Gavitt Tipoff Games Battle at No. 20 Northwestern Next For Men's Hoops

Download Notes as a PDF

Creighton at #20 Northwestern
Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017 • 8:07 p.m.
Gavitt Tipoff Games
Allstate Arena (18,500) • Rosemont, Ill.
Radio: KOZN 1620 AM, www.1620thezone.com
Television: BTN
Series History: Northwestern leads series, 3-2
Last Meeting: Creighton 87, Northwestern 79 on Dec. 22, 2011 in Omaha

Next Game
Creighton (2-0) hits the road for the first time this season when it visits No. 20 Northwestern (2-0) on Wednesday, Nov. 15th, in the third edition of the Gavitt Tipoff Games.
   Tip-off at Allstate Arena (18,500) in Rosemont, Ill., is set for 8:07 pm.

Radio Broadcast Information
KOZN (1620 AM) will broadcast all Creighton men's basketball games during the 2017-18 season, while KOOO (101.9 FM) will also broadcast all home games. John Bishop and former Bluejay Nick Bahe will call the action. The audio is also webcast live at www.1620thezone.com.

Television Broadcast Information
Wednesday's game vs. Northwestern will be televised by BTN, with Kevin Kugler and Jon Crispin on the call.

Video Webcast Information
Live streaming video of Wednesday'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.
   It will also air on BTN2Go.

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 returns nine lettermen and two starters from last year's team that finished 25-10 and tied for third in the BIG EAST Conference with a 10-8 league record.
   The Bluejays reached the BIG EAST Tournament final for the second time in four seasons and advanced to their fourth NCAA Tournament in the past six seasons.
   CU is 2-0 this year after a 92-76 win over Yale and a 109-72 triumph over Alcorn State.
   Senior guard Marcus Foster (23.0 ppg., 77.3 FG%) was a unanimous First Team All-BIG EAST pick last season, when he scored 18.2 points per game. Foster led the BIG EAST in field goals made last winter and has earned Preseason All-BIG EAST acclaim this winter.
   Junior guard Khyri Thomas (14.5 ppg.) was named an Honorable Mention Preseason All-BIG EAST choice in October. Thomas was named BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year last season.
   The Bluejays feature a veteran team, with fifth-year seniors Toby Hegner (9.5 ppg.), Tyler Clement (2.5 ppg., 2.5 rpg.) and Manny Suarez (4.5 ppg., 2.5 rpg.) and fourth-year juniors Ronnie Harrell Jr. (7.5 ppg., 6.5 rpg.) and Kaleb Joseph (6.0 ppg.) all in the mix for playing time.
   Also back are sophomore guards Davion Mintz (8.5 ppg., 3.5 apg.) and Jordan Scurry and third-year sophomore forward Martin Krampelj (9.5 ppg., 10.5 rpg.).
   Three true freshman are also in the mix for playing time, guards Ty-Shon Alexander (5.0 ppg., 3.5 apg.) and Mitch Ballock (10.0 ppg.) as well as center Jacob Epperson.

Scouting #20 Northwestern
Northwestern is 2-0 after posting a 79-75 win over Loyola (Md.) on Saturday and a 75-66 victory over Saint Peter's on Monday.
   Northwestern returns four starters from a team that went 24-12 last year, reaching the program's first NCAA Tournament and winning a game before being eliminated by eventual runner-up, Gonzaga.
   Scottie Lindsey (19.0 ppg., 6.0 rpg.) leads four men in double-figures, a group that also includes Bryant McIntosh (16.5 ppg., 5.5 rpg., 5.0 apg.), Dererk Pardon (15.5 ppg., 5.5 rpg.) and Vic Law (11.0 ppg., 7.0 rpg.).
   The Wildcats are shooting 44.4 percent from the floor, but just 29.7 percent from long-range. NU is also +7.5 rebounds per game and has 16 blocked shots through two contests.

The Series With Northwestern
Northwestern leads the all-time series, 3-2, including a 2-1 lead in games played in Illinois. The series started in 1962 with a Wildcat victory.
   Creighton is 2-0 when scoring 60 or more points against NU, but has scored in the 50's during all three setbacks.
   The teams last met on Dec. 22, 2011, when Creighton won 87-79 in Omaha. Doug McDermott had 27 points and a career-high five assists, while Grant Gibbs dished 12 assists for CU. The Bluejays shot 12-of-21 from three-point range and had 26 assists on 30 baskets. Drew Crawford paced NU with 34 points in a losing effort.
   Greg McDermott has never faced Chris Collins, and is 1-2 in his career against Northwestern (1-1 as Creighton coach).

The Coaches
Greg McDermott (Northern Iowa, 1988) is in his eighth season as head coach at Creighton. He is 168-82 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 448-277 in his 24th season and is 317-213 in his 17th Division I campaign. McDermott is assisted by Darian DeVries, Preston Murphy and Alan Huss.
   Chris Collins (Duke, 1996) is 75-60 in his fifth season at Northwestern. Collins led the Wildcats to their first NCAA Tournametn appearance, and win, in school history last season, and NU's first winning Big Ten record in 49 years. He was previously an assistant for the Detroit Shock (WNBA), Seton Hall and Duke, and is the son of longtime NBA player, coach and broadcaster Doug Collins. He is assisted by Brian James, Armon Gates and Billy Donlon.

Against The Big Ten
Creighton is 11-1 in its last 12 games against teams from the Big Ten. Creighton has outscored foes by an average of 10.83 points in those 12 games, which include 10 double-figure victories.
   Greg McDermott is 24-13 in his career against teams that are currently in the Big Ten, including a 11-3 mark on the Creighton sideline.
Creighton's Last 12 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
12/09/15   Nebraska   W 83-67
11/15/16   #9 Wisconsin   W 79-67
12/07/16   at Nebraska   W 77-62

Gavitt Tipoff Games Information
The Gavitt Tipoff Games is an annual series between the BIG EAST and Big Ten Conferences and named in honor of Dave Gavitt, founder of the BIG EAST and basketball visionary. The series started two years ago and will span eight seasons with games being played at home sites. The Gavitt Tipoff Games will be played on four consecutive days in the first full week of the basketball season.
   Gavitt believed that the college basketball season needed a high profile event to start the year. He had a profound and lasting influence on the sport of basketball on the collegiate, professional and Olympic levels. Gavitt was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
   First and foremost, Gavitt was a coach and he always believed in the role of a coach as a teacher and mentor for young people. He began his coaching career at Dartmouth, his alma mater, and then led Providence to eight straight postseason bids in 10 years and guided the Friars to the 1973 Final Four. Gavitt was chosen to coach the 1980 U.S. Olympic Team, which did not have the opportunity to participate because of a U.S. boycott of the Games.
   Creighton lost at Indiana in 2015 before defeating Wisconsin in Omaha a year ago in the Gavitt Tipoff Games.

Putting Up The Points
Creighton scored 109 points on Sunday vs. Alcorn State, tied for the ninth-most in school history, and third-most ever recorded by the Bluejays at CenturyLink Center Omaha.
   Creighton has now scored 109 points or more three times in the last 12 months (113 vs. Longwood; 112 vs. North Carolina State), after not doing it a single time from 2008-09 to 2015-16.
   The school record for points in a game by Creighton is 124, done on Feb. 10, 1964 vs. Miami (Fla.) in a 30-point win.
   Last season in consecutive games in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Creighton scored 103 points vs. Washington State and 112 vs. North Carolina State, the third time in program history it's cracked the century mark in back-to-back games (also 1966, 2015 and 2016).
   Per Basketball-Reference.com, Creighton's 16 games of 100+ points since 2010-11 (when Greg McDermott was hired) are the sixth-most in the nation, as seen below:
Most 100+ Point Games Since 2010-11
   Rank   100 Pt. Games   Team
   1.   28   VMI
   2.   21   North Carolina
   3.   19   Indiana
   4.   18   Oakland
   5.   17   Charleston Southern
   6.   16   Creighton
   7.   15   UCLA
       15   Central Michigan
       15   Morehead State
       15   Nebraska-Omaha
       15   Northwestern State

All The Points
Creighton has scored 201 points through two games, just the second time in program history the Jays have averaged more than 100 points after two games.
   Creighton's 2013-14 club scored 203 points in the first two games to start a 27-8 season.
   Creighton has never scored 84 points or more in each of its first three games to any season, something it will attempt to achieve on Wednesday.

All The Three's
Creighton drilled 16 three-point shots on Sunday vs. Alcorn State, tied for the third-most in a game in program history.
   Here's a list of the games with 16 or more treys.
Most 3FG in a Game, Creighton History
   Rank   3FG   Opponent   Date   Score
   1.   21   at #4 Villanova   1/20/2014   W 96-68
   2.   20   Chattanooga   2/19/2005   W 100-69
   3.   16   Evansville   1/4/1999   L 79-84
       16   Drake   1/8/2013   W 91-61
       16   Chicago State   12/29/2013   W 90-58
       16   vs. Ole Miss   11/21/2016   W 86-77
       16   Alcorn State   11/12/2017   W 109-72
   8.   15   Six times

Foster Fills It Up
Marcus Foster finished last season with 10 or more points in each of his final 18 games, then started his senior season with consecutive 23-point games.
   His current 20-game double-figure streak is the longest by any Bluejay since Doug McDermott closed his career with 28 straight double-figure games from Dec. 3, 2013 to March 23, 2014.
   Foster scored seven points or more in all 35 games last season, finishing in double-figures in 33 of them.
   Foster is the first Creighton player with 23 points in each of CU's first two games of a season since Cyril Baptiste in 1970-71.
   Foster can become CU's first player with three straight games of 20+ points since McDermott had 14 straight such games to end his college career.

In Good Hands At Allstate Arena
Creighton returns to Allstate Arena to play a road game for the fifth straight season when it takes on Northwestern on Wednesday.
   The Bluejays have met DePaul at the facility in each of the previous four seasons in BIG EAST Conference play. Creighton has posted four double-digit victories in those contests, winning those games by an average of 19.5 points.
   In those meetings, Creighton has shot a combined 115-for-218 (52.8 percent) from the field, including 45-of-89 (50.6 percent) from three-point range.

McDermott Coaches In 250th Game at Creighton
Greg McDermott coached in his 250th game at Creighton on Sunday vs. Alcorn State, the third Bluejay basketball coach in history to reach that milestone.
   McDermott owns a record of 168-82, more wins than both Dana Altman (160) and Red McManus (134) after 250 games.
Creighton Coaches To Reach 250 Games
W-L After 250   Coach   Game 250 Date
   134-116   Red McManus   02/08/1969
   160-90   Dana Altman   01/30/2002
   168-82   Greg McDermott   11/12/17

Top 25 Success
Creighton had four wins over top-25 teams last season, twice as many as any previous campaign in program history. Five other Bluejay teams had two top-25 victories in the same season.

Most Top-25 Wins, Season
   Wins   Season   Top-25 Victims
   4   2016-17   #9 Wisconsin, #12 Butler,
           #16 Butler, #22 Xavier
   2   1973-74   #6 Marquette, #16 Louisville
   2   2001-02   #15 Florida, #17 Western Kentucky
   2   2006-07   #11 Southern Illinois, #24 Xavier
   2   2013-14   #4 Villanova, #6 Villanova
   2   2015-16   #5 Xavier, #18 Butler

Ranking News & Notes
Northwestern is ranked 20th in this week's AP poll. Some notes of interest as it pertains to Creighton...
- Creighton is 27-135 all-time (0-0 this year) against nationally-ranked teams in the Associated Press poll.
- Creighton is 9-20 under Greg McDermott against nationally-ranked teams. He owns more top-25 wins than any coach in Creighton history, having passed Dana Altman (7) with a win at No. 22 Xavier in January of 2017.
- Creighton beat three ranked teams in January of 2017 (No. 12 Butler on Jan. 11; No. 22 Xavier on Jan. 16 and No. 16 Butler on Jan. 31). It was the first time in program history that CU beat multiple ranked teams in the same month.
- Creighton has won four straight games against top-25 teams not named Villanova.
- Creighton went 2-1 on the road last year against top-25 teams, topping No. 22 Xavier on Jan. 16 and No. 16 Butler on Jan. 31 before losing at Villanova on Feb. 25. Creighton had never before picked up multiple top-25 road wins in the same season before 2016-17.
- Creighton is 5-70 all-time in true road games against top-25 teams, but three of those wins have come in BIG EAST play in the previous four seasons and under the direction of head coach Greg McDermott.
- Creighton is 1-2 all-time against teams ranked exactly 20th, including an 81-76 win vs. Auburn on Dec. 28, 1976.

Road Openers
Creighton is 4-3 under Greg McDermott in its first true road game of the season, and 13-10 in the last 23 years in the initial road game.
   The road opener has been the barometer for Creighton's postseason plans in the previous nine years. Creighton has made the NCAA Tournament the four times it has won the road opener, and missed the tournament the other five seasons.
Creighton in Road Openers, Last 9 Years
Year   Opponent   Score   CU in NCAA's?
2008-09   Ark.-Little Rock   L 69-71   No (NIT)
2009-10   #21 Dayton   L 80-90   No (CIT)
2010-11   Northwestern   L 52-65   No (CBI)
2011-12   UAB   W 70-60   Yes
2012-13   Nebraska   W 64-42   Yes
2013-14   Saint Joseph's   W 83-79   Yes
2014-15   Tulsa   L 64-77   No
2015-16   #14 Indiana   L 65-86   No (NIT)
2016-17   Nebraska   W 77-62   Yes

My Favorite Martin
Martin Krampelj's first career start was a memorable one, as the redshirt sophomore had career-highs with 12 points and nine rebounds vs. Yale on Friday.
   Krampelj also added four dunks, tying his career-high. Krampelj also had four slams in his last previous home game, with that coming last Feb. 28 vs. St. John's.
   Krampelj then had seven points and rewrote his career-high in rebounds with 12 against Alcorn State on Sunday.
   For the season, Krampelj has 21 rebounds in two games, the best start through two contests by a Bluejay since Doug Swenson had 27 in 1998-99.
   Before Krampelj, the last Bluejay with 9+ rebounds in each of CU's first two games of a season was Wayne Runnels in 2009-10, and no Creighton player has done it in three straight games to open a campaign since Rodney Buford in 1997-98.

Happy Birthday, Old Man(ny)
Manny Suarez (born Nov. 12, 1993) turned 24 on Sunday. He's nearly 14 months older than his next-closest teammate, Tyler Clement (Dec. 25, 1994).
   Per a list compiled by Northwestern State SID Doug Ireland, Suarez is the nation's 14th-oldest active player with six men above him having served a church mission while in school.
NCAA's Oldest Players (as of 11/12/17)
Age (Yrs-Days)   Name, Current School   Key
   25-309   Josh Boutte, Sam Houston State
   25-275   Gibson Johnson, Hawai'i   C
   25-145   Zach Nelson, Utah Valley   C
   24-354   Isaac Neilson, Utah Valley   C
   24-347   Kyle Brown, Cornell   C
   24-298   Ron Patterson, IUPUI
   24-284   Dusty Baker, Weber State   C
   24-228   Ronald Delph, Florida Atlantic
   24-215   Jalan West, Northwestern State
   24-175   David Collette, Utah   C
   24-132   Kevin Mickle, Ohio
   24-27   Isaiah Brock, Oakland
   24-5   Peter Ryckbosch, DePaul
   24-0   Manny Suarez, Creighton
   23-346   Quinn Taylor, Utah State   C
KEY: C = served church mission

Good Lordy That's 40
From 2003-15, Creighton never had more than the 38 field goals it had vs. Texas Southern on Nov. 14, 2015.
   In the last 12 months alone, Creighton has had five different games of 40 or more field goals, including last Friday's 40-for-68 shooting display vs. Yale.
   The CenturyLink Center Omaha record for field goals in a game is 41 vs. Longwood on Dec. 9, 2016. Creighton has also had 40 field goals in a game vs. Truman State (1/14/17), Yale (11/10/17), Washington State (11/18/16) and North Carolina State (11/20/16).

What About #2?
Not only has Creighton won 23 straight home openers, but the Bluejays have also done quite well in their second home game of the season.
   Creighton has won its second home game of the season each of the last 22 seasons, with 1995-96 the last time that CU didn't open 2-0 at home.
   Creighton has won its second home game of the season by double-digits in each of the last seven campaigns, including last Sunday's 109-72 win over Alcorn State.

20/20 Vision
Both Marcus Foster (23) and Khyri Thomas (22) scored 20 or more points in Creighton's season-opening win vs. Yale.
   Creighton had not seen multiple players each surpass 20 or more points in the same season-opener since Nov. 16, 2008, when both P'Allen Stinnett (30) and Booker Woodfox (26) did it against New Mexico.
   Incredibly, both Woodfox (23) and Stinnett (21) exceeded 20 points in the second half alone to fuel a Bluejay comeback from 16 points down with 10:10 to play.
   That comeback came against ex-New Mexico coach Steve Alford, who now leads the UCLA team that the Bluejays will face Monday in Kansas City when the Hall of Fame Classic continues.

Foster Up For Citizen Naismith Award
Creighton men's basketball senior Marcus Foster has been named one of 50 candidates for the Citizen Naismith Trophy, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced. A list of 30 midseason candidates will be released on Feb. 14, 2018 before the 50th presentation of the award April 1, 2018.
   A senior from Wichita Falls, Texas, Foster was a unanimous All-BIG EAST selection last year after leading Creighton with 18.2 points per game a year ago. He ranked among the league leaders in scoring after posting the highest scoring average for a Bluejay newcomer since 1970. Foster's 638 points were the 10th-most in CU history and the most ever by a Bluejay newcomer in their debut season on the court.
   Creighton has had one previous winner of the Naismith Trophy, as Doug McDermott collected the hardware following the 2013-14 campaign.

Fan-Tazz-Tic Shooting Streak
Khyri Thomas enters Wednesday's game having made a three-pointer in each of his last 16 games dating to last season.
   He's the first Bluejay to sink a trey in 16 games in a row since Doug McDermott, who had a streak of 16 straight from Jan. 20-March 21, 2014.
   No Bluejay has made a three-pointer in 17 straight games or longer since Ethan Wragge's streak of 23 in a row from Nov. 8, 2013 - Feb. 9, 2014.

Nifty Fifty Leads To Postseason?
Creighton shot 58.8 percent from the floor last Friday, the program's best mark in a season-opener since blistering UT Arlington 106-50 on 59.4 percent shooting to open the 2002-03 season.
   Creighton has made the postseason all eight times in the previous 25 seasons in which it has made at least 50 percent of its field goal attempts to open the year. The last time that didn't hold true was 1991-92, when CU shot 51.0 percent in the opener but finished just 9-19.
CU Season-Opener Field Goal Percentage Over 50%
Since 1992-93
FG%   Year   Opponent   Postseason
.541   1997-98   UMKC   NIT
.524   1998-99   Towson State   NCAA
.569   2000-01   Western Illinois   NCAA
.594   2002-03   UT Arlington   NCAA
.500   2012-13   North Texas   NCAA
.556   2013-14   Alcorn State   NCAA
.528   2015-16   Texas Southern   NIT
.508   2016-17   UMKC   NCAA
.558   2017-18   Yale   TBD

Tournament Success
Creighton has had some great success in tournament play in recent seasons, especially under Greg McDermott. In McDermott's tenure, CU is 24-4 in regular-season tournament action with four titles in seven completed events.
   Since 2002-03, Creighton is 38-8 (20-0 at home) with seven titles in 12 completed preseason tournaments, as seen below. Creighton last lost at home in a regular-season tournament in 1975.
Preseason Tournament Performances, Last 15 Seasons
Year   Tourney (Site)   W-L (Home W-L)
2002-03   Guardians Classic (Omaha/KC)   4-0 (2-0)
2004-05   Guardians Classic (Omaha/KC)   4-0 (2-0)
2006-07   Rainbow Classic (Honlulu)   2-1
2008-09   Las Vegas Classic (Omaha/Las Vegas)   4-0 (2-0)
2009-10   Old Spice Classic (Orlando)   0-3
2010-11   Hy-Vee Challenge (Omaha/Des Moines   3-1 (3-0)
2011-12   Dale Howard Classic (Omaha/Des Moines)   4-0 (3-0)
2012-13   Las Vegas Invite (Omaha/Las Vegas)   4-0 (2-0)
2013-14   Wooden Legacy (Fullerton/Anaheim)   1-2
2014-15   Emerald Coast Classic (Omaha/Niceville)   3-1 (2-0)
2015-16   MGM Grand Main Event (Omaha/Las Vegas)   4-0 (2-0)
2016-17   Paradise Jam (U.S. Virgin Islands)   3-0
2017-18   Hall of Fame Classic (Omaha/Kansas City)   2-0 (2-0)

Suarez Doubles Up
In the two public exhibition games, Manny Suarez had per-40 minute averages of 37.2 points and 27.6 rebounds per game.
   Suarez had a double-double on Nov. 3 vs. UNC Pembroke with 13 points and 12 rebounds in just 18 minutes off the bench. One week earlier, Suarez provided 14 points and eight rebounds in 11 minutes of work.
   In two seasons at Division II Adelphi University (Garden City, N.J.), Suarez averaged 15.1 points and 8.6 rebounds in 58 contests. He produced 20 double-doubles in that time, with single-game highs of 32 points and 17 rebounds. He had career per-40-minute averages of 24.0 points and 13.6 rebounds per game for the Panthers.
   Limited by an ankle injury, Suarez has nine points and five rebounds in 20 minutes through two games, good for "per-40 minute" averages of 18.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game.

Hall of Fame Classic History
This is Creighton's third appearance in the Hall of Fame Classic (2002, 2004), with both previous showings taking place when the event was known as the Guardians Classic.
   The Bluejays are a perfect 10-0 in the event all-time, and were the first team to win the event twice. Other teams to win the event twice include Missouri (2001, 2011), Texas (2005, 2009) and Kansas (2012, 2016).
   In 2002 Creighton defeated UT Arlington (106-50) and Furman (82-57) to start the final season at the Omaha Civic Auditorium before heading to the venerable Municipal Auditorium and defeating IUPUI (99-52) and Notre Dame (80-75). Kyle Korver was honored as the MVP, while current Bluejay radio analyst Brody Deren also earned All-Tournament Team accolades.
   In 2004, Creighton beat Alcorn State (74-40) and Iona (68-62) in Omaha. The Jays then trekked to Kansas City and beat Missouri (78-54) and Ohio State (65-63 in overtime). Tyler McKinney was named Tournament MVP after setting an event record with 30 assists and draining a game-winning shot with 4.2 seconds left in the final.

Big Margin Can Lead To Big Things
Creighton beat Yale, 92-76, in last Friday's season-opener.
   Of Creighton's 20 all-time NCAA Tournament teams, nine 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.
               Final   Post-
   Score   Opponent   Date   W-L   Season
   92-76   Yale   11/10/17   TBD   TBD
   93-70   Texas Southern   11/14/15   20-15   NIT
   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 56-0 all-time in regular-season home games that take place on or before Nov. 26th.
   Creighton has won 59 of its 60 regular-season November home games since 1990, falling only to Boise State in 2012.
   Overall, Creighton is 80-15 in regular-season November games at all sites since the start of the 1998-99 campaign.
   Creighton has also won 74 of its last 77 regular-season non-conference home games against unranked foes since falling to Drexel on Feb. 17, 2007.

Two Of The Best
A pair of Creighton players were recently ranked among the best in college basketball in some preseason rankings of top-100 players.
   CBSSports.com lists Marcus Foster as the nation's 31st-best player and Khyri Thomas as 70th-best.
   NBCSports.com listed Foster as the No. 21 player, and Thomas as 67th-best nationally.
   ESPN.com did a list of the nation's top 50 players, and Foster finished 30th in that voting.

Silas To Enter College Hoops Hall of Fame
Creighton alum Paul Silas will be enshrined into the College Basketball Hall of Fame in Kansas City on November 19th.
   In addition to Silas, the elite class includes Wake Forest's Tim Duncan, Winston-Salem State's Cleo Hill, Indiana's Scott May, Purdue's Rick Mount, Gonzaga's John Stockton and Duke's Jay Williams join former Wisconsin, Milwaukee and Wisconsin-Platteville coach Bo Ryan to form the Class of 2017.
   Silas remains one of the most dominant rebounders in college basketball history. Following a season with the freshman team, Silas pulled down 1,751 rebounds for Creighton from 1961 to 1964 – a number that currently ranks sixth in Division I history and first among three-year players.
   He's also third all-time at Creighton with a career average of 20.5 points per game, and earned various All-America accolades in each of his three varsity seasons, including Academic All-America recognition from CoSIDA. The Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Famer won three NBA titles as a player in the 1970s, and later coached four different NBA franchises.
   Silas' No. 35 jersey was retired by Creighton, and he joins Bill Russell, Julius Erving, Kermit Washington and Artis Gilmore as one of five players in NCAA history to average at least 20 points (20.5) and 20 rebounds (21.6) during his college career.
   Silas owns the top 22 single-game rebounding totals in Creighton history, with a high of 38 vs. Centenary on Feb. 19, 1962. He grabbed 33 rebounds ("only" the sixth-most of his career) on Dec. 21, 1963 against then-No. 6 UCLA.
   Silas owns more rebounds (1,751) than any player in the last 55 years (by comparison, Lehigh's Tim Kempton led all active rebounders at the end of 2016-17 with 1,095 career rebounds).
   Last year, across all of Division I, there were only 36 games where an individual grabbed 20+ rebounds. Caleb Swanigan led all of college hoops with four games of 20+ boards.

Preseason BIG EAST Poll
Creighton was picked to finish fifth in the BIG EAST Conference according to a preseason poll of league coaches. Villanova was picked first with 80 points and eight first-place votes, while Seton Hall and Xavier, Providence round out the top four. After Creighton, St. John's, Marquette, Butler, Georgetown and DePaul rounded out the bottom half.
   Creighton guard Marcus Foster was named Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team, while Khyri Thomas was picked to be a Preseason All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention choice.
   Since the reconfiguration of the BIG EAST in 2013, Creighton, Providence and Villanova are the only teams to meet or exceed their poll prediction each season.

Mr. Versatility
Ronnie Harrell Jr. spent the majority of his playing time as a point guard in CU's final two games last year, but look for the versatile junior to play the forward position this season.
   Harrell snared 13 rebounds in 21 minutes against Nebraska-Omaha on Oct. 26, including 10 rebounds in the second half alone.
   Last season Toby Hegner's nine rebounds in the second half at Nebraska were the most for any half by one individual. In fact, no Bluejay had collected 10 or more rebounds in any half since Doug McDermott had 10 by halftime vs. Louisiana in the 2014 NCAA Tournament.
   Harrell ranks second on the CU team with 13 rebounds through two games this winter.

Foster Up For Jerry West Award
Creighton men's basketball guard Marcus Foster is one of 20 preseason candidates for the 2018 Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award, which is bestowed by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
   Last year Foster was one of five finalists for the award.
   Named after Hall of Famer and 1959 NCAA Final Four Most Valuable Player Jerry West, the annual honor in its fourth year recognizes the top shooting guards in Division I men's college basketball.
   Previous winners of the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award include Malik Monk, Kentucky (2017) Buddy Hield, Oklahoma (2016) and D'Angelo Russell, Ohio State (2015).

#ProJays
For the first time since 1969-70, Creighton has four NBA players at the same time as Kyle Korver (Cleveland Cavaliers), Anthony Tolliver (Detroit Pistons), Doug McDermott (New York Knicks) and Justin Patton (Minnesota Timberwolves) are all in the league.
   Including 2017-18, Creighton has now had an NBA player in 34 of the last 35 years.
   Korver ranks fifth in NBA history with 2,085 three-pointers and is sixth in league history with 43.1 percent marksmanship from three-point range (through November 13th). He set a single-season NBA mark that still stands with his 53.6 percent shooting from three-point range in 2009-10, and is the only player in league history to lead the NBA in three-point percentage four times. Korver is averaging 10.9 points per game this year and shooting 45.6 percent from downtown.
   Tolliver is averaging 6.9 points and 2.9 rebounds per game this season for the Pistons, his 11th NBA organization.
   McDermott is in his fourth season in the NBA, and first with the New York Knicks. He was traded to the Knicks with Enes Kanter in exchange for All-Star Carmelo Anthony. McDermott is averaging 8.2 points and 2.2 rebounds per game this season.
   Creighton's newest NBA product is Justin Patton, who is now with the Minnesota Timberwolves but currently injured. Patton redshirted in 2015-16 before turning pro and being the 16th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls. Patton was then part of the Jimmy Butler trade to end up in Minneapolis.
   In addition, May graduates Cole Huff and Isaiah Zierden were each selected in the 2017 NBA G League Draft on Oct. 21st. Huff is now on the Greensboro Swarm roster, while Zierden was cut.

Who Are These Guys?
Creighton returned two regular starters (Marcus Foster and Khyri Thomas) from last year's team that finished 25-10. Creighton's roster contains players who made 72 starts a year ago (35 by Foster, 35 by Thomas and 12 by Davion Mintz), and a combined 147 career starts as Bluejays. That doesn't factor in the 57 starts for Marcus Foster at Kansas State, the 30 starts at Syracuse for Kaleb Joseph, one start at Fordham and 57 starts at Adelphi for Manny Suarez, or six starts at New Mexico for Damien Jefferson.
   Eleven of Creighton's last 12 teams to return 101 or fewer starts from the previous season still went on to reach the postseason.
   Returning   Returning Starts    Final
Year   Starters   From Previous Year   W-L
2017-18   2   72   ? ? ?
2016-17   4   130   25-10
2015-16   1   64   20-15
2014-15   1   49   14-19
2013-14   4   144   27-8
2012-13   4   140   28-8
2011-12   3   101   29-6
2010-11   4   123   23-16
2009-10   3   106   18-16
2008-09   3   83   27-8
2007-08   1   44   22-11
2006-07   4   120   22-11
2005-06   4   134   20-10
2004-05   2   58   23-11
2003-04   3   101   20-9
2002-03   5   159   29-5
2001-02   2   65   23-9
2000-01   3   90   24-8
1999-00   3   84   23-10
1998-99   3   84   22-9
1997-98   4   72   18-10
1996-97   4   126   15-15
1995-96   4   100   14-15
1994-95   2   52   7-19
1993-94   3   73   7-22
1992-93   2   64   8-18
1991-92   2   51   9-19
1990-91   4   132   24-8
1989-90   4   127   21-12
1988-89   4   123   20-11
1987-88   3   83   16-16
1986-87   2   65   9-19
1985-86   1   48   12-16
1984-85   4   124   20-12
1983-84   3   72   17-14
1982-83   3   77   8-19
1981-82   2   78   7-20
1980-81   4   112   21-9

Racking Up The Victories
In 99 previous seasons of Bluejay Basketball, last season was the sixth team to earn 25 or more wins.
   Of Creighton's six seasons in history with 25 or more wins, Greg McDermott has coached four of those in the previous six years.
Most Creighton MBB Wins, Season
       Pre   Pre-Post   Postseason
Year   Final W-L   Tourney   Season   Tournament
2002-03   29-5   26-4   29-4   NCAA
2011-12   29-6   25-5   28-5   NCAA
2012-13   28-8   24-7   27-7   NCAA
2008-09   27-8   25-6   26-7   NIT
2013-14   27-8   24-6   26-7   NCAA
2016-17   25-10   23-8   25-9   NCAA
1990-91   24-8   20-7   23-7   NCAA
2000-01   24-8   23-6   24-7   NCAA
1921-22   23-5   23-5   23-5   didn't exist
1973-74   23-7   21-7   21-7   NCAA
2001-02   23-9   19-8   22-8   NCAA
1999-00   23-10   20-9   23-9   NCAA
2004-05   23-11   20-10   23-10   NCAA
2010-11   23-16   18-14   19-15   CBI
*Bold italics indicates Greg McDermott teams

Among The Nation's Best
Below is where Creighton ranks nationally in the since Greg McDermott took over in 2010-11, per Basketball-Reference.com, entering 2017-18.
2010-11 to 2016-17
Category   Stat   NCAA Rank
FG Percentage   .480   4th
3FG Made   2,079   6th
3FG Percentage   .387   4th
Assists   3,991   6th
FG Made   6,612   12th
Wins   166   T-29th
Winning Percentage   .669   41st

Going For 20, Again
Creighton has won 20 or more games in 17 of the last 19 seasons (including 2016-17), 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 19 years: Duke, Gonzaga and Kansas.
   Kentucky and Florida have each done it in 18 of the last 19 seasons.
   Along with Arizona, Syracuse and Xavier, Creighton is one of four schools with 20 or more wins in exactly 17 of the past 19 years.

Shooting Stars
Creighton ranked second in the nation in field goal percentage last year, connecting at a 50.5 percent clip. Only UCLA (52.1 percent) was better.
   Creighton also shot the ball well in league play, draining BIG EAST best 49.4 percent of its attempts, the best mark in league play since Creighton shot 49.9 percent in 2013-14, and the best mark by a non-Creighton team in BIG EAST action since Georgetown (.505) in 2006-07.
   Creighton started the season by making 58.8 percent of its attempts vs. Yale. The Jays shot 55.9 percent from the floor on Sunday vs. Alcorn State and are converting at a 57.5 percent clip overall through two games.

Eight Out Of 19 Tourney Titles
Creighton owns eight league tournament titles in the last 19 years. On a national basis, the only schools that can claim this are Gonzaga (15), Duke (11), Winthrop (10), Kentucky (9), Creighton (8), Kansas (8) and New Mexico State (8).

Full House
Creighton averaged 17,413 fans per home game last season, fifth-best nationally. That figure would rank 17th best in the NBA, ahead of 14 franchises.
   Last year was the 12th straight season that CU has been among the nation's top 25 in average home attendance, and the sixth straight season in the top-10 nationally in attendance, as well.
2016-17 Attendance Leaders (FINAL)
   Rk.   School   Average
   1.   Kentucky   23,462
   2.   Syracuse   21,181
   3.   Louisville   20,846
   4.   North Carolina   18,067
   5.   Creighton   17,413
   6.   Wisconsin   17,286
   7.   Maryland   16,628
   8.   Kansas   16,395
   9.   Indiana   16,364
   10.   North Carolina State   15,907

Some Loyal Fans
Creighton attracted 296.013 fans at home in 2016-17, surpassing 200,000 fans for the 12th straight season. CU's average of 17,413 was second-most in program history, while the 296,013 fans were the fourth-most ever.
   Creighton had never attracted more than 141,000 home fans in any season prior to the opening of CenturyLink Center Omaha, and now has done it in the past 14 seasons.
   Creighton has led its conference in home attendance every year since moving into CenturyLink Center Omaha, which is in its 15th season.
Highest Average Attendance, Creighton History
   Avg. Att.   School   Year
   17,896   Creighton   2013-14
   17,413   Creighton   2016-17
   17,155   Creighton   2012-13
   17,048   Creighton   2014-15
   16,665   Creighton   2011-12

Creighton's Most Home Fans, Season
Rk.   Year   G   Attendance   Average
1.   2015-16   19   302,887   15,941
2.   2008-09   19   302,676   15,930
3.   2010-11   22   297,161   13,507
4.   2016-17   17   296,013   17413
5.   2012-13   17   291,643   17,155

Release, Rotation, Splash, Repeat
Creighton has made at least one three-pointer in 785 straight games since a 59-53 loss at Illinois State on Feb. 20, 1993. The streak is the nation's 20th-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.
   Below is a list of the nation's longest active three-point streaks, through Nov. 13th.

Longest Active 3-Point Streak, Through 11/13
   Rk.   Streak   School   Next
   1.   1,015   Kentucky   11/14
   2.   1,007   UNLV   11/15
   3.   1,001   Vanderbilt   11/17
   4.   986   Duke   11/14
   5.   939   Arkansas   11/17
   6.   937   Western Kentucky   11/15
   7.   929   East Tennessee State   11/17
   8.   918   Pacific   11/15
   9.   902   Oakland   11/18
   10.   894   Texas   11/14
   11.   875   Princeton   11/15
   12.   845   Marshall   11/16
   13.   842   La Salle   11/14
   14.   837   Baylor   11/17
   15.   814   Gonzaga   11/14
   16.   810   LIU-Brooklyn   11/15
   17.   803   Cornell   11/16
   18.   794   Mount St. Mary's   11/15
   19.   787   Tennessee State   11/18
   20.   785   Creighton   11/15
   21.   783   East Carolina   11/15

On Your Mark, Get Set, Go
Creighton averaged 81.83 points per game in 2016-17, and its 2,864 points a year ago were a school-record.
   Greg McDermott is 46-2 as a Division I head coach when his teams score 90 or more points, including a 40-2 mark on the Creighton sideline.
   Creighton is 58-2 all-time when scoring 100 points or more, including 30 straight wins since a 1977 loss to North Texas State.

Big Deficits, No Big Deal
Creighton owns 16 victories under Greg McDermott after trailing by double-figures at some point. Nine of those comebacks have come away from home.
   On the other hand, CU is 146-12 under McDermott when putting together double-digit leads, including wins 134 of the last 142 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
12   at DePaul   01/17/16
11   at Wichita State   12/31/11
11   Northern Iowa   01/10/12
11   vs. Alabama   03/16/12
11   vs. Ole Miss   11/21/16
10   UAB   11/14/12
10   vs. Drake   03/02/12
10   at Nebraska   12/07/14
10   South Dakota   12/09/14

CenturyLink Center Omaha Dramatics
Creighton is 7-7 in games with a game-winning go-ahead score in the final 10 seconds at CenturyLink Center Omaha, which opened in the fall of 2003.
Creighton's Go-Ahead Scores in Wins at CLCO, Last 10 Seconds
Date   Opponent   Score   Player/Score   Time
11/26/05   Dayton   W 91-90*   Funk FG   :5.7
01/28/06   Wichita St.   W 57-55   Tolliver FG   :0.0
11/25/06   George Mason   W 58-56   Watts FT   :7.5
03/18/08   Rhode Island   W 74-73   Witter 3FG   :3.2
01/13/10   Southern Illinois   W 71-69   Young FG   :1.3
02/18/12   Long Beach St.   W 81-79   Young FG   :0.3
01/28/14   St. John's   W 63-60   McDermott 3FG   :2.8
*double-overtime

Opponent Go-Ahead Scores in CU Losses at CLCO, Last 10 Seconds
Date   Opponent   Score   Player/Score   Time
03/20/06   Miami (Fla.)   L 53-52   G. Diaz FT   :2.6
01/20/07   Southern Illinois   L 58-57   B. Mullins FG   :4.1
01/10/15   #19 Seton Hall   L 68-67   S. Gibbs 3FG   :2.2
02/16/15   #19 Butler   L 58-56   R. Jones FG   :1.9
03/07/15   Xavier   L 74-73   D. Davis FT's   :6.3
01/12/16   #12 Providence   L 50-48   K. Dunn FG   :0.0
02/22/17   Providence   L 68-66   K. Cartwright 3FG   :2.4

McDermott Ranks Second On CU Wins List
Greg McDermott currently has 168 victories at Creighton, good for second place on CU's all-time wins list.
   McDermott's .672 winning percentage is Creighton's best since Arthur A. Schabinger's .714 win rate more 80 years ago.
   Below is a list of the most victorious Creighton coaches in program history.
Most Coaching Wins, Creighton History
Rk.   W-L   Name   Years
1.   327-176   Dana Altman   1994-2010
2.   168-82   Greg McDermott    2010-Pres.
3.   165-66   Arthur A. Schabinger    1922-35
4.   138-118   John J. "Red" McManus    1959-69
5.   130-64   Tom Apke   1974-81

Multiple Choices
Creighton has had four men average in double-figures in each of the last two seasons.
   Last year, Marcus Foster (18.2), Justin Patton (12.9), Maurice Watson Jr. (12.9) and Khyri Thomas (12.3) all put up double-digits on a nightly basis.
   In 2015-16 it was Watson (14.1), Cole Huff (11.3), Geoffrey Groselle (11.2) and Isaiah Zierden (10.2).
   Before 2015-16, Creighton had not previously had four men finish the year scoring in double-figures since 1979-80, when Kevin McKenna, Jim Honz, George Morrow and Daryl Stovall did so.

Top-20 Crowds
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.   18,831   #1 Villanova   12/31/16
   4.   18,797   #6 Villanova   02/16/14
   5.   18,742   Seton Hall   02/23/14
   6.   18,735   Wichita State   02/11/12
   7.   18,613   Wichita State   03/02/13
   8.   18,525   Marquette   12/31/13
   9.   18,494   Illinois State   02/09/13
   10.   18,458   Evansville   12/29/12
   11.   18,436   Bradley   01/28/12
   12.   18,323   DePaul   02/07/14
   13.   18,160   Central Arkansas   11/14/14
   14.   18,145   Marquette   01/21/17
   15.   18,111   Bradley   02/02/13
   16.   18,084   Seton Hall   12/28/16
   17.   18,078   Tulsa   11/23/13
   18.   18,073   Drake   01/08/13
   19.   18,032   #12 Butler   01/11/17
   20.   17,971   #19 Butler   02/16/15

Très Bien
Since 2011-12, Creighton is 62-51 (.549) when shooting 40.00 percent or worse from three-point range. While respectable, that pales in comparison to CU's 81-14 (.853) mark the last seven years when shooting better than 40.00 percent from downtown.
   Lower the standards to 30%, and it's still impressive. Creighton is 125-36 in the last seven years when shooting 30 percent or better from deep, compared to 19-30 when shooting 29.99 percent or less.

CenturyLink Center Omaha Success
Creighton has played 241 regular and postseason contests at CenturyLink Center Omaha all-time in the 15-year-old facility.
   The Bluejays own a 199-42 (.825) record all-time at the facility, and have never lost there on a Thursday (7-0) or Friday (13-0).
   Creighton has outscored its opponents 18,542-15,625 in games at CenturyLink Center Omaha, an average margin of 12.10 points per game. Creighton has led wire-to-wire 67 different times, including 15 of its last 38 home games.
   Creighton is also 25-24 all-time in the 47 games at CLCO in which it's fallen behind by double-figures at any point, 7-9 when down by 10+ points at halftime at The Link, and 31-22 when trailing at halftime at CenturyLink Center Omaha.
   Creighton is 102-24 (.810) at CenturyLink Center Omaha under Greg McDermott, including a 59-4 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 219-42 (.839) at home since the start of the 2002-03 campaign.

Home Run
Since Greg McDermott took over in 2010, Creighton is averaging 79.75 points per home game (10,048 points in 126 home games), a figure that climbs to 84.06 points in non-conference home games (5,296 points in 63 home games).
   Creighton is 85-2 all-time at CenturyLink Center Omaha when scoring 80 or points and has won 83 straight non-conference home games when scoring 80 or more points, dating to a 90-85 loss to Nebraska on Dec. 7, 1991.

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
2017-18:   3rd (via WarrenNolan.com)
2016-17:   3rd
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

Ticket Information
Single-game tickets for the 2017-18 season went on sale on October 18th.
   Fans can purchase single-game tickets at CenturyLink Center Omaha Box Office, Ryan Athletic Center, by calling Ticketmaster or visiting Ticketmaster.com, and charging by phone at (800) 745-3000. Only upper bowl seats will be available for any regular-season game.
   For more information, call the Creighton Ticket Office at (402) 280-JAYS.

Clear Bag Policy Comes to CenturyLink on 12/31
Starting December 31, 2017, CenturyLink Center Omaha will adopt new clear bag regulations for all arena events including Creighton University men's home basketball games. Bags permitted under the policy include clear plastic, vinyl or PVC totes.
   Additionally, small clutch-sized bags will also be allowed inside the arena after a proper security inspection. However, oversized bags or purses will no longer be allowed inside the premises.
   After observing the success and ease of transition with arenas and venues across the state, MECA and Creighton University believe the updated policy to be the best safety practice for the thousands of fans who loyally attend each basketball game, and countless concert-goers who walk through the doors at CenturyLink Center Omaha.
   Here are the main bullet-points of the new bag policy, effective on December 31 when the Bluejays host Providence (1:30 p.m., tip-off):
•   Clear plastic bags, measuring 12 inches tall, 12 inches long, and 6 inches wide
•   Small or clutch-sized purses or wallets, not exceeding 4.5 inches tall by 6.5 inches long
•   One-gallon, clear plastic freezer bags are permitted (Ziploc bag or similar)
•   No large purses, bags, backpacks or fanny-packs will be allowed inside
•   MECA staff members are not allowed to hold bags during an event
•   Exceptions will be made for bags with medical necessity after appropriate inspection

Gavitt Tipoff Games Battle at No. 20 Northwestern Next For Men's Hoops

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Tyler Clement

Marcus Foster

Geoffrey Groselle

Ronnie Harrell Jr.

Toby Hegner

Cole Huff

Martin Krampelj

Justin Patton

Khyri Thomas

Maurice Watson Jr.

Isaiah Zierden