Men's Basketball Hosts Nebraska on Wednesday Night

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Game #9 • Nebraska at Creighton Men's Basketball • Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2015 • 7:05 p.m.
Nebraska Cornhuskers at Creighton Bluejays
CenturyLink Center Omaha (17,352) • Omaha, Neb.
Radio: KOZN 1620 AM, www.1620thezone.com
Television: CBS Sports Network
Series History: Nebraska leads, 25-23
Last Meeting: Creighton 65, Nebraska 55 on Dec. 7, 2014 in Lincoln, Neb.

Next Game
The Creighton men's basketball team (5-3) seeks a fifth straight win against its in-state rival when it hosts Nebraska (6-3) on Wednesday night.
   Tip-off at CenturyLink Center Omaha (17,352) in Omaha, Neb., is set for 7:05 pm.
   Wednesday's game is sold out but fans can still purchase Standing Room Only seats ($12) starting at 10 a.m. on Wednesday at the CenturyLink Center Omaha Box Office.

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 Nick Bahe will call the action.
   Prior to the game, Corey Lathrop and Heath Gunderson will host "Bluejay Shootaround", beginning at 6 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 Broadcast Information
Wednesday's game will air live nationally on CBS Sports Network, which can be found in Omaha on Cox Cable channel 234 or 1234 (in HD). Carter Blackburn and Pete Gillen will announce.

Video Webcast Information
It is not believed that Wednesday's game will be video webcast.
   GoCreighton.com/watch will also have a free webcast of the postgame press conferences.

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 is 5-3, but has lost close games in its last two outings to Arizona State (79-77) and Loyola (Chicago) (68-65) after a 5-1 start.
   The Bluejays are scoring an impressive 85.2 points per game, with transfers Cole Huff and Maurice Watson Jr. leading the way. Huff leads the club with 12.4 points per game after his arrival from Nevada, while Watson averages 11.9 points and a team-best 6.0 assists per game since arriving from Boston University.
   Also scoring at a prolific clip has been junior guard Isaiah Zierden, who has recovered from back-to-back season-ending knee injuries to average 10.8 points and lead the team with 20 three-point baskets, while also owning 26 assists compared to just three turnovers.
   Inside, fifth-year senior Geoffrey Groselle (11.0 ppg., 8.3 rpg.) ranks as one of the BIG EAST's most improved players and is averaging a double-double in his last three games.
   The Bluejays return nine lettermen and one starter (Toby Hegner) from last year's team that finished 14-19 and tied for ninth in the BIG EAST with a 4-14 league mark.
   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 Nebraska
Nebraska is 6-3 on the season, with its most prominent win coming over Tennessee on Nov. 28th. The Cornhuskers have suffered losses against Villanova, Cincinnati and Miami (Fla.) this season, and have lost 11 straight true road games dating to early last season.
   Kansas transfer Andrew White III (16.3 ppg., 4.9 rpg.) combines with veteran guard Shavon Shields (15.9 ppg., 5.1 rpg., 2.9 apg.) to form a potent duo on the wing, while Glynn Watson Jr. (8.1 ppg.) and Jack McVeigh (6.1 ppg.) are part of a talented class of newcomers.
   The Cornhuskers average 75.8 points per game while allowing just 64.8 per contest. NU also outrebounds foes by 7.6 caroms per contest and has shot 44.2 percent from the field, 37.5 percent from downtown and 72.5 percent at the line.

The Coaches
Greg McDermott (Northern Iowa, 1988) is in his sixth season as head coach at Creighton. He is 126-60 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 404-254 in his 22nd season and is 273-190 in his 15th Division I campaign. McDermott is assisted by Darian DeVries, Steve Lutz and Preston Murphy.
   Tim Miles (Mary, 1989) is in his fourth year as head coach at Nebraska, owning a 53-52 record in Lincoln. He's previously been head coach at Mayville State, SW Minnesota State, North Dakota State and Colorado State, and owns a career mark of 336-272 in 21 years overall. Miles is assisted by Phil Beckner, Jim Molinari and Kenya Hunter.

The Series With Nebraska
Creighton has won 13 of the past 16 regular-season match-ups, but Nebraska owns a 25-23 all-time lead in the series vs. Creighton.
   Creighton has won the last nine regular-season meetings in Omaha, winning by an average of 12.2 points in those encounters. NU's last regular-season win in Omaha over the Bluejays came in 1995.
   Creighton won four of the first seven meetings in the history of the series before a 45-year break where the in-state rivals did not play each other. The series has been played at least once each season since 1977 and is CU's longest running non-conference series by a landslide.
   Greg McDermott is 10-3 all-time vs. Nebraska (4-1 as Creighton head coach). Tim Miles is 0-3 against Creighton.
   A win on Wednesday would be Creighton's fifth straight in the series, matching the program's longest win streak ever over NU.

McDermott vs. Miles
Greg McDermott and Tim Miles are long-time friends who have had teams playing each other for much of the past 15 years.
   In fact, it was Miles who replaced McDermott as head coach at North Dakota State in 2001.
   Wednesday's meeting will be the third different school for both in a head-to-head match-up, as they squared off in match-ups between Wayne State and SW Minnesota State (seven times), Iowa State and North Dakota State (once) and Creighton and Nebraska (thrice).
   McDermott's teams are a perfect 11-0 in the head-to-head series, including five straight double-digit victories, and eight double-digit wins overall.
Greg McDermott vs. Tim Miles, Head-to-Head
Year   McDermott's Team   Miles' Team
1997-98   Wayne State 79   SW Minnesota St. 65
1997-98   Wayne State 72   SW Minnesota St. 69
1998-99   Wayne State 84   SW Minnesota St. 67
1998-99   Wayne State 65   SW Minnesota St. 62
1999-00   Wayne State 77   SW Minnesota St. 53
1999-00   Wayne State 67   SW Minnesota St. 65
1999-00   Wayne State 84   SW Minnesota St. 72
2006-07   Iowa State 67   North Dakota St. 54
2012-13   Creighton 64   Nebraska 42
2013-14   Creighton 82   Nebraska 67
2014-15   Creighton 65   Nebraska 55

I'll "Half" More Of That Please
Need one big reason why Creighton has won 13 of the past 16 regular-season meetings with Nebraska? Check out the quick starts the Bluejays have gotten off to on a consistent basis.
   Creighton has led at halftime in 13 of the past 16 regular-season meetings (including nine of the last 10 meetings), with seven double-digit leads at intermission in that span. The three times that Creighton trailed it half, it came back to win the game anyway.
   The last time these teams met in Omaha, the Bluejays raced to a 38-8 lead in the opening minutes before taking a 51-25 lead into intermission, never trailing in an 82-67 win. It was the fourth time in six regular-season meetings at CenturyLink Center Omaha that CU led by double-figures at the break.
   All-time under Greg McDermott, Creighton is 103-17 when leading at halftime.
Creighton vs Nebraska, Last 16 Reg.-Season Meetings
Date   City   Half Score   Final Score
12/09/99   Omaha   CU 40-38   CU 89-72
01/02/01   Lincoln   NU 24-22   CU 62-61
12/12/01   Omaha   CU 30-23   CU 76-70
12/21/02   Lincoln   CU 46-35   CU 81-73
12/10/03   Omaha   CU 33-23   CU 61-54
12/11/04   Lincoln   NU 22-18   CU 50-48
12/11/05   Omaha   CU 31-11   CU 70-44
11/18/06   Lincoln   CU 31-28   NU 73-61
11/24/07   Omaha   CU 47-20   CU 74-62
11/29/08   Lincoln   CU 31-18   NU 54-52
12/06/09   Omaha   CU 32-27   CU 67-61
12/05/10   Lincoln   CU 29-21   NU 59-54
12/04/11   Omaha   CU 32-29   CU 76-66
12/06/12   Lincoln   CU 28-17   CU 64-42
12/08/13   Omaha   CU 51-25   CU 82-67
12/07/14   Lincoln   NU 28-27   CU 65-55

Against The Big Ten
Creighton is 8-1 in its last nine games against teams from the Big Ten, including a 1-1 mark this season. Creighton has outscored foes by an average of 9.7 points in those nine games, which include seven double-figure victories.
   Greg McDermott is 21-13 in his career against teams that are currently in the Big Ten, including an 8-3 mark on the Creighton sideline.
Creighton's Last Nine Games vs. the Big Ten
Date   Opponent   Score
11/20/11   vs. Iowa (in Des Moines)   W 82-59
12/04/11   Nebraska   W 76-66
12/22/11   Northwestern   W 87-79
11/23/12   vs. Wisconsin (in Las Vegas)   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
11/23/15   vs. Rutgers (in Las Vegas)   W 85-75

One For The Record Books
Nebraska enters Wednesday with a 6-3 record, while Creighton is 5-3 in one less game.
   Creighton has finished with more wins than Nebraska in each of the last 17 seasons, a streak that started with the 1998-99 campaign.
   Since the start of the 1998-99 season (including this winter), Creighton is 399-176, while Nebraska is 274-264 on the hardwood.
Year   Nebraska   Creighton
2015-16   6-3   5-3
2014-15   13-18   14-18
2013-14   19-13   27-8
2012-13   15-18   28-8
2011-12   12-18   29-6
2010-11   19-13   23-16
2009-10   15-18   18-16
2008-09   18-13   27-8
2007-08   20-13   22-11
2006-07   17-14   22-11
2005-06   19-14   20-10
2004-05   14-14   23-11
2003-04   18-13   20-9
2002-03   11-19   29-5
2001-02   13-15   23-9
2000-01   14-16   24-8
1999-00   11-19   23-10
1998-99   20-13   22-9

Khyri Lets It Fly
Khyri Thomas had the best scoring game of his young career on Saturday when he poured in 22 points at Loyola (Chicago). Thomas sank 9-of-10 shots from the field, and was 4-for-4 from three-point range.
   Thomas' 22 points were the most by a Bluejay freshman in a game since Doug McDermott had 31 vs. Davidson on March 21, 2011, and the most points by a Creighton freshman in a true road game since Rodney Buford also scored 22 points at Wichita State on Feb. 3, 1996.
   Thomas' 90 percent marksmanship from the field was the second-best single-game showing by a Bluejay (minimum 8 FG) since 1994, trailing only an 11-for-11 outing from Anthony Tolliver vs. Illinois State on Jan. 1, 2007.
   Thomas' 4-for-4 showing from three-point range was the most makes without a miss from downtown since Devin Brooks also went 4-for-4 from deep on Nov. 28, 2013 vs. Arizona State.
   Creighton hasn't had a player go 5-for-5 (or better) from three-point range since Michael Lindeman was 5-for-5 vs. Bradley on Feb. 8, 2003.
   Thomas had made seven of his last eight three-point attempts and 10-of-15 overall to lead the BIG EAST in three-point percentage (66.7 percent).

Nebraska Natives
Creighton owns two players from the state of Nebraska, as freshmen Justin Patton and Khyri Thomas both hail from Omaha.
   Nebraska also has two student-athletes that hail from the state in Omaha native Johnny Trueblood and Gothenburg resident Tanner Borchardt.

Good Start vs. Nebraska
In 2013 Greg McDermott became the only coach in Creighton history to win three of his first four games against Nebraska, and last December he improved that mark to 4-1 on the Bluejay sideline vs. NU.
   McDermott and Dana Altman are the only Creighton men's basketball coaches to win four straight games over the Cornhuskers, as Altman led a five-game win streak from 1999-2003.

Great Eight
A pair of newcomers are leading Creighton in scoring through eight games, as Cole Huff has 99 points and Maurice Watson Jr. has 95.
   Since 1994-95, those figures trail only Doug McDermott's 116 points through eight contests among newcomers.
   McDermott had 116 points after his eighth career game, and would finish his career with 3,150 in 145 career games to rank fifth in NCAA history.
   Khyri Thomas owns 88 points after eight games. CU's only other freshmen to score 86 points or more since 1994-95 would all go on to be named MVC Freshman of the Year (McDermott, Sears, Buford, Stinnett).
Most Points, Newcomers First 8 Games Since 1994-95
   Pts.   Name, Class   Year   After 9
   116   Doug McDermott, Fr.    2010-11   116
   99   Cole Huff, Jr.   2015-16   TBD
   95   Maurice Watson Jr., Jr.   2015-16   TBD
   90   Ryan Sears, Fr.   1997-98   93
   90   Gregory Echenique, So.   2010-11   102
   88   Khyri Thomas, Fr.   2015-16   TBD
   87   Rodney Buford, Fr.   1995-96   91
   86   P'Allen Stinnett, Fr.   2007-08   92
   85   Terrell Taylor, Fr.   1999-00   93
   81   Doug Swenson, Jr.   1997-98   88
   81   Brody Deren, So.   2001-02   90

Groselle's Game Keeps Growing
Geoffrey Groselle had a night to remember on Nov. 25 against Massachusetts, finishing with then-career-highs in points (20) and rebounds (9) while tying his high in blocked shots (2).
   Groselle's big game came exactly one year to the day of his previous breakout game last year vs. Eastern Illinois, when he had 15 points in 12 minutes off the bench.
   That day, November 25th, also happens to be the birthday of his head coach, Greg McDermott.
   Groselle followed that with another strong game vs. Western Illinois, finishing with 17 points, tying his best with nine rebounds, and setting a career-high with three blocked shots.
   Groselle tied his career-high with nine rebounds for the third straight game on Dec. 2 vs. Arizona State, adding a team-best 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting.
   Groselle did it yet again on Saturday at Loyola (Chicago), finishing with 15 points and a career-high 12 rebounds on 6-of-10 shooting.
   Over the course of his last four games, Groselle has averaged 16.8 points and 9.8 rebounds per game, sinking 71.4 percent of his field goals (25-35) and 68.0 percent at the line (17-25). Prior to this stretch, he had owned career highs of 15 points and eight rebounds in his first four years on campus.

Pace Makers
Creighton ranks 27th nationally in scoring offense, averaging 85.2 points per game to date.
   This year's team has scored 85 points or more in all five victories, significantly better than last year's team that reached 85 just twice all winter.
   Since 2000-01, Creighton owns 54 games of 85+ points in the eight seasons it has made the NCAA Tournament, compared to 19 such outbursts in the seven years it has missed the Big Dance.
Year   85+ Point Games   Postseason?
2015-16   5   TBD
2014-15   2   None
2013-14   12   NCAA
2012-13   7   NCAA
2011-12   13   NCAA
2010-11   3   CBI
2009-10   2   CIT
2008-09   3   NIT
2007-08   6   NIT
2006-07   0   NCAA
2005-06   2   NIT
2004-05   1   NCAA
2003-04   1   NIT
2002-03   11   NCAA
2001-02   6   NCAA
2000-01   4   NCAA

Ball Control Offense
Despite Creighton's rapid pace of play, the Bluejays have done a relatively good job taking care of the ball.
   In its Nov. 28 outing vs. Western Illinois, Creighton had 97 points and just four turnovers. Per Basketball-Reference.com data, Creighton is the only school in the nation to do that this season.
   Creighton scored on 42-of-66 possessions on Saturday vs. Western Illinois, averaging 1.470 points per possession. The stat is even more remarkable when you consider that the Leathernecks entered the game ninth nationally in scoring defense.

Huff Earns MVP Honor
Nevada transfer Cole Huff returned to the Silver State and picked up MVP honors of the 2015 Men Who Speak Up Main Event after averaging 19.0 points and 5.0 rebounds in the two wins.
   Huff made 13-of-25 field goal attempts, including 7-of-15 three-pointers. He scored 26 points in the victory over Rutgers before a 12-point effort over UMass in the title game.

What's Your Twenty?
Creighton has had five different players score 20 points or more this season, as Isaiah Zierden, Cole Huff, Maurice Watson Jr., Khyri Thomas and Geoffrey Groselle have all reached that mark.
   By comparison, last year Creighton had five players all year reach 20+ points (Austin Chatman, James Milliken, Toby Hegner, Will Artino and Zierden), and in the two previous years had only three players surpass 20 points in any game.

McDermott Reaches 125 Wins
CU's Nov. 25 win over Massachusetts was the 125th on the Creighton sideline for head coach Greg McDermott.
   He reached the milestone in his 183rd game at CU, quicker than all but the 175 games needed by Arthur A. Schabinger from 1922-35.
   McDermott's .677 winning percentage is the best since Schabinger's .714 win rate.
   With a win on Wednesday, McDermott can pass Eddie Hickey for fifth in Creighton history with 127 victories with the Jays.

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 on Nov. 16th.
   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 of the Year and MVC Freshman of the Year.

Double-Digits x 5
Maurice Watson Jr. scored in double-figures during each of Creighton's first five games this season before scoring seven on Nov. 28 vs. Western Illinois.
   Watson joined Doug McDermott as the only Bluejays to open his career in double-figures during CU's first five 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 five games was Wabash Valley JC transfer Tad Ackerman. Ackerman did it in six straight contests to open the 1994-95 season.
Among The Best
Since the start of the 2010-11 season, which coincides with Greg McDermott's arrival, Creighton has been the nation's second-most accurate team from three-point range.
   The Bluejays are 1567-3993 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.   .395   Weber State   1313   3326
2.   .392   Creighton   1567   3993
   .392   Northern Colorado   1104   2819
   .392   UC Davis   1303   3328
   .392   Indiana   1261   3220

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 Dec. 6:
Most Games, 50% FG & 40% 3FG
Rk.   Occasions   Team
1.   64   Creighton
2.   53   Denver
   53   Gonzaga
   53   Belmont
   53   Kansas

Most Games, 50% 3FG
Rk.   Occasions   Team
1.   42   Creighton
2.   37   Northern Colorado
   37   UCLA
   37   Northeastern
4.   36   Rider
   36   Weber State
   36   Michigan State

Most Games, 40% 3FG
Rk.   Occasions   Team
1.   97   Creighton
2.   93   Duke
3.   88   Weber State
4.   87   Indiana
5.   82   Denver
   82   UC Davis

Most Games, 50% FG
Rk.   Occasions   Team
1.   88   Gonzaga
2.   83   Kansas
3.   79   Creighton
   79   Belmont
5.   75   Indiana

Most Games, 60% FG
Rk.   Occasions   Team
1.   16   Ohio State
2.   15   Creighton
3.   13   Gonzaga
   13   North Dakota State
   13   Valparaiso
   13   Kansas

Most Games, 25+ Assists
Rk.   Occasions   Team
1.   16   Michigan State
2.   15   North Carolina
   15   Iona
4.   13   Creighton
   13   Sam Houston State

On Your Mark, Get Set, Go
Creighton has averaged 85.2 points per game in its first eight regular-season contests to date.
   Greg McDermott is 32-0 as a Division I head coach when his teams score 90 or more points, including a 26-0 mark on the Creighton sideline.
   Creighton has won 70 straight games when scoring 90 or more points at all sites since a Jan. 11, 1988 loss to Southern Illinois.
   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 on Nov. 17 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.
   Creighton scored 60 points in a half for the second time this year when it did so in the second half of a 97-76 win over Massachusetts on Nov. 25th.

Malik's Magic
Junior guard Malik Albert got extended run on Nov. 17 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.

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. In all, Creighton has 102 fast break points already this winter.
   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.
   Creighton has now put down 19 dunks in eight regular-season games as a unit this year.
   By comparison, Creighton had 29 dunks in 33 regular-season games all of last season.

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.
   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

Playing With The Lead
In 207 games at CenturyLink Center Omaha all-time, Creighton has not trailed in 54 of those contests, a staggering 26.1 percent of the time, including twice (UTSA & Western Illinois) this year.
   Under Greg McDermott at home, Creighton is 76-16 and hasn't trailed in 29 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.

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 10th in NBA history with 1,768 three-pointers and is also sixth in league history with 43.2 percent marksmanship from three-point range (through Dec. 6). 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 4.6 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 9.4 points per game and is second in the NBA by shooting 47.2 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
3FG Percentage   .3930   2nd
Assists   2,856   3rd
FG Percentage   .4768   4th
3FG Made   1,492   4th
Assists/Game   16.045   5th
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.

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 16,380 fans per game after four home dates, which ranks seventh nationally through Dec. 6.
2015-16 Attendance Leaders
   Rk.   School   Average   Next Home
   1.   Kentucky   22,366   12/9
   2.   Syracuse   20,389   12/8
   3.   Louisville   19,832   12/12
   4.   Maryland   17,816   12/12
   5.   Indiana   17,472   12/9
   6.   Wisconsin   17,287   12/9
   7.   Creighton   16,380   12/9
   8.   Kansas   16,300   12/9
   9.   North Carolina State   15,973   12/16
   10.   Nebraska   15,518   12/13

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
   16,380 so far   Creighton   2015-16
   15,930   Creighton   2008-09

Long-Distance Streak Surpasses 700
Creighton has made at least one three-pointer in 721 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.
   Creighton's streak of games with at least 15 trey attempts stands at 84, which is second-longest nationally.
   Courtesy Stats Inc., below is a list of the nation's longest active three-point streaks, through games of Dec. 6.
Longest Active 3-Point Streaks (thru 12/6)
   Rk.   Streak   School   Next Game
   1.   948   UNLV   12/9
   2.   946   Kentucky   12/9
   3.   939   Vanderbilt   12/9
   4.   920   Duke   12/15
   5.   879   Western Kentucky   12/13
   6.   876   Arkansas   12/8
   7.   866   East Tennessee State   12/10
   8.   864   Pacific   12/12
   9.   842   Oakland   12/7
   10.   832   Texas   12/8
   11.   820   Princeton   12/8
   12.   804   Florida   12/8
   13.   786   La Salle   12/13
   14.   781   Marshall   12/9
   15.   773   Baylor   12/8
   16.   753   Cornell   12/19
   17.   751   LIU-Brooklyn   12/8
   18.   744   Gonzaga   12/8
   19.   731   Tennessee State   12/12
       731   Mount St. Mary's   12/8
   21.   730   Samford   12/12
   22.   724   East Carolina   12/7
   23.   721   Creighton   12/9
   24.   687   Lafayette   12/9
   25.   683   DePaul   12/9
   26.   676   Davidson   12/9

Longest Active Streaks of 15+ 3FG Attempts
(Source: STATS Inc., thru Dec. 6)
   Rk.   Streak   School   Next Game
   1.   141   Coppin State   12/7
   2.   84   Creighton   12/9
   3.   74   Iona   12/8
       74   San Jose State   12/8
   5.   66   Lipscomb   12/7

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 39-34 (.534) when shooting 40.00 percent or worse from three-point range. While respectable, that pales in comparison to CU's 64-9 (.877) mark the last five years when shooting better than 40.00 percent from downtown.
   Lower the standards to 30%, and it's still impressive. Creighton is 92-23 in the last five 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.
   Prior to last Wednesday's loss to Arizona State, Creighton had won 54 straight games under McDermott when scoring 40 or more points in the first half.
   CU had also won 71 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 61-1 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 207 regular and postseason contests at CenturyLink Center Omaha all-time in the 13-year-old facility.
   The Bluejays own an 173-34 (.836) 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 15,717-13,281 in games at CenturyLink Center Omaha, an average margin of 11.77 points per game. Creighton has led wire-to-wire 54 different times, including twice this year (UTSA and Western Illinois).
   Creighton is also 25-19 all-time in the 44 games at CLCO in which it's fallen behind by double-figures.
   Creighton is 76-16 (.826) at CenturyLink Center Omaha under Greg McDermott, including a 43-4 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 192-34 (.850) 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 110-6 under McDermott when putting together double-digit leads, including wins 98 of the last 100 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
10   UAB   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
Villanova   337   165
Marquette   327   170
Georgetown   325   164
Providence   258   216
Seton Hall   244   224
St. John's   234   234
DePaul   193   271

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 126-60 on the Creighton sideline early in his sixth year at the helm. The 126 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.   126-60 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 89-1 when scoring 75 points or more at CenturyLink Center Omaha. In other words, Creighton is 101-1 in CenturyLink Center Omaha since Feb. 6, 2005 when scoring enough points to earn its fans some free pizza. The perfect streak of 101-0 was snapped on Dec. 2, 2015 when Arizona State scored three points in the final 15 seconds to sneak away with a 79-77 victory.

Home Run
Since Greg McDermott took over in 2010, Creighton is averaging 77.73 points per home game (7,151 points in 92 home games).
   That's a vital number since Creighton is 111-0 at home (82-0 at CenturyLink Center Omaha) when scoring 78 points or more, and 93-0 at home (66-0 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.

Men's Basketball Hosts Nebraska on Wednesday Night

Players Mentioned

Malik Albert

Will Artino

Devin Brooks

Austin Chatman

Geoffrey Groselle

Zach Hanson

Toby Hegner

Cole Huff

Martin Krampelj

James Milliken

Justin Patton

Khyri Thomas

Maurice Watson Jr.

Isaiah Zierden

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