No. 10 Men's Basketball Hosts Akron on Saturday

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Akron Zips at No. 10 Creighton Bluejays
CenturyLink Center Omaha (17,390) • Omaha, Neb.
Radio: KOZN 1620 AM; KOOO 101.9; www.1620thezone.com
Television: FS2 (Steve Physioc, Nick Bahe)
Series History: Creighton leads, 2-1
Last Meeting: Creighton 77, Akron 61 on Dec. 9, 2012 in Omaha, Neb.

Next Game
No. 10 Creighton (7-0) hosts the defending Mid-American Conference regular-season champion Akron (6-1) on Saturday night at 7:00 p.m.
   CenturyLink Center Omaha (17,390) in Omaha, Neb., will host the action.

Radio Broadcast Information
KOZN (1620 AM) will broadcast all Creighton men's basketball games during the 2016-17 season, while KOOO (101.9 FM) will also broadcast all home games. The audio is also webcast live at www.1620thezone.com.
   John Bishop and former Bluejay Brody Deren will call the action.

Television Information
Saturday's game will be televised live on FS2, which can be found in Omaha on Cox Cable channel 216 and 1216 (HD).
   Steve Physioc and Nick Bahe will announce.

Video Webcast Information
Live streaming video of Saturday's game will be available via FOXSportsGO.com for desktop users, and via the FOX Sports GO app for mobile devices (iOS, Android, Kindle Fire tablets and Fire phones and select Window devices). A cable authorization may be required.
   The FOX Sports GO mobile app can be downloaded for free from the iTunes App Store, Google Play, Amazon App Store or the Windows Store, and the games are now available internationally.

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 No. 10 Creighton
Creighton has climbed to 10th in the Associated Press poll after a stellar start to the season that includes wins over UMKC, No. 9 Wisconsin, Washington State, North Carolina State, Ole Miss, Loyola (Md.) and Buffalo.
   The Bluejays are putting up 92.0 points per game (6th nationally) while shooting 54.1 percent from the field (2nd nationally) and 46.3 percent from three-point territory (1st nationally).
   Kansas State transfer Marcus Foster (18.3 ppg.) helped Creighton to the Paradise Jam title, scoring 25 points in the final and earning MVP honors. He's the first Bluejay in 30 years to score 15 points or more in each of CU's first seven games in a season.
    Maurice Watson Jr. (11.7 ppg., 8.4 apg.) was a preseason All-BIG EAST selection. He's the nation's active leader in career assists (698), and his 59 assists this year rank second in the country.
   Two Omaha products in the starting line-up are also doing big things. Khyri Thomas averages 14.4 points per game, as the sophomore wing shoots 62.3 percent from the field and 59.1 percent from deep. Redshirt freshman big man Justin Patton averages 13.0 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. He's shooting 80.0 percent from the field (tops nationally) and has 19 dunks already.

Scouting Akron
Akron is 6-1 and has reeled off six consecutive wins since dropping the season-opener on Nov. 12 at Youngstown State.
   The Zips have played 15 different men already this year, with six of them averaging 7.9 points per game or better.
   Isaiah Johnson (15.7 ppg., 6.0 rpg.) and Antino Jackson (12.0 ppg.) lead the way for Akron.
   Akron averages 80.1 points per game, including 10.7 three-pointers per contest, and allows the opposition to score 62.7 points per contest.

The Series With Akron
Creighton owns a 2-1 record all-time over Akron, with the home team winning each meeting.
   The teams have met three times in the last 11 seasons. Creighton beat the Zips 71-60 in the 2006 NIT in Omaha before falling at Akron 76-67 in 2011 in a non-televised BracketBusters match-up. Creighton then won the rematch in Omaha, 77-61, in 2012.
   Greg McDermott is 1-1 in his career against Akron and Keith Dambrot. Dambrot is 1-2 against Creighton.

The Coaches
Greg McDermott (Northern Iowa, 1988) is in his seventh season as head coach at Creighton. He is 148-72 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 428-267 in his 23rd season and is 297-203 in his 16th Division I campaign. McDermott is assisted by Darian DeVries, Steve Lutz and Preston Murphy.
   Akron is coached by Keith Dambrot (Akron, 1982), who owns a 284-131 mark in his 13th year with the Zips. He is 392-201 in 19 seasons as a collegiate head coach. Dambrot is assisted by Rick McFadden, Charles Thomas and Terry Weigand. He is also well known as a former head coach of St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, where he won state titles with LeBron James as both a freshman and sophomore.

Patton On The Button
Justin Patton has made 21 of his last 22 field goal attempts dating back to midway through the Ole Miss (Nov. 21) win and now leads the nation in field goal percentage at 80 percent.
   Patton owns 19 dunks this year, which no doubt contributes to his high accuracy rate, but he also showed his range on Tuesday vs. Buffalo when he drained his first career three-pointer. Patton is the first Bluejay 7-footer in history to make a three-point shot.
   Since 1994-95, Creighton has had six performances where a player shot 90 percent or better from the field with eight or more attempts. Two of those were done by Justin Patton in his last two outings, as seen below:
Best FG%, Since 1994-95, Minimum 8 FG
   FG%   Name (FG-FGA), Opponent   Date
   1.000   Anthony Tolliver (11-11) vs. Illinois State   1/1/07
   1.000   Geoffrey Groselle (8-8) vs. Coppin State   12/28/15
   1.000   Justin Patton (8-8) vs. Loyola (Md.)   11/26/16
   .900   Khyri Thomas (9-10) at Loyola (IL)   12/5/15
   .900   Geoffrey Groselle (9-10) at St. John's   12/31/15
   .900   Justin Patton (9-10) vs. Buffalo   11/29/16

More From Patton
Justin Patton made more history on Tuesday when he had 21 points in 10 rebounds vs. Buffalo.
   He's just the third Creighton freshman since 1988-89 to post a double-double. Ronnie Harrell Jr. had 14 points and 11 rebounds vs. North Texas last December, while Doug McDermott had nine double-dips as a freshman in 2010-11.
   McDermott had three games of at least 20 points and 10 rebounds during his freshman campaign, with his first one coming in his seventh game (like Patton) when he had 20 points and 12 rebounds vs. BYU.

Doubling Up
Omaha natives Khyri Thomas (18 points, 12 rebounds) and Justin Patton (20 points, 10 rebounds) both had double-doubles in Tuesday's win over Buffalo.
   The Bluejay duo were the first Creighton teammates with 10+ rebounds in the same game since Doug McDermott and Gregory Echenique on Dec. 29, 2012 and the first Creighton teammates with a double-double in the same game since Doug McDermott and Austin Chatman on Jan. 30, 2013.

If At 1st You Don't Succeed, Try The 2nd Half
Creighton has been on an absolute terror in the second half of its last three games as its up-tempo style wears down the opposition.
   The Bluejays have outscored teams just 111-110 in the first half of games vs. Ole Miss, Loyola (Md.) and Buffalo, but crushed those same foes by a combined 150-91 after intermission.
   Creighton has shot 65.6 percent from the field after the break in those three contests, with Justin Patton a perfect 15-for-15 from the floor.

Big MAC Attack
Creighton beat Buffalo on Tuesday and will play Akron on Saturday to conclude a pair of meetings against Mid-American Conference foes.
   Creighton last met played consecutive non-conference games from the same league in 2012-13, when the Bluejays toppled Big South Conference rivals Presbyterian and Longwood.

Three-Point Shooting Contest?
Both Creighton and Akron really like to fill it up from behind the arc.
   Creighton has made 74 three-pointers in seven games while shooting 46.3 percent from deep. Eleven different men have made at least one trifecta.
   Akron has made 75 three-pointers in seven games and shoots 37.9 percent from downtown. Nine different Zips have sunk at least one trey.

Still Unbeaten
Creighton enters December as one of the nation's 15 remaining teams that are unbeaten. Below is a list of who is still on that list:
Team   W-L Record   Next Game
UCLA   8-0   12/3
Creighton   7-0   12/3
Kentucky   7-0   12/3
Villanova   7-0   12/3
Virginia   7-0   12/3
Baylor   7-0   12/3
Xavier   7-0   12/3
Butler   7-0   12/3
USC   7-0   12/3
TCU   7-0   12/3
Notre Dame   7-0   12/4
Gonzaga   6-0   12/1
South Carolina   6-0   12/1
Saint Mary's   6-0   12/8
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi   5-0   12/3

Chasing 1,000
Marcus Foster surpassed the 1,000 point mark during Tuesday's win over Buffalo. Foster owns 128 points this season, and scored 875 points during his first two seasons at Kansas State. It took Foster 69 games total to reach the mark.
   Look for Foster to be honored prior to an upcoming home game in honor of that achievement.
   Another Bluejay, Cole Huff, averages 8.6 points per game and now owns 983 career points (including 527 at Nevada). Huff has played in 104 games as a collegian, and owns 13 career games of 17 or more points.

Foster & Patton Honored By BIG EAST
Creighton picked up a pair of weekly awards from the BIG EAST Conference on Monday. Marcus Foster was named BIG EAST Player of the Week, while Justin Patton was named BIG EAST Freshman of the Week. It's the first weekly league honor for both as Bluejays.
   Foster averaged 20.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game in a pair of Bluejay victories last week, shooting 60 percent from the floor (15-25), 50 percent from downtown (6-12) and 83.3 percent at the line (5-6).
   Foster's week began with a season-high 25 points against Ole Miss in the title game of the Paradise Jam. He scored 17 points in the first half to help keep Creighton within six at the break, and would take home Tournament MVP honors on the All-Tournament Team after leading CU back from a 11-point deficit.
   On Saturday, Foster had 16 points and two assists in an 82-52 win over Loyola (Md.). With Creighton off to a sluggish start, Foster scored the first nine points in an 11-2 Bluejay run as Creighton overcame a 20-18 deficit to take the lead for good.
   Patton averaged 14.0 points and 5.5 rebounds in two games last week while shooting 86.7 percent from the field. He added two assists, two blocked shots and a steal to help Creighton improve to 6-0. Twenty-two of his 28 points came after halftime, as Creighton outscored foes 98-58 (the Jays were outscored 71-70 in the first half).
   Patton's week began on Monday in a win over Ole Miss in the title game of the Paradise Jam. Patton had 11 points and five rebounds in 28 minutes, making 5-of-7 field goal attempts.
   He then had 15 of his season-high 17 points after halftime in Saturday's 82-52 win over Loyola (Md.). Patton was a perfect 8-for-8 from the field and also led CU with six rebounds.

Double-Digits x 6
Marcus Foster and Justin Patton have each scored in double-figures during each of Creighton's first seven games this season.
   They join Doug McDermott as the only Bluejays to open their career in double-figures during CU's first seven games in the last 20 years. McDermott opened his 2010-11 campaign with eight straight games in double-figures.
   McDermott is also the last player with seven straight double-figure games to start any season, doing so in his 2013-14 senior season that ended with National Player of the Year acclaim.
   Before Foster this year, Rod Mason was the last Bluejay with seven straight games of 15+ points to start any season, having done so in 1987-88.
   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 35   Doug McDermott, So.   2011-12
   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
   7   Jim Honz, Jr.   1979-80
   7   Marcus Foster, Jr.   2016-17
   7   Justin Patton, Fr.   2016-17

Magnificent Seven
Junior Marcus Foster's 128 points so far are the most by any Bluejay newcomer through seven games since at least 1979-80.
   For comparison, Doug McDermott had 106 points through seven games and 116 points after his eighth career game of his freshman season. He would finish his career with 3,150 in 145 career games to rank fifth in NCAA history.
Most Points, Newcomers First 7 Games Since 1994-95
   Pts.   Name, Class   Year   After 8
   128   Marcus Foster, Jr.   2016-17   ? ? ?
   106   Doug McDermott, Fr.    2010-11   116
   91   Justin Patton, Fr.   2016-17   ? ? ?
   88   Cole Huff, Jr.   2015-16   99
   87   Maurice Watson Jr., Jr.   2015-16   95
   81   Ryan Sears, Fr.   1997-98   90
   78   P'Allen Stinnett, Fr.   2007-08   86
   74   Terrell Taylor, Fr.   1999-00   85
   74   Rodney Buford, Fr.   1995-96   87
   74   Gregory Echenique, So.   2010-11   90
   73   Devin Brooks, Jr.   2013-14   79
   71   Edward St. Fleur, Jr.   1995-96   76

Up To 10th
The Creighton men's basketball team is ranked 10th in the country in this week's Associated Press poll.
   It's the third time in program history CU has been tabbed a top-10 team by AP poll, which started in 1949. The Bluejays were previously ranked ninth on February 24, 2014 and 10th the week of January 20, 2003.
   CU has now been ranked 72 weeks in program history, with 44 of those under the direction of seventh-year head coach Greg McDermott.
   The Bluejays are one of three BIG EAST teams in the top-10, as Villanova ranks second and Xavier is seventh.
   Below is a list of the top weekly rankings in the AP poll in program history:
Best Weekly AP rankings, Creighton History
9th - 3/1/14
10th - 1/20/03
10th - 11/28/16
11th - 11/26/12
11th - 2/17/14
12th - 2/10/03
12th - 1/14/13
12th - 2/3/14
12th - 11/21/16

Top Five RPI
According to WarrenNolan.com on Thursday morning, Creighton ranked No. 2 nationally in the RPI.
   Xavier was fifth, Butler seventh and Villanova was eighth, which has helped the BIG EAST to No. 2 in the conference RPI rankings.

Shooting Stars
Creighton is second nationally in field goal percentage at 54.1 percent, trailing only UCLA (55.3).
   Nationally, Creighton is the only team to shoot 50 percent or better in every game this season.
   Creighton ranks sixth nationally with 92.0 points per game and has scored 79 points or more in all seven games.

It Do Run, Run
Creighton ranks eighth in the KenPom.com's Adjusted Offensive rankings this year and 50th in tempo through Thursday morning.
   Per figures from StatBroadcast.com, Creighton has scored on more than half its possessions in all seven games this season, despite averaging just 14 seconds per possession.
Creighton Offense
Opponent   Poss.   Scores   Pts/Poss.   Sec/Poss.
UMKC   80   40   1.113   :14
#9 Wisconsin   68   35   1.162   :15
Washington St.   84   44   1.226   :13
NC State   80   45   1.400   :15
Ole Miss   70   35   1.229   :15
Loyola (Md.)   71   40   1.155   :14
Buffalo   79   43   1.177   :13
TOTALS   532   282   1.211   :14

BIG EAST Playing Big
Though the BIG EAST may not be considered of the traditional "Football 5" Conferences due to its lack of big time football, the performance of the league has been big time for a long time.
   The league has owned a top-five RPI in the NCAA RPI rankings in every season since 2000-01, as seen below:
BIG EAST in Conference RPI Rankings
2016-17:   1st (per WarrenNolan.com)
2015-16:   4th
2014-15:   3rd
2013-14:   4th
2012-13:   2nd
2011-12:   2nd
2010-11:   1st
2009-10:   3rd
2008-19:   4th
2007-08:   5th
2006-07:   5th
2005-06:   3rd
2004-05:   2nd
2003-04:   4th
2002-03:   5th
2001-02:   3rd
2000-01:   3rd

BIG EAST > "Football 5" So Far
Creighton has knocked off teams from the Big Ten (Wisconsin), Pac-12 (Washington State), ACC (North Carolina State) and SEC (Ole Miss) this year, all by nine or more points.
   Those four wins over the "Football 5" leagues are tied for the most of any other team in the nation.
   The BIG EAST owns 15 wins over "Football 5" leagues, most in the nation.
   Both figures are through games of Nov. 29.
MBB Wins Over "Football 5" Leagues, By Team
   4   Creighton
   4   Butler
   3   Baylor
   3   Notre Dame
   2   Davidson
   2   Duke
   2   Florida State
   2   Gonzaga
   2   Kansas
   2   Kentucky
   2   North Carolina
   2   Northern Iowa
   2   Northwestern
   2   South Carolina
   2   Temple
   2   UCLA
   2   Villanova
   2   Wisconsin
   2   Xavier

MBB Wins Over "Football 5" Leagues, By Conference
   15   BIG EAST
   14   Atlantic Coast
   10   Big 12
   10   Big Ten
   6   American
   6   Atlantic 10
   6   Pac-12
   6   Southeastern

15 Treys & 50 Percent?
Creighton shot made 44-of-81 three-point attempts in three games at the Paradise Jam, good for 54.3 percent.
   The Bluejays shot 15-of-28 (53.6%) against Washington State, 13-of-27 (48.1%) against North Carolina State and 16-of-26 (61.5%) in the title tilt vs. Ole Miss.
   In program history, Creighton owns 11 all-time games in which it has made 15 or more three-pointers and shot 50 percent or better, as seen below. Two of those were last week in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Best 3FG%, Minimum 15 3FG Made
3FG%   Opponent   3FG-3FGA   Date
.667   Chattanooga   20-30   02/19/05
.640   Chicago State   16-25   12/29/13
.625   at Indiana State   15-24   12/31/08
.615   vs. Ole Miss   16-26   11/21/16
.600   at #4 Villanova   21-35   01/24/14
.600   Texas-Arlington   15-25   11/17/02
.600   vs. IUPUI   15-25   11/25/02
.593   Drake   16-27   01/08/13
.536   Missouri State   15-28   01/30/13
.536   vs. Washington State   15-28   11/18/16
.533   Evansville   16-30   01/04/99

Keeping It 100
Creighton cracked the century mark in its 103-77 win over Washington State on Nov. 18, then did it again two days later in a 112-94 win over North Carolina State.
   Creighton is 55-2 all-time when scoring 100 or more points, with 27 straight wins.
   Creighton scored 100+ points in consecutive games for the fourth time in school history, having also done it once last year and twice in 1965-66. Creighton has never scored 100 points in three straight games.
   Creighton's 215 points over those two games were the second-most in school history for point totals in consecutive contests, trailing only the 219 in two straight games (104 & 115) in 1965-66.
   Creighton's 301 points at the Paradise Jam were its most points in a three-game stretch since scoring 303 points (84, 104, 115) over the course of three games from Jan. 27-Feb. 2, 1966.
   CU's November 18th win vs. Washington State marked the sixth straight season that Creighton has put up 100 or more points in one of its first four games of the season.
   Creighton's 112 points on November 20th were its fifth-most in school history for a game, and the most since 115 vs. Indiana State on Jan. 19, 1985. It was also the second-most points NC State has ever allowed in one game.
   Below is a list of the most points in a game in Creighton history:
Score   Opponent   Date
124-94   at Miami (Fla.)   02/10/1964
120-76   Nevada   12/21/1962
115-80   Indiana State   01/19/1985
115-82   Memphis   02/02/1966
112-94   vs. North Carolina St.   11/20/2016
111-110 (2ot)   Bradley   03/11/2008

We're Jamming!
Creighton had 11 dunks during its three wins in the Paradise Jam, and continue to slam with regularity. Justin Patton has 19 of CU's 27 dunks this season, with Zach Hanson (2), Khyri Thomas (2), Marcus Foster (3) and Martin Krampelj (1) accounting for the others.
   Last season Creighton had 58 dunks total in 35 games, the most its had in any of Greg McDermott's first six years at the helm of the Bluejays. That group had 19 dunks after seven games.
   Here's a look at the Creighton student-athletes with 10 or more dunks in a season, and 20 or more dunks in a career, under McDermott:
Most Creighton Dunks, Season, Since 2010-11
Dunks   Name   Year
36   Gregory Echenique   2012-13
30   Gregory Echenique   2011-12
24   Gregory Echenique   2010-11
22   Kenny Lawson Jr.   2010-11
19   Justin Patton   2016-17
18   Geoffrey Groselle   2015-16

Most Creighton Dunks, Career, Since 2010-11
Dunks   Name   Years
90   Gregory Echenique   2010-13
38   Will Artino   2011-15
29   Zach Hanson   2013-Pr.
25   Geoffrey Groselle   2012-16
22   Kenny Lawson Jr.   2010-11
19   Doug McDermott   2010-14
19   Justin Patton   2016-Pres.

We're Jamming, Part II
Creighton rewrote the Paradise Jam record books during its week in the Virgin Islands.
   On Nov. 18 vs. Washington State, Creighton tied a tournament record with 25 assists as Maurice Watson Jr. tied a tourney mark with 13 helpers in a game. Two days later vs. North Carolina State, Creighton set a tournament record with 112 points in a game.
   On Nov. 21, Creighton finished the tournament with records for points, assists, field goal percentage and three-point field goal percentage, most of them by a significant margin.
Category   Old Record   Creighton in 2016
Points   267   301
Assists   55   64
FG Percentage   .516   .569
3FG Percentage   .491   .543

Not 1, Not 2, Not 3, Not 4, Not 5, Not 6...
Creighton placed seven men in double-figures last Sunday against North Carolina State. All five starters scored in double-figures, as did Isaiah Zierden and Zach Hanson off the bench.
   It was just the second time since 1980-81 that Creighton has had seven men score 10 or more points in the same game, joining a win over Coppin State on Dec. 28, 2015.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Marcus Foster

Geoffrey Groselle

Zach Hanson

Ronnie Harrell Jr.

Cole Huff

Martin Krampelj

Justin Patton

Khyri Thomas

Maurice Watson Jr.

Isaiah Zierden