Men's Basketball Opens BIG EAST Play on Monday at Providence

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Game #14: Creighton Bluejays at Providence Friars
Monday, Dec. 31, 2018 • 3:00 p.m. CST
Dunkin' Donuts Center (12,410) • Providence, R.I.
Radio: KOZN 1620 AM, www.1620thezone.com
Television: FS1
Series History: Providence leads, 15-8
Last Meeting: Providence 72, Creighton 68 (in OT) on 3/8/18 in New York City, N.Y.

Next Game
Creighton (9-4) opens its sixth season in the BIG EAST with a road game at Providence (10-3) on Monday, Dec. 31. It will be the third time in the last five seasons that the teams have met on New Year's Eve.
   Tip-off at Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence, R.I, is set for 3:00 p.m. Central.

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 Taylor Stormberg will call the action.
   The audio is also webcast live at www.1620thezone.com.

Television Broadcast Information
Monday's tilt will be televised nationally on FS1, with Dave O'Brien and Andy Katz on the call.

Video Webcast Information
Live streaming video of Monday'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 is 9-4 overall, including wins over No. 16 Clemson and defending conference champions Montana and Georgia State, while playing a challenging schedule that has already featured eight teams that won 22 or more games a year ago.
   Creighton ranks third in three-point percentage (.448), fourth in field goal percentage (.525) and fourth in three-pointers made per game (12.0).
   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.
   Three of Creighton's top four scorers are sophomores, a trio led by Cayman Islands Classic MVP Ty-Shon Alexander (17.2 ppg.). Alexander poured in a career-high 36 points in the win over Clemson in the Cayman Islands Classic title game and scored 27 more vs. No. 1 Gonzaga on Dec. 1.
   Mitch Ballock pours in 10.2 points per game and has dished a team-leading 46 assists.
   In addition, Damien Jefferson sat out last year as a transfer from New Mexico and is averaging 11.1 points and a team-best 5.8 rebounds per contest. He is second in the BIG EAST with 50.0 percent shooting from three-point range, trailing only freshman teammate Marcus Zegarowski (10.3 ppg., 51.1 percent from 3).
   Creighton leads the BIG EAST with 85.2 points per game, 52.5 percent field goal percentage and 44.8 percent three-point marksmanship.

Scouting Providence
Providence is 10-3 on the season and 7-1 at home. The Friars have not played since a 71-65 win at Texas on Dec. 21st.
   Preseason All-BIG EAST selection Alpha Diallo leads the Friars in points (17.4), rebounds (8.5), assists (3.4), steals (1.7) and minutes (35.1) per game.
   Big man Nate Watson (10.6 ppg., 5.4 rpg.) and senior Isaiah Jackson (10.1 ppg.) give the Friars multiple ways to win.
   A.J. Reeves averages 14.2 points per game and has already earned three BIG EAST Freshman of the Week honors, but has missed time recently with an ankle injury. David Duke, who shared Preseason BIG EAST Freshman of the Year accolades, has averaged 7.2 points per game and is second on the club with 41 assists.
   PC averages 75.2 points per game and shoots 45.0 percent from the field, 38.8 percent from three-point range and 67.3 percent from the line. The Friars outrebound foes by 3.6 caroms per contest and allow 67.5 points per game.

The Series With Providence
Providence owns a 15-8 lead in a series that dates back to 1961. Overall, Providence has won nine of the 13 meetings since the two became BIG EAST foes, including 7-of-10 regular-season contests.
   Of Creighton's five trips to Providence since joining the BIG EAST, four have been decided by double-figures and four have been won by the host Friars.
   Greg McDermott is 4-9 against Providence and Ed Cooley. Cooley is 9-5 against the Bluejays, as his Fairfield team fell on March 22, 2010 in a CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament game that was the last Bluejay game ever played at the Omaha Civic Auditorium.

The Creighton Coaches
Greg McDermott (Northern Iowa, 1988) is in his ninth season as head coach at Creighton, where he is 196-98 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 476-293 in his 25th season and is 345-229 in his 18th Division I campaign. McDermott is assisted by Preston Murphy, Alan Huss and Paul Lusk.

Challenging Start To Legaue Play
Creighton opens BIG EAST play with road contests at Providence and Butler. It's part of a challenging start to league play, as each of Creighton's first five games are against a team picked to finish in the upper division of the league, while the sixth is a road contest against a vastly improved Georgetown team that is currently 9-3.
   Creighton is the only school to start league play with five straight games against teams picked in the top five of the preseason poll.
   Creighton is the only team in the BIG EAST that has consecutive road games to start league play this season.
   In the previous 26 seasons, starting with 1982-83 Creighton has started with two straight road tilts just twice before (1994-95 and 2014-15).
   Creighton and Seton Hall are the only two schools in the BIG EAST with four of its first six league games on the road this season.

Always Impressing
Since the reconfiguration of the BIG EAST in 2013, Creighton and Providence are the only teams to meet or exceed their poll prediction each season.
   Providence was picked to finish third this season, with Creighton slotted ninth.
   Under eight previous seasons under Greg McDermott, Creighton has exceeded its preseason poll placement on three occasions, matched its expectation four times, and in 2011-12 were picked first in the MVC but finished second.
Preseason Polls Under Greg McDermott
Year   League   Preseason Poll   Finish
2010-11   MVC   4th   T-4th
2011-12   MVC   1st   2nd
2012-13   MVC   1st   1st
2013-14   BIG EAST   3rd   2nd
2014-15   BIG EAST   9th   T-9th
2015-16   BIG EAST   9th   6th
2016-17   BIG EAST   3rd   T-3rd
2017-18   BIG EAST   5th   T-3rd
2018-19   BIG EAST   9th   TBD

Making An Entrance
Christian Bishop, Jett Canfield, Connor Cashaw, Samson Froling and Marcus Zegarowski could each play in their first career BIG EAST game on Thursday.
   Below is a listing of the only 16 men in league history to debut in the BIG EAST with a game of 25 or more points. The most points by a Bluejay in their BIG EAST debut is 19 by Doug McDermott vs. Marquette on Dec. 31, 2013.
MOST POINTS - FIRST BIG EAST GAME
41   Steve Novak, Marquette vs. UConn, 1-3-06
32   Moe Harkless, St. John's vs. PC, 12-27-11
30   Troy Murphy, Notre Dame vs. PC, 12-8-98
   Allen Iverson, Georgetown vs. PC, 12-7-94
29   Caron Butler, Connecticut vs. BC, 1-3-01
   Khalid El-Amin, Connecticut vs. WVU, 12-3-97
   Tim Thomas, Villanova vs. PC, 12-4-96
28   Troy Bell, Boston College vs. PC, 1-8-00
   Jeremy Hazell, Seton Hall vs. UConn, 1-3-08
26   Seldon Jefferson, WVU vs. Georgetown, 12-2-95
   Lawrence Moten, Syracuse vs. BC, 1-2-92
   Shamorie Ponds, St. John's vs. Butler, 12-29-16
25   Rodney Bullock, Providence at Butler, 12-31-15
   Craig Smith, Boston College vs. PC, 1-2-03
   Jerome Coleman, Rutgers vs. Syracuse, 1-2-02
   Steve Rich, Miami vs. Syracuse, 12-22-93

Conference Openers Have Gone Well
Creighton owns a 14-6 record in its last 20 conference openers, including a 65-53 loss at Providence during the 2014-15 campaign (also on Dec. 31).
   Greg McDermott is 9-8 all-time in conference openers as a Division I head coach, including a 5-3 mark at Creighton (3-2 in the BIG EAST). He is 6-2 in CU's first conference road game of the season.
   The last team to win a share of any BIG EAST title after losing the league opener was the 2012-13 Georgetown club. No squad has won an outright title after losing the league opener since Notre Dame won the West Division in 2000-01. And no team has won a league outright title in a one-division BIG EAST after losing the league lid-lifter since Georgetown in 1988-89.

Strong League Start Projects To Postseason
Creighton has started 5-2 or better in league play in six of Greg McDermott's first eight seasons at the helm.
   Five of those teams reached the NCAA Tournament, while a sixth reached the quarterfinals of the NIT.
   Each of Creighton's 14 teams since 1988-89 to start 5-2, 6-1 or 7-0 after seven games in league play have reached the postseason, a stretch that includes nine NCAA Tournaments and five NIT's.

60 Percent Club
Creighton has shot better than 60 percent in each of its last two games, the first time it has done that in consecutive contests since doing it twice during the 2013-14 season. That 2013-14 team would also win its next game both times, shooting over 50 percent (but less than 60 percent) each time.
   Creighton has not made 60 percent or better of its shots from the floor in three consecutive games during the last 25 seasons.
   Since Greg McDermott's hiring in 2010, the Bluejays have shot 60 percent or better from the field on 23 occasions, tied with Gonzaga for the most in the nation according to data listed at Basketball-Reference.com.
   Creighton has shot better than 50 percent from three-point range in 19 of those contests in which it has shot 60 percent overall, which also leads the nation, four more than both Gonzaga and Michigan State.
Most Games Shooting 60% Since 2010-11
   Rk.   60% Games   School
   1.   23   Creighton'
       23   Gonzaga
   3.   21   Kansas
   4.   20   Michigan State
       20   Indiana

3 > 1
Creighton ranks as one of the highest scoring teams in the nation this year despite not making many trips to the foul line thus far.
   The Bluejays, with 156 three-pointers made and 139 free throws made, are one of just two teams through games of Dec. 27th with 17 or more three-pointers made than free throws made.
   Joining Creighton in that category is Savannah State, which has 171 trifectas and 136 free throws. The Tigers have played 10 true road games, plus a neutral site tilt, this season in 14 competitions.
   No team has finished with 15 (or more) three-pointers than free throws made for an entire season since Hartford in 2010-11.

The Race To 75
Creighton has scored 75 or more points in each of its nine victories this season, and in 14 straight wins dating to last winter.
   In 10 regular-season BIG EAST games against Providence, Creighton is 3-0 (averaging 83.0 ppg.) when scoring 75 points or more against the Friars all-time, but 0-7 (averaging 62.4 ppg.) when being held to 71 points or less.

Eve of Destruction?
Before celebrating the New Year, Creighton will first play at Providence at 4:00 p.m. Eastern on Dec. 31st.
   Creighton lost seven straight New Year's Eve games from 1956 to 2005, but enters Monday having gone 5-2 since, including wins on New Year's Eve in 2008 (at Indiana State), 2011 (at Wichita State), 2013 (Marquette), 2015 (at St. John's) and 2017 (Providence).
   Greg McDermott is 8-2 as a Division head caoch on New Year's Eve, including a 2-0 record at both Northern Iowa and Iowa State and a 4-2 record as Creighton's head coach.

All The Three's
Creighton drilled a program-record 22 three-point shots in its Dec. 20 home game vs. Coe, one year to the day after it made 19 treys vs. USC Upstate which now ranks as the fourth-most in a game in program history.
   CU's recordbreaking three-pointer came with 31.4 seconds left by Marcus Zegarowski. One night earlier, Zegarowski's brother Michael Carter-Williams hit a trey with 30.3 seconds left as the Houston Rockets set the NBA single-game record with 26 three-pointers made.
   Here's a list of Creighton's all-time games with 16 or more treys.
Most 3FG in a Game, Creighton History
   Rank   3FG   Opponent   Date   Score
   1.   22   Coe   12/20/2018   W 110-60
   2.   21   at #4 Villanova   01/20/2014   W 96-68
   3.   20   Chattanooga   02/19/2005   W 100-69
   4.   19   USC Upstate   12/20/2017   W 116-62
   5.   16   Evansville   01/04/1999   L 79-84
       16   Drake   01/08/2013   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
       16   at Georgetown   01/06/2018   W 90-66

Sophomores From Downtown
Ty-Shon Alexander was the first player in Creighton history to make multiple three-pointers in each of the first eight games of a season before he went 1-for-4 beyond the arc at Nebraska.
   Here's a look at Creighton's most three-pointers per game for a season (minimum 10 games).
Creighton's Most 3-Pointers Per Game, Season
   3FG/G   3FG   GP   Name   Year
   3.79   129   34   Kyle Korver   2002-03
   3.38   44   13   Ty-Shon Alexander   2018-19
   3.15   82   26   Tad Ackerman   1994-95
   3.14   110   35   Ethan Wragge   2013-14
   3.13   100   32   Kyle Korver   2001-02
   2.88   95   33   Marcus Foster   2017-18

3-Pointers, By Average
Creighton has made 12.00 three-pointers per game so far this season, easily its most ever. The Jays had never averaged more than 8.76 triples in any season before Greg McDermott's arrival.
   Here's a look at the most three-pointers per game in Creighton history. Of note is that each of the six completed seasons on this list ended with 21 or more wins and a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
Creighton's Most 3-Pointers Per Game in a Season
   3FG/G   Season   3FG   GP   W-L (Postseason)
   12.00   2018-19    156   13   9-4 so far
   10.39   2017-18   343   33   21-12 (NCAA)
   10.17   2013-14   356   35   27-8 (NCAA)
   8.76   1999-00   289   33   23-10 (NCAA)
   8.69   2016-17   304   35   25-10 (NCAA)
   8.62   2004-05   293   34   23-11 (NCAA)
   8.53   2012-13   307   36   28-8 (NCAA)

Triple Trivia
During Creighton's current streak of 829 straight games with a three-pointer, the Jays have drained 6,419 trifectas, an average of 7.74 treys per game.
   That's not surprising since during the streak, Creighton has made exactly 7 three-pointers 129 times, more than any figure.
   Only four times in the streak has Creighton made just one three-pointer, but on 219 occasions the Bluejays have made 10 or more trifectas, including three games of 20 or more.
   Creighton has made five or more three-pointers in 49 straight games (since shooting 4-20 from deep vs. Providence on 3/9/17), and has made at least one three-pointer before halftime in 200 consecutive contests (since 0-7 at Drake on 1/23/13).
Team 3FG Made During Creighton's 3-Point Streak
1:    4 times   2: 15 times   3: 30 times
4:    67 times   5:   94 times   6: 87 times
7:   129 times   8:   109 times   9: 75 times
10: 65 times   11: 47 times   12: 45 times
13: 34 times   14: 12 times   15:   6 times
16: 6 times   19: 1 time   20:   1 time
21: 1 time   22: 1 time

Chairmen Of The Boards
After being outrebounded 392-370 in the first 11 games of the season, Creighton has turned the tables on the glass in the past two contests.
   The Bluejays have outrebounded Coe and UMKC by a combined 85-30 in the past two competitions, yielding just four offensive rebounds (compared to 117 in the first 11 games) in that span.
   Against Coe, Creighton outrebounded the Kohawks 46-14. The +32 on the glass was Creighton's best rebound differential since Nov. 30, 1990, when Creighton outrebounded Texas-San Antonio 53-21 in a 93-47 victory.
   Coe did not record an offensive rebound, the first Bluejay opponent without an offensive rebound since No. 16 Villanova on Jan. 2, 2016.
   The victory over UMKC saw Creighton win the board battle 39-16, marking the first time in the last 30 years that Creighton's won the rebound category by more than 20 in consecutive games.
   It's worth noting that in five previous visits to the Dunkin' Donuts Center as a BIG EAST member, the Bluejays have been outrebounded each time.

Not Your Ordinary Freshman
Marcus Zegarowski had a season-high 20 points on Dec. 20 vs. Coe. His season average of 10.3 points per game ranks fourth among BIG EAST freshmen.
   Zegarowski is attempting to become one of six Creighton freshmen in the past 25 seasons to average at least 10 points per game.
   This is the fifth straight season that Creighton has had a freshman with a 20-point game.
Freshmen With 20+ Point Games, Last 25 Seasons
   20+ Point Games   Name   Season
   6   Rodney Buford   1995-96
   6   Doug McDermott   2010-11
   5   Justin Patton   2016-17
   4   P'Allen Stinnett   2007-08
   3   Kyle Korver   1999-00
   2   Terrell Taylor   1999-00
   1   Ryan Sears   1999-00
   1   Ben Walker   1999-00
   1   Ethan Wragge   2009-10
   1   Toby Hegner   2014-15
   1   Khyri Thomas   2015-16
   1   Mitch Ballock   2017-18
   1   Marcus Zegarowski   2018-19

Most Points Per Game, CU Freshmen, Since 1994-95
   PPG   Name   Season
   14.9   Doug McDermott   2010-11
   14.5   Rodney Buford   1995-96
   12.9   Justin Patton   2015-16
   12.6   P'Allen Stinnett   2007-08
   10.5   Ryan Sears   1997-98
   10.3   Marcus Zegarowski   2018-19

Scoring In Bunches
Creighton has scored 1,107 points through 13 games to rank 14th nationally with 85.2 points per contest. The 1,107 points rank as CU's fifth-most ever scored in its first 13 games of any season, trailing only the previous three teams, as well as the 1964-65 club.
Most Points Through 13 Games, Creighton History
   Points   Year   Final W-L (Postseason)
   1,192   2017-18   21-12 (NCAA)
   1,167   2016-17   25-10 (NCAA)
   1,136   2015-16   20-15 (NIT)
   1,111   1965-66   14-12
   1,107   2018-19   9-4 so far
   1,100   1964-65   13-10
   1,100   1970-71   14-11

We're Jamming!
Creighton already has 37 dunks this season, with 22 of those coming by Martin Krampelj.
   Here's a look at the Creighton student-athletes with 20 or more dunks in a season, or 19 or more dunks in a career, under Greg McDermott (since 2010-11):
Most Creighton Dunks, Season, Since 2010-11
Dunks   Name   Year
72   Justin Patton   2016-17
36   Gregory Echenique   2012-13
33   Martin Krampelj   2017-18
30   Gregory Echenique   2011-12
29   Marcus Foster   2017-18
24   Gregory Echenique   2010-11
23   Marcus Foster   2016-17
22   Kenny Lawson Jr.   2010-11
22   Martin Krampelj   2018-19
20   Khyri Thomas   2017-18

Most Creighton Dunks, Career, Since 2010-11
Dunks   Name   Years
90   Gregory Echenique   2010-13
72   Justin Patton   2016-17
69   Martin Krampelj   2015-Pres.
52   Marcus Foster   2016-18
51   Khyri Thomas   2015-18
38   Will Artino   2011-15
32   Zach Hanson   2013-17
25   Geoffrey Groselle   2012-16
22   Kenny Lawson Jr.   2010-11
19   Doug McDermott   2010-14

Most Creighton Dunks, Team, Season, Since 2010-11
Dunks   Year   Team W-L
144   2016-17   25-10 (NCAA)
107   2017-18   21-12 (NCAA)
58   2015-16   20-15 (NIT)
56   2010-11   23-16 (CBI)
54   2012-13   28-8 (NCAA)
42   2011-12   29-6 (NCAA)
37   2018-19   9-4 so far
35   2013-14   27-8 (NCAA)
29   2014-15   14-19

Double-Double Slovenian
Martin Krampelj entered the Dec. 18 tilt at Oklahoma with season-highs of 17 points, seven rebounds and five field goals, but the Slovenian big man surpassed each of those figures when he had 19 points, 10 rebounds and nine baskets against the Sooners.
   He made 9-of-9 shots from two-point range, including five dunks. Krampelj is the fourth player in the Greg McDermott era at Creighton to be perfect from 2-point range on eight or more attempts in a game, joining Doug McDermott (10-10 vs. Wichita State on 3/2/13), Geoffrey Groselle (8-8 vs. Coppin State on 12/28/15) and Justin Patton (8-8 vs. Loyola Maryland on 11/26/16).
   It was Krampelj's eighth double-double as a Bluejay, but the first by any Creighton player since Krampelj himself had 14 points and 14 rebounds vs. Butler on January 8, 2018.

On The Rebound
All 10 of Martin Krampelj's rebounds at Oklahoma came after half, making him the first Bluejay with 10 rebounds in one half since Doug McDermott had 10 in the first half on March 21, 2014 vs. Louisiana-Lafayette in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament, and CU's first player with 10+ boards after halftime since Kenny Lawson Jr. had 11 rebounds in the second half vs. Saint Joseph's on Dec. 11, 2010.
   Entering the night, Damien Jefferson had four different halves of either six or seven rebounds, but no other Bluejay had collected more than five caroms in any half this season.

When Three-Pointers Fall, Creighton Excels
Creighton is shooting 44.8 percent from three-point range this season, good for third-best nationally behind only Indiana State (.450) and Lehigh (.450).
   In Greg McDermott's first eight seasons at Creighton, all five of his teams to shoot 37 percent or better from deep would go on to make the NCAA Tournament, and his lone team to shoot below 35 percent from downtown missed the postseason.
Creighton's National 3FG% Rank Under McDermott
Year   3FG% Rank   3FG%   W-L (Postseason)
2010-11   59th   .369   23-16 (CBI)
2011-12   3rd   .424   29-6 (NCAA)
2012-13   2nd   .414   28-8 (NCAA)
2013-14   1st   .414   27-8 (NCAA)
2014-15   165th   .345   14-19
2015-16   146th   .352   20-15 (NIT)
2016-17   17th   .396   25-10 (NCAA)
2017-18   75th   .372   21-12 (NCAA)
2018-19   3rd   .448   9-4 so far

Three If By Sea
Starting with its Nov. 19 win over Boise State, Creighton had a program-record seven straight games with 10 or more three-pointers.
   The streak was snapped on Dec. 18 at Oklahoma, when CU missed its first 12 tries and finished 7-for-30 from deep overall.
   Creighton has made 10 or more three-pointers 119 times (tied for second nationally since 2010-11) in 294 games under Greg McDermott, winning 93 of those contests (78.2 percent).
   This season, Creighton ranks third nationally in three-point percentage (.448), fourth in three-pointers made per game (12.0) and fourth in three-pointers made (156).

Free Falling
Despite a team of star marksmen from behind the arc, Creighton ranks just 336th nationally this year at the free throw line with its 62.1 percent accuracy. That figure comes despite a suboptimal 48-for-89 shooting (.539) at the line in the last six games.
   The free throw woes have yet to cost the Bluejays too much, as CU has shot 70.4 percent in the last five minutes from the stripe during its six games decided by 12 points or less.
   This year's struggles would definitely seem like and aberration, as the Bluejays rank 50th nationally in free throw percentage at 72.2 percent since Greg McDermott took over in 2010.

Double-Digits x 10
Ty-Shon Alexander scored in double-figures in each of Creighton's first 10 games of the season before finishing with just nine points on Dec. 18 at Oklahoma. It's the second time in as many years that a Bluejay has started a season with 10 (or more) straight double-figure games, as Marcus Foster opened his 2017-18 senior season with 15 straight games in double-digits.
   Since 1979-80, the only other sophomore to compile a streak of 10 or more double-figure games to start a season is Creighton's all-time leading scorer, Doug McDermott, who did it in all 35 games in 2011-12 en route to First Team All-America honors.
   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
   15   Marcus Foster, Sr.   2017-18
   13   Rodney Buford, Sr.   1998-99
   12   Gary Swain, Sr.   1986-87
   10   Chad Gallagher, Sr.   1990-91
   10   Ty-Shon Alexander, So.   2018-19
   9   Rodney Buford, So.   1996-97

Getting Streaky
Ty-Shon Alexander is one of four players in the BIG EAST to make a three-pointer in every team game this season. He's joined by Markus Howard (Marquette), Myles Powell (Seton Hall) and Phil Booth (Villanova). Powell owns a trey in a league-high 36 straight games, just ahead of Alexander (17), Howard (17) and Booth (13).

Offense Is Clicking
Creighton's offense has been even hotter than the weather in the Cayman Islands in the last 10 games.
   Creighton has averaged 89.4 points per game in that span, shooting 53.8 percent from the field, 44.6 percent from three-point range (making 127 three-pointers) and 62.0 percent at the line.
   Bluejay sophomores Ty-Shon Alexander, Damien Jefferson, Mitch Ballock and Jacob Epperson have combined to average 43.7 points per game in that time while shooting a collective 52.2 percent from the field and draining 44.9 percent of its 167 shots from three-point range.

Big Deficits, No Big Deal
Creighton owns 20 victories under Greg McDermott after trailing by double-figures at some point, none larger than the 18-point deficit the Bluejays overcame against then-No.18 Oklahoma on Nov. 19, 2014.
   Ten of those 20 comebacks have come away from home.
   The comeback win over East Tennessee State earlier this season was just the second time in nine seasons under Greg McDermott that the Bluejays had trailed by 12+ points with less than seven minutes left and won. It first happened on Feb. 21, 2012, when Creighton trailed 73-61 to Evansville with 6:20 left before rallying to post a 93-92 overtime win.
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
12   East Tennessee State   11/11/18
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
10   St. John's   01/03/18
10   at DePaul   02/07/18
10   Bemidji State   02/13/18

Z For 3
Marcus Zegarowski made a three-pointer in each of Creighton's first eight games before an 0-for-3 display from deep at Nebraska. Since then, he's 12-for-19 from deep, including a career-high six treys vs. Coe on Dec. 20.
   Zegarowski's eight straight games with a three-pointer to open his career tied the Creighton record for a freshman, matching the mark first set by Ryan Sears, in 1997-98.
   Sears wrapped up his career with a school-record 245 three-pointers, which currently ranks fourth in program history.

More Z
Creighton guard Marcus Zegarowski was named BIG EAST Freshman of the Week, the league office announced on Monday, Dec. 17th.
   Zegarowski had 13 points, six rebounds, three assists and a steal in Creighton's 86-65 win over Green Bay in his lone game of the week.
    The freshman floor general made 4-of-8 shots, including a career-high three three-pointers. His six rebounds also tied a career-high.
    After Green Bay pulled within five points in the first eight minutes of the second half, Zegarowski scored the first five points during CU's decisive 16-5 run. The 35.0 percent shooting and 65 points were also season lows by a Creighton opponent and came against a high-powered Phoenix offense that ranked in the top-10 nationally by averaging more than 87 points per game.

100,00 Fans, Again
With 136,400 fans to date, this season marks the 17th straight season of 100,000 or more home fans for the program. The streak that started in the final season (2002-03) of the Omaha Civic Auditorium.
   Creighton has led its conference in home attendance each of the last 15 completed seasons, and is once again leading the way in the BIG EAST in 2018-19.

Bucket Getter
Jacob Epperson is shooting 88.9 percent (16-18) from the field in the last seven games he's played in.
   For the season, the sophomore is shooting 78.3 percent (18-23) from the field, including three dunks.
   Last year Epperson shot 34-for-49 from the field with 14 dunks.
   That means Epperson is now shooting 72.2 percent for his career from the field (52-for-72), which includes 17 dunks and 5-for-6 marksmanship from three-point range.
   In case you're curious, the NCAA record for field goal percentage in a career (minimum 400 FG and 4 FG/game) is 67.8 percent by Oregon State's Steve Johnson from 1977-81.

Challenging Schedule
Eight of Creighton's 13 non-conference opponents this season won 22 or more games last season, while a ninth foe (Oklahoma) reached the NCAA Tournament.
   East Tennessee State (25-9 last year), Ohio State (25-9), Boise State (23-9), Georgia State (24-11), Clemson (25-10), Montana (26-8), Gonzaga (32-5) and Nebraska (22-11) all won 22 or more times a year ago, and combined for a 202-72 record (.737) in 2017-18.

Sophomore Stars
Three of Creighton's top four scorers this season are sophomores, Ty-Shon Alexander (17.2 ppg.), Damien Jefferson (11.1 ppg.) and Mitch Ballock (10.2 ppg.).
   Of Creighton's 1,107 points this season, the sophomore class has scored 544 of them (49.1 percent).
   Creighton's freshmen have scored 20.3 percent, the juniors 22.2 percent and the seniors 8.3 percent.

Jefferson's Career High Keeps Movin' On Up
Sophomore Damien Jefferson posted career-high in scoring each of the first two games of the Cayman Islands Classic. He arrived in the Cayman Islands with a career-high of 14 points, done twice previously. He had 16 points against Boise State, then added 20 points a night later against Georgia State.
   Jefferson ranks second on the team with 11.1 points per game and leads the club with 5.8 rebounds per contest. He is shooting 60.0 percent (54-90) from the field this year, including 61.3 percent (46-75) in the last 10 games.
   For the season, Jefferson has made 13-of-26 shots from downtown to rank second in the BIG EAST in three-point marksmanship (50.0 percent), not bad for a guy who sank just 9-of-42 three-pointers (21.7 percent) as a freshman at New Mexico before using much of his redshirt year to hone his shot.

Alexander The Great
Ty-Shon Alexander's performance against No. 16 Clemson on Nov. 21 was historic for a number of reasons.
- Alexander's 36 points were the most by any Bluejay in a game since Doug McDermott had 45 points on March 8, 2014 vs. Providence. Since Greg McDermott was hired in 2010, the only other Bluejay with a game of 36 points or more is Doug McDermott, who did it eight times.
- Alexander's 36 points were the most by a Bluejay sophomore since McDermott had 36 points vs. Long Beach State on Feb. 18, 2012.
- Alexander's 36 points were the most by a player against Clemson since North Carolina's Harrison Barnes had 40 points in the 2011 ACC Tournament against the Tigers. Barnes was a former high school teammate of McDermott.
- Alexander is the first Bluejay to shoot 100 percent from the free-throw line with 11 attempts or more since McDermott was 13-for-13 at the stripe on Dec. 17, 2013 vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff. No player had done that against Clemson since South Carolina's Chuck Eidson on Feb. 12, 2003.
- Alexander's 36 points vs. Clemson required just 16 field goal attempts. That's the fewest number of shot attempts to score 36+ points by a Creighton player since Bob Harstad had 38 points on 13-of-13 shooting in a win over UTSA on Nov. 30, 1990.
- Alexander's seven three-point baskets were the most by a Bluejay in one game since Cole Huff had seven on March 10, 2016 vs. Seton Hall, and the most by any Clemson opponent since Charlotte's Ian Anderson on Nov. 22, 2008.

Mitchapalooza
Mitch Ballock had the best all-around night of his career on Nov. 20 vs. Georgia State, finishing with team-highs of 23 points, seven rebounds and six assists. His 23 points were a career-high, one more than the 22 he scored exactly one year earlier in a win over nationally-ranked UCLA.
   Ballock is the first Creighton player with at least 23 points, seven rebounds and six assists in the same game since Ryan Sears had a 25/8/8 line at Southern Illinois on Jan. 8, 2000.
   In the Nov. 19 win over Boise State, Ballock dished seven assists, one shy of his career-best. He leads CU with 46 assists against just 17 turnovers this winter despite seeing much of his playing time as the "3" man in Creighton's offense.

On The Rebound
Damien Jefferson had to sit out last year after transferring in from New Mexico, but he made up for lost time on the glass in the season-opener.
   Jefferson grabbed 12 rebounds in just 23 minutes of work, breaking his previous high by three.
   Jefferson's 12 rebounds were the most by any Creighton player in their debut since Cyril Baptiste snared 17 boards in 1969.
   In his second game at CU, Jefferson had 14 points and two blocked shots vs. East Tennessee State. The two blocks were a career-high, while the 14 points matched his previous best (at the time).

Playing With The Lead
In 265 games at CHI Health Center Omaha all-time, Creighton has not trailed in 74 of those contests, a staggering 27.9 percent of the time.
   Under Greg McDermott at home, Creighton is 122-28 and hasn't trailed in 49 of those games.

CHI Health Center Omaha Success
Creighton has played 265 regular and postseason contests at CHI Health Center Omaha all-time in the 16-year-old facility.
   The Bluejays own a 219-46 (.826) record all-time at the facility, and have never lost there on a Friday (15-0).
   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 20,645-17,258 in games at CHI Health Center Omaha, an average margin of 12.78 points per game. Creighton has not trailed 74 different times, including 22 of its last 62 home games.
   Creighton is also 28-27 all-time in the 55 games at the arena in which it's fallen behind by double-figures at any point, 7-10 when down by 10+ points at halftime in the facility, and 34-24 when trailing at halftime at CHI Health Center Omaha.
   Creighton is 122-28 (.813) at CHI Health Center Omaha under Greg McDermott, including a 72-6 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 237-46 (.837) at home since the start of the 2002-03 campaign.

Among The Nation's Best
Below is where Creighton ranks nationally in the nine seasons since Greg McDermott took over in 2010-11, per Basketball-Reference.com.
2010-11 to Dec. 28, 2018
Category   Stat   NCAA Rank
FG Percentage   .484   2nd
3FG Percentage   .388   3rd
3FG Made   2,578   4th
Assists   4,796   4th
FG Made   8,026   10th
Wins   196   31st
Winning Percentage   .667   37th

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 (Utah Jazz), Anthony Tolliver (Minnesota Timberwolves), Doug McDermott (Indiana Pacers, Justin Patton (Philadelphia 76ers) 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 2,265 three-pointers. He's also second among active players and seventh all-time in league history with 43.1 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. He is shooting 41.6 percent from downtown this season.
   Tolliver is averaging 4.2 points and 2.0 rebounds per game on 38.3 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 41.1 percent three-point shooting this year.
   Patton was traded on Nov. 10 from Minnesota to Philadelphia, 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 scored three points in his NBA debut on Nov. 9th and after six games is averaging 1.5 points and 1.3 rebounds per game.

Full House
Creighton averaged 17,000 fans per home game last season, good for fifth-best nationally. This year Creighton is averaging 17,050 fans per game at home, also good for fifth place.
   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.
2018-19 Attendance Leaders (through 12/28)
   Rk.   School   Average   Next Home
   1.   North Carolina   20,569   12/29
   2.   Kentucky   20,224   1/8
   3.   Syracuse   19,841   12/29
   4.   Wisconsin   17,110   1/3
   5.   Creighton   17,050   1/9
   6.   Kansas   16,144   12/29
   7.   Tennessee   16,378   12/29
   8.   Nebraska   15,583   12/29
   9.   Michigan State   14,797   12/29
   10.   Arkansas   14,706   1/9

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
   17,050 so far   Creighton   2018-19
   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

Going For 20
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).

Home Run
Since Greg McDermott took over in 2010, Creighton is averaging 81.01 points per home game (12,151 points in 150 home games), a figure that climbs to 85.38 points in non-conference home games (6,660 points in 78 home games).
   Creighton is 101-4 all-time at CHI Health Center Omaha when scoring 80 or points and had won 90 straight non-conference home games since Dec. 7, 1991 when scoring 80+ points before falling 103-92 to Gonzaga on Dec. 1.

Release, Rotation, Splash, Repeat
Creighton has made at least one three-pointer in 829 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 Streaks (through 12/28)
   Rk.   Streak   School   Next Game
   1.   1,051   UNLV   1/2
   2.   1,041   Vanderbilt   12/29
   3.   1,032   Duke   1/5
   4.   987   Arkansas   1/5
   5.   985   Western Kentucky   12/29
   6.   973   East Tennessee State   12/29
   7.   963   Pacific   12/29
   8.   951   Oakland   12/30
   9.   940   Texas   1/2
   10.   915   Princeton   12/29
   11.   891   Marshall   12/31
   12.   879   Baylor   12/29
   13.   863   Gonzaga   12/31
   14.   856   LIU-Brooklyn   12/30
   15.   841   Cornell   12/30
   16.   837   Mount St. Mary's   12/30
   17.   829   Creighton   12/31
   18.   826   Tennessee State   12/29
   19.   823   East Carolina   1/2

McDermott Ranks Second On CU Wins List
Greg McDermott currently has 196 victories at Creighton, good for second place on CU's all-time wins list.
   McDermott's .667 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.   196-98   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

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.
   This year's team has averaged 85.15 points per game to date.
   Greg McDermott is 58-3 as a Division I head coach when his teams score 90 or more points, including a 52-3 mark on the Creighton sideline.
   Creighton is 63-2 all-time when scoring 100 points or more, including 36 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
03/20/06   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
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. This season's Gonzaga game ranks fifth on that list, and was the best-attended non-conference home game in program history.
      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.   18,759   #1 Gonzaga   12/01/18
   6.   18,742   Seton Hall   02/23/14
   7.   18,735   Wichita State   02/11/12
   8.   18,613   Wichita State   03/02/13
   9.   18,525   Marquette   12/31/13
   10.   18,518   Georgetown   01/27/18
   11.   18,495   Marquette   02/17/18
   12.   18,494   Illinois State   02/09/13
   13.   18,458   Evansville   12/29/12
   14.   18,436   Bradley   01/28/12
   15.   18,323   DePaul   02/07/14
   16.   18,321   #3 Villanova   02/24/18
   17.   18,257   #5 Xavier   02/10/18
   18.   18,191   DePaul   02/27/18
   19.   18,160   Central Arkansas   11/14/14
   20.   18,145   Marquette   01/21/17

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
2018-19   3rd
2017-18:   2nd
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

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.

Men's Basketball Opens BIG EAST Play on Monday at Providence

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Ty-Shon Alexander

Mitch Ballock

Christian Bishop

Jett Canfield

Connor Cashaw

Jacob Epperson

Marcus Foster

Samson Froling

Toby Hegner

Damien Jefferson

Martin Krampelj

Khyri Thomas

Marcus Zegarowski