Monday, November 23
Las Vegas, Nev.
11:00 PM
Creighton University
vs
Rutgers
Tyler Clement
Photo by: Mark Davis
Men's Basketball Heads to Las Vegas To Take on Rutgers
11/22/2015 6:29:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Bluejays have won last five games played in Las Vegas
Download Notes as a PDF
Game #4 • Creighton Men's Basketball vs. Rutgers • Monday, Nov. 23, 2015 • 11:00 p.m. Central
Creighton Bluejays vs. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
MGM Grand Garden Arena (17,000) • Las Vegas, Nev.
Radio: KOZN 1620 AM, www.1620thezone.com
Television: None
Series History: First Meeting
Last Meeting: None
Next Game
Creighton (2-1) heads to Las Vegas to complete play in the 2015 Men Who Speak Up Main Event.
   The Bluejays open up on Monday against Rutgers (3-1) in a game slated to start at 11 pm Central at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
   With a win, Creighton would advance to the title game, which will be played on Wednesday at 8:30 pm Central on ESPN2.
   With a loss, Creighton would advance to the third-place game, which will be played on Wednesday at 11 pm Central and not be televised.
   The other two teams it could play on Wednesday are either Clemson (3-0) or Massachusetts (3-0). The Tigers and Minutemen meet on Monday at 8:30 pm Central.
Radio Broadcast Information
KOZN (1620 The Zone) will broadcast all Creighton men's basketball games during the 2015-16 season. John Bishop and former Bluejay Josh Dotzler will call the action.
   Prior to the game, Corey Lathrop and Heath Gunderson will host "Bluejay Shootaround", beginning at 9 pm.
   Following the game, Tim Krueger and Ravi Lulla will host "Overtime" for approximately one hour, while also taking calls from listeners.
   The audio is also webcast live at www.1620thezone.com.
Television/Webcast Broadcast Information
Monday's game will not be televised.
   Free live video for Monday's game will be availalble at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC24_4oRV9Os2e0EZxpMeyPA
Live Stats Information
All of Creighton's games this season will have free live stats. Visit www.gocreighton.com and click on the small bar graph icon on the scoreboard at the top of the page for the event of your choosing.
   Home games can also be followed by those who have mobile devices with internet capability at www.gocreightonstats.com.
Scouting Creighton
Creighton averaged 98 points in lopsided wins over Texas Southern (93-70) and UTSA (103-78) in preliminary round home games of the 2015 Men Who Speak Up Main Event before losing 86-65 at No. 14 Indiana in the Gavitt Tipoff Games.
   The Bluejays return nine lettermen and one starter from last year's team that finished 14-19 and tied for ninth in the BIG EAST with a 4-14 league mark.
   Guards James Milliken (9.6 ppg. last year; 8.7 ppg. this year) and Isaiah Zierden (9.5 ppg. last year, 14.3 ppg., this year) are the top returning scorers, while Toby Hegner (6.7 ppg. last year, 7.0 ppg. this year) is the lone returning starter from last year's club.
   A talented group of newcomers, led by transfers Maurice Watson Jr. (13.3 ppg., 7.1 apg., in 2013-14 at Boston; 13.7 ppg., 4.7 apg. this year) and Cole Huff (12.4 ppg., 5.4 rpg., in 2013-14 at Nevada; 11.0 ppg., 4.3 rpg. this year), are also making the significant contributions that were expected of them. Those two, along with freshman Khyri Thomas (11.0 ppg.), have combined have combined for 107 points thus far.
   The Bluejays got a head start on the season this summer with 10 practices in Omaha in July and three games in Italy in August.
Scouting Rutgers
Rutgers is 3-1 on the young season, picking up wins over Rutgers-Newark (72-59), Howard (82-70) and Central Arkansas (87-84) along with a loss at St. John's (61-59) in the Gavitt Tipoff Games.
   The Scarlet Knights boast four men averaging in double-figures, a group led by Mike Williams (16.0 ppg., 5.0 rpg.). Williams also leads the club with eight steals and 10 three-point baskets. Another big scoring threat is Deshawn Freeman (15.0 ppg., 5.8 rpg., 2.0 bpg.)
   D.J. Foreman (10.0 ppg., 8.0 rpg.) leads the team in rebounding.
   The Scarlet Knights have made just 29.6 percent (16-of-54) three-point shots this season and own 55 assists compared to 66 turnovers thus far.
The Coaches
Greg McDermott (Northern Iowa, 1988) is in his sixth season as head coach at Creighton. He is 123-58 with the Bluejays. McDermott has previously been a head coach at Iowa State (2006-10), Northern Iowa (2001-06), North Dakota State (2000-01) and Wayne State (1994-2000). He owns a career mark of 403-253 in his 22nd season and is 272-189 in his 15th Division I campaign. McDermott is assisted by Darian DeVries, Steve Lutz and Preston Murphy.
   Eddie Jordan (Rutgers, 2015) is 13-23 in his second year at his alma mater, which also doubles as his career mark at the college level. Jordan was previously a head coach in the NBA, where he went 257-343 over parts of nine seasons with Sacramento, Washington and Philadelphia. He is assisted by Van Macon, Mike O'Koren and Greg Vetrone.
The Series With Rutgers
Creighton has never played Rutgers.
   Greg McDermott has never coached against Eddie Jordan, nor Rutgers.
Past Trips To Vegas
This is Creighton's sixth-ever trip to Las Vegas, but first since November of 2012 when it won the Las Vegas Invitational with wins over Wisconsin (84-74) and Arizona State (87-73) at the Orleans Arena.
   Below is a list of Creighton's past trips to Sin City:
Date   Opponent   CU Result
01/04/67Â Â Â at UNLVÂ Â Â W 71-70
01/02/69Â Â Â at UNLVÂ Â Â L 99-109
12/21/87   vs. Alaska   W 85-84
12/23/87Â Â Â at #15 UNLVÂ Â Â L 59-90
12/22/08   vs. Fresno State   W 84-65
12/23/08   vs. DePaul   W 83-75
11/23/12   vs. Wisconsin   W 84-74
11/24/12   vs. Arizona State   W 87-73
POY Watch Party?
The last time Creighton opened a tournament in Las Vegas, it was also against at Big Ten team, as the Bluejays topped Wisconsin on Nov. 23, 2012.
   In that game, junior Doug McDermott had 30 points and eight rebounds for Creighton while sophomore Frank Kaminsky had no points and no rebounds in nine minutes for Wisconsin.
   Both men would go on to win the National Player of the Year as seniors, with McDermott winning the Wooden Award in 2014 before Kaminsky won it in 2015.
What's With The Fans?
Don't be surprised at the contingent that heads westward to support Creighton this week in Las Vegas.
   Last season, Creighton ranked sixth nationally by averaging 17,048 fans per home game.
   In addition, Michael Gaughan's South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa offered complimentary three-night stays between to Creighton alums, fans and friends at his property during this tournament.
   Gaughan is a 1965 Creighton graduate and a 2004 recipient of Creighton's College of Business Administration Alumni Merit Award. In 2009 he entered The Gaming Hall of Fame, joining the likes of Vegas legends Don King, Frank Sinatra, Steve Wynn, Don Rickles and Wayne Newton.
   Creighton's 289,808 home fans last season (an average of 17,048 fans per home game) is especially magnified when you consider that its three possible opponents in Las Vegas combined for 290,406 home fans last year.
Thomas Makes History
Khyri Thomas opened his Creighton career with 18 points in a win over Texas Southern, which earned him BIG EAST Freshman of the Week honors.
   Thomas is the first Bluejay in program history to be named BIG EAST Freshman of the Week.
   Creighton's last player to be named league Freshman/Newcomer of the Week following the first week of the season was Doug McDermott on Nov. 15, 2010, when CU was in the Missouri Valley Conference. McDermott would go on to be named First-Team All-MVC and, MVC Newcomer fo the Year and MVC Freshman of the Year.
The Response
Creighton does not lose many games by 20 or more points, having done so just twice in the last seven seasons.
   Creighton is 2-0 following a loss by 20 or more points under Greg McDermott, beating both St. John's 77-74 and Central Arkansas 104-77 last season.
   The last time Creighton lost by 20 or more points, then lost the subsequent game, came in early January of 2009.
November On Notice
Creighton is 8-0 with eight double-digit victories in November games following a loss under Greg McDermott.
   Those victories have come by an average of 23.8 points.
   Creighton last lost consecutive November games in 2009, when it went 0-3 at the Old Spice Classic in Orlando, Fla., falling to No. 15 Michigan, Xavier and Iona.
Double-Digits Triple
Maurice Watson Jr. has scored in double-figures during each of Creighton's first three games this season.
   Watson joins Doug McDermott as the only Bluejays to open his career in double-figures during CU's first three games in the last 20 years. McDermott opened his 2010-11 campaign with eight straight games in double-figures.
   The last Bluejay transfer to start his career with 10 or more points in each of CU's first three games was Wabash Valley JC transfer Tad Ackerman. Ackerman did it in six straight contests to open the 1994-95 season.
   Watson's 41 points through three games are tied for the most of any Bluejay newcomer since 1994-95.
Most Points, Newcomers First 3 Games Since 1994-95
   Pts.   Name, Class   Year
   41   Brody Deren, So.   2001-02
   41   P'Allen Stinnett, Fr.   2007-08
   41   Maurice Watson Jr., Jr.   2015-16
   39   Edward St. Fleur, Jr.   1995-96
   38   Darryl Ashford, Jr.   2009-10
   38   Doug McDermott, Fr.    2010-11
   35   Devin Brooks, Jr.   2013-14
   34   Johnny Mathies, So.   2003-04
   34   Gregory Echenique, So.   2010-11
   33   Tad Ackerman, Jr.   1994-95
   33   Khyri Thomas, Fr.   2015-16
   33   Cole Huff, Jr.   2015-16
   32   Toby Hegner, Fr.   2014-15
   30   Ryan Sears, Fr.   1997-98
   30   Ethan Wragge, Fr.   2009-10
Watson Ties Career-High
Maurice Watson Jr. tied a career-high, done four times previously at Boston, with his 21 points at Indiana on Nov. 19th.
   Watson's 21 points were the most by a Bluejay within the first three games of his career since P'Allen Stinnett had 23 points in his debut against DePaul on Nov. 9, 2007.
   Heading into Monday's tilt vs. Rutgers, Watson has averaged 14.0 points, 6.8 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game against teams from the "Football Five" conferences, plus the American, while in college.
Opponent   Year   Pts.   Reb.   Ast.
Rutgers   2012-13   16   5   7
Connecticut   2013-14   13   2   6
Maryland   2013-14   13   2   7
Illinois   2013-14   7   4   12
Indiana   2015-16   21   1   2
Averages   5 games   14.0   2.8   6.8
Comparing Scores
Here's a look at how Creighton, Rutgers, UMass and Clemson did in preliminary round games of the 2015 Men Who Speak Up Main Event.
School   Howard   Tex. So.   UCA   UTSA
Creighton   -   W 93-70   -   W 103-78
Rutgers   W 82-70   -   W 87-84   -
Clemson   -   W 76-56   -   W 78-45
UMass   W 85-79   -   W 89-62   -
Against The Big Ten
Creighton is 7-1 in its last eight games against teams from the Big Ten, as Thursday's loss at Indiana snapped a seven-game win streak of victories by an average of 14.0 points.
   Greg McDermott is 20-13 in his career against teams that are currently in the Big Ten, including a 7-3 mark on the Creighton sideline.
Creighton's Last Eight Games vs. the Big Ten
Date   Opponent   Score
11/20/11Â Â Â vs. Iowa (in Des Moines)Â Â Â W 82-59
12/04/11   Nebraska   W 76-66
12/22/11   Northwestern   W 87-79
11/23/12Â Â Â vs. Wisconsin (in Las Vegas)Â Â Â W 84-74
12/06/12   at Nebraska   W 64-42
12/08/13   Nebraska   W 82-67
12/07/14   at Nebraska   W 65-55
11/19/15   at #14 Indiana   L 65-86
Among The Best
Since the start of the 2010-11 season, which coincides with Greg McDermott's arrival, Creighton has been the nation's third-most accurate team from three-point range.
   The Bluejays are 1520-3877 from deep in that time, shooting 39.2 percent from deep in that span.
Best 3FG%, Since 2010-11
Rk.   Pct.   Team   3FG   3FGA
1.   .394   Weber State   1272   3225
2.   .393   Northern Colorado   1073   2732
3.   .392   Creighton   1520   3877
4.   .390   UC Davis   1274   3263
5.   .390   Albilene Christian   481   1232
Shooting Stars
Creighton has proven to be one of the nation's best shooting teams since the 2010-11 season, which coincides with when Greg McDermott arrived at Creighton.
   Check out the lists below that show various categories showcasing their dominance, through Nov. 19:
Most Games, 50% FG & 40% 3FG
Rk.   Occasions   Team
1.   61   Creighton
2.   52   Denver
   52   Gonzaga
4.   50   Belmont
   50   Kansas
Most Games, 50% 3FG
Rk.   Occasions   Team
1.   42   Creighton
2.   37   Northern Colorado
   37   UCLA
4.   36   Rider
5.   35   Bucknell
   35   Michigan State
   35   Northeastern
   35   Weber State
Most Games, 40% 3FG
Rk.   Occasions   Team
1.   94   Creighton
2.   90   Duke
3.   85   Weber State
4.   83   Indiana
5.   81   Denver
   81   Arizona
Most Games, 50% FG
Rk.   Occasions   Team
1.   86   Gonzaga
2.   80   Kansas
3.   76   Creighton
4.   75   Belmont
5.   71   Indiana
   71   Kentucky
Most Games, 60% FG
Rk.   Occasions   Team
1.   16   Ohio State
2.   15   Creighton
3.   13   Gonzaga
   13   North Dakota State
   13   Valparaiso
Most Games, 25+ Assists
Rk.   Occasions   Team
1.   15   North Carolina
2.   14   Iona
3.   13   Creighton
   13   Michigan State
5.   12   Memphis
   12   Sam Houston State
Hanson Find His Range
Zach Hanson has showed fine shooting touch in the early season, missing just one shot to date.
   Hanson made 4-of-4 field goal attempts in the exhibition win over Upper Iowa, the win over UTSA, and the game at Indiana.
   His only miss to date was against Texas Southern in the regular-season opener, when he was 0-for-1.
On Your Mark, Get Set, Go
Creighton has averaged 87 points per game in its first three regular-season contests to date.
   Greg McDermott is 30-0 as a Division I head coach when his teams score 90 or more points, including a 24-0 mark on the Creighton sideline.
   Creighton has won 68 straight games when scoring 90 or more points at all sites since a Jan. 11, 1988 loss to Southern Illinois.
   Creighton has won 52 straight games when scoring 40 or more points in the first half, since a Nov. 21, 2010 loss to Iowa State.
   Creighton is 50-2 all-time when scoring 100 points or more, including 22 straight wins since a 1977 loss to North Texas State.
A 60 Point Half!
Creighton scored 61 points in the first half last Tuesday vs. UTSA, tying a CenturyLink Center Omaha record first done in the second half vs. Houston Baptist on Dec. 12, 2007.
   It was also the most points in any first half since scoring 61 vs. Drake on Feb. 3, 1990.
   Creighton had not scored 60 points in any half since doing so in the first half on Nov. 25, 2011 vs. Campbell, and the 61 were tied for its second-most point in any half since 1996-97, trailing only a 63-point outburst in the second half of the 2002-03 opener vs. Texas-Arlington.
How Many 3's?
Creighton drained 15 three-pointers in last Tuesday's win over UTSA. It was the most three-pointers in any game by CU since setting a BIG EAST record with 21 treys on Jan. 20, 2014 at No. 4 Villanova.
   Tuesday marked the fifth time in six seasons under Greg McDermott that Creighton has made 15 or more three-pointers. The Bluejays have won all five of those games.
Malik's Magic
Junior guard Malik Albert got extended run last Tuesday vs. UTSA with Maurice Watson Jr. saddled to the bench with two personal fouls. The Detroit native responded in a big way, finishing with 10 assists in 20 minutes of work. The 10 assists led to 28 points from his Bluejay teammates.
   In the process, Albert became the nation's third reserve with 10 or more assists in 20 minutes or less in a win against a Division I team since 2010-11. He joins Kansas's Naadir Tharpe (12 assists in 20 minutes vs. American on Dec. 29, 2012) and Louisiana Tech's Kenneth Smith (10 assists in 20 minutes on Nov. 20, 2013 vs. Central Arkansas).
   Per STATS Inc., Albert became the second BIG EAST reserve since 2004-05 with 10+ assists in 20 minutes or less against a Division I team, joining Marquette's Maurice Acker (12/28/08 vs. Presbyterian).
   Albert is Creighton's only player in the last 30 years to have a game of 10 or more assists as a reserve.
Field Goal Frenzy
Creighton scored on 43 of its 75 possessions on Nov. 14 vs. Texas Southern, producing an average of 1.24 points per possession. The Jays played a fast-paced game, using just 14 seconds per trip.
   Creighton's 38 made field goals were its most in any game since also making 38 vs. Campbell on Nov. 25, 2011, and tied a single-game CenturyLink Center Omaha record.
   On Nov. 17 vs. UTSA, Creighton averaged 1.226 points while scoring on 41-of-84 possessions, with an average possession time of 12 seconds per trip.
   The number made a big drop on Nov. 19 at No. 14 Indiana, as Creighton scored on 32-of-77 possessions, and scored just 0.844 points per trip.
   In seven games (including Italy and the exhibition), Creighton has scored on 328 of its 581 possessions (56.5 percent) this season.
The Fast And The Furious
Creighton had a whopping 30 fast break points in its Nov. 14 win over Texas Southern, added 24 more last Tuesday vs. UTSA, and had 10 points in transition against Indiana on Nov. 19.
   By comparison, last year Creighton had a total of 143 fast break points (4.3 per game), and never had more than 11 in any contest.
   Creighton's 30 fast break points are believed to be its most since moving to CenturyLink Center Omaha in 2003, with the next highest mark on file (before Texas Southern on Nov. 14) was listed as 24 vs. Kennesaw State on Nov. 26, 2010.
The Link Turns Into The Dunk Tank
Creighton put down seven dunks in its Nov. 14 opener vs. Texas Southern, as Khyri Thomas (3), Martin Krampelj (2), Geoffrey Groselle (1) and Malik Albert (1) all got into the act above the rim.
   On Nov. 17 vs. UTSA, Thomas had two more dunks while Zach Hanson rocked the rim for the first time in 2015-16.
   Thomas also had a pair of dunks on Nov. 19 at No. 14 Indiana.
   Combined with 25 dunks in three games while in Italy, and four dunks in the exhibition season, Creighton has now put down 41 dunks in seven games as a unit this year.
   By comparison, Creighton had 29 dunks in 33 regular-season games all of last season.
Foreign Tours Lead To Early Success
Creighton is coming off a trip to Italy in August, which it hopes will prepare the team for early victories as past trips have done.
   A 2011 trip to the Bahamas helped get the Bluejays ready for a 7-0 start.
   A 2007 trip to Canada paid dividends as Creighton started 5-0.
   In 2003, the Bluejays also went to Canada and started the subsequent season 12-0.
Big Margin Can Lead To Big Things
Creighton's 104-77 win last year vs. Central Arkansas was the second straight season the team has cracked triple-digits in a season-opener. Â Â Â
   The 2015-16 season has seen Creighton reach 90 points in each of its first two games this season, just the fourth time that's happened. Each of the previous three times (1973-74, 2011-12, 2013-14), the Bluejays would reach the NCAA Tournament and then win at last one game in the Big Dance.
   Nine of Creighton's 19 all-time NCAA Tournament teams have scored 90 or more points in their season-opener.
   Here's a look at Creighton's last eight teams to score 90 or more in a season-opener, which shows that six of the previous seven to do so reached the NCAA Tournament.
            Final   Post-
   Score   Opponent   Date   W-L   Season
   93-70   Texas Southern   11/14/15   ? ? ?   ? ? ?
   104-77   Central Arkansas   11/14/14   14-19   --
   107-61   Alcorn State   11/08/13   27-8   NCAA
   97-65   N. Carolina A&T   11/11/11   29-6   NCAA
   106-50   Texas-Arlington   11/17/02   29-5   NCAA
   96-50   Western Illinois   11/20/00   24-8   NCAA
   93-48   Towson State   11/14/98   22-9   NCAA
   93-47   UT-San Antonio   11/30/90   24-8   NCAA
November Reign
Creighton is a perfect 51-0 all-time in regular-season home games that take place on or before Nov. 26th.
   Creighton has won 52 of its 53 regular-season November home games since 1990, falling only to Boise State in 2012.
   Overall, Creighton is 68-15 in regular-season November games at all sites since the start of the 1998-99 campaign.
   Creighton has also won 60 of its last 62 regular-season non-conference home games against unranked foes since falling to Drexel on Feb. 17, 2007.
Making An Entrance
With 18 points vs. Texas Southern last Saturday, Khyri Thomas became CU's highest scorer in a debut since P'Allen Stinnett started his MVC Freshman of the Year campaign in 2007-08 with 23 points vs. DePaul.
   Martin Krampelj had 11 points and eight rebounds in his debut, the most rebounds by a Bluejay in their first game since Grant Gibbs had nine rebounds in 2011, though Gibbs was a fourth-year transfer from Creighton. Krampelj's eight rebounds were the most in a season-opener by any Bluejay freshman since Joe Dabbert had nine in 2000.
   Five years ago, Doug McDermott burst onto the scene with 16 points and seven rebounds in his debut, becoming the first Bluejay freshman since at least 1973 to have 15 or more points and five or more rebounds in a season-opener.
   Below is a list of some of Creighton's most famous players and how they performed in their regular-season debuts in a Bluejay uniform.
Name, Yr.   Pts.   Reb.   Ast.   Stl.   Min.   Result
Echenique, 2010Â Â Â 12Â Â Â 5Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 18Â Â Â W 66-60
McDermott, 2010Â Â Â 16Â Â Â 7Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 1Â Â Â 32Â Â Â W 71-57
Stinnett, 2007Â Â Â 23Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 26Â Â Â W 74-62
Tolliver, 2003Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 1Â Â Â 2Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 7Â Â Â W 79-44
Funk, 2002Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 5Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 1Â Â Â 21Â Â Â W 106-50
Kyle Korver, 1999Â Â Â 2Â Â Â 2Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 1Â Â Â 10Â Â Â W 70-62
Buford, 1995Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 19Â Â Â W 63-59
Harstad, 1987Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 5Â Â Â 1Â Â Â 1Â Â Â 21Â Â Â L 49-70
Gallagher, 1987Â Â Â 10Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 37Â Â Â L 49-70
Benjamin, 1982Â Â Â 14Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 1Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 22Â Â Â W 98-54
McKenna, 1977   14   3   7   ?   ?   W 95-66
Harmon, 1971   21   7   ?   ?   ?   W 74-62
C. Baptiste, 1969   24   17   ?   ?   ?   W 84-62
Portman, 1966   9   ?   ?   ?   ?   W 78-76
Silas, 1961   22   29   ?   ?   ?   W 85-51
Gibson, 1954   19   ?   ?   ?   ?   W 66-51
Playing With The Lead
In 205 games at CenturyLink Center Omaha all-time, Creighton has not trailed in 53 of those contests, a staggering 25.9 percent of the time, including once (UTSA) this year.
   Under Greg McDermott at home, Creighton is 75-15 and hasn't trailed in 28 of those games.
More Debut News
Some more facts of interest about players making their Bluejay debut.
   Creighton started three players on Nov. 14 were making their Bluejay debut, as transfers Cole Huff and Maurice Watson Jr. joined true freshman Khyri Thomas in the first five.
   Thomas' start was especially historic, as he became just the third true freshman to start since 1992-93, joining Bluejay legends Doug McDermott (2010-11) and Ryan Sears (1997-98). Both McDermott (145 games) and Sears (124) started every contest of their four-year Creighton careers.
Who Are These Guys?
Creighton returns just one regular starter (Toby Hegner) from last year's team that finished 14-19. Creighton's roster contains players who made 64 starts a year ago (28 by Hegner, 12 by James Milliken, 9 by Geoffrey Groselle, 8 by Zach Hanson and 7 by Isaiah Zierden), and a combined 64 career starts as Bluejays. Three of the most experienced Bluejays, Maurice Watson Jr. (63 starts at Boston), Cole Huff (46 starts at Nevada) and Marcus Foster (57 starts at Kansas State) have never worn a Bluejay uniform in a game that counts.
   This year marks just the third time since 1986-87 that Creighton returns one starter or less (also 2007-08; Dane Watts and 2014-15 Austin Chatman).
   Returning   Returning Starts    Final
Year   Starters   From Previous Year   W-L
2015-16Â Â Â 1Â Â Â 64Â Â Â ? ? ?
2014-15Â Â Â 1Â Â Â 49Â Â Â 14-19
2013-14Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 144Â Â Â 27-8
2012-13Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 140Â Â Â 28-8
2011-12Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 101Â Â Â 29-6
2010-11Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 123Â Â Â 23-16
2009-10Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 106Â Â Â 18-16
2008-09Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 83Â Â Â 27-8
2007-08Â Â Â 1Â Â Â 44Â Â Â 22-11
2006-07Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 120Â Â Â 22-11
2005-06Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 134Â Â Â 20-10
2004-05Â Â Â 2Â Â Â 58Â Â Â 23-11
2003-04Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 101Â Â Â 20-9
2002-03Â Â Â 5Â Â Â 159Â Â Â 29-5
2001-02Â Â Â 2Â Â Â 65Â Â Â 23-9
2000-01Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 90Â Â Â 24-8
1999-00Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 84Â Â Â 23-10
1998-99Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 84Â Â Â 22-9
1997-98Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 72Â Â Â 18-10
1996-97Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 126Â Â Â 15-15
1995-96Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 100Â Â Â 14-15
1994-95Â Â Â 2Â Â Â 52Â Â Â 7-19
1993-94Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 73Â Â Â 7-22
1992-93Â Â Â 2Â Â Â 64Â Â Â 8-18
1991-92Â Â Â 2Â Â Â 51Â Â Â 9-19
1990-91Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 132Â Â Â 24-8
1989-90Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 127Â Â Â 21-12
1988-89Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 123Â Â Â 20-11
1987-88Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 83Â Â Â 16-16
1986-87Â Â Â 2Â Â Â 65Â Â Â 9-19
1985-86Â Â Â 1Â Â Â 48Â Â Â 12-16
1984-85Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 124Â Â Â 20-12
1983-84Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 72Â Â Â 17-14
1982-83Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 77Â Â Â 8-19
1981-82Â Â Â 2Â Â Â 78Â Â Â 7-20
1980-81Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 112Â Â Â 21-9
Preseason BIG EAST Poll
Creighton was picked to finish ninth in its third season as BIG EAST Conference members according to a preseason poll of league coaches. Villanova was picked first with 81 points and nine first-place votes, while Georgetown (70, 1), Butler (67), Xavier (55) and Providence (45) round out the top half. The predicted lower half was Marquette (44), Seton Hall (27), DePaul (25), Creighton (23) and St. John's (13).
   Creighton did not have any honorees on the Preseason All-BIG EAST Teams, which was led by Preseason Player of the Year Kris Dunn from Providence.
Zierden Returns From Second Knee Injury
Isaiah Zierden had 15 points on Nov. 14 after missing the second half of last season after suffering a season-ending injury to his right knee for the second straight campaign.
   Zierden was carried off the floor with 4:05 left in the first half on Jan. 21, 2015 at Butler and did not return.
   An MRI two days later determined that Zierden partially tore the MCL in his knee, while also suffering an injury to his patella.
   Unlike his first injury, Zierden elected to have surgery this time around, as he underwent a medical procedure in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 13, 2015.
   The uncommon injury is very similar to one he suffered the previous March at Xavier, which caused him to miss CU's last seven games.
   Zierden's 15 points and four assists vs. Texas Southern were both second-most on the team.
   He did even better on Nov. 17 vs. UTSA, scoring a career-high 24 points in 23 minutes.
NBA Representation
This year marks the second time since 1970 (joining last season) that Creighton has three NBA players at the same time, as Kyle Korver (Atlanta Hawks), Anthony Tolliver (Detroit Pistons) and Doug McDermott (Chicago Bulls) are all in the league.
   Including 2015-16, Creighton has now had an NBA player in 32 of the last 33 years.
   Korver ranks 11th in NBA history with 1,749 three-pointers and is also sixth in league history with 43.2 percent marksmanship from three-point range (through Nov. 19). He owns NBA records with 127 straight games with a three-pointer, and also set a single-season NBA mark that still stands with his 53.6 percent shooting from three-point range. Last season he was named an All-Star and led the league in three-point percentage for the third time.
   Tolliver is averaging 3.7 points per game this season for the Pistons, his 10th NBA organization.
   McDermott is in his second season with the Chicago Bulls, where he's averaging 10.5 points per game and is second in the NBA by shooting 53.8 percent from three-point range for fellow Ames High alum Fred Hoiberg. Hoiberg, ironically, is the same man who replaced Greg McDermott as Iowa State's head coach in 2010.
Productive Offense?
Below is where Creighton ranks nationally in the first five years since Greg McDermott took over in 2010-11:
2010-11 to 2014-15
Category   Stat   NCAA Rank  Â
3FG Percentage   .3930   2nd  Â
Assists   2,856   3rd
FG Percentage   .4768   4th
3FG Made   1,492   4th
Assists/Game   16.045   5th  Â
Assist/Turnover Ratio   1.382   5th
3FG Made/Game   8.382   9th
FG Made   4,555   22nd
Wins   121   T-25th
Winning Percentage   .6798   T-34th
Going For 20, Again
Creighton has won 20 or more games in 15 of the last 17 seasons (including 2014-15), a feat that puts the Jays among an exclusive group, nationally.
   Just three schools nationally have had 20 or more wins each of the last 17 years: Duke, Gonzaga and Kansas.
   Kentucky , Florida, Texas and Syracuse have each done it in 16 of the last 17 seasons.
   Along with Arizona, Xavier, Kent State and Connecticut, Creighton is one of five schools with 20 or more wins in exactly 15 of the past 17 years.
Eight Out Of 17 Tourney Titles
Creighton owns eight league tournament titles in the last 17 years. On a national basis, the only schools that can claim this are Gonzaga (13), Duke (10), Winthrop (9) and Creighton (8).
Full House
Last year's Creighton team averaged 17,048 fans in 17 home dates, good for sixth-nationally, and better than 11 NBA franchises.
   It's the 10th straight season that CU has been among the nation's top 25 in average home attendance, and the fourth straight season in the top-six nationally in attendance, as well.
   Last year Creighton was the nation's first team to average 17,000+ fans, despite a losing record, since Louisville in 2000-01.
   This year's team is averaging 16,559 fans per game after two home dates.
2014-15 Attendance Leaders
   Rk.   School   Average  Â
   1.   Syracuse   23,854  Â
   2.   Kentucky   23,572  Â
   3.   Louisville   22,030  Â
   4.   North Carolina   19,582  Â
   5.   Wisconsin   17,279  Â
   6.   Creighton   17,048  Â
   7.   Kansas   16,383  Â
   8.   Indiana   16,288  Â
   9.   BYU   16,125  Â
   10.   Nebraska   15,569  Â
Highest Average Attendance, Creighton History
   Avg. Att.   School   Year
   17,896   Creighton   2013-14
   17,155   Creighton   2012-13
   17,048   Creighton   2014-15
   16,665   Creighton   2011-12
   16,559 so far   Creighton   2015-16
   15,930   Creighton   2008-09
Long-Distance Streak Surpasses 700
Creighton has made at least one three-pointer in 716 straight games since a 59-53 loss at Illinois State on Feb. 20, 1993. The streak is the 23rd-longest active streak.
   Creighton's last win without making a three-point basket came on March 3, 1991 when the Jays went 0-for-2 from three-point range in a 71-66 win over Southern Illinois in the championship game of the MVC Tournament.
   Before a 3-for-18 showing from downtown on Thursday at No. 14 Indiana, Creighton had made four or more three-pointers in 70 straight games, the nation's third-longest such active string. That streak began in CU's 2013-14 season-opener.
   Despite the streak of four or more ending, Creighton's streak of games with at least 15 trey attempts was extended to 79, which is second-longest nationally.
   Courtesy Stats Inc., below is a list of the nation's longest active three-point streaks.
Longest Active 3-Point Streaks
   Rk.   Streak   School   Next Game
   1.   943   UNLV   11/23
   2.   942   Kentucky   11/24
   3.   934   Vanderbilt   11/23
   4.   915   Duke   11/22
   5.   874   Western Kentucky   11/23
   6.   872   Arkansas   11/25
   7.   862   East Tennessee State   11/22
   8.   860   Pacific   11/23
   9.   836   Oakland   11/22
   10.   827   Texas   11/25
   11.   817   Princeton   11/25
   12.   800   Florida   11/22
   13.   781   La Salle   11/23
   14.   776   Marshall   11/24
   15.   769   Baylor   11/23
   16.   748   Cornell   11/23
   17.   747   LIU-Brooklyn   11/22
   18.   739   Gonzaga   11/25
   19.   728   Tennessee State   11/24
   20.   727   Mount St. Mary's   11/26
   21.   724   Samford   11/23
   22.   719   East Carolina   11/23
   23.   716   Creighton   11/23
   24.   682   Lafayette   11/23
   25.   680   DePaul   11/22
   26.   672   Davidson   11/23
Longest Active Streaks of 15+ 3FG Attempts
(Source: STATS Inc.)
   Rk.   Streak   School   Next Game
   1.   137   Coppin State   11/23
   2.   79   Creighton   11/23
   3.   72   Iona   12/1
   4.   69   San Jose State   11/25
   5.   62   Lipscomb   11/22
Très Bien
Creighton made 39-of-91 three-pointers (42.9 percent) in its BIG EAST victories last season, but just 93-for-299 (31.1 percent) from deep in its league losses.
   For the season Creighton shot 34.5 percent from three-point land.
   Since 2011-12, Creighton is 38-33 (.535) when shooting 40.00 percent or worse from three-point range. While respectable, that pales in comparison to CU's 62-8 (.886) mark the last four years when shooting better than 40.00 percent from downtown.
   Lower the standards to 30%, and it's still impressive. Creighton is 89-21 in the previous four years when shooting 30 percent or better from deep, compared to 11-20 when shooting 29.99 percent or less.
Early Birds Get The Win
When Creighton's offense gets rolling under Greg McDermott, the results have been evident. Creighton has won 52 straight games under McDermott when scoring 40 or more points in the first half.
   CU has also won 70 straight home games when scoring 40 or more points in the first half dating to a Feb. 3, 2002 loss to Southern Illinois, including a perfect 61-0 mark at CenturyLink Center Omaha.
NCAA Success
Creighton is one of 18 schools to have won an NCAA Tournament game in at least three of the last four seasons.
   Gonzaga, Kansas, Louisville, Michigan State and North Carolina are the only five teams to have won at least one game all four seasons.
   The list of teams with an NCAA win in three of the last four campaigns consists of Arizona, Creighton, Florida, Iowa State, Kentucky, North Carolina State, Ohio State, Oregon, Saint Louis, San Diego State, Syracuse, Wichita State and Wisconsin.
CenturyLink Center Omaha Success
Creighton has played 205 regular and postseason contests at CenturyLink Center Omaha all-time in the 13-year-old facility.
   The Bluejays own an 172-33 (.839) record all-time at the facility, and have never lost there on a Thursday (7-0) or Friday (10-0).
   Creighton has outscored its opponents 15,543-13,135 in games at CenturyLink Center Omaha, an average margin of 11.75 points per game. Creighton has led wire-to-wire 53 different times, including once this year (UTSA).
   Creighton is also 25-19 all-time in the 44 games at CLCO in which it's fallen behind by double-figures.
   Creighton is 75-15 (.833) at CenturyLink Center Omaha under Greg McDermott, including a 42-3 record vs. non-conference teams.
   Factor in a 17-0 home mark at the Omaha Civic Auditorium in 2002-03 and two wins at the Civic in the 2010 CIT, and the Bluejays are 191-33 (.853) at home since the start of the 2002-03 campaign.
Big Deficits, No Big Deal
Creighton owns 14 victories under Greg McDermott after trailing by double-figures at some point, including three games last year, and seven such comebacks away from home.
   On Nov. 19, 2014, Creighton trailed 42-24 to No. 18 Oklahoma with 18:30 to go before putting together a comeback for the ages. It was CU's largest comeback victory under Greg McDermott (see chart below), the second-largest since 2000 (see chart below), and the second-biggest in the history of CenturyLink Center Omaha (see chart, left column on page two).
   On the other hand, CU is 107-6 under McDermott when putting together double-digit leads, including wins 95 of the last 97 times.
Double-Digit Comebacks Under Greg McDermott
Deficit   Opponent   Date
18   #18 Oklahoma   11/19/14
17   at San Diego State   11/30/11
16   at Evansville   02/16/13
14   Evansville   02/21/12
13   at Saint Joseph's   11/16/13
13   Xavier   01/12/14
12   Saint Joseph's   12/11/10
11   at Wichita State   12/31/11
11   Northern Iowa   01/10/12
11   vs. Alabama   03/16/12
10Â Â Â UABÂ Â Â 11/14/12
10   vs. Drake   03/02/12
10   at Nebraska   12/07/14
10   South Dakota   12/09/14
Winning Formulas
Below are the records for each current BIG EAST school over the previous four, eight and 14 (since 2000-01) seasons, ranked by overall wins, through games of the end of the 2014-15 campaign.
Most Wins Since 2000-01 (to end 2014-15)
Team   W   L
Butler   358   146
Xavier   353   149
Creighton   349   155  Â
Villanova   337   165  Â
Marquette   327   170  Â
Georgetown   325   164  Â
Providence   258   216  Â
Seton Hall   244   224
St. John's   234   234  Â
DePaul   193   271  Â
Most Wins - Last 10 Years (2005-06 to end 2014-15)
Team   W   L
Butler   252   97
Villanova   243   98
Xavier   237   106
Georgetown   230   102
Creighton   230   113
Marquette   221   119
Providence   170   150
Seton Hall   166   152
St. John's   164   155
DePaul   114   200
Most Wins - Last 4 Years (2011-12 to end 2014-15)
Team   W   L
Creighton   98   41
Villanova   95   41
Georgetown   89   42
Butler   86   52
Xavier   84   54
Marquette   83   51
Providence   79   56
St. John's   71   60
Seton Hall   69   63
DePaul   47   81
What A Start!
Greg McDermott is 123-58 on the Creighton sideline early in his sixth year at the helm. The 123 wins are easily the most in Creighton history in the first six seasons, way more than Tom Apke's 109.
Most Wins at CU, First Six Seasons
Coach   Years   W-L After 6 Yrs
Greg McDermott   2010-Pres.   123-58 so far
Tom Apke   1974-80   109-55
Tony Barone   1985-91   102-82
Dana Altman   1994-00   99-78
Red McManus   1959-65   91-63
Pizza Pie, Piled High = Wins
Thanks to a promotion with Omaha-based Godfather's Pizza, Creighton season ticket-holders can get a free mini pizza any time the Jays score 75 points at home.
   History has proven that when the team earns the fans pizza, it often leads to a victory as well.
   The first three years of CenturyLink Center Omaha (2003-06), Creighton needed 70 points to earn its fans free pizza, and the Jays went 27-3 when reaching that threshold, closing out that run with 12 straight wins.
   Since upping the standard to 75 points prior to the 2006-07 campaign, Creighton is a perfect 88-0 when scoring 75 points or more at CenturyLink Center Omaha.
   In other words, Creighton is a perfect 100-0 in CenturyLink Center Omaha since Feb. 6, 2005 when scoring enough points to earn its fans some free pizza.
Home Run
Since Greg McDermott took over in 2010, Creighton is averaging 77.52 points per home game (6,977 points in 90 home games).
   That's a vital number since Creighton is 110-0 at home (81-0 at CenturyLink Center Omaha) when scoring 78 points or more, and 92-0 at home (65-0 at CenturyLink Center Omaha) when scoring 80 points or more at home dating to a 92-83 loss to Southern Illinois on Feb. 19, 2000.
Full House
The 2014-15 season included two of the school's top-16 home crowds ever. Here's a look at Creighton's top-20 home crowds all-time.
    Rank   Att.   Opponent   Date
   1.   18,868   Providence   03/08/14
   2.   18,859   Georgetown   01/25/14
   3.   18,797   #6 Villanova   02/16/14
   4.   18,742   Seton Hall   02/23/14
   5.   18,735   Wichita State   02/11/12
   6.   18,613   Wichita State   03/02/13
   7.   18,525   Marquette   12/31/13
   8.   18,494   Illinois State   02/09/13
   9.   18,458   Evansville   12/29/12
   10.   18,436   Bradley   01/28/12
   11.   18,323   DePaul   02/07/14
   12.   18,160   Central Arkansas   11/14/14
   13.   18,111   Bradley   02/02/13
   14.   18,078   Tulsa   11/23/13
   15.   18,073   Drake   01/08/13
   16.   17,971   #19 Butler   02/16/15
   17.   17,954   Wichita State   12/28/08
   18.   17,740   Alcorn State   11/08/13
   19.   17,694   Indiana State   01/05/13
   20.   17,676   Northwestern   12/22/11
Last Season Recap
Creighton went 14-19 last season, finishing 4-14 to tie for ninth place in the BIG EAST Conference.
   The Bluejays started the season 5-0, including a win over No. 18 Oklahoma, before losing eight remaining games in the final minute.
   Senior point guard Austin Chatman led Creighton in scoring (11.5 ppg.) and assists (3.7 apg.), while fellow senior Devin Brooks paced the team in rebounds (5.0 ppg.) and steals (1.0 spg.).
   Despite the struggles on the court, Creighton still ranked sixth nationally with 17,048 fans per home game.
Shuttle Service Provided Again
Chief Bus will provide complimentary shuttle service from the Creighton University campus to CenturyLink 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 CenturyLink 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 CenturyLink 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 2015-16 season went on sale on October 29th.
   Fans can purchase single-game tickets at CenturyLink 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.
   For more information, call the Creighton Ticket Office at (402) 280-JAYS.
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/ Men's BasketballCreighton Men's Basketball Availability - 9/24/25
Wednesday, September 24
Meet the Jays - MBB Blake Harper
Friday, August 15
Meet the Jays - MBB Austin Swartz
Friday, August 15
Meet the Jays - MBB Jasen Green
Friday, August 15
