Men's Basketball Visits Wichita State on Wednesday
2/21/2011 2:32:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Game #30 • Creighton at Wichita State • Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2011 • 7:05 p.m.
Creighton Bluejays at Wichita State Shockers
Charles Koch Arena (10,506) • Wichita, Kan.
Radio: KXSP AM 590 - Omaha's ESPN Radio, www.am590espnradio.com
Television: Fox Sports Net
Series History: Creighton leads, 52-42
Last Time: Wichita State won 68-54 on Jan. 12, 2011 in Omaha, Neb.
Next Game
Creighton (17-12, 9-7 MVC) begins the last week of the regular-season with its final Missouri Valley Conference road game of the season. The Bluejays will take on Valley co-leader Wichita State (22-6, 13-3 MVC) in a Wednesday night game.
Tip-off at Charles Koch Arena (10,506) in Wichita, Kan., is set for 7:05 pm.
Radio Broadcast Information
KXSP (“AM 590 - Omaha's ESPN Radio”) will broadcast all Creighton men's basketball games during the 2010-11 season. T. Scott Marr and Nick Bahe will call the action.
The audio is also webcast live at www.AM590espnradio.com.
Bluejay Banter hosts Danny O'Byrne, Tim Krueger and Heath Gunderson will host a post-game call in show, also on KXSP, from DJ's Dugout on 114th & Dodge in West Omaha.
Television Broadcast Information
The Missouri Valley Conference will televise Wednesday's game on Fox Sports Midwest, Fox Sports Kansas City, KSMO-TV in Kansas City and Comcast SportsNet Chicago.
The game will also air on a tape-delay basis at 12:30 a.m. on Feb. 24 on Comcast SportsNet Chicago, but it will be cleared live on Comcast SportsNet Plus – an alternate cable channel service provided by Comcast SportsNet Chicago in its outer markets. Please check listings for the actual channel in each MVC market.
The telecast will not clear Fox Sports Indiana, due to contractual obligations to carry the Detroit Piston at Indiana Pacers game.
Niles Media Group – the Missouri Valley Conference's production company – will televise the game digitally in SD 16:9 format via satellite.
Scott Warmann and Rich Zvosec will call the action.
What: Creighton @ Wichita State (MBB)
When: Wednesday, Feb. 23 – 7 p.m. Central
Where: Charles Koch Arena – Wichita, Kansas
Clearances: Live at 7 p.m. Central on Feb. 23 on Fox Sports Midwest (3.1 million homes); Will not clear on Fox Sports Indiana (1.2 million homes) due to contractual obligations with Indiana Pacers; Live at 7 p.m. Central on Feb. 23 on Fox Sports Kansas City (1.6 million homes); Tape-delay at 12:30 a.m. Central on Feb. 23 on Comcast SportsNet Chicago (4.759 million homes); Live at 7 p.m. Central on Feb. 23 on KSMO-TV in Kansas City (974,000 homes); Live at 7 p.m. Central on Feb. 23 on Comcast SportsNet Plus (3.1 million homes); Live at 7 p.m. Central on Feb. 23 on DirecTV Channel 671, Dish Network Channel 418 and AT&T U-verse Channel 748.
Test Time: 6:30 p.m.
On Air: 7 p.m.
Tipoff: 7:07 p.m.
Satellite Coordinates: AMC 16, Transponder K23, Digital Slot A
Band: Digital KU
Format: SD 16:9
Video Compression: 4:2:2
Modulation: QPSK
Bandwidth: 18 Megahertz
Parameters: FEC 3/4
Symbol Rate: 13.235
Downlink Frequency: 12151 Megahertz Vertical
On-Air Talent: Scott Warmann, Rich Zvosec
Video Webcast Information
Wednesday'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.
Updates are also provided on the athletic department's Twitter page (@gocreighton).
Scouting Creighton
Creighton brings a 17-12 record into Wednesday's game, which includes a 9-7 Missouri Valley Conference record. The Jays are currently fifth in the MVC, just one game out of third place, and have clinched a top-six seed for next week's State Farm MVC Tournament.
Freshman Doug McDermott, son of new head coach Greg McDermott, leads Creighton in scoring (14.4 ppg.) and the MVC in rebounding (8.0 rpg.). He's been in double-figures in 24 of 29 games and has 16 straight games of six or more rebounds.
Second on the team in scoring is junior point guard Antoine Young. Young averages 13.7 points per game and leads the MVC in assists (134), assists per game (4.6), assist/turnover ratio (2.20) and minutes (1,048).
Giving the Jays a big tandem inside is sophomore Gregory Echenique (10.4 ppg., 5.7 rpg., 1.8 bpg.) and senior Kenny Lawson Jr. (9.0 ppg., 5.6 rpg.). Lawson was voted preseason MVC Player of the Year and has paced the league in blocked shots each of the past two seasons, while Echenique has scored in double-figures in four of the past five games.
Creighton owns an impressive 404/345 assist/turnover ratio and has made almost as many free throws (396) than the opposition has attempted (423).
Scouting Wichita State
A near-unanimous preseason favorite to win the Missouri Valley Conference, Wichita State is 22-6 on the season and tied for the Valley lead with Missouri State at 13-3 in conference play.
The Shockers are 8-0 in Valley road tilts, but are just 5-3 in conference home games thus far.
J.T. Durley averages 11.4 points for the year, leading a balanced team that features seven men who average more than 6.4 points per game.
Also in double-figures is Toure' Murry, who averages 10.0 points per game. He also tops the club with 99 assists and 32 steals.
One final player to keep an eye on is Ben Smith. Though he averages just 7.4 points per game overall, he shoots 44.3 percent from downtown overall and 53.3 percent in MVC play.
As a team, WSU averages a league-high 73.5 points per game while yielding just 61.8 per game. The Shockers also lead the MVC in scoring margin (+11.7), rebound margin (+9.0), field goal percentage (.473), field goal percentage defense (.409), rebounding offense (38.0), rebounding defense (29.0), offensive rebounds (11.7), defensive rebounds (26.3), defensive rebound percentage (.752), offensive rebound percentage (.365) and assists per game (15.3).
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 297-207 in 17 seasons, a 166-143 mark in 10 Division I years and a 17-12 mark in his first year at Creighton.
He is assisted by Darian DeVries, Steve Lutz and Steve Merfeld.
Wichita State is coached by Gregg Marshall (Randolph-Macon, 1985), who owns a 75-53 mark in his fourth year with the Shockers. That moves his career mark to 269-136 in 13 years, which includes a highly successful run at Winthrop. He is assisted by Chad Dollar, Chris Jans and Marty Gross.
Series History vs. Wichita State
Creighton leads the all-time series with Wichita State by a 52-42 margin, including wins in five of the past eight meetings. The Jays have also won 28-of-36 and 35-of-46 vs. the Shockers in recent seasons.
Creighton's 17-game winning streak in Omaha over the Shockers came to an end on Jan. 12th when WSU won, 68-54.
With a win on Wednesday, the Shockers can claim their first regular-season sweep of the Bluejays since 1987-88.
Greg McDermott is 7-5 all-time vs. Wichita State (0-1 at Creighton), including a 2-3 record in road games. He has won both of his two most recent trips to Charles Koch Arena.
McDermott is 0-1 against Gregg Marshall. Marshall is 3-5 against Creighton.
A complete series history against Wichita State can be found on page seven of this release.
Last Game Recap
Creighton lost at Akron in a non-conference game, 76-67, before 2,861 fans at James A. Rhodes Arena. Brett McKnight had a season-high 21 points while Nikola Cvetinovic added 19 points for the Zips, while Creighton was paced by 16 points and 16 rebounds from Doug McDermott.
Horseshoes & Hand Grenades
Creighton and Wichita State have played 26 games decided by 12 points or less during the 35 matchups since 1994-95. CU has gone 22-4 in those games.
Additionally, Creighton is 13-2 since 1994-95 in games vs. Wichita State decided by four points or less.
Keep The Shockers Under 70
Since 1994-95, Creighton owns a 27-8 mark against Wichita State. One common theme for the Bluejays in those contests has been tenacious defense.
Creighton has allowed the Shockers to score 70 or more points in just seven of those 35 games, of which WSU won five times. However, in the 28 matchups the Shockers scored under 70, they are 3-25 vs. the Bluejays.
Buzzer Beaters Galore
Seven of the last 12 Creighton/Wichita State games have been decided in the final seconds.
On Jan. 28, 2006 in Omaha, Creighton's Anthony Tolliver hit a 15-foot baseline jumper as time expired to give the Bluejays a 57-55 win.
In the rematch on Feb. 14, 2006 in Wichita, Matt Braeuer drained a three-pointer with 0.5 seconds left in overtime to give the Shockers a 62-61 triumph.
On Jan. 15, 2007 in Wichita, Nate Funk's game-tying trey in the final seconds was blocked by PJ Couisnard as WSU won 62-59.
On Jan. 12, 2008 in Wichita, Gal Mekel missed a three-pointer as time expired as Creighton won, 68-65.
In the Feb. 2, 2008 meeting in Omaha, Creighton overcame a 54-39 deficit in the final nine minutes to win a 65-63 contest. Dane Watts scored the go-ahead tip-in with 16.7 seconds left, then took a charge on WSU guard Gal Mekel with 11.1 seconds remaining.
The 2009 MVC Tournament might have been the most dramatic finish of them all. Wichita State overcame a 22-point second-half deficit to go ahead 62-61 on a Toure' Murry three-pointer with 7.1 seconds left. Creighton would miss a shot as the clock ran to 0.0, only to have 1.9 seconds put back on the clock after a review of courtside monitors. Bluejay star Booker Woodfox would then catch an inbounds pass and drain a shot as time expired, giving Creighton the one-point victory.
Last season on Jan. 16, 2010, Creighton held a four-point lead before WSU's Clevin Hannah buried a three-pointer with 13.1 seconds left. Clinging to a tenuous 57-56 lead, Creighton played keep away as an anticipated foul from the Shockers never came.
Comeback Kids
Creighton has overcome a double-digit deficit to beat Wichita State five times since 2003. That includes a 57-55 win over the Shockers on Jan. 28, 2006 in which WSU had led 25-6 before eventually falling on a buzzer-beater by CU's Anthony Tolliver.
Below is a list of those comebacks, listed by by size of the margin overcome:
Overcoming 10+ Point Deficits vs. WSU Since '03
Date Opponent Deficit Final Score
01/28/06 Wichita State 19 CU 57-55
02/02/08 Wichita State 15 CU 65-63
03/09/03 vs. Wichita State 13 CU 70-69
02/16/05 at Wichita State 10 CU 82-68
02/01/05 Wichita State 10 CU 73-69
Double-Double Doug
Doug McDermott had 16 points and 16 rebounds at Akron on Saturday, his Valley-best eighth double-double of the season, and fifth in his last 10 games. McDermott's eight double-doubles are the most in one season by a Creighton player since Nate King had nine double-doubles in 1993-94.
McDermott's 231 rebounds are also the most by a Bluejay since King's 1993-94 total of 242.
Currently leading the MVC with 8.0 rebounds per game, McDermott is seeking to join Valley Hall of Famer Bob Harstad (in 1988-89) as the only Creighton players to pace the MVC in rebounding.
Going For 20, Again
Creighton has won 20 or more games in 11 of the previous 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 previous 12 years: Duke, Florida, Gonzaga, Kansas and Syracuse.
Creighton is one of six schools with 20 or more wins in exactly 11 of the previous 12 years. That list consists of Creighton, Kent State, Kentucky, Texas, Utah State and Xavier.
Duke, Florida, Kansas, Syracuse, Texas, Xavier and Utah State have already reached 20 wins this season. Here's the progress of the other teams.
20-Win 2010-11 Next
School Seasons Record Game
Kentucky 11 19-7 2/23
Gonzaga 12 19-9 2/24
Kent State 11 17-9 2/21
Creighton 11 17-12 2/23
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, which extended its streak to 17 earlier this season.
History Lesson
Creighton has not been swept in the season series against Wichita State since 1987-88. When that happened, only CU seniors Darryl Ashford and Casey Harriman were alive.
Creighton is just 3-5 on the MVC road this season, but those five setbacks have been by a combined 19 points.
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).
The McDermott's are one of five father-son duos in college basketball this season. Other pairs include Ray McCallum Sr. and Ray McCallum Jr. (Detroit), Ernie Zeigler and Trey Zeigler (Central Michigan), Dave Boots and Jordan Boots (South Dakota), and Bruce Pearl and Steven Pearl (Tennessee).
Sites The Difference
Creighton is 5-6 in its last 11 games. That includes a perfect 5-0 mark at home, but an 0-6 road record in that same span. The five wins have been by a combined 68 points, while the six losses have been by a combined 28 points.
Wichita State is 601-213 all-time at Charles Koch Arena, but this is the fourth time in the last five years it has lost four or more times at home in the Valley's loudest arena.
Fox Sports Net A Hex?
Starting Wednesday, Creighton will play its next three (and possibly four) games on Fox Sports Net.
Creighton is 0-3 on Fox Sports Net this season, and has lost four straight on the network dating to last season's MVC Tournament.
Creighton hasn't had a winning record in games on Fox Sports Net since 2006-07.
Feb. 26 Checkerboard Information
Creighton's final home game vs. Northern Iowa on Feb. 26 will start at 1:05 pm and be televised by Fox Sports Net. It will mark the final regular-season home game for seniors Kenny Lawson Jr., Casey Harriman, Darryl Ashford, Wayne Runnels and Kaleb Korver.
As part of “Checkerboard” day, here's how you should dress.
LOWER BOWL - Even-numbered sections are blue. Odd-numbered sections are white.
UPPER BOWL - Even-numbered sections are white. Odd-numbered sections are blue.
CU STUDENT SECTION - Students need to wear blue shirts.
McDermott Chases History
Cleo Littleton of Wichita State holds the league's freshman scoring record, notching 555 points in his first year with WSU in 1951-52. Littleton remains the only player in MVC history to earn first-team all-league honors in four-straight years.
According to research by associate MVC commissioner Mike Kern, McDermott joined former Wichita State standouts Cleo Littleton and Cliff Levingston as the only freshmen in MVC history to have more than 400 points and 200 rebounds.
With three points on Wednesday at Wichita State, McDermott can claim Creighton's freshman scoring record, passing Rodney Buford (1995-96).
Since the start of the MVC Freshman of the Year award in 1985-86, all but one of the 10 freshmen to score more than 400 points have been named MVC Freshman of the Year.
Additionally, it's worth noting that every MVC player to score more than 435 points as a freshman would go on to earn multiple first-team all-MVC accolades in their career.
MVC -- Top Scoring Freshmen, 400+ Points
Name, School (Year) Pts. Reb.
Cleo Littleton, Wichita State (1951-52) 555 231
Mitchell Anderson, Bradley (1978-79) 545 144
John S. Williams, Indiana St. (1982-83) 520 158
Shea Seals, Tulsa (1993-94) 470 182
Tarise Bryson, Illinois State (1998-99) 465 126
Cliff Levingston, Wichita State (1979-80) 457 294
Antoine Carr, Wichita State (1979-80) 442 171
Kent Williams, Southern Illinois (1999-00) 440 85
Hersey Hawkins, Bradley (1984-85) 439 182
Colt Ryan, Evansville (2009-10) 435 131
Eddie Bird, Indiana State (1987-88) 429 130
Rodney Buford, Creighton (1995-96) 421 122
Doug McDermott, Creighton (2010-11) 419 231
P'Allen Stinnett, Creighton (2007-08) 416 111
Luke McDonald, Drake (2000-01) 412 78
David Moss, Indiana State (2002-03) 410 137
Benoit Benjamin, Creighton (1982-83) 400 259
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
Four Possibilities
With just two games left in the regular-season, Creighton can finish anywhere from tied for third to sixth in the MVC. That means Creighton will play in either the 4 vs. 5 game in the MVC Tournament (2:30 pm), or the 3 vs. 6 game (8:30 pm).
Creighton can finish tied for third in the MVC with two wins, and a Northern Iowa win over Indiana State on Tuesday in Cedar Falls.
Creighton would finish sixth if it loses both games this week, and Evansville wins at both Drake and vs. Illinois State.
All other situations would have Creighton finishing in either fourth or fifth place.
Sweet 16
Doug McDermott had 16 rebounds against Akron, the second time this season he's had 16 or more in a game (he also had 17 at Bradley).
That makes McDermott the first Bluejay since Bob Harstad in 1990-91 to have multiple games of 16 or more rebounds in the same season.
No Bluejay has had consecutive games of 16 or more rebounds since Benoit Benjamin in 1985.
Making the feat all the more impressive is that prior to this year Creighton had not had a player grab 16+ rebounds in any game since 1995.
Young's Passing Fancy
Antoine Young ranks eighth in the MVC in scoring with 13.7 points per game. His team, however, sometimes succeeds when he takes on a secondary scoring role. Creighton is 13-1 this season when Young takes 11 field goal attempts or less.
Young, who also leads the MVC with 4.6 assists per game, is seeking to become the first Valley player to lead the MVC in assists per game and finish in the top-10 in scoring since MVC Player of the Year Curt Smith from Drake in 1992-93.
Young owns 397 points and 134 assists so far this year. It's been 25 years since Creighton has had a player with 400 or more points and 130 or more assists, as Vernon Moore in 1985-85 (671 points, 159 assists) was the last to do so.
Young Follows His Elders
Junior point guard Antoine Young has 68 assists in his last 12 games, giving him 288 for his career. Here's a look at how he compares in his career to some of his predecessors:
Name Young Dotzler McKinney Sears
Games 97 117 110 124
Starts 62 96 97 124
Points 805 422 570 1311
PPG 8.3 3.6 5.2 10.6
Assists 288 388 430 570
APG 3.0 3.3 3.9 4.6
Turnovers 143 200 188 252
A/TO Ratio 2.01 1.94 2.29 2.03
Steals 65 196 119 283
SPG 0.67 1.68 1.08 2.29
Min./Game 24.7 23.0 26.5 33.7
Shooting Stars
Creighton shot a season-best 62.8 percent from the field in last Wednesday's win over Illinois State. Previously, Creighton's best mark of the year had been 58.7 percent in a Jan. 19 win over Bradley.
Creighton's 62.8 percent marksmanship was its best since shooting a school-record 66.7 percent vs. Evansville on Feb. 3, 2010.
The Feb. 16 performance was just the eighth time in 132 games at Qwest Center Omaha in which CU shot 60 percent or better.
Creighton also tied a season-high by shooting 55.6 percent from three-point range on Feb. 16. The Jays were also 10-of-18 beyond the arc in that same Jan. 19 win over Bradley.
Straight Shooter
Josh Jones had a career-best 15 points on Feb. 16 vs. Illinois State thanks to 6-for-6 shooting from the field. That was the most hoops by a Bluejay without a miss since Kenny Lawson Jr. went 7-for-7 on March 1, 2008 in a 111-110 double-overtime victory over Bradley.
Jones had owned 13 previous career games with six or more shot attempts, but had at least two misses in each of those contests.
The Wing's The Thing
Creighton has won three of its last five games, and the play of wings Jahenns Manigat and Josh Jones has been a key reason why.
In the last seven games, Manigat and Jones have averaged a combined 16.0 points per game on 35-of-65 shooting from the field (53.8 percent), 19-of-43 shooting from downtown (44.2 percent) and 23-of-30 at the line (76.7 percent) to go with a 34/16 assist/turnover ratio.
Either Manigat or Jones has scored in double-figures in five of the past seven games, a good sign since Creighton is 7-1 when either of them score in double-digits.
Creighton is also 7-1 when Manigat and Jones combine for 13 points or more and 6-0 when Manigat, Jones and fellow wing Darryl Ashford combine for 20 or more points.
Big Mac's Attack
Greg McDermott has led Creighton to a 17-12 mark so far this year, tied for the second-most wins by any first-year coach in school history.
Tom Apke went 20-7 in 1974-75, while Creighton's first coach ever, Thomas E. Mills, was 17-3 in 1916-17.
McDermott's 17 wins are more than the combined number of first-year wins by his two predecessors, Dana Altman (7 in 1994-95) and Rick Johnson (9 in 1991-92).
New Coaches Update
Greg McDermott is one of 53 head coaches at a new school this winter. His 17 wins are tied for seventh-most of that group, trailing only the head coaches from UTEP (20), Marshall (18), Clemson (18), Iona (18), Wright State (18) and Hofstra (18).
Among his MVC peers, the only other Valley coaches to win 17 or more games in their first year were Drake's Mark Phelps (17 in 2009-10) and UNI's Ben Jacobson (18 in 2006-07).
Below is a list of the new coaches with 15 or more wins so far this season, through Feb. 20.
School Coach W-L Next Game
UTEP Tim Floyd 20-6 2/21
Hofstra Mo Cassara 18-10 2/23
Marshall Tom Herrion 18-9 2/23
Clemson Brad Brownell 18-9 2/26
Iona Tim Cluess 18-10 2/25
Wright State Billy Donlon 18-12 2/25
Creighton Greg McDermott 17-12 2/23
St. John's Steve Lavin 17-9 2/23
UCF Donnie Jones 16-9 2/21
Boston College Steve Donahue 16-10 2/23
Colorado Tad Boyle 16-11 2/23
Northern Colorado B.J. Hill 15-10 2/21
Indiana State Greg Lansing 15-13 2/22
Boise State Leon Rice 15-11 2/24
Hawaii Gib Arnold 15-10 2/25
Free And Easy
For the season, Creighton is 9-0 when making more than 15 free throws, and has won 12 straight dating to last year when doing so.
Foreign Aid
Creighton has had just seven foreign players in its history, but two of them played a big role in Creighton's 69-50 win over Southern Illinois on Feb. 13.
Jahenns Manigat (Canada) had a career-high 14 points, while Gregory Echenique (Venezuela) had his first double-double as a Bluejay with 12 points and 14 rebounds.
It was the 75th game in Bluejay history in which two foreign players saw action in the same game, but first time that both would score in double-figures.
Other previous simultaneous foreign tandems include Livan Pyfrom (Bahamas) and Nerijus Karlikanovas (Lithuania) in 1999-2000, as well as Brice Nengsu (Cameroon) and Manny Gakou (France) from 2005-07.
The Big Fella Doubles Up
Gregory Echenique recorded his eighth career double-double at the college level on Feb. 13, but first as a Creighton Bluejay, when he had 12 points and 14 rebounds vs. Southern Illinois.
Echenique had seven rebounds in the first 5:40 of the game, at which point he was outrebounding everyone else in the game 7-5.
Echenique had 10 rebounds by intermission, at which point SIU had just 13 rebounds as a team.
It was his first double-double since he generated 21 points and 11 rebounds in a Rutgers win over Princeton on Dec. 3, 2009.
He's The Manigat
Freshman Jahenns Manigat had a career-high 14 points last Sunday in the win over Southern Illinois. He was 3-for-4 from the field, 2-for-3 from three-point range, and 6-of-8 at the line.
Manigat has started six of Creighton's last seven games and appears to be showing no signs of hitting the proverbial 'freshman wall'. In those six starts, Manigat is making 51.7 percent of his shots from the floor and averaging 8.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.3 steals per game. Creighton is 4-2 in those starts.
In Case Of A Tie
As the MVC regular-season winds down, it's important to remember that the tiebreaker system for the league has been adjusted. Head-to-head among tied teams remains the first tiebreaker, and is now being followed by non-conference strength-of-schedule.
Jim Sukup of RPIRatings.com, who provides those rankings to the MVC office, gave the following non-conference strength-of-schedule rankings through games of Feb. 19th:
Team (MVC Record) NC SOS
Missouri State (13-3) 190
Wichita State (13-3) 57
Indiana State (10-6) 142
Northern Iowa (10-6) 171
Creighton (9-7) 221
Evansville (8-8) 159
Drake (6-10) 281
Southern Illinois (5-11) 235
Illinois State (3-13) 335
Bradley (3-13) 278
Rebounds Coming Around
Creighton ranks second in the MVC with a +3.8 rebounding margin. That figure has skyrocketed in the past three weeks, as the Jays are +64 overall in their last eight games. Creighton has outrebounded 12 of its last 17 opponents.
Wichita State leads the MVC and is fifth nationally with a +9.0 rebound margin per game.
Look At These Numbers
Doug McDermott has averaged 14.4 points and 8.0 rebounds per game so far this season. He ranks fourth in the MVC in scoring and is first in rebounding in all games.
Since 1998-99, the only MVC player to have season averages at least 14.4 points and 8.0 rebounds per game was Wichita State's Jason Perez in 1999-2000, when the senior averaged 20.2 points and 8.0 rebounds per contest.
Freshmen Sensations
With seven MVC Newcomer of the Week honors to his name already, Creighton freshman Doug McDermott appears to be a leading candidate to capture MVC Freshman of the Year accolades. McDermott is averaging 14.4 points, 8.0 rebounds per game.
According to MVC associate commissioner for communications Mike Kern, no freshman has made first-team all-conference since Cleo Littleton of Wichita State in 1952. Littleton likely is the only freshman to make first-team all-league all four seasons.
Rodney Buford of Creighton was the last player in league history to earn all-league honors four straight years _ he was a second-teamer as a freshman, then a first teamer his last three years. The freshman of the year award has been around since 1986 and no winner of the award has ever made first-team All-MVC.
The MVC's Most Consistent
Ask Creighton head coach Greg McDermott what has surprised him the most about the play of his son, Doug McDermott, and he'll likely rattle off the consistency that the freshman has maintained.
Doug McDermott owns 12 games of 15 or more points in MVC play, tied for the most in the MVC behind Andrew Warren (12) and just ahead of Carlton Fay (10) and Kwadzo Ahelegbe (9).
In addition, Doug McDermott's 14 conference games of seven or more rebounds is also the most in the MVC. Will Creekmore (11) and Mamadou Seck (11) are next in that category.
Not surprisingly then, Doug McDermott is far ahead in the number of league games with 15 or more points and seven or more rebounds, with 11. Next up with five such contests is Kyle Weems with five.
Most MVC Games, 15+ Points
15+ Pt. Games Name, School
12 Andrew Warren, Bradley
11 Doug McDermott, Creighton
10 Carlton Fay, Southern Illinois
9 Kwadzo Ahelegbe, Northern Iowa
Most MVC Games, 7+ Rebounds
7+ Reb. Games Name, School
14 Doug McDermott, Creighton
11 Will Creekmore, Missouri State
11 Mamadou Seck, Southern Illinois
8 Kyle Weems, Missouri State
8 Gabe Blair, Wichita State
8 Carl Richard, Indiana State
7 Gregory Echenique, Creighton
7 Kenneth Harris, Evansville
7 Tony Lewis, Illinois State
7 Toure Murry, Wichita State
Most MVC Games, 15+ Points, 7+ Rebounds
15/7 Games Name, School
11 Doug McDermott, Creighton
5 Kyle Weems, Missouri State
4 Mamadou Seck, Southern Illinois
4 Carl Richard, Indiana State
4 Andrew Warren, Bradley
Different Paths, Similar Results
Doug McDermott and Harrison Barnes helped lead Ames (Iowa) High School to back-to-back, undefeated state championships while in high school. Now both freshmen at the college level, McDermott is at Creighton and Barnes a preseason first-team All-America at North Carolina.
Stat McDermott Barnes
Team W-L 17-12 20-6
Games/Games Started 29/29 26/26
Points/Game 14.4 13.4
Rebounds/Game 8.0 5.6
Minutes/Game 29.8 27.6
FG-FGA 163-323 125-310
FG% .505 .403
3FG-3FGA 29-81 36-113
3FG% .358 .319
FT-FTA 64-86 63-88
FT% .744 .716
20-Point Games 3 3
10-Rebound Games 9 2
Double-Doubles 8 2
Double-Digits For Doug
According to STATS Inc., Creighton freshman Doug McDermott was the nation's only freshman to open the 2010-11 season by scoring in double-figures in each of his team's first eight games.
Additionally, McDermott is among the national freshmen leaders in double-figure scoring games and double-doubles, as seen below:
Double-Figure Scoring Games, Freshmen
Source: STATS Inc. • Through Feb. 21, 2011
Streak Name, School Next Game
25 Brandon Knight, Kentucky Feb. 23
25 J.J. Sullinger, Ohio State Feb. 22
24 Doug McDermott, Creighton Feb. 23
24 Tobias Harris, Tennessee Feb. 22
24 Terrence Jones, Kentucky Feb. 23
23 Perry Jones, Baylor Feb. 23
22 Trey Zeigler, Central Michigan Feb. 23
22 Rayvonte Rice, Drake Feb. 23
22 Ray McCallum, Detroit Feb. 25
21 Tristan Thompson, Texas Feb. 22
21 Alex Francis, Bryant Feb. 24
21 Steven Roundtree, Oral Roberts Feb. 24
Most Double-Doubles, Freshmen (Nationally)
Source - STATS, Inc. - Through Feb. 21, 2011
D-D Name, School Next Game
12 Jared Sullinger, Ohio State 2/22
12 Augustine Rubit, South Alabama 2/24
10 Terrence Jones, Kentucky 2/23
8 Doug McDermott, Creighton 2/23
7 Tobias Harris, Tennessee 2/22
7 Alex Francis, Bryant 2/24
On The Double
Freshman forward Doug McDermott owns eight double-doubles this season, the most in the MVC this season. As a team, Creighton's 14 double-doubles this season lead the Missouri Valley Conference, five more than the nine attained by Southern Illinois.
Most Double-Doubles, MVC Players, 2010-11
8 Doug McDermott, Creighton
5 Mamadou Seck, Southern Illinois
4 Kenny Lawson Jr., Creighton
4 Will Creekmore, Missouri State
4 Kyle Weems, Missouri State
4 Carl Richard, Indiana State
4 Gene Teague, Southern Illinois
Most Double-Doubles, MVC Teams, 2010-11
14 Creighton
9 Southern Illinois
8 Missouri State
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 by a Bluejay newcomer since 1993-94.
Most Points, Newcomer, Since 1993-94
Pts. Name, Class Year
424 Nate King, Jr. 1993-94
421 Rodney Buford, Fr. 1995-96
419 Doug McDermott, Fr. 2010-11
416 P'Allen Stinnett, Fr. 2007-08
338 Tad Ackerman, Jr. 1994-95
317 Doug Swenson, Jr. 1997-98
317 Brody Deren, So. 2001-02
295 Ryan Sears, Fr. 1997-98
289 Edward St. Fleur, Jr. 1995-96
Return To Sender
Gregory Echenique is second in the MVC with 26 rejections in league play, including a Valley season-high of seven on Jan. 22 at Missouri State. His seven blocks at Missouri State were the most by a Jay since Kenny Lawson Jr. at Evansville on Jan. 3, 2010.
In an unusual twist, his first 20 swats came in Valley road games, but his last six rejections have come at home.
Nearing The Top 10
Kenny Lawson Jr. ranks seventh in Creighton history with 710 career rebounds. He's seven boards shy from passing Rodney Buford for sixth place in school history.
Rank Reb. Name Years
1. 1,751 Paul Silas 1961-64
2. 1,126 Bob Harstad 1987-91
3. 1,005 Benoit Benjamin 1982-85
4. 979 Bob Portman 1966-69
5. 891 Chad Gallagher 1987-91
6. 716 Rodney Buford 1995-99
7. 710 Kenny Lawson Jr. 2006-Pres.
8. 709 Rick Apke 1975-78
A Freshman Who Rebounds
Freshman Doug McDermott isn't anywhere close to senior Kenny Lawson's career totals, but his 231 rebounds through 29 games this year are more than double the 113 caroms Lawson had through his first 29 career games.
McDermott grabbed eight or more rebounds in nine straight games from Jan. 1-26, the first Bluejay to do so since Benoit Benjamin's streak of 31 straight games of eight or more rebounds from March 8, 1984 to Feb. 20, 1985.
Qwest Records Within Reach
With one home game to play, six Qwest Center Omaha single-season records have already fallen.
Doug McDermott has 129 rebounds this season at home, passing the Qwest Center Omaha mark of 124 set by Dane Watts in 2007-08. H is 7.6 rebounds per game are also on pace to be a building record, ahead of the 7.0 from Kenny Lawson Jr. last season.
McDermott also has 45 offensive rebounds this year, tying behind the building mark of 45 set by Watts in 2007-08.
Watts' facility record of 79 defensive rebounds in a season (from 2007-08) has already been broken by Kenny Lawson Jr., who has 82 this year and McDermott, with 84.
Antoine Young has played in 594 minutes at home, ahead of the previous building mark of 582 by Johnny Mathies in 2005-06. Young's 34.9 minutes per game is also ahead of the record pace of Nate Funk's 34.6 minutes per game in 2006-07.
From a career perspective, Lawson already owns the facility mark with 272 defensive rebounds. He is four field goals shy of Funk's mark of 253 and eight offensive rebounds shy of Watts' record career mark of 118.
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 245 wins in the decade, as well as 10 postseason appearances:
MVC Standings (start 2000-01 to Feb. 21, 2011)
MVC only All Games
Team W L Pct. W L Pct.
Creighton 134 62 .684 245 110 .690
Southern Illinois 129 67 .658 229 124 .649
Northern Iowa 109 87 .556 205 140 .594
Wichita State 108 88 .551 203 143 .587
Missouri State 106 90 .541 202 145 .582
Illinois State 89 107 .454 179 159 .530
Bradley 90 106 .459 180 170 .514
Drake 82 114 .418 161 173 .482
Indiana State 69 127 .352 139 196 .415
Evansville 64 132 .327 124 197 .386
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
Historically After 12 MVC Games
Currently 9-7, Creighton was 6-6 in the MVC after the 12th game of the league slate.
This is the 16th straight season that Creighton has had a league record of .500 or better after 12 games, and each of the previous 15 campaigns the Jays would also go .500 or better in its final six contests as well.
Notably, the last time that Creighton was 6-6 after 12 league games was 2004-05, when it won eight of their next nine games (including an MVC Tournament title) and lost by two in the NCAA Tournament.
Year W-L After 12 W-L Final 6
2010-11 6-6 3-1 so far
2009-10 7-5 3-3
2008-09 8-4 6-0
2007-08 7-5 3-3
2006-07 9-3 4-2
2005-06 9-3 3-3
2004-05 6-6 5-1
2003-04 9-3 3-3
2002-03 11-1 4-2
2001-02 10-2 4-2
2000-01 8-4 6-0
1999-00 7-5 4-2
1998-99 7-5 4-2
1997-98 8-4 4-2
1996-97 7-5 3-3
1995-96 6-6 3-3
Total 125-67 (.651) 62-32 (.660)
Not Half Bad
Antoine Young had 16 points in the second half against Drake on Feb. 8, the second straight game he's done that. Below is the most points in any half by a Bluejay individual this year:
Pts. Name, Opponent, Date Half
18 Antoine Young, Iowa State, 11/21 2nd
17 Ethan Wragge, Saint Joseph's, 12/11 2nd
16 Kenny Lawson Jr., Saint Joseph's, 12/11 1st
16 Doug McDermott, Drake, 1/1 2nd
16 Doug McDermott, Indiana State, 1/29 1st
16 Antoine Young, Evansville, 2/5 2nd
16 Antoine Young, Drake, 2/8 2nd
15 Doug McDermott, Evansville, 1/9 2nd
Not Half Bad On The Glass, Either
Doug McDermott had 11 rebounds in the first half at Bradley on Feb. 1, matching the most rebounds in a half by a Bluejay all season. It's worth noting that before this season, Creighton's last player with 10 or more rebounds in a half was Brody Deren (11) at Bradley on Jan. 5, 2004.
McDermott would finish with 17 rebounds for the game, most by a Bluejay freshman since Bob Harstad pulled down 17 rebounds at Southern Illinois on Jan. 28, 1988.
Below is the most rebounds in any half by a Bluejay individual this year.
Pts. Name, Opponent, Date Half
11 Kenny Lawson Jr., Saint Joseph's, 12/11 2nd
11 Doug McDermott, Bradley, 2/1 1st
10 Gregory Echenique, Southern Illinois, 2/13 1st
9 Doug McDermott, Akron, 2/19 2nd
8 Kenny Lawson Jr., Drake, 1/1 1st
8 Kenny Lawson Jr., Drake, 1/1 2nd
8 Doug McDermott, Wichita State, 1/12 1st
Game Tested
Fifth-year senior Kenny Lawson Jr. has played in 133 games as a Bluejay, second-most in school history. Only Nate Funk has played in more games. Below is a list of the all-time Creighton leaders in games played:
GP Name Years
135 Nate Funk 2002-07
133 Kenny Lawson Jr. 2006-Pres.
130 Dane Watts 2004-08
128 Bob Harstad 1987-91
128 Kyle Korver 1999-03
Sports Illustrated Coverage
Sports Illustrated writer Luke Winn wrote a feature for the Jan. 20 edition of the magazine's college men's basketball pages that talks about Greg and Doug McDermott. Winn calls them “the most surprising father-son combination in Division I”. The story can be found on-line at http://tinyurl.com/si-mcd-story.
Feb. 26 Time & TV Set
Creighton's regular-season finale on Feb. 26 against Northern Iowa will tip at 1:05 pm and be televised by Fox Sports Midwest. MVC officials announced the coverage on February 4th.
Full House
This year Creighton is averaging 14,993 fans per home game, which ranks 13th nationally according to unofficial numbers crunched by the Creighton Sports Information office.
Creighton has already surpassed 200,000 home fans in a season for the sixth time. No other school in the history of the MVC has ever done so even once.
In 2009-10, Creighton averaged 14,495 fans per game, which ranked 15th nationally. Creighton averaged 15,883 in 15 games at Qwest Center Omaha (which would have ranked 10th) before two CIT crowds below 5,000 at the Omaha Civic Auditorium dropped the average precipitously.
Creighton has finished in the top-15 of the national attendance leaders in each of the previous four seasons.
2010-11 Attendance Leaders (through 2/20)
Rk. School Average Next Home
1. Kentucky 23,494 2/26
2. Syracuse 21,991 3/5
3. Louisville 21,736 2/27
4. North Carolina 18,812 2/27
5. Tennessee 18,667 2/26
6. BYU 17,626 2/23
7. Wisconsin 17,230 2/27
8. Memphis 16,751 2/22
9. Kansas 16,300 2/21
10. Illinois 15,742 2/26
11. Marquette 15,515 2/27
12. Indiana 15,058 2/23
13. Creighton 14,993 2/26
14. New Mexico 14,812 2/23
15. Michigan State 14,797 2/27
Highest Season Home Attendance, MVC History
Home Att. School Year
302,676 Creighton 2008-09
276,000 Creighton 2007-08
254,877 Creighton 2010-11
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
14,993 so far Creighton 2010-11
14,495 Creighton 2009-10
13,901 Creighton 2005-06
13,674 Louisville 1974-75
Dishing Dimes
Junior point guard Antoine Young had a career-high with nine assists on Jan. 16 at Indiana State, then surpassed that with 10 helpers in the Jan. 19 win over Bradley.
Young became Creighton's first player with consecutive games of nine or more assists since Edward St. Fleur had nine in games on both Jan. 16 and Jan. 18, 1997.
The 10 dimes by Young on Jan. 19 matched a Qwest Center Omaha record by a Creighton player, and were the most by a Creighton player (regardless of site) since Josh Dotzler also had 10 assists on Dec. 9, 2007 vs. Saint Joseph's.
Building A Lead
Creighton's 49-25 lead at halftime on Jan. 19 vs. Bradley was its largest halftime lead at Qwest Center Omaha since a 47-20 advantage over Nebraska on Nov. 24, 2007.
Creighton's 49 points in the first half was its most at Qwest Center Omaha by intermission since Houston Baptist also had 49 on Dec. 17, 2007.
What's Your Twenty?
Creighton has been .500 or better after 20 games in each of the last 16 seasons, including this season.
Even more impressive, Creighton has won 13 of its first 20 games in 13 of the last 14 seasons.
Creighton -- First 20 Games, Last 16 Years
Year First 20 W-L Final W-L Postseason
2010-11 13-7 ? ? ? ? ? ?
2009-10 10-10 18-16 CIT
2008-09 15-5 27-8 NIT
2007-08 14-6 22-11 NIT
2006-07 13-7 22-11 NCAA
2005-06 15-5 20-10 NIT
2004-05 13-7 23-11 NCAA
2003-04 17-3 20-9 NIT
2002-03 18-2 29-5 NCAA
2001-02 14-6 23-9 NCAA
2000-01 14-6 24-8 NCAA
1999-00 14-6 23-10 NCAA
1998-99 14-6 22-9 NCAA
1997-98 14-6 18-10 NIT
1996-97 10-10 15-15 ---
1995-96 11-9 14-15 ---
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.
Trèy's Bien
Creighton has seven different players that have drained at least four three-pointers in a game this year. That list includes Doug McDermott, Antoine Young, Kenny Lawson Jr., Kaleb Korver, Jahenns Manigat, Josh Jones and Ethan Wragge.
In addition, Darryl Ashford had a game with four three-pointers last season, while Casey Harriman owns five career games with three treys.
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.
In addition, Creighton alum Paul Silas is the interim head coach of the Charlotte Bobcats.
Looking To Go Over .500, Again
Creighton has been better than .500 in either the first or second-half of the league season in 30 straight trips through the league, including this year's first half.
Creighton's 30 consecutive halves above .500 in league play is easily the Valley's longest active streak, far ahead of Northern Iowa (6), Wichita State (4), Indiana State (2) and Missouri State (1).
Here's how Creighton's teams have fared in the various halves of the MVC season since 1995-96. Notably, this is the fourth straight season Creighton has been 5-4 at the midway point. In 2008-09 (as well as in 2000-01), Creighton went 9-0 in the second half of the Valley slate.
Year 1st Half 2nd Half
2010-11 5-4 4-3 so far
2009-10 5-4 5-4
2008-09 5-4 9-0
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
Total 94-59 (.606) 97-54 (.642)
Army of Iowans
Every Creighton team since 1988-89 has had at least one Iowa native, and this season is no exception.
Creighton has five 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) 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 540 straight games. That streak dates to a Feb. 5, 1994 win against Wichita State.
Jays Earn 10 Home Wins, Again
The Jan. 19 win against Bradley was Creighton's 10th home victory this season. Creighton has now won 10 or more home games in 15 straight seasons.
The streak is a school-record, three more than the previous standard of 12 straight seasons from the 1969-70 season to the 1980-81 campaign with 10 or more home wins.
Creighton To Visit San Diego State In 2011
Creighton learned that it will visit San Diego State on Nov. 30, 2011 to open play in the third annual Mountain West Conference/Missouri Valley Conference Challenge Series.
The event pits teams in head-to-head format against each other. The Valley won the inaugural competition in 2009 by a 5-4 margin, before the MWC claimed an 8-1 victory in 2010.
Creighton is 3-1 all-time against SDSU, though the teams have not met since 1974.
Home Cooking
Creighton is 57-14 at home all-time at Qwest Center Omaha in MVC games (.803) compared to a 34-37 (.479) road record in the MVC during that stretch.
Only six MVC visiting schools (DU, ILS, MSU, UNI, SIU and WSU) have ever won a game in the eight-year old Qwest Center Omaha. The other three Valley schools (BU, UE, INS) have an Omaha losing streak of 10 or longer.
Below is a look at Creighton's current home winning streaks over current league foes:
Opponent CU Home Win Streak CU W-L at QCO
Bradley Won 13 8-0
Drake Won 2 6-2
Evansville Won 12 8-0
Illinois State Won 1 5-3
Indiana State Won 12 8-0
Missouri State Lost 1 6-2
Northern Iowa Lost 2 5-2
So. Illinois Won 4 4-4
Wichita State Lost 1 7-1
Rare Combo Sinks Jays
Creighton lost at Northern Iowa on Jan. 26 despite shooting 50.0 percent from the field and owning a +11 edge on the glass.
The last time the Jays shot at least 50 percent from the field and were +10 on the glass in a loss was Jan. 12, 1985, when Nolan Richardson's Tulsa team topped Creighton by a near-identical 70-66 score. In that contest, Creighton shot 21-39 from the floor and won the battle of the boards, 48-36. CU had won its previous 42 games with a +10 glass edge and 50% shooting from the floor.
Take things a step further, and you'll see that the loss on Jan. 26 was historic. It was the first time since the inception of the three-point shot (1986-87) that Creighton lost despite shooting 50 percent or better from both the floor and three-point arc, and also winning the boards by 10 or more. Creighton had been 9-0 previously when doing that, winning those games by an average of 27.0 points.
Lawson Was Up For Senior CLASS Award
Senior center Kenny Lawson Jr. was 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. He did not make the list of the 10 finalists.
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).
Creighton Prep Alum Scores, Ends Drought
Taylor Stormberg scored his first points as a Bluejay when his two free throws with 1:18 left closed the scoring on Jan. 12 vs. Wichita State.
Incredibly for a hometown kid who attended a high school with as much athletic success as Creighton Prep, Stormberg's points marked the first by a former Junior Jay since Mark Johnson scored one point in a 98-77 win over West Texas State on Jan. 21, 1984.
Road Success
Creighton already owns road wins at Illinois State, Southern Illinois and Evansville, matching its three MVC road victories total from a season ago.
This year marked the first time that Creighton has started 3-0 on the MVC road since 2002-03, when Steve Merfeld's Evansville squad snapped that streak. Merfeld is now a Bluejay assistant.
Rare Comeback Against Jays
Creighton had won 49 straight home games in which it had owned a lead of 10 or more at any point in the game, before blowing a 31-20 lead against Missouri State on Jan. 4th.
In fact, the 11-point rally matched the largest comeback in Qwest Center Omaha history by a visiting team, previously done by Drexel in 2007.
Creighton had been 9-0 all-time in games at Qwest Center Omaha in contests that saw both teams claim double-digit leads previously.
The last time Creighton lost a lead came after leading by 12 or more points at home came on Super Bowl Sunday in 2002 (Feb. 3, 2002), when SIU overcame a 16-point first-half deficit (and 48-34 at half) to beat the Jays, 79-77, on two free throws by Kent Williams with 0.3 seconds left. Williams is currently an assistant on for Missouri State.
Little Mac, Big Production
Doug McDermott had a season-high 28 points in a Jan. 1 win vs. Drake, the most by a Bluejay freshman since Ryan Sears poured in 29 vs. Wyoming on Dec. 6, 1997. The Jays have not had a freshman score 30 points in a game since Rodney Buford lit up Illinois State for 36 points on Feb. 5, 1996.
Double-Double Duo
Kenny Lawson Jr. had 14 points and 16 rebounds, while Doug McDermott had 28 points and 10 rebounds, as Creighton topped Drake on January 1.
It marked the first time Creighton had two double-doubles in the same game since Lawson (17/11) and Justin Carter (10/13) did so vs. Bradley on March 5, 2010 in the State Farm MVC Tournament.
Ironically, each of the previous two times Creighton had two men with a double-double in the same game, it had lost. The last Bluejay win with two double-doubles was Feb. 1, 1999, when Rodney Buford (11/11) and Doug Swenson (19/10) double-dipped at SIU.
Chairman Of The Boards
Freshman Doug McDermott is having one of the best rebounding seasons by a Bluejay in years. McDermott's 8.0 rebound per game average is ahead of the 7.3 per game by Rodney Buford in 1997-98 for the best by a Bluejay in the past 17 seasons.
The Jays have not had a player average more than 7.4 rebounds per game since Nate King averaged 9.0 rebounds per game in 1993-94.
Harriman Opts For Surgery
Plagued by a pair of partially torn labrums, among other maladies, senior forward Casey Harriman elected to have season-ending shoulder surgery on January 5th.
Harriman made the decision on January 3rd, but was given once last chance to play. He played in the final minute of a 12-point home loss to Missouri State, receiving standing ovations both when he checked in, then again 19 seconds later when he checked out.
Harriman played 13 minutes total in six games this season, finishing with two points and two rebounds. For his career, Harriman started 16 of 104 games played and finishes with 336 points, 242 rebounds and 44 charges taken.
On A Roll
Creighton won a season-high six straight games from Dec. 11-Jan. 1. The Bluejays have now put together at least one five-game win streak in 13 of the last 14 seasons.
Since 1988-89, the Bluejays have made the NCAA's or NIT all 15 previous times they've had a five-game winning streak in a season, but missed the NCAA/NIT all seven times they haven't.
A Sketch on Ech
Gregory Echenique has made an immediate impact for Creighton, as the Jays are 12-8 since he became eligible on December 17th.
With the big Venezuelan in the line-up, Creighton has held the opposition to 62.7 points per game (compared to 67.7 per game before he became active) and 42.2 percent shooting from the floor (compared to 43.2 percent).
In addition, Creighton has outrebounded foes by +5.1 rebounds per game, compared to a +1.0 advantage before he arrived.
Offensively, Creighton's field goal percentage has jumped from 42.1 percent to 46.3 percent and its three-point percentage has gone from 31.7 percent to 36.8 percent.
The Echenique Effect
While the addition of Gregory Echenique's 10.4 points per game to the line-up has been a big boost, he's made a similar impact on the defensive end of the floor in the lane. Echenique has blocked 36 shots, already good enough to lead the team and rank second-most in The Valley.
Impact Player
Gregory Echenique scored 12 points in his Creighton debut on Dec. 18 vs. Idaho St., then added 16 more on Dec. 20 vs. Western Illinois.
Echenique was just the third Creighton player in the last 15 years to start with 12 points or more in each of his first two games, joining Darryl Ashford (2009-10) and Edward St. Fleur (1995-96).
Qwest Center Records Fall
Creighton set one Qwest Center Omaha record and tied another in its Dec. 22 home win over Samford.
Creighton set a building record by outrebounding the Bulldogs 45-19. That mark was Creighton's largest margin since an identical +26 differential over Mississippi Valley State on Dec. 29, 2001 back when it played at the Omaha Civic Auditorium.
Creighton also held Samford to a season-low 40 points, which tied the fewest points ever in a Qwest Center Omaha game. Alcorn State also had 40 on Nov. 15, 2004.
Defensive Gem
Creighton held Samford to just 40 points on December 22nd. That was the best defensive effort by the Bluejays since limiting Indiana State to 38 points in an MVC Tournament quarterfinal victory on March 2, 2007.
Creighton, which held Jim Molinari's Western Illinois club to 47 points on Dec. 20, held consecutive opponents under 50 points for the first time since Dec. 3-6, 2003.
The 87 points allowed over those two games was the best stretch by Creighton in any set of back-to-back games since Dec. 5-9, 1958 (86).
Josh Jones Provides Offensive Boost
Sophomore Josh Jones entered the Dec. 29 game at Illinois State mired in a 9-of-38 shooting slump to start the season, including 0-of-16 from three-point range.
Against the Redbirds, Jones hit 2-of-3 shots from long-range, and he tied his season-high with six points. The Jays outscored ISU 15-10 in the 8:51 with Jones on the floor.
Creighton is 17-6 over the past two seasons when Jones scores five or more points, but 12-20 when he plays and doesn't score five points or more.
Echenique Debuts
Dec. 18 marked Creighton's first game with the services of Gregory Echenique, who was an ineligible transfer until Dec. 17. He became eligible at the end of Creighton's fall semester.
Echenique, a 6'9”, 270-pound center, came to Creighton after spending three semesters at Rutgers from 2008-09. He averaged 9.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocked shots per game in 39 contests with the Scarlet Knights, which included 37 starts and an average of 27.5 minutes per game.
He had 12 points, five rebounds and three blocked shots in 18 minutes vs. Idaho State in his Creighton debut. He followed that up with 16 points, four rebounds and four blocked shots in 21 minutes vs. Western Illinois. At the time, Echenique's four blocked shots on Dec. 20 were tied for the most in the MVC in any game this year by one player. He now owns the top two efforts this season in the MVC, with seven blocks at Missouri State (Jan. 22) after six at Indiana State (Jan. 16).
Red-Hot Start
Creighton made its first eight field goal attempts from the field to open its Dec. 18 win over Idaho State, with six of those shots coming from long-range. That helped Creighton build a 22-13 lead which it never surrendered.
Interestingly, it was the second straight game that Creighton had a stretch of six straight three-point attempts that were all made, having done it on six straight possessions vs. Saint Joseph's.
In eight seasons of games at Qwest Center Omaha (131 games), Creighton's best had been 6-for-6 starts from the floor vs. High Point (Dec. 2, 2004) and Illinois State (Jan. 22, 2005).
In fact, this was just the seventh occasion all-time that Creighton had started as well as 4-for-4 from the field.
Creighton is 53-for-132 all-time in its first shot of the game at Qwest Center Omaha, including a 5-for-17 mark this winter.
No TV, No Problem
Creighton is a perfect 45-0 in regular-season non-televised games at Qwest Center Omaha.
Creighton has also won 26 straight non-televised home games at Qwest Center Omaha, dating to a March 20, 2006 loss to Miami (Fla.) in the NIT.
Creighton's last home game vs. UNI is also slated for television.
Practice Pays Off
Antoine Young is frequently the last player in the gym after practice, staying late to work on his shot. The dedication is clearly paying off.
Young entered this season a career 25.6 percent shooter from three-point range (23-90). Already this season, he's at 30.0 percent (33-110) from downtown.
At the line, Young entered the year as a 64.3 percent shooter (101-157). He's currently at 75.0 percent from the stripe (102-136).
Young connected on a career-high four three-point attempts vs. Idaho State on Dec. 18. His 4-for-4 shooting from downtown was a Qwest Center Omaha record for three-point shots without a miss by a Bluejay, eclipsing previous 3-for-3 displays by Johnny Mathies, Pierce Hibma, Dane Watts and Booker Woodfox.
Likewise, his 10-for-10 marksmanship from the line on Jan. 1 vs. Drake was a Qwest Center Omaha record for most free throws in a game without a miss.
A Fan Of The A-10
Sophomore Ethan Wragge had a career-high of 22 points on Dec. 11 vs. Saint Joseph's, eclipsing his previous best of 21 that came last year in 17 minutes vs. fellow Atlantic-10 power Xavier.
Just like the game against Xavier, Wragge had his points in fewer than 20 minutes of playing time. When he did it last season, he became the first CU player to score more than 20 points in less than 20 minutes since Vernon Moore put up 21 points in 19 minutes against Nebraska-Kearney on Nov. 24, 1984.
In three career games against the Atlantic-10 Conference, Wragge has scored 54 points (18.0 ppg.) in 48 minutes (16.0 mpg.) of play, connecting on 14-of-24 three-point attempts (58.3 percent) and 18-of-28 shots overall (64.3 percent).
Solid Stretch
Ethan Wragge will be hard-pressed to have a better four-minute stretch than what he had on Dec. 11 in a win over Saint Joseph's.
Wragge drained consecutive three-pointers with 15:55, 15:10, 13:56, 13:06 and 12:26 left in the second half. He also assisted on a Kaleb Korver trey at the 13:29 mark, and took a charge with 13:13 remaining.
Shades Of The Dynamic Duo
Doug McDermott's 20 points and 12 rebounds vs. No. 21 BYU on Dec. 1 were special numbers for any player, but even moreso considering he's just a freshman.
Creighton had not had a freshman record a double-double since Bob Harstad had 18 points and 13 rebounds at No. 14 Bradley on March 9, 1988.
The last Bluejay freshman to have at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in the same game was Chad Gallagher, who had 20 points and 10 rebounds vs. Nebraska-Kearney on Jan. 20, 1988.
When McDermott had 28 points and 10 rebounds vs. Drake on Jan. 1, it marked the first points by a Bluejay freshman since Ryan Sears had 29 points on Dec. 6, 1997 vs. Wyoming.
McDermott owns eight double-doubles this winter.
McDermott Chalks Up Four Straight Honors
Doug McDermott was named MVC Newcomer of the Week for a fourth straight week on Dec. 6th.
In the 104-year history of the league, McDermott is the only basketball (men's or women's) player to win Player or Newcomer of the Week in four consecutive weeks.
McDermott's seven Newcomer of the Week honors (he also won it on Jan. 3, Jan. 24 and Jan. 31) thus far are the most ever for an entire season in league history. Bradley's Marcellus Sommerville won the award six times during his debut season in the league in 2003-04.
Lawson Named Player of the Week
Creighton senior Kenny Lawson Jr. was named MVC Player of the Week on December 13 following his career-highs of 30 points and 18 rebounds in a win over Saint Joseph's. He played a career-high 34 minutes and also registered a season-best three blocked shots.
This was the first MVC Player of the Week honor of Lawson's career.
Laying Down The Law
Kenny Lawson Jr.'s 30-point, 18-rebound game vs. Saint Joseph's on Dec. 11 kept the pages of the Bluejay record book busy.
His 18 rebounds were the most by a Bluejay since Bob Harstad had 20 rebounds on Jan. 23, 1989. Harstad, ironically, had his jersey retired at halftime and spoke to the team before its pre-game shootaround earlier on Saturday.
His 18 rebounds were also a Qwest Center Omaha record, three more than the previous mark set by Creighton's Justin Carter (vs. Kentucky) and by Akron's Romeo Travis (vs. Creighton).
Lawson's 30 points were the most by a Bluejay since P'Allen Stinnett had 30 points against New Mexico on Nov. 16, 2008.
Lawson was the first Bluejay with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds in the same game since Rodney Buford had 30 points and 10 rebounds at Northern Iowa on Dec. 30, 1997.
Lawson was the first Bluejay with at least 30 points and 18 rebounds in the same game since Feb. 7, 1983, when Gregory Brandon had 32 points and 18 rebounds in a win over West Texas State.
Lawson is believed to be the first player in the MVC with a game of 30 points and 18 rebounds since Wichita State's Xavier McDaniel had 33 points and 22 rebounds on Feb. 23, 1985 against Bradley.
Finally, Lawson had 14 points and 11 rebounds in the second half alone. The last Bluejay with a double-double in one half was Brody Deren, who had 12 points and 11 rebounds in the second half of a Jan. 5, 2004 win at Bradley.
All-Tournament Honors
Both Doug McDermott and Antoine Young were named to the All-Tournament Team of the Global Sports Hy-Vee Challenge.
McDermott averaged a team-high 15.0 points per game in the event, shooting 54.5 percent from the field and 9-for-9 at the line. He also added six assist, a steal and a block.
Young averaged 13.8 points per game and added 16 assists and seven steals. He shot 44.1 percent from the floor, 50 percent from three-point range and 79.2 percent at the line.
Iowa State won the event with a 4-0 record, while Creighton finished 3-1.
Iowa State's Diante Garrett was named tournament MVP, while Melvin Ejim (Iowa State), Cameron Jones (Northern Arizona) and Spencer Dixon (Kennesaw State) were also honored on the squad with McDermott and Young.
I Am Iron Man
Antoine Young logged all 40 minutes in Creighton's Nov. 28 game at Northwestern, and again on Jan. 26 at Northern Iowa and Feb. 1 at Bradley. He was the first Creighton player to play from tip to buzzer, without a rest, since Ryan Sears on March 15, 2001 vs. Iowa. Since then, Creighton had played 329 games.
Young is second in the MVC with 36.1 minutes per game this season. Young's minutes per game average is the most by a Bluejay since Matt Petty averaged 39.1 minutes per game in 1992-93.
Doubling Up From The Start
Doug McDermott scored 10 or more points in each of his first eight games this season. The last previous Creighton player to start a career with 10 or more points in each of the first eight games was Benoit Benjamin in 1982-83, who had also eight in a row to start his career.
McDermott was the first Bluejay (of any class) to score 10 or more in eight straight games to start the season since then-senior Rodney Buford in 1998-99 had 13 in a row.
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
8 Doug McDermott, Fr. 2010-11
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, starting 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.
A Strong Fall
Creighton has already placed three teams into the NCAA Tournament during the 2010-11 school year, as Bluejay teams in women's soccer, men's soccer and women's volleyball have all made the “Big Dance” within the past month.
On a national basis, only 10 schools nationally can say this, an elite list that consists of Creighton, California, Duke, Michigan, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio State, Penn, Penn State and UCLA.
Creighton men's basketball has seven NCAA Tournament appearances in the past 12 years, most in the MVC in that time.
Harstad Honored on Dec. 11
Already inducted into both the Creighton Athletics (2002) and Missouri Valley Conference (2008) Hall of Fame's, former Creighton men's basketball standout Bob Harstad was honored during the Dec. 11 game vs. Saint Joseph's.
Harstad's jersey was retired during a halftime ceremony. The Loveland, Colo., native wore No. 30 during his career from 1987-91 with the Jays, but the number will still be available for current (such as Antoine Young) and future Bluejays to wear.
The only other previous players to have their jersey's retired in Creighton men's basketball history are Bob Portman (#33), Paul Silas (#35) and Bob Gibson (#45).
Harstad is one of only four MVC players -- joining Cincinnati's Oscar Robertson, Indiana State's Larry Bird and Wichita State's Xavier McDaniel -- to score 2,000 points (2,110) and grab 1,000 or more rebounds (1,126).
A first-team All-MVC choice from 1989 to 1991, he was named the Missouri Valley Conference's Player of the Year in 1990 and earned State Farm MVC Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors in 1991.
He led CU to regular-season titles and postseason tournament crowns in 1989 and 1991. He also powered the Jays to two NCAA Tournament appearances and a win over New Mexico State in the first round in 1991.
Active Leader
Kenny Lawson Jr. leads all active Missouri Valley Conference players with 710 rebounds, 148 blocked shots and 107 games started. He also ranks 23rd in Creighton history on the all-time scoring list:
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. 1,213 Kenny Lawson Jr. 2006-Pr.
23. 1,196 Ray Yost 1951-54
Lawson Moves Up The Charts
With 11 points vs. Alabama State on Nov. 12, Kenny Lawson Jr. became the seventh player to score 500 or more points at Qwest Center Omaha. Lawson, who now stands at 661, ranks second in Qwest Center Omaha scoring history. Nate Funk holds the facility record with 735 career points.
Lawson (382 rebounds) is atop the Qwest Center Omaha rebound list, just ahead of Dane Watts (351).
Lawson also owns 80 blocks in his career at Qwest Center Omaha. That's a facility record, seven 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
148 Kenny Lawson Jr. 2006-Pres.
138 Brody Deren 2001-04
136 Anthony Tolliver 2003-07
'Tis The Season For Charity
Creighton has attacked the lane and the boards while racking up gaudy free throw numbers thus far.
The Bluejays have shot 396-of-543 (72.9 percent) at the line, while its opponents are a combined 282-of-423 (66.7 percent) from the charity stripe.
Every Creighton player with at least one attempt from the line are shooting 61.7 percent or better, leading to the improvement from last year's team that shot 72.0 percent overall.
Fab Five
Creighton's starting line-up accounted for 86 of the team's 88 points on Nov. 21 vs. Iowa State. In fact, the only points off the bench came with 3:42 left on a Wayne Runnels putback.
All five of Creighton's starters had 12 points or more, becoming the first starting quintet in double-figures since Jan. 31, 2007 at Bradley.
Creighton's two bench points were its fewest since also scoring two bench points on Feb. 17, 2007 vs. Drexel.
In Creighton's 17 wins, the bench has scored 366 points (21.5 ppg.), but in the 12 losses it's scored just 129 points total (10.8 ppg.), with a high of 17.
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.
On Nov. 14 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, 111 Times Over
Creighton has played 132 regular and postseason contests at Qwest Center Omaha all-time in its eight seasons at the facility.
The Bluejays own a 111-21 (.841) record all-time at the facility, including a 26-2 figure on Wednesday's, a 6-0 mark on Thursday's and a 3-0 mark on Friday's.
Creighton has outscored its opponents 9,673-8,231 in games at Qwest Center Omaha, an average margin of 10.9 points per game. The 21 losses have been by a combined 137 points (6.5 ppg.). Creighton has led wire-to-wire 28 different times, including three times this winter.
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.
Creighton is also a mind-boggling 19-12 at Qwest Center Omaha in games in which it trails by 10 or more points at any juncture.
Creighton is 9-1 in Qwest Center Omaha games in which both teams own leads of 10 or more points, and 27-1 in games at Qwest Center Omaha in which there are no lead changes.
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.
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.
Long-Distance Streak Alive
Creighton has made at least one three-pointer in 564 straight games since a 59-53 loss at Illinois State on Feb. 20, 1993. That's the longest active streak in the MVC.
UNLV, Vanderbilt and Kentucky are the only three schools that have made at least one three-point basket since the rule was adopted prior to the 1986 campaign.
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.
Jays Sweep Weekly Awards
Creighton swept the weekly awards handed out by the Missouri Valley Conference on Nov. 15, 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 Nov. 14, 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.
McDermott repeated his honors on Nov. 22 after averaging 14.0 points and 5.5 rebounds in two games.
McDermott won his third straight award on Nov. 29 after averaging 16.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per game vs. Kennesaw State and Northwestern, shooting 70 percent (14-20) from the floor.
McDermott made it 4-for-4 on Dec. 6th, earning the honor after averaging 15.0 points and 9.0 rebounds per game in losses to No. 21 BYU and Nebraska.
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).
Piling Up The Points, and Wins
Creighton has won 75 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.
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).
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.
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.
