Damien Jefferson
Photo by: A.J. Olnes
Men's Basketball Opens 2018-19 Season Tuesday vs. Western Illinois
11/2/2018 9:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Creighton seeks to extend streak of 23 straight wins in home openers
Download Notes as a PDF
Game #1: Western Illinois Leathernecks at Creighton Bluejays
Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018 • 7:30 p.m.
CHI Health Center Omaha (17,352) • Omaha, Neb.
Radio: KOZN 1620 AM, KOOO 101.9 FM, www.1620thezone.com
Live Stats | Live Video | Live Audio
Television: FSN (complete listings: https://tinyurl.com/WIU-CU)
Series History: Creighton leads, 4-0
Last Meeting: Creighton 97, Western Illinois 67 on Nov. 28, 2015
Next Game
Creighton (0-0) starts its 101st season of basketball on Tuesday, Nov. 6, when it hosts Western Illinois (0-0) in the regular-season opener for both squads.
   Tip-off on First National Bank Court at CHI Health Center Omaha (17,352) in Omaha, Neb., is set for 7:30 p.m.
Radio Broadcast Information
KOZN (1620 AM) will broadcast all Creighton men's basketball games during the 2018-19 season, while KOOO (101.9 FM) will also broadcast all home games. John Bishop and former Bluejay Josh Dotzler will call the action. The audio is also webcast live at www.1620thezone.com.
Television Broadcast Information
Tuesday's game against Western Illinois will be televised by FSN, with Jay Alter and Nick Bahe on the call.
   The game will air live on Fox Sports Midwest in Nebraska and Kansas, Fox Sports Detroit (Plus), Fox Sports North (Plus), Fox Sports Southeast (Non-Hawks & Hornets), Fox Sports Sun, Fox Sports Wisconsin (Plus) and WCUU Chicago.
   It will also air tape-delayed on the following networks at these (Central) times:
YESÂ Â Â 11/7Â Â Â 5 am
Fox Sports Southeast (MS & TN)Â Â Â 11/7Â Â Â 8 am
Fox Sports Midwest   11/7   1 pm
Fox College Sports Atlantic   11/7   1 pm
AT&T SportsNet (Pittsburgh Region)Â Â Â 11/7Â Â Â 6 pm
Root Sports (Northwest Region)Â Â Â 11/7Â Â Â 8 pm
Fox Sports Midwest   11/8   12 am
Fox Sports Southeast (Non Grizzlies)Â Â Â 11/8Â Â Â 1 am
AT&T SportsNet (Rocky Mountain Region)Â Â Â 11/8Â Â Â 2 am
Fox Sports Southeast (Non Grizzlies & Hawks)Â Â Â 11/8Â Â Â 5 am
Fox Sports West   11/8   10 am
Fox Sports Southeast   11/9   2 am
Video Webcast Information
Live streaming video of Tuesday'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 Creighton
Creighton returns eight lettermen and two starters from last year's team that finished 21-12 and tied for third in the BIG EAST Conference with a 10-8 league record.
   The Bluejays advanced to its fifth NCAA Tournament in the past seven seasons, where it fell to eventual Elite Eight qualifier Kansas State.
   Juniors Davion Mintz (6.1 ppg., 3.1 apg.) and Martin Krampelj (11.9 ppg., 8.1 rpg.) lead the returners, and sophomores Ty-Shon Alexander (5.5 ppg.), Mitch Ballock (7.3 ppg.), Jacob Epperson (6.3 ppg.) and transfer Damien Jefferson will be counted on to play an increased role.
   The Bluejays feature just two seniors, Kaleb Joseph (4.3 ppg.) and Connor Cashaw. Joseph is transitioning to the off-guard spot, while Cashaw is a graduate transfer from Rice after averaging 15.5 points per game last winter for the Owls.
   Creighton's freshmen class consists of forward Christian Bishop, center Samson Froling and guards Jett Canfield and Marcus Zegarowski.
   The Bluejays, who defeated Division II Winona State 101-57 in their lone public exhibition game, have been picked to finish ninth in the BIG EAST.
Scouting Western Illinois
Despite returning four starters from a 12-16 campaign, Western Illinois was picked to finish ninth in the Summit League in a preseason poll.
   Brandon Gilbeck and Kobe Webster were both named Preseason Second Team All-Summit League in the voting. Gilbeck averaged 10.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.5 blocked shots per game to earn Summit League Defensive Player of the Year accolades. Webster averaged 15.9 points per game last winter and made 12-of-14 three-pointers while scoring 44 points in 40 minutes last week.
   Also back are returning starters Isaac Johnson (7.0 ppg., 4.5 rpg.) and C.J. Duff (8.1 ppg., 2.0 rpg.).
   Last year's Western Illinois team averaged 71.9 points per game and allowed 71.8 points per contest. The Leathernecks shot 35.7 percent from three-point range last year, but were 24-for-43 (55.8 percent) from deep in exhibition play.
The Series With Western Illinois
Creighton is 4-0 all-time against Western Illinois, including a 3-0 mark in Omaha. The Bluejays have won the four meetings by an average of 23.3 points, including a 97-67 triumph in the most recent encounter in 2015.
   Greg McDermott is 2-0 in his career against Western Illinois, with both meetings coming as head coach at Creighton. He is 1-0 against Billy Wright.
The Creighton Coaches
Greg McDermott (Northern Iowa, 1988) is entering his ninth season as head coach at Creighton. He is 187-94 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 467-289 entering his 25th season and is 336-225 entering his 18th Division I campaign. McDermott is assisted by Preston Murphy, Alan Huss and Paul Lusk.
Exhibition Summary
Creighton defeated Division II Winona State, 101-57, in its lone public exhibition game on Oct. 27.
   Creighton had six men score in double-figures, led by Ty-Shon Alexander's 17 points. Alexander made his first six shots and was 5-for-5 from three-point range at the half.
   Creighton made 19-of-40 three-point shots, as nine different Bluejays made at least one trey.
Going Up On A Tuesday
It's been a while since Creighton has opened the regular-season on a Tuesday, as it hasn't happened since the start of the 1991-92 season when the team opened at Iowa State.
   Creighton has not opened its season on a Tuesday at home since the 1986-87 campaign, when it beat Iowa State.
   In the previous 35 seasons (since the start of the 1983-84 season), Creighton has opened on a Friday 13 times and on a Saturday 10 times. CU has also played five openers on a Monday, three on a Sunday, two on a Tuesday and once each on a Wednesday and Thursday.
It Gets Earlier Every Year
Tuesday's game will take place on November 6, the earliest start date for a season-opener in Creighton basketball history.
   The previous earliest date ever came during the 2013-14 campaign, when the Bluejays defeated Alcorn State 107-61 on November 8.
   By comparison, Creighton's season-opener in 1992-93 didn't take place until December 3.
Season Opener History
Including last year's 92-76 win vs. Yale, Creighton owns a sparkling 85-15 record (.850) on opening day, including wins in 20 of its last 21 lid-lifters.
   Creighton has won 12 of its last 18 season-openers by 20 or more points.
   The Jays have outscored foes by an average of 86.28 to 61.06 in the last 18 openers.
Opening Statements
Greg McDermott has won each of the last 16 season openers he's coached in, as he is 16-1 at the Division I level in season-openers. That includes double-digit victories in seven of eight games on the Creighton sideline. Overall as a head coach, McDermott is 21-3 in season-opening games.
   That includes an impressive 99-point win (137-38) in his first game on the sidelines when he was at Wayne State.
Date   School   Opponent   Result
1994-95   Wayne St.   York   W 137-38
1995-96   Wayne St.   Nebraska-Omaha   L 63-72
1996-97   Wayne St.   St. Francis   W 72-66
1997-98   Wayne St.   Nebraska-Omaha   W 78-76
1998-99   Wayne St.   Mount Marty   W 76-70
1999-00   Wayne St.   South Dakota   L 64-66
11/17/00   NDSU   Macalester   W 81-69
11/16/01   UNI   vs. San Diego State   L 57-71
11/22/02   UNI   at Montana   W 77-71
11/21/03   UNI   Chicago State   W 83-59
11/21/04   UNI   Wayne State   W 84-66
11/20/05   UNI   Western Carolina   W 68-46
11/10/06   Iowa State   UC Riverside   W 69-61
11/09/07   Iowa State   Winston-Salem St.   W 58-44
11/14/08   Iowa State   UC Davis   W 61-58
11/13/09   Iowa State   Idaho State   W 88-68
11/12/10   Creighton   Alabama State   W 71-57
11/11/11   Creighton   N. Carolina A&T   W 97-65
11/09/12   Creighton   North Texas   W 71-51
11/08/13   Creighton   Alcorn State   W 107-61
11/14/14   Creighton   Central Arkansas   W 104-77
11/14/15   Creighton   Texas Southern   W 93-70
11/11/16   Creighton   UMKC   W 89-82
11/10/17   Creighton   Yale   W 92-76
Hello, World
Creighton has six players that could make their Bluejay debut on Tuesday night: Christian Bishop, Jett Canfield, Connor Cashaw, Samson Froling, Damien Jefferson and Marcus Zegarowski.
   Below is a look at how Creighton's current players have done in their regular-season and Creighton debuts in a Division I uniform.
Name   Pts.   Reb.   Ast.   Stl.   Min.
Krampelj   11   8   2   0   14
Cashaw (@Rice)Â Â Â 6Â Â Â 5Â Â Â 2Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 31
Ballock   5   4   0   1   20
Joseph (@SU)•   4   5   7   2   23
Mahoney (@SEMO)•   4   1   0   0   20
Scurry   3   1   0   0   5
Epperson   2   2   1   0   9
Jefferson (@UNM)Â Â Â 2Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 1Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 8
Joseph (@CU)Â Â Â 2Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 1Â Â Â 4
Mintz      0   0   0   0   8
Alexander   0   0   5   1   12
•indicates game started
Freshman Starts Almost Unheard Of
Samson Froling made a little bit of history on Oct. 27 when he started the exhibition opener as a true freshman, becoming just the second Bluejay in the last 29 years to start CU's first public exhibition game.
   The only other Creighton true freshman since 1989-90 to start the exhibition opener had been Khyri Thomas in 2015-16
   Ryan Sears, who started all 124 regular-season games of his illustrious career from 1997-2001, came off the bench for his exhibition debut before replacing Matt West in the second exhibition game of the 1997-98 campaign.
   Sears had remained the last CU true freshman to start a Creighton regular-season opener (1997-98), until Doug McDermott did so in 2010-11. McDermott started all 145 games of his career but also came off the bench in his first exhibition game. Thomas would also go on to start the season-opener as a true freshman in 2015-16, and remained in the starting five each of the first 24 games.
   Among recent redshirt freshmen to start Creighton's first exhibition game have been Toby Hegner (2014-15) and Justin Patton (2016-17).
Making An Entrance
Creighton's last freshmen to debut with 10 or more points came in 2016, when redshirt freshman Justin Patton scored 12 points in 22 minutes. Patton also had eight rebounds in his debut. Patton and Martin Krampelj (8 in 2015) own the most boards in their freshmen debut for CU since Joe Dabbert (9) in 2000.
   The last Bluejay with 20 or more in his freshman debut was P'Allen Stinnett, who started his MVC Freshman of the Year campaign in 2007-08 with 23 points vs. DePaul.
   Creighton's best opening-day effort in history would have to be the way Hall of Famer Bob Harstad began his senior season. Harstad went 13-for-13 from the floor and 12-for-13 at the line to score 38 points against Texas-San Antonio on Nov. 30, 1990.
   Eight years ago, Doug McDermott burst onto the scene with 16 points and seven rebounds in his debut, becoming the first Bluejay freshman since at least 1973 to have 15 or more points and five or more rebounds in a season-opener.
   Below is a list of some of Creighton's most famous players and how they performed in their regular-season debuts in a Bluejay uniform.
Name, Yr.   Pts.   Reb.   Ast.   Stl.   Min.   Result
Foster, 2016Â Â Â 19Â Â Â 1Â Â Â 2Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 28Â Â Â W 89-82
Patton, 2016Â Â Â 12Â Â Â 8Â Â Â 2Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 22Â Â Â W 89-82
Thomas, 2015Â Â Â 18Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 2Â Â Â 26Â Â Â W 93-70
McDermott, 2010Â Â Â 16Â Â Â 7Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 1Â Â Â 32Â Â Â W 71-57
Stinnett, 2007Â Â Â 23Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 26Â Â Â W 74-62
Tolliver, 2003Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 1Â Â Â 2Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 7Â Â Â W 79-44
Funk, 2002Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 5Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 1Â Â Â 21Â Â Â W 106-50
Kyle Korver, 1999Â Â Â 2Â Â Â 2Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 1Â Â Â 10Â Â Â W 70-62
Buford, 1995Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 19Â Â Â W 63-59
Harstad, 1987Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 5Â Â Â 1Â Â Â 1Â Â Â 21Â Â Â L 49-70
Gallagher, 1987Â Â Â 10Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 37Â Â Â L 49-70
Benjamin, 1982Â Â Â 14Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 1Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 22Â Â Â W 98-54
McKenna, 1977   14   3   7   ?   ?   W 95-66
Harmon, 1971   21   7   ?   ?   ?   W 74-62
C. Baptiste, 1969   24   17   ?   ?   ?   W 84-62
Portman, 1966   9   ?   ?   ?   ?   W 78-76
Silas, 1961   22   29   ?   ?   ?   W 85-51
Gibson, 1954   19   ?   ?   ?   ?   W 66-51
More Debut News
Some more facts of interest about players making their Bluejay debut.
   In 2015, Khyri    Thomas became just the third true freshman to start since 1992-93 to start the opener, 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, while Thomas started the first 24 games of his career and 96-102 in his Bluejay career.
Home Opener History
Including last year's win over Yale, Creighton is 89-11 (.890) in home openers all-time. Â Â Â Â Â Â Creighton has won 23 straight home openers since a Dec. 3, 1994 setback against SMU.
   That 23-game home opener win streak is a school record, two more than the 21 straight from 1946-66 that was part of a stretch between 1936-80 where the Bluejays went 41-2 in home openers.
Playing With The Lead
Incredibly, Creighton hasn't trailed in its home opener in nine of the past 18 seasons (2000-01, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2009-10, 2011-12, 2014-15 and 2016-17).
   In 257 games at CHI Health Center Omaha all-time, Creighton has not trailed in 73 of those contests, a staggering 28.4 percent of the time.
   Under Greg McDermott at home, Creighton is 116-26 and hasn't trailed in 48 of those games.
Nifty Fifty Leads To Postseason?
Creighton shot 58.8 percent from the floor in last season's lid-lifter against Yale, 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 nine 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.
   Creighton has shot 50 percent or better in five of its last six season-openers.
CU Season-Opener Field Goal Percentage 50+%
Since 1993-94
FG%   Year   Opponent   Postseason
.541Â Â Â 1997-98Â Â Â UMKCÂ Â Â 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
.508Â Â Â 2016-17Â Â Â UMKCÂ Â Â NCAA
.558   2017-18   Yale   NCAA
  Â
November Reign
Creighton is a perfect 58-0 all-time in regular-season home games that take place on or before Nov. 26th.
   Creighton has won 61 of its 62 regular-season November home games since 1990, falling only to Boise State in 2012.
   Overall, Creighton is 84-16 in regular-season November games at all sites since the start of the 1998-99 campaign.
   Creighton has also won 82 of its last 85 regular-season non-conference home games against unranked foes since falling to Drexel on Feb. 17, 2007.
The Push For 90
Creighton's 92-76 win in 2017 vs. Yale was the fourth time in five seasons the team has scored 90 or more points in a season-opener.
   Of Creighton's 21 all-time NCAA Tournament teams, 10 have scored 90 or more points in their season-opener.
   Here's a look at Creighton's last nine teams to score 90 or more points in a season-opener.
            Final   Post-
   Score   Opponent   Date   W-L   Season
   93-47   UT-San Antonio   11/30/90   24-8   NCAA
   93-48   Towson State   11/14/98   22-9   NCAA
   96-50   Western Illinois   11/20/00   24-8   NCAA
   106-50   Texas-Arlington   11/17/02   29-5   NCAA
   97-65   N. Carolina A&T   11/11/11   29-6   NCAA
   107-61   Alcorn State   11/08/13   27-8   NCAA
   104-77   Central Arkansas   11/14/14   14-19   --
   93-70   Texas Southern   11/14/15   20-15   NIT
   92-76   Yale   11/10/17   21-12   NCAA
Good Defense, A Good Sign
Each of the last nine times that Creighton has held its season-opening opponent to 50 points or less, the Bluejays have advanced to the postseason.
   The last time Creighton opened the season with Western Illinois (2000), the Bluejays won 96-50 and would reach the NCAA Tournament.
   That list is seen below:
Date   Opponent   Score   NCAA/NIT
11/30/73   Regis   W 93-38   NCAA
11/27/76Â Â Â St. Thomas (MN)Â Â Â W 79-39Â Â Â NIT
11/30/90   UT San Antonio   W 93-47   NCAA
11/14/98   Towson State   W 93-48   NCAA
11/20/00   Western Illinois   W 96-50   NCAA
11/17/02   Texas-Arlington   W 106-50   NCAA
11/22/03   San Diego   W 76-44   NIT
11/15/04   Alcorn State   W 74-40   NCAA
11/13/06   Mississippi Valley St.   W 78-42   NCAA
Jays At Home Against Winless Teams
Creighton's opponent on Tuesday, Western Illinois, is 0-0. The Bluejays have won 37 straight home games against teams that are winless entering the night, winning those games by an average of 26.30 points. Fifteen of those wins came by 30 points or more, and only three were decided by single-digits.
   The streak dates to a 77-70 loss versus an 0-2 SMU team on Dec. 3, 1994. That game was Dana Altman's home debut at Creighton.
   Creighton has also won 106 straight home games against teams that enter the night with a record of .500 or worse, a streak that dates to Feb. 25, 2002.
Creighton at Home vs. Winless Teams, Since 12/3/1994
Opp. W-L    Opponent   CU Result   Date
   0-4   UMKC   W 75-61   12/17/94
   0-1   UMKC   W 70-68   11/25/96
   0-0   UMKC   W 81-59   11/14/97
   0-0   Towson   W 93-48   11/14/98
   0-1   Western Illinois   W 96-50   11/20/00
   0-1   North Carolina A&T   W 72-51   11/18/01
   0-0   Texas-Arlington   W 106-50   11/17/02
   0-3   San Diego   W 79-44   11/22/03
   0-1   Bethune-Cookman   W 69-49   12/03/03
   0-0   Alcorn State   W 74-40   11/15/04
   0-0   Arkansas-Pine Bluff   W 83-58   11/20/04
   0-0   Arkansas-Pine Bluff   W 87-55   11/19/05
   0-1   Miss. Valley State   W 78-42   11/13/06
   0-4   Arkansas-Pine Bluff   W 74-39   11/29/06
   0-0   DePaul   W 74-62   11/09/07
   0-2   Miss. Valley State   W 76-46   11/17/07
   0-2   Arkansas-Pine Bluff   W 82-50   11/20/08
   0-9   Miss. Valley State   W 82-58   12/02/08
   0-7   Southern   W 71-60   12/15/08
   0-1   Florida A&M   W 78-53   11/17/09
   0-0   Alabama State   W 71-57   11/12/10
   0-1   Northern Arizona   W 74-70   11/14/10
   0-0   N. Carolina A&T   W 97-65   11/11/11
   0-1   Chicago State   W 95-61   11/13/11
   0-0   North Texas   W 71-51   11/09/12
   0-2   Presbyterian   W 87-58   11/18/12
   0-4   Longwood   W 105-57   11/20/12
   0-0   Alcorn State   W 107-61   11/08/13
   0-1   UMKC   W 96-70   11/11/13
   0-3   Tulsa   W 82-72   11/23/13
   0-0   Central Arkansas   W 104-77   11/14/14
   0-1   Chicago State   W 84-66   11/16/14
   0-1   Texas Southern   W 93-70   11/14/15
   0-2   UTSA   W 103-78   11/17/15
   0-0   UMKC   W 89-82   11/11/16
   0-0   Yale   W 92-76   11/10/17
   0-1   Alcorn State   W 109-72   11/12/17
Newcomer Report
Six players made their exhibition debut in a Creighton uniform in the Oct. 27 win against Winona State as Christian Bishop, Jett Canfield, Connor Cashaw, Samson Froling, Damien Jefferson and Marcus Zegarowski combined for 40 points, 20 rebounds, nine assists and four steals in a combined 96 minutes of action in Creighton's 101-57 triumph over the Warriors.
   Denzel Mahoney, who is redshirting due to his transfer from Southeast Missouri State, did not see action in the game.
   Below is a look at the last six years and how Creighton's newcomers have produced in their exhibition debuts:
2018
Bishop/Canfield/Cashaw/
Froling/Jefferson/Zegarowski
40 pts., 20 reb., 9 ast., 96 min. (W 101-57)
2017
Alexander/Ballock/Epperson/Joseph/Suarez
27 pts., 16 reb., 9 ast., 67 min. (W 96-67)
2016
Foster/Mintz/Paras/Scurry
23 pts., 8 reb., 5 ast., 57 min. (W 93-46)
2015
Thomas/Huff/Watson Jr./Patton/Albert/ Krampelj/O'Neill/Cayce/Stewart
61 pts., 16 reb., 14 ast., 92 min. (W 113-77)
2014
Kreklow/Gilmore III/Connealy/Harrell Jr.
10 pts., 9 reb., 5 ast., 34 min. (W 91-72)
2013
Ferrarini/Brooks/Clement/Harris/Burns/
Milliken/Roberts/Hegner/Hanson
26 pts., 8 reb., 10 ast., 52 min. (W 89-61)
Preseason BIG EAST Poll Picks CU Ninth
Creighton has been picked to finish ninth in a preseason poll of BIG EAST coaches.
   Villanova earned 8-of-9 possible first place votes and finished ahead of Marquette and Providence. St. John's and Butler rank fourth and fifth, while the bottom half consists of Xavier, Georgetown, Seton Hall, Creighton and DePaul.
   Creighton is one of two schools (Providence) to match or exceed its preseason prognostication every year since the reconfiguration of the BIG EAST.
   St. John's junior guard Shamorie Ponds was tabbed Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year, and Providence's David Duke and Villanova's Jahvon Quinerly shared Preseason Freshman of the Year laurels.
   Creighton's Martin Krampelj was a Preseason Honorable Mention All-BIG EAST pick.
#ProJays
For the first time ever, Creighton has five NBA players at the same time as Kyle Korver (Cleveland Cavaliers), Anthony Tolliver (Minnesota Timberwolves), Doug McDermott (Indiana Pacers, Justin Patton (Minnesota Timberwolves) and Khyri Thomas (Detroit Pistons) are all in the league.
   Including 2018-18, Creighton has now had an NBA player in 35 of the last 36 years.
   Korver leads all active players and ranks fourth in NBA history with 2,218 three-pointers. He's also second among active players and sixth all-time in league history with 43.11 percent marksmanship from three-point range. 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.
   Tolliver is averaging 6.9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game on 48.4 percent shooting from deep this season for the Timberwolves.
   McDermott is in his fifth season in the NBA, and first with the Indiana Pacers. He's averaging 7.1 points per game on 44.0 percent three-point shooting this year.
   Patton is with the Minnesota Timberwolves organization, but currently rehabbing an injured foot. Patton redshirted in 2015-16 before turning pro and being the 16th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls. He spent most of last year in the G-League, but did score two points in his lone NBA appearance last April.
   Creighton's newest NBA product is Khyri Thomas, who was the 38th pick in the 2018 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers before being traded minutes later to the Detroit Pistons. Thomas was a two-time BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year. He is still awaiting his NBA debut.
Who Are These Guys?
Creighton returns two regular starters (Davion Mintz and Martin Krampelj) from last year's team that finished 21-12. Creighton's roster contains players who made 57 starts a year ago (32 by Mintz, 19 by Krampelj, 5 by Mitch Ballock and 1 by Ty-Shon Alexander), and a combined 69 career starts as Bluejays. That doesn't factor in the 82 starts for Connor Cashaw at Rice, the 30 starts at Syracuse for Kaleb Joseph, the 64 starts at Southeast Missouri State for Denzel Mahoney, or six starts at New Mexico for Damien Jefferson.
   Twelve of Creighton's last 13 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
2018-19Â Â Â 2Â Â Â 57Â Â Â ? ? ?
2017-18Â Â Â 2Â Â Â 72Â Â Â 21-12
2016-17Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 130Â Â Â 25-10
2015-16Â Â Â 1Â Â Â 64Â Â Â 20-15
2014-15Â Â Â 1Â Â Â 49Â Â Â 14-19
2013-14Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 144Â Â Â 27-8
2012-13Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 140Â Â Â 28-8
2011-12Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 101Â Â Â 29-6
2010-11Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 123Â Â Â 23-16
2009-10Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 106Â Â Â 18-16
2008-09Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 83Â Â Â 27-8
2007-08Â Â Â 1Â Â Â 44Â Â Â 22-11
2006-07Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 120Â Â Â 22-11
2005-06Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 134Â Â Â 20-10
2004-05Â Â Â 2Â Â Â 58Â Â Â 23-11
2003-04Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 101Â Â Â 20-9
2002-03Â Â Â 5Â Â Â 159Â Â Â 29-5
2001-02Â Â Â 2Â Â Â 65Â Â Â 23-9
2000-01Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 90Â Â Â 24-8
1999-00Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 84Â Â Â 23-10
1998-99Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 84Â Â Â 22-9
1997-98Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 72Â Â Â 18-10
1996-97Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 126Â Â Â 15-15
1995-96Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 100Â Â Â 14-15
1994-95Â Â Â 2Â Â Â 52Â Â Â 7-19
1993-94Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 73Â Â Â 7-22
1992-93Â Â Â 2Â Â Â 64Â Â Â 8-18
1991-92Â Â Â 2Â Â Â 51Â Â Â 9-19
1990-91Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 132Â Â Â 24-8
1989-90Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 127Â Â Â 21-12
1988-89Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 123Â Â Â 20-11
1987-88Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 83Â Â Â 16-16
1986-87Â Â Â 2Â Â Â 65Â Â Â 9-19
1985-86Â Â Â 1Â Â Â 48Â Â Â 12-16
1984-85Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 124Â Â Â 20-12
1983-84Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 72Â Â Â 17-14
1982-83Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 77Â Â Â 8-19
1981-82Â Â Â 2Â Â Â 78Â Â Â 7-20
1980-81Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 112Â Â Â 21-9
Closed Scrimmage Update
Creighton and Minnesota met on Oct. 20 and split two 20-minute halves, with the teams resetting the score at halftime.
   Minnesota won the first half, 46-41, before Creighton took the second stanza 40-37.
   Ty-Shon Alexander led Creighton with 15 points, while freshman Gabe Kalescheur topped the Gophers with 15 points.
   The teams also played an additional eight-minute scrimmage that was won by Creighton, 19-9, with Bluejay freshman Samson Froling leading the way in that session with eight points.
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.
2010-11 to Present
Category   Stat   NCAA Rank
FG Percentage   .482   3rd
3FG Percentage   .385   3rd
3FG Made   2,422   4th
Assists   4,579   5th
FG Made   7,620   11th
Wins   187   31st
Winning Percentage   .665   38th
Going For 20, Again
Creighton has won 20 or more games in 18 of the last 20 seasons (entering 2018-19), 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 20 years: Duke, Gonzaga and Kansas.    Kentucky and Florida have done it in 19 of the last 20 seasons.
   Creighton, Xavier, Syracuse and Arizona each are in the 18-of-20 seasons club.
Eight Out Of 20 Tourney Titles
Creighton owns eight league tournament titles in the last 20 years. On a national basis, the only schools that can claim this are Gonzaga (16), Duke (11), Winthrop (10), Kentucky (10), Kansas (9), New Mexico State (9) and Creighton (8).
Full House
Creighton averaged 17,000 fans per home game last season, good for fifth-best nationally.
   Last year was the 13th straight season that CU has been among the nation's top 25 in average home attendance, and the seventh straight season in the top-10 nationally in attendance, as well.
2017-18 Attendance Leaders
   Rk.   School   Average   Next Home
   1.   Kentucky   21,875   11/9
   2.   Syracuse   21,462   11/6
   3.   North Carolina   18,379   11/6
   4.   Wisconsin   17,272   11/6
   5.   Creighton   17,000   11/6
   6.   Louisville   16,883   11/8
   7.   Kansas   16,345   11/12
   8.   Tennessee   16,210   11/6
   9.   Arkansas   16,181   11/12
   10.   Indiana   15,591   11/6
Some Loyal Fans
Creighton played in front of 306,000 home fans last season, surpassing the 200,000 mark for the 13th straight season.
   Creighton had never attracted more than 141,000 home fans in any season prior to the opening of CHI Health Center Omaha, and now has done it in the past 15 seasons.
   Creighton has led its conference in home attendance every year since moving into CHI Health Center Omaha, which is in its 16th 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
   17,000   Creighton   2017-18
   16,665   Creighton   2011-12
Creighton's Most Home Fans, Season
Rk.   Year   G   Attendance   Average
1.   2017-18   18   306,000   17,000
2.   2015-16   19   302,887   15,941
3.   2008-09   19   302,676   15,930
4.   2010-11   22   297,161   13,507
5.   2016-17   17   296,013   17,413
Release, Rotation, Splash, Repeat
Creighton has made at least one three-pointer in 816 straight games since a 59-53 loss at Illinois State on Feb. 20, 1993. The streak is the nation's 17th-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.
Longest Active 3-Point Streak
   Rk.   Streak   School   Next Game
   1.   1,039   UNLV   11/10
   2.   1,031   Vanderbilt   11/6
   3.   1,021   Duke   11/6
   4.   976   Arkansas   11/9
   5.   974   Western Kentucky   11/6
   6.   960   East Tennessee State   11/6
   7.   949   Pacific   11/6
   8.   937   Oakland   11/9
   9.   927   Texas   11/6
   10.   904   Princeton   11/9
   11.   879   Marshall   11/7
   12.   868   Baylor   11/6
   13.   849   Gonzaga   11/6
   14.   846   LIU-Brooklyn   11/6
   15.   829   Cornell   11/6
   16.   825   Mount St. Mary's   11/6
   17.   816   Tennessee State   11/10
      816   Creighton   11/6
   19.   811   East Carolina   11/6
McDermott Ranks Second On CU Wins List
Greg McDermott currently has 187 victories at Creighton, good for second place on CU's all-time wins list.
   McDermott's .665 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.   187-94   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
Big Deficits, No Big Deal
Creighton owns 19 victories under Greg McDermott after trailing by double-figures at some point, including three such wins last year. Ten of those comebacks have come away from home.
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
10Â Â Â UABÂ Â Â 11/14/12
10   vs. Drake   03/02/12
10   at Nebraska   12/07/14
10   South Dakota   12/09/14
10   St. John's   01/03/18
10   at DePaul   02/07/18
10   Bemidji State   02/13/18
Scoring In Bunches
Creighton scored 2,756 points and ranked 12th nationally with 83.5 points per contest last season.
   The 2,756 points rank tied for fourth-most in program history for one season, and were 128 behind the 2,864 points that the 2016-17 team scored to establish the record.
   Greg McDermott is 54-2 as a Division I head coach when his teams score 90 or more points, including a 48-2 mark on the Creighton sideline.
   Creighton is 62-2 all-time when scoring 100 points or more, including 35 straight wins since a 1977 loss to North Texas State.
CHI Health Center Omaha Dramatics
Creighton is 7-8 in games with a game-winning go-ahead score in the final 10 seconds at CHI Health Center Omaha, which opened in the fall of 2003.
Creighton's Go-Ahead Scores in Wins at
CHI Health Center Omaha, 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
CHI Health Center Omaha, Last 10 Seconds
Date   Opponent   Score   Player/Score   Time
03/20/06Â Â Â Miami (Fla.)Â Â Â L 53-52Â Â Â G. Diaz FTÂ Â Â :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
02/10/18   #5 Xavier   L 71-72   Q. Goodin FT's   :0.3
Top-20 Crowds
Here's a look at Creighton's top-20 home crowds all-time, which features five games from last year. Creighton's largest home crowd for a season-opener was 18,160 on Nov. 14, 2014 vs. Central Arkansas.
    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.   18,518   Georgetown   01/27/18
   10.   18,495   Marquette   02/17/18
   11.   18,494   Illinois State   02/09/13
   12.   18,458   Evansville   12/29/12
   13.   18,436   Bradley   01/28/12
   14.   18,323   DePaul   02/07/14
   15.   18,321   #3 Villanova   02/24/18
   16.   18,257   #5 Xavier   02/10/18
   17.   18,191   DePaul   02/27/18
   18.   18,160   Central Arkansas   11/14/14
   19.   18,145   Marquette   01/21/17
   20.   18,111   Bradley   02/02/13
CHI Health Center Omaha Success
Creighton has played 257 regular and postseason contests at CHI Health Center Omaha all-time in the 16-year-old facility.
   The Bluejays own a 213-44 (.829) record all-time at the facility, and have never lost there on a Thursday (7-0) or Friday (14-0).
   Creighton's Nov. 25, 2017 win over SIU Edwardsville was the program's 200th at the facility, coming in its 242nd home game. CU's 100th win came on Nov. 17, 2010, a 63-58 win over Louisiana.
   Creighton has outscored its opponents 19,957-16,700 in games at CHI Health Center Omaha, an average margin of 12.67 points per game. Creighton has not trailed 73 different times, including 21 of its last 54 home games.
   Creighton is also 27-25 all-time in the 52 games at the arena in which it's fallen behind by double-figures at any point, 7-9 when down by 10+ points at halftime in the facility, and 34-23 when trailing at halftime at CHI Health Center Omaha.
   Creighton is 116-26 (.817) at CHI Health Center Omaha under Greg McDermott, including a 66-4 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 232-44 (.841) at home since the start of the 2002-03 campaign.
Home Run
Since Greg McDermott took over in 2010, Creighton is averaging 80.73 points per home game (11,463 points in 142 home games), a figure that climbs to 85.31 points in non-conference home games (5,972 points in 70 home games).
   Creighton is 97-3 all-time at CHI Health Center Omaha when scoring 80 or points and has won 89 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:Â Â Â 2nd
2016-17:Â Â Â 3rd
2015-16:Â Â Â 4th
2014-15:Â Â Â 3rd
2013-14:Â Â Â 4th
2012-13:Â Â Â 2nd
2011-12:Â Â Â 2nd
2010-11:Â Â Â 1st
2009-10:Â Â Â 3rd
2008-19:Â Â Â 4th
2007-08:Â Â Â 5th
2006-07:Â Â Â 5th
2005-06:Â Â Â 3rd
2004-05:Â Â Â 2nd
2003-04:Â Â Â 4th
2002-03:Â Â Â 5th
2001-02:Â Â Â 3rd
2000-01:Â Â Â 3rd
Clear Bag Policy Now In Place
CHI Health Center Omaha has adopted 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 CHI Health Center Omaha.
   Here are the main bullet-points of the new bag policy.
•   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.
Ticket Information
Single-game tickets for the 2018-19 season went on sale on October 16th.
   Fans can purchase single-game tickets at CHI Health 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.
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/ Men's BasketballMeet the Jays - MBB Blake Harper
Friday, August 15
Meet the Jays - MBB Austin Swartz
Friday, August 15
Meet the Jays - MBB Jasen Green
Friday, August 15
Meet the Jays - MBB Ty Davis
Friday, August 15
