eddie Mulholland started 5-0 in 1920-21, and after Mulholland abruptly resigned mid-season, Charles Kearney took over and was 3-0 before taking his first loss.
Global Sports Hy-Vee Classic
The Global Sports Hy-Vee Classic includes 10 games and is a five-team, round-robin event. Below is a summary so far:
Global Sports Hy-Vee Challenge Team Standings
Creighton 2-0
Iowa State 2-0
Kennesaw State 0-0
Northern Arizona 1-2
Alabama State 0-3
Global Sports Hy-Vee Challenge Game Results
Creighton 71, Alabama State 57 (11/12)
Iowa State 78, Northern Arizona 64 (11/12)
Creighton 74, Northern Arizona 70 (11/14)
Iowa State 74, Alabama State 47 (11/14)
Northern Arizona 74, Alabama State 46 (11/16)
Kennesaw State at Alabama State, 11/20
Creighton vs. Iowa State, 11/21
Northern Arizona at Kennesaw State, 11/22
Kennesaw State at Iowa State, 11/24
Kennesaw State at Creighton, 11/26
Doubling Up
Wayne Runnels had Creighton's first double-double of the season with his 17 point, 10 rebound performance on Sunday vs. Northern Arizona. It was the senior's first double-double of his Creighton career.
On Wednesday, senior Kenny Lawson Jr. had a double-dip with 15 points and 11 rebounds. It was the eighth double-double of Lawson's career.
'Tis The Season For Charity
Creighton has attacked the lane and the boards while racking up gaudy free throw numbers through three games.
The Bluejays have shot 69-of-85 (81.2 percent) at the line through two games, while its opponents are a combined 13-of-26 (50.0 percent) from the charity stripe. In the final three minutes of games, the Jays are 11-for-14 while opponents are just 3-for-7 at the line.
All eight Creighton players with at least one attempt from the line are shooting 66.7 percent or better, quite an improvement from last year's team that shot 72.0 percent overall.
Just Win, Baby
Doug McDermott has helped Creighton to a 3-0 start this year, but coming out ahead on the scoreboard at game's end is nothing new for the freshman forward. McDermott's team has won each of the last 56 games he's played in during the last three seasons.
His Ames High School team, which also included North Carolina freshman phenom Harrison Barnes, posted undefeated campaigns in both 2008-09 (26-0) and 2009-10 (27-0) to become Iowa's first 4A team to repeat as undefeated state champions.
Rare Freshman Start
With his start on Nov. 12, Doug McDermott became the first Creighton freshman to start the season-opener since Ryan Sears in 1997-98. Sears would go on to earn MVC Freshman of the Year honors, started all 124 games of his Bluejay career and remains the MVC's all-time leader with 283 steals. Sears also dished a Creighton-record 570 career assists.
An Impressive Start
Freshman forward Doug McDermott led all players with 18 points in his Nov. 4 exhibition debut, making 6-of-9 shots from the field and grabbing a team-high seven rebounds. His 18 points were the most by a Bluejay in their exhibition debut since Rodney Buford scored 24 points on Nov. 14, 1995 vs. Poznan (Poland).
McDermott was equally impressive on Nov. 12 vs. Alabama State, finishing with 16 points and seven rebounds on 7-of-13 shooting. McDermott's 16 points and seven rebounds made him the first Bluejay freshman since at least 1973 to have 15 or more points and five or more rebounds in the season-opener.
Below is a list of the most points after three games by a Bluejay newcomer since 1994-95.
Most Points, Newcomer's First 3 Games Since 1994-95
Pts. Name, Class Year
41 P'Allen Stinnett, Fr. 2007-08
41 Brody Deren, So. 2001-02
39 Edward St. Fleur, Jr. 1995-96
38 Darryl Ashford, Jr. 2009-10
38 Doug McDermott, Fr. 2010-11
34 Johnny Mathies, So. 2003-04
33 Tad Ackerman, Jr. 1994-95
30 Ryan Sears, Fr. 1997-98
30 Ethan Wragge, Fr. 2009-10
Doubling Up From The Start
Doug McDermott (16) and Jahenns Manigat (12) both scored 10 or more points in the season-opener. Last year Bluejay newcomers Darryl Ashford and Ethan Wragge both scored 10 or more points in each of their first two games at Creighton.
McDermott has scored 10 or more points in all three games this season. The last previous Creighton player to start a career with 10 or more points in each of Creighton's first three games was junior college transfer Tad Ackerman in 1994-95, who scored in double-figures the first six games he played at Creighton.
McDermott is the first freshman to score 10 or more points in Creighton's first three games since Chad Gallagher had five in a row to start the 1987-88 campaign. Gallagher finished his career ranked third in school history in points and fifth in rebounding and was the 1991 MVC Player of the Year.
Below is a list of Creighton's longest double-figure scoring streaks to start a season since 1979-80.
Consecutive Double-Figure Scoring Games
To Start Year, Since 1979-80
Consec. Name, Class Year
all 32 Vernon Moore, Sr. 1984-85
28 Benoit Benjamin, Jr. 1984-85
27 Bob Harstad, Sr. 1990-91
16 Rod Mason, Sr. 1987-88
13 Rodney Buford, Sr. 1998-99
12 Gary Swain, Sr. 1986-87
10 Chad Gallagher, Sr. 1990-91
9 Rodney Buford, So. 1996-97
8 Benoit Benjamin, Fr. 1982-83
8 Gregory Brandon, Sr. 1983-84
7 Jim Honz, Jr. 1979-80
6 Chad Gallagher, So. 1988-89
6 Randall Crutcher, So. 1994-95
6 Tad Ackerman, Jr. 1994-95
5 Bob Harstad, Jr. 1989-90
5 Chad Gallagher, Fr. 1987-88
5 Matt Petty, Sr. 1992-93
4 Jerry Vanderheydt, Sr. 1993-94
4 Randall Crutcher, Sr. 1996-97
4 Kyle Korver, Jr. 2001-02
4 Kyle Korver, Sr. 2002-03
4 Nate Funk, Jr. 2004-05
4 Nate Funk, Sr. 2005-06
Triple Threats
The trio of Antoine Young, Kenny Lawson Jr. and Doug McDermott have each scored in double-figures in each of Creighton's first three games this winter.
The last Bluejay trio to do that to start a season was in 1990-91, when Bob Harstad, Chad Gallagher and Duan Cole did it in the first three games.
A First For Everything
Creighton has never before played on November 21st. It is the only day on the calendar between November 12th and December 23rd that Jays have never played on.
Sticking With A Line-Up
Though Creighton made 24 substitutions on Wednesday against Louisiana, only 10 different 5-man combinations were used. Nine of those 10 combos played at least two minutes together, and two different pairings played more than eight minutes in a group.
Creighton's 24 substitutions were its fewest in any game since making 21 line-up changes vs. Northern Iowa on Feb. 13, 2007. Last year the fewest number of line-up combos in a game was 13 in a season-ending loss at Missouri State.
Last year Creighton averaged 46.7 subs per game, compared to 31.3 per game this season.
Dynamic Duo
As head coach Greg McDermott pointed out in last Sunday's post-game press conference, good things seem to happen when Wayne Runnels is paired with Doug McDermott on the court.
In Creighton's first three games those two men have played alongside each other for 43:00 of game time. In that span, Creighton has outscored the opposition by 19 points.
In the 77:00 when the two men are not both on the court at the same time, Creighton has outscored foes by just four points.
Active Leader
Kenny Lawson Jr. leads all active Missouri Valley Conference players with 570 rebounds, 137 blocked shots and 91 games started.
He also ranks third on that list with 989 career points, putting him in position to become the 34th member of Creighton's 1,000 point club. The only active MVC players with more points than Lawson are Bradley teammates Sam Maniscalco (1,180) and Andrew Warren (1,061).
Below is a list of Creighton all-time scoring leaders, as well as how long it took the last nine 1,000 point scorers to reach that milestone. Sunday's game will be the 108th at Creighton for Lawson.
Most Points, Creighton History
Rk. Pts. Name Years
1. 2,116 Rodney Buford 1995-99
2. 2,110 Bob Harstad 1987-91
3. 1,983 Chad Gallagher 1987-91
4. 1,876 Bob Portman 1966-69
5. 1,801 Kyle Korver 1999-03
6. 1,754 Nate Funk 2002-07
7. 1,682 Rick Apke 1974-78
8. 1,661 Paul Silas 1961-64
9. 1,654 Vernon Moore 1981-85
10. 1,575 Benoit Benjamin 1982-85
11. 1,526 John C. Johnson 1975-79
12. 1,500 Kevin McKenna 1977-81
13. 1,437 Eddie Cole 1951-55
14. 1,369 Gene Harmon 1971-74
15. 1,361 Duan Cole 1987-92
16. 1,309 Ryan Sears 1997-01
17. 1,303 Elton Tuttle 1951-54
18. 1,272 Bob Gibson 1954-57
19. 1,267 Wally Anderzunas 1965-67, 1968-69
20. 1,254 Gary Swain 1983-87
21. 1,238 Ben Walker 1997-01
22. 1,196 Ray Yost 1951-54
23. 1,172 Dick Harvey 1956-59
24. 1,152 Dane Watts 2004-08
25. 1,116 Kenny Evans 1982-87
26. 1,115 Doug Brookins 1972-75
1,115 Daryl Stovall 1978-82
28. 1,093 Tim Powers 1964-67
29. 1,050 Reggie Morris 1982-86
30. 1,031 Johnny Mathies 2003-06
31. 1,024 P'Allen Stinnett 2007-10
32. 1,023 Rod Mason 1986-88
33. 1,004 Anthony Tolliver 2003-07
34. 994 Chuck Officer 1960-62, 1963-64
35. 989 Kenny Lawson Jr. 2006-Pr.
Games To 1,000 Points, Last Nine Bluejays
Name Games to 1,000 pts. Date
P'Allen Stinnett 86 01/16/10
Dane Watts 115 01/22/08
Anthony Tolliver 124 03/16/07
Johnny Mathies 91 03/03/06
Nate Funk 92 02/28/05
Kyle Korver 81 01/30/02
Ben Walker 105 01/06/01
Ryan Sears 97 12/01/00
Rodney Buford 59 03/01/97
Third Time's A Charm
Creighton has won each of its first three home games in 15 of the past 16 years, including this season.
Wednesday's win over Louisiana was the 17th straight season that the Jays won their third home game of the year.
Don't Call It A Comeback
Sophomore Ethan Wragge has missed Creighton's first three games due to injury. As he gets closer to returning, it's worth mentioning how a different injury last season to a Bluejay forward turned out.
Last season Justin Carter was hurt and missed Creighton's first three games with a knee injury. He returned in the team's fourth game, a neutral site game at that, and would produce a career-high 21 points in an overtime game vs. No. 15 Michigan.
Carter finished the season second on the Bluejay team in scoring (9.7), rebounding (6.5) and steals (0.7) per game.
Red Hot Wragge
Ethan Wragge has made a three-point basket in each of the last 21 games he's played, though he's yet to see any action this winter.
Wragge's streak is the longest active stretch in the MVC, fifth-longest in Creighton history, and just 10 behind the school record set by Booker Woodfox in 2008-09.
It's worth noting that Kyle Korver's second-place streak of 28 games with a trey was snapped when he did not attempt a field goal in 24 minutes of play during an 83-56 win over UNI on Feb. 9, 2002. Korver then drained a triple in 27 more games in a row, a stretch from Feb. 13, 2002 to Jan. 20, 2003.
Consecutive Games With a 3-Pointer, CU History
Streak Name Dates
31 Booker Woodfox 11/25/08 to 3/23/09
28 Kyle Korver 2/4/01 to 2/6/02
27 Kyle Korver 2/13/02 to 1/20/03
25 Rodney Buford 1/25/97 to 1/10/98
21 Ethan Wragge 1/3/10 to Present
20 Johnny Mathies 12/22/04 to 2/28/05
Lawson Moves Up The Charts
With 11 points vs. Alabama State, Kenny Lawson Jr. became the seventh player to score 500 or more points at Qwest Center Omaha. Lawson, who now stands at 527, ranks fifth in Qwest Center Omaha scoring history. Nate Funk holds the facility record with 735 career points.
Lawson (298 rebounds) also ranks in second place on the Qwest Center Omaha rebound list, trailing only Dane Watts (351).
Lawson had two blocks on Wednesday vs. Louisiana, giving him 72 in his career at Qwest Center Omaha. That's a facility record, one more than the former mark held by Anthony Tolliver. The top shot blockers in Bluejay history (at all sites) are listed below:
Most Blocked Shots, Creighton History
Blk. Name Years
411 Benoit Benjamin 1982-85
183 Chad Gallagher 1987-91
138 Brody Deren 2001-04
137 Kenny Lawson Jr. 2006-Pres.
136 Anthony Tolliver 2003-07
November Reign
Creighton has won 34 straight regular-season November home games. CU's last home loss in November came in 1989, when it fell to Coppin State on Nov. 27.
Overall, Creighton is 42-9 in regular-season November games since the start of the 1998-99 campaign.
The Four-Point Play
Few plays in basketball are as rare as the four-point play, which happen only when a player is fouled while making a three-point shot and then hits the ensuing free throw.
Last Sunday against Northern Arizona, senior Kaleb Korver did it midway through the first half. He became the first Bluejay to do record a four-point play since P'Allen Stinnett did it at Dayton on Nov. 14, 2009.
Before Stinnett's magic, Creighton had not had a player convert a four-point play in a regular-season game since Johnny Mathies vs. Evansville on Jan. 22, 2006.
According to Harvey Pollack's NBA Statistical Yearbook, Kaleb's older brother, Kyle Korver, has just three four-point plays to his credit in his eight-year NBA career.
Qwest To Be The Best, 100 Times Over
Creighton has played 118 regular and postseason contests at Qwest Center Omaha all-time in its eight seasons at the facility.
The Bluejays own a 100-18 (.847) record all-time at the facility, including a perfect 23-0 figure on Wednesday's, a 6-0 mark on Thursday's and a 2-0 mark on Friday's.
Creighton has outscored its opponents 8,702-7,368 in games at Qwest Center Omaha, an average margin of 11.3 points per game. The 18 losses have been by a combined 99 points (5.5 ppg.). Creighton has led wire-to-wire 25 different times.
Creighton's win on Nov. 17 vs. Louisiana was its 100th all-time at the facility, coming in just 118 games. By comparison, Creighton needed 138 games to reach 100 wins at the Omaha Civic Auditorium.
Big Shoes To Fill
Creighton's Greg McDermott replaced the school's all-time wins leader, Dana Altman, who was named head coach at Oregon in April. The winningest coach in school history, Altman was 327-176 in 16 years at Creighton, leading the program to seven NCAA Tournaments and 13 straight postseason bids.
Altman's win total ranks third in Missouri Valley Conference history and he was named coach of the Missouri Valley Conference's All-Centennial Team in 2007.
Quick Starts Key To Playing in Postseason
Creighton has started off 3-0 (or better) in 11 of the past 13 seasons, including this season. Each of Creighton's last 11 3-0 starts have been culminated in a postseason tournament appearance at the end of the year.
In Tournament Play?
Creighton is looking to win its fourth-ever tournament title in a regular-season event. The Jays claimed titles in the Guardians Classic in both 2002 and 2004 and the Las Vegas Classic crown in 2008.
Creighton has also won 10 MVC Tournament titles.
Father/Son Duo
Doug McDermott is the only player in Creighton men's basketball history to play for his father, head coach Greg McDermott. The previous closest relationship between a player/coach had been when Rick Apke (1974-78) played for his older brother, head coach Tom Apke (1974-81).
Return Of The Mac
Greg McDermott is the 10th MVC head coach to coach at two different league schools and first since Ken Hayes got hired away from Tulsa to go to New Mexico State in 1975.
He is the first to go to a different league and coach there, then come back to the MVC.
McDermott went 90-63 in five years at Northern Iowa from 2001-06, advancing to the NCAA Tournament each of his final three seasons.
Lawson Up For Senior CLASS Award
Senior center Kenny Lawson Jr. is one of 30 candidates nationwide for the Senior CLASS Award. The award – presented annually to the NCAA Division I Student-Athlete of the Year in 10 sports – focuses on the “Four C's” of classroom, character, community and competition.
An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the award was launched during the 2001-02 season to honor the attributes of college basketball seniors who remain committed to their university and pursue the many rewards that a senior season and complete college education brings.
Lawson is the one of two MVC men's athletes named this year (joining Bradley guard Dodie Dunson), but the fourth Creighton candidate since 2003. Kyle Korver was a finalist for the award in 2003, while Anthony Tolliver was a finalist in 2007. Both were also named Senior CLASS All-Americans. In addition, Dane Watts was a candidate in 2008 but did not advance to the final stage.
Creighton, which also has Sam Schuett as a candidate for the women's award, is one of just five schools nationally (Creighton, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Lehigh and Duke) with a candidate on both the men's and women's side.
The 2011 men's candidate class includes three CoSIDA Academic All-Americans from a year ago, nine student-athletes on the preseason watch list for the John R. Wooden Award, 16 players with grade point averages of 3.0 and above and eight from teams ranked in the Associated Press preseason top 25. It also includes 2010-11 Creighton opponents Dodie Dunson (Bradley), Jimmer Fredette (BYU) and Cameron Jones (Northern Arizona).
Preseason MVC Poll
Creighton has been picked fourth in the preseason poll of MVC coaches, SID's and media. Wichita State was a near-unanimous pick to win the league, garnering 33-of-39 first-place votes and 382 points overall.
Missouri State was second with 313 points and one first-place vote.
Northern Iowa (289, 1 first-place vote), Creighton (282) and Bradley (264, 2) rounded out the upper half of the league.
In sixth was Illinois State (165), where it was followed by Indiana State (136), Drake (120), Southern Illinois (120) and Evansville (73).
Creighton senior Kenny Lawson Jr. is one of five men on the preseason all-MVC team. He's joined on the team by UNI's Kwadzo Ahelegbe, Wichita State's Toure' Murry, Bradley's Sam Maniscalco and Missouri State's Kyle Weems.
Lawson was also named Preseason MVC Player of the Year. He is the third Bluejay to be honored since 2001, joining Kyle Korver (2002-03) and Nate Funk (2006-07).
Who Are These Guys?
Creighton returns four starters (Kenny Lawson Jr., Antoine Young, Darryl Ashford and Casey Harriman) from last year's team that finished 18-16.
Creighton's roster contains players who made 123 starts a year ago, the first time the Jays have returned 120 or more starts since the 2006-07 team that was also the program's most recent to reach the NCAA Tournament.
Returning Returning Starts Final
Year Starters From Previous Year W-L
2010-11 4 123 ? ? ?
2009-10 3 106 18-16
2008-09 3 83 27-8
2007-08 1 44 22-11
2006-07 4 120 22-11
2005-06 4 134 20-10
2004-05 2 58 23-11
2003-04 3 101 20-9
2002-03 5 159 29-5
2001-02 2 65 23-9
2000-01 3 90 24-8
1999-00 3 84 23-10
1998-99 3 84 22-9
1997-98 4 72 18-10
1996-97 4 126 15-15
1995-96 4 100 14-15
1994-95 2 52 7-19
1993-94 3 73 7-22
1992-93 2 64 8-18
1991-92 2 51 9-19
1990-91 4 132 24-8
1989-90 4 127 21-12
1988-89 4 123 20-11
1987-88 3 83 16-16
1986-87 2 65 9-19
1985-86 1 48 12-16
1984-85 4 124 20-12
1983-84 3 72 17-14
1982-83 3 77 8-19
1981-82 2 78 7-20
1980-81 4 112 21-9
Going For 20, Again
Creighton has won 20 or more games in 11 of the last 12 seasons, an unprecedented feat in Missouri Valley Conference history that puts the Jays among an exclusive group, nationally.
Just five schools nationally have had 20 or more wins each of the last 12 years: Duke, Florida, Gonzaga, Kansas and Syracuse.
Creighton is one of six schools with 20 or more wins in 11 of the past 12 years. That list consists of Creighton, Kent State, Kentucky, Texas, Utah State and Xavier.
That's better than traditional powers Arizona, Connecticut, Memphis and Michigan State (10 each), ahead of Pittsburgh and Wisconsin (9 each) and even better than Louisville (8).
Long-Distance Streak Alive
Creighton has made at least one three-pointer in a league-best 538 straight games since a 59-53 loss at Illinois State on Feb. 20, 1993. That's the longest active streak in the MVC.
Forward Ethan Wragge made at least one three-pointer in each of Creighton's final 21 games last season, the longest active streak in The Valley heading into 2010-11. He has not played yet in 2010-11.
Wragge's streak established the Creighton record by a freshman, breaking the mark of 12 previously set by Rodney Buford in 1996. Wragge's 68 three-pointers were a record for Bluejay freshmen, five more than the 63 that Creighton legends Kyle Korver (in 1999-2000) and Ryan Sears (in 1997-98) had in their rookie campaigns.
Wragge leads all active MVC players with his 43.3 percent accuracy from downtown (min. 50 attempts).
10 Conference Wins x 14
Last season's Creighton team extended its MVC record by winning 10 or more league games for a 14th consecutive season.
On a national basis, the only other current school with at least 14 straight years of 10 or more league wins is Kansas (16).
Postseason x 13
Creighton has made the postseason in 13 consecutive seasons, the longest streak of postseason bids in MVC history.
The only 10 schools to make the postseason in each of the last 13 years are Creighton, Duke, Florida, Gonzaga, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan State, Oklahoma State and Syracuse.
Full House
Creighton averaged 14,495 fans per game, which ranked 15th nationally, in 2009-10. Creighton averaged 15,883 in 15 games at Qwest Center Omaha before two CIT crowds below 5,000 at the Omaha Civic Auditorium dropped the average precipitously.
Creighton has now finished in the top-15 of the national attendance leaders in each of the last four seasons.
2009-10 Attendance Leaders (FINAL)
Rk. School Average
1. Kentucky 24,111
2. Syracuse 22,152
3. Louisville 19,397
4. Tennessee 19,168
5. North Carolina 17,786
6. Wisconsin 17,230
7. Maryland 16,792
8. Memphis 16,498
9. Kansas 16,433
10. Marquette 15,617
11. Indiana 15,296
12. Illinois 14,870
13. Michigan State 14,759
14. Texas 14,629
15. Creighton 14,495
16. Ohio State 14,181
Highest Season Home Attendance, MVC History
Home Att. School Year
302,676 Creighton 2008-09
276,000 Creighton 2007-08
246,419 Creighton 2009-10
236,313 Creighton 2005-06
222,728 Creighton 2006-07
192,258 Creighton 2003-04
191,440 Louisville 1974-75
Highest Average Attendance, MVC History
Avg. Att. School Year
15,930 Creighton 2008-09
15,909 Creighton 2006-07
15,333 Creighton 2007-08
14,495 Creighton 2009-10
13,901 Creighton 2005-06
13,674 Louisville 1974-75
Consistent Challengers
Nine of Creighton's last 13 teams have finished either first or second in The Valley's regular-season race. Two of the four that didn't won the MVC Tournament.
The Bluejays won the MVC in 2000-01 and tied for the title in 2001-02 and 2008-09. 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 13 Years
1st Place 2000-01
Tied for First 2001-02 (won MVC Tourn.), 2008-09
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; 2009-10
Learning From Past Losses
Creighton heads into the 2010-11 season looking to rebound from a quarterfinal round loss to Bradley in the 2010 MVC Tournament.
Each of Creighton's previous three quarterfinal round losses (1998, 2004, 2006) saw the Bluejays claim the Arch Madness crown the following spring.
Creighton's six conference tournament titles in the past 12 years trail only Gonzaga, Duke and Winthrop nationally.
Foreign Invasion
Creighton has a pair of foreigners on the roster for just the third time in school history with Canadian Jahenns Manigat and Venezuelan Gregory Echenique. Echenique is the nation's only returning Venezuelan who also played NCAA ball last season.
The last pair of simultaneous international teammates at Creighton was Brice Nengsu (Cameroon) and Manny Gakou (France) from 2005-07.
Creighton's other international players on record include Livan Pyfrom (1999-2001, Bahamas), Nerijus Karlikanovas (1998-2000, Lithuania) and Colin Lubsey (1992-93, Australia)
Team of the Decade?
Below is the records for each MVC school since the start of the 2000-01 season, ranked by overall winning percentage. Creighton leads the MVC overall with 228 wins in the decade, as well as 10 postseason appearances:
MVC Standings (2000-01 to end of 2009-10)
MVC only All Games
Team W L Pct. W L Pct.
Creighton 125 55 .694 228 98 .699
Southern Illinois 124 56 .689 217 108 .668
Northern Iowa 99 81 .550 186 130 .589
Wichita State 95 85 .528 181 137 .569
Missouri State 93 87 .517 181 138 .567
Bradley 87 93 .483 170 152 .528
Illinois State 86 94 .478 168 142 .542
Drake 76 104 .422 149 157 .487
Indiana State 59 121 .328 124 183 .404
Evansville 56 124 .311 110 184 .374
Postseason Appearances by MVC Teams
(Since 2000-01)
Team NCAA NIT CBI CIT Total
Creighton 5 4 0 1 10
Southern Illinois 6 1 0 0 7
Wichita State 1 4 1 0 6
Northern Iowa 5 0 0 0 5
Bradley 1 2 1 1 5
Missouri State 0 3 0 1 4
Illinois State 0 4 0 0 4
Indiana State 1 0 1 0 2
Drake 1 0 0 1 2
Evansville 0 0 0 1 1
Piling Up The Points, and Wins
Creighton has won 67 straight home games when scoring 68 points or more since Feb. 5, 2005.
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.
Last Season Recap
Creighton finished 18-16 on the season, winning a pair of games in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament before falling in the semifinals. Creighton's 10-8 league mark was good for fourth place, the Jays 13th straight year of a fourth-place finish or better.
Individually, Kenny Lawson Jr. was a second-team all-MVC pick and led the team in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots. Justin Carter ranked second on the team in both scoring and rebounding, while Antoine Young topped the team in assists and steals.
Academically Tops In The MVC Too
For the sixth time in the eight-year existence of the award, Creighton University has been recognized with the 2009-10 MVC All-Academic Award. Bluejay student-athletes posted a 3.33 cumulative grade-point average over the 2009-10 academic calendar. Creighton previously shared the award in 2003-04, and were the outright winners in 2004-05, 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09.
Creighton had four men's basketball players earn Dean's List (3.50 GPA or better) accolades last year; Matthew Dorwart, Kaleb Korver, Derek Sebastian and Taylor Stormberg.
NBA Jays
Kyle Korver and Anthony Tolliver give Creighton a pair of alums in the NBA for the third straight year.
Korver plays for the Chicago Bulls and is in his eighth year in the NBA, including previous stops in Philadelphia and Utah.
Tolliver plays for the Minnesota Timberwolves and is in his third year in the NBA, including previous stops with Cleveland, San Antonio, New Orleans, Portland and Golden State.
Creighton has now had an NBA player in 27 of the last 28 years, and 44 of 47 seasons since 1964-65.
Shuttle Service Provided Again
Chief Bus will provide complimentary shuttle service from the Creighton University 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.
The shuttle will start 75 minutes before tip-off and shuttles will continue to operate the route during the game. The three designated stops for pick-up around the CU campus are: 24th & California (nearside/southbound); 20th & Cass (nearside/eastbound) and at Billy Blues Alumni Grill (outside the Mike & Josie Harper Center in the turnaround which is on the east side of the building).
The shuttle will then go eastbound on Capitol Avenue and then go north up 10th Street for drop-off at the Qwest Center Omaha convention center 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 convention center entrance on 10th Street and loop the original route with the first of three stops at 24th & California Streets.
Ticket Information
Single-game tickets for the 2010-11 season went on sale on November 1st at 10 am.
Fans can purchase tickets in advance at Qwest Center Omaha Box Office, Ryan Athletic Center, all Ticketmaster locations (Baker's, Younkers), Ticketmaster online at http://www.ticketmaster.com or by calling Ticketmaster and charging by phone at (800) 745-3000. Only upper bowl seats will be available for any game and cost is $12 for adults and $8 for youth ages 3-18 (children two and under are free).
For more information, call the Creighton Ticket Office at (402) 280-JAYS.
