Men's Basketball Visits League-Leading Villanova on Wednesday

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Game #23: Creighton Bluejays at #14 Villanova Wildcats
Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019 • 7:05 p.m. CST
Finneran Pavilion (6,500) • Villanova, Pa.
Radio: KOZN 1620 AM, www.1620thezone.com; KOOO 101.9 FM
Television: CBS Sports Network (Andrew Catalon, Steve Lappas, Evan Washburn)
Series History: Villanova leads, 12-3
Last Meeting: Villanova 90, Creighton 78 on Jan. 13, 2019 in Omaha, Neb.
LIVE VIDEO | LIVE AUDIO | LIVE STATS

Next Game
Creighton (13-9, 4-5 BIG EAST) starts the second half of BIG EAST play with a three-game road trip that begins at defending national champion and No. 14 Villanova (18-4, 9-0 BIG EAST) on Wednesday.
   Tip-off at Finneran Pavilion (6,500) in Villanova, Pa., is set for 7:05 p.m. CST.

Television Broadcast Information
Wednesday's tilt will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network, with Andrew Catalon and Steve Lappas on the call, and Evan Washburn serving as sideline reporter.

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.
   The audio is also webcast live at www.1620thezone.com.
   John Bishop and former Bluejay Taylor Stormberg will call the action.

Video Webcast Information
Go to http://www.cbssports.com/watch/cbssportsnetwork and enter your provider for cable authorization to stream the game on CBS Sports Network.
   It is available on mobile devices using the CBS Sports App with the same info.

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 13-9 overall and 4-5 in BIG EAST play while navigating the nation's ninth-toughest schedule, having already played 14 games against teams that won 21 games or more a year ago.
   Creighton ranks third in three-pointers made per game (11.5), fourth nationally in three-point percentage (.418), fourth in total three-pointers (254) and fourth in field goal percentage (.504).
   Creighton owns six men averaging 9.4 points per game or more, including sophomores Ty-Shon Alexander (17.0 ppg.) and Mitch Ballock (10.7 ppg.). The duo have combined for 133 three-pointers this winter.
   Coming on strong of late is junior forward Martin Krampelj (12.0 ppg., 6.2 rpg.). He's averaged 15.8 points and 7.8 rebounds in CU's last 12 games with 35 dunks in that time and tied his career-high with 23 points on Sunday vs. Xavier.

Scouting Villanova
Villanova has won 10 games in a row and are 9-0 in the BIG EAST while chasing their fifth regular-season league title in the past six years.
   Phil Booth (18.5 ppg.), Eric Paschall (17.4 ppg., 6.3 rpg.) and Collin Gillespie (12.1 ppg.) lead the defending national champions in scoring, as the Wildcats are trying to replace four NBA draft picks. In league play, that trio has been even better, combining to score 67.6 percent of VU's points (53.4 ppg.).
   The Wildcats average 76.8 points per game and shoot 45.8 percent from the field, 36.7 percent from three-point range and 72.4 percent from the field. VU outrebounds foes by 3.6 caroms per contest and allows 66.9 points per game.

The Series With Villanova
Villanova leads the all-time series with Creighton, 12-3, including a 7-1 record in games played in Pennsylvania.
   Creighton swept the regular-season series in 2013-14 with a pair of victories by 20+ points, but the Wildcats won the next eight meetings before CU topped Nova in overtime last February.
   Villanova won in Omaha, 90-78, last month.
   Greg McDermott is 3-9 against Villanova and Jay Wright. Wright is 9-3 versus Creighton.

The Creighton Coaches
Greg McDermott (Northern Iowa, 1988) is in his ninth season as head coach at Creighton, where he is 200-103 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 480-298 in his 25th season and is 349-234 in his 18th Division I campaign. McDermott is assisted by Preston Murphy, Alan Huss and Paul Lusk.

With A Win, Creighton Can...
- Improve 201-103 under Greg McDermott at Creighton.
- Improve to 2-8 against defending national champions with its first such win since 1947.
- Give Creighton four wins vs. Villanova since 2013-14, the most in the nation in those six seasons.
- Win the team's first game after the Super Bowl for a sixth straight season, and be 33-20 all-time.
- Beat No. 1 seeds from last year's NCAA Tournament in back to back games.

The Cats Meow
Villanova is a nation-best 183-25 record since the start of the 2013-14 season, which coincides with the reconfiguration of the BIG EAST.
   Of the 68 different schools to play Villanova in that time, only 18 have actually beaten the Wildcats.
   Creighton is one of four schools to post multiple victories over the Wildcats in that time. Creighton, Butler and Seton Hall all have three victories over Villanova, while Providence has two in that span.

Meeting The Champions
Creighton meets Villanova for the fifth time in the last three seasons with the Wildcats as the defending national champion.
   Creighton is 1-8 all-time against defending national champions, having beaten 1946 champ Oklahoma State on Feb. 8, 1947.
   Last year's win over Villanova was Creighton's first ever over in 11 tries against that season's eventual national champion.
Creighton vs. Defending NCAA Champs (All Sites)
Date   Site   Score
01/11/1946   A   Oklahoma State 53, Creighton 34
03/09/1946   H   Oklahoma State 45, Creighton 24
02/08/1947   H   Creighton 40, Oklahoma State 31
02/28/1947   A   Oklahoma State 52, Creighton 24
03/16/1962   N   Cincinnati 66, Creighton 46 (in Manhattan, KS)
02/07/1978   A   Marquette 82, Creighton 57
03/21/2008   A   Florida 82, Creighton 54
12/31/2016   H   Villanova 80, Creighton 70
02/25/2017   A   Villanova 79, Creighton 63
03/11/2017   N   Villanova 74, Creighton 60 (in NYC)
01/13/2019   H   Villanova 90, Creighton 78

Creighton vs. Eventual NCAA Champs (All Sites)
Date   Site   Score
01/11/1946   A   Oklahoma State 53, Creighton 34
03/09/1946   H   Oklahoma State 45, Creighton 24
01/02/1948   N   Kentucky 65, Creighton 23
12/10/1951   H   Kansas 65, Creighton 47
03/16/1962   N   Cincinnati 66, Creighton 46
12/21/1963   N   UCLA 95, Creighton 69
03/05/1977   H   Marquette 72, Creighton 60
01/02/2016   H   Villanova 85, Creighton 71
02/03/2016   A   Villanova 83, Creighton 58
02/01/2018   A   Villanova 98, Creighton 78
02/24/2018   H   Creighton 89, Villanova 83 (OT)

Nova's Last Setback of 2017-18 Was CreightonVillanova went 36-4 last season and won the national title, ending the year on an 11-game win streak. The Wildcats final loss last season came in Omaha, as Creighton topped Villanova 89-83 in overtime on Feb. 24, 2018.
   The loss was Villanova's only setback last season at full strength, as the Wildcats were missing Collin Gillespie, Eric Paschall or Phil Booth in each of their other three losses.
   Since losing at Creighton last February, Villanova has won 14 straight games against BIG EAST foes.

Scheduling Tough
Per Monday's NET rankings provided by the NCAA, no teams in the BIG EAST have played more difficult schedules than Creighton and Villanova.
   CU's scheduled is ranked ninth-toughest nationally, while Villanova's is 20th-most difficult. Both the Bluejays and Wildcats have played 14 Quadrant 1 or Quadrant 2 games, tied for second in the BIG EAST behind Butler's 15.
   Each of Creighton's next five games are currently classified to be Q1 or Q2 games.

McDermott On The Wright Path
Villanova's Jay Wright owns more wins at his current school than any other current BIG EAST coach, having led the Wildcats to 440 victories in 18 seasons. That's an average of 24.44 wins per season (counting this season and this year's wins) for Wright, and a .722 winning percentage in that time.
   His counterpart on Wednesday, Creighton's Greg McDermott, owns a record of 200-103 in his nine seasons with the Bluejays, an average of 22.22 wins per season. McDermott owns a .660 winning percentage at CU.
   Wright and McDermott are the only current BIG EAST coaches who have averaged 20 or more wins per season in their current position.
   After 22 games of his ninth season at Villanova, Wright owned 198 wins and had been to five NCAA Tournaments at VU, while McDermott owns 200 wins and has also coached CU to five NCAA bids to this point.
   Wright had a 204-99 record after exactly 303 games with the Wildcats, while McDermott is 200-103 at Creighton thus far.

Talented Prep Backcourt
Connor Cashaw has watched a ton of Villanova basketball over the years while supporting Jalen Brunson, his former classmate at Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Ill.
   While Brunson scored 1,667 points and won two NCAA titles at Villanova from 2015-18, Cashaw was scoring 1,016 points at Rice University. Both men are exemplary student-athletes who graduated college in three years, with Brunson turning pro and Cashaw transferring to Creighton over the summer.
   Not surprisingly, Stevenson High School won the Class 4A state title in 2015, with Cashaw averaging 15.9 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.
   Other famous alums from Stevenson High include Tamika Catchings, Andrea Jaeger, Ted Musgrave, Rob Ryan and Rex Ryan.

Ranking News & Notes
Villanova is ranked No. 14 in this week's AP poll. Some notes of interest as it pertains to Creighton and ranked foes...
- Creighton is 32-144 all-time (1-3 this year) against nationally-ranked teams in the Associated Press poll.
- The last time CU beat a ranked BIG EAST team, the Jays defeated No. 3 Villanova, 89-83 (OT). It remains tied for the highest-ranked team that CU has ever beaten.
- Creighton has beaten at least one ranked team in each of the last six seasons (including 2018-19), and multiple ranked foes in each of the previous four years.
- Creighton is 14-29 under Greg McDermott against nationally-ranked teams. He owns twice as many top-25 wins as any other coach in Creighton history. Prior to McDermott's arrival, Creighton was 18-115 all-time against top-25 foes.
- Creighton is 4-12 under Greg McDermott in true road games against top-25 teams, compared to a 2-63 mark prior to his hiring.
- Creighton is 9-12 since the start of the 2016-17 season against ranked teams. The nine wins over ranked teams in that time is tied for 17th nationally, and trails only Villanova (16) among BIG EAST clubs.
- Creighton is 0-9 all-time against teams ranked exactly 14th.
- All three of Creighton's wins over Villanova have come when the Wildcats are ranked in the top-15 of the AP poll.
- Creighton's first game ever against a team that was ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 came in 1951 against Villanova.
- Wednesday marks the 13th time in 16 all-time meetings between the Bluejays and Wildcats that at least one of the teams is ranked. Villanova has been ranked in the top-10 in 10 of the 12 previous meetings in the BIG EAST era, and 16th in one of the other encounters.
- In four games against ranked teams this season, Creighton has averaged 89.5 points per game. Ty-Shon Alexander averages 24.0 ppg.

Live By The 3, Thrive By The 3
Few teams in the country have made as many three-pointers in the last six seasons as the team's featured in Wednesday's match-up. Villanova leads the nation in that category, while Creighton is seventh.
   Creighton leads the BIG EAST this season with 11.55 three-pointers in all games, and Villanova is tops with 12.22 treys per league contest this year.
   Both Creighton (.501) and Villanova (.549) have attempted more than half of their shots in league play from beyond the three-point line.
   Per WhiteAndBlueReview.com writer Matt DeMarinis, Creighton is 21-1 in its last 22 games when attempting 15 or fewer three-pointers.
Most 3FG Made Since 2013-14 (thru 2/3/19)
Rk.   Team   3FG   Games
1.   Villanova   1,993   208
2.   Belmont   1,878   185
3.   Iona   1,858   191
4.   Akron   1,842   193
5.   Purdue-Fort Wayne   1,819   192
6.   Michigan   1,804   206
7.   Creighton   1,802   193
8.   Davidson   1,781   184
9.   Duke   1,705   205
10.   Winthrop   1,688   183

Philly's Finest
Creighton has several alums who have made a dent in professional sports in the Philadelphia area.
   Justin Patton is in the Philadelphia 76ers organization after being included in the Jimmy Butler trade earlier this season. Patton was at Creighton from 2015-17, developing into the BIG EAST Freshman of the Year and a First Round Draft Pick by the Chicago Bulls. He is currently sidelined with a broken foot and is expected to make his 2018-19 G-League debut later this week.
   Darin Ruf starred at Creighton from 2006-09 and played for the Philadelphia Phillies from 2012-16. He spent last summer playing for the Samsung Lions in South Korea.
   Kyle Korver starred at Creighton from 1999-2003 and played his first four NBA seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, where he quickly became a fan favorite. Korver was an All-Star four winters ago with the Atlanta Hawks and now plays for the Utah Jazz.
   Fabian Herbers was drafted sixth overall by the Philadelphia Union in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft and played for the Union for three seasons before being traded last month to the Chicago Fire. Herbers was a two-time BIG EAST Player of the Year, a runner-up for the MAC Hermann Trophy, and led the nation in assists and points for Creighton in 2015. He owns four goals and nine assists in his MLS career.
   Other Creighton alums who have spent time in the last dozen years on the roster of a Philadelphia team include Greg Jordan (Philadelphia Union soccer) and Tim Gradoville (Philadelphia Phillies).

Kaleb's Been There
Only one man on the current Creighton roster has ever had 10 or more assists in a game, and that man is senior Kaleb Joseph.
   As a freshman in 2014-15 at Syracuse, Joseph had 10 points and 10 assists while playing all 45 minutes in an overtime game vs. No. 7 Villanova. It remains the only double-double of his career to date.

Super Bowl Stats
Creighton is 32-20 in its first game after the Super Bowl, including five straight wins, which could be good news with a challenging road test at Villanova on deck.
   Creighton is also 10-1 since 2000 in its first game following a win by the AFC in the Super Bowl, including a 5-0 mark when the Patriots win.
   By comparison, Creighton is 35-18 all-time in its final game prior to a Super Bowl, including last Sunday's victory over Xavier.

Just Call Him Trey-Shon
Ty-Shon Alexander has made a three-point basket in all 22 games he's played this season, stretching his streak dating to last year to 26 games in a row.
   Alexander's owns the longest active streak in the BIG EAST, and he and Villanova's Phil Booth are the only men with a trey in each game this winter.
   Alexander's streak is the fourth-longest in Creighton history, and just five behind the school record set by Booker Woodfox in 2008-09.
   Each of the three streaks longer than his came in a season that the player was named Conference Player of the Year (Korver in 2002 and 2003, Woodfox in 2009).
    It's worth noting that Kyle Korver's second-place streak of 28 games with a trey was snapped when he did not attempt a field goal in 24 minutes of play during an 83-56 win over UNI (and head coach Greg McDermott) on Feb. 9, 2002. Korver then drained a triple in 27 more games in a row, a stretch from Feb. 13, 2002 to Jan. 20, 2003 before it was snapped against Evansville (and head coach Steve Merfeld).
Consecutive Games With a 3FG, CU History
   Streak   Name   Dates
   31   Booker Woodfox   11/25/08 to 3/23/09
   28   Kyle Korver   2/4/01 to 2/6/02
   27   Kyle Korver   2/13/02 to 1/20/03
   26   Ty-Shon Alexander   2/27/18 to Present
   25   Rodney Buford   1/25/97 to 1/10/98
   23   Ethan Wragge   11/8/13 to 2/9/14
   22   Khyri Thomas   1/28/17 to 12/5/17
   21   Ethan Wragge   1/3/10 to 3/24/10
   20   Johnny Mathies   12/22/04 to 2/28/05
   20   Marcus Foster   12/31/17 to 3/16/18

Depth Being Tested
A slew of injuries has taken a toll on the Creighton bench in recent times. All told, Creighton has had three players miss a combined 19 games so far this season.
   Jacob Epperson underwent season-ending knee surgery on January 11th, but was also struggling with back injuries at the time. CU is 6-6 without him this year.

   Damien Jefferson has not played since injuring his ankle on January 9 vs. Marquette, undergoing surgery on January 17th. He suited up vs. Xavier for the first time since his injury, but did not play against the Musketeers. CU is 3-3 without him this year.
   Mitch Ballock broke his nose on Jan. 16 at St. John's, but has not missed any games as a result.
   Connor Cashaw injured a shoulder while running into a screen against St. John's and missed CU's Feb. 3 game vs. Xavier. CU is 1-0 without him this year.
   Marcus Zegarowski broke the fifth metacarpal in his hand during the first half of CU's Feb. 3 game vs. Xavier, but played 29 minutes in the game. He will be re-evaluated next week.

McDermott Earns 200th Creighton Win
Creighton's win over Xavier on Feb. 3 marked the 200th victory on the Bluejay sideline for ninth-year coach Greg McDermott. That trails only his predecessor, Dana Altman (327) in program history.
   Of the 54 coaches hired in the offseason prior to the 2010-11 season, only Altman (222 at Oregon), McDermott (200 at Creighton) and Tim Cluess (189 at Iona) have more than 180 victories at that school.
   Here's a look at McDermott's record at the time of various milestones.
Win #   Games at CU   Date   Opponent
25   41   11/13/11   Chicago State
50   71   03/03/12   vs. Evansville
75   104   02/27/13   at Bradley
100   134   02/13/14   at Butler
125   183   11/25/15   vs. Massachusetts
150   222   12/07/17   at Nebraska
175   259   12/18/17   UT-Arlington

My Favorite Martin
Martin Krampelj has scored in double-figures in 11 of the last 12 games, with nine points in the one contest he was limited to single digits.
   In the past 12 games, Krampelj has averaged 15.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. He's shot 66.7 percent from the field, 38.1 percent from three-point territory, and 67.3 percent from the line.
   His recent stat line represents a vast improvement from the first 10 contests when he was still regaining his form.
When   FG%   3FG%   FT%   RPG   PPG   DUNKS
2017-18 Season   .671   .261   .623   8.1   11.9   33
First 10 Games   .474   .182   .563   4.4   7.4   11
Last 11 Games   .667   .381   .673   7.8   15.8   35

Top Offense Meets Top Defense
Creighton is tied for the BIG EAST lead with 82.4 points per game, while Villanova paces the BIG EAST by allowing just 66.9 points per contest.
   Creighton leads the BIG EAST with 11.55 three-pointers per game, with Villanova second (10.95).
   In BIG EAST games only, Creighton leads the way with a 47.2 field goal percentage and Villanova is second (46.9 percent). Villanova is tops with 12.22 treys per conference game, just ahead of Creighton (10.89).

McDermott's 50th BIG EAST Win
CU's Jan. 25th victory over Butler was Greg McDermott's 50th regular-season BIG EAST win.
   He's the 24th coach in league history to reach that mark, and fourth active league coach (Jay Wright has 200, Ed Cooley has 67 and Kevin Willard has 66).
   Of the 24 men with 50 or more regular-season BIG EAST wins, McDermott's .515 win percentage in league play ranks 16th-best, trailing only Jim Boeheim, Jim Calhoun, John Thompson Sr., Jay Wright, Mike Brey, John Thompson Jr., Lou Carnesecca, Jamie Dixon, Rick Pitino, Rollie Massimino, Steve Lappas, Paul Evans, Buzz Williams, Chris Mack and Mike Jarvis.
   Now armed with 51 BIG EAST victories, McDermott on Sunday moved into 23rd place on the wins list by jumping ahead of former St. John's coach Mike Jarvis (50-32). Wednesday's game at Villanova will be McDermott's 100th regular-season BIG EAST tilt.
   Former Villanova coach and current CBS Sports Network broadcaster Steve Lappas ranks 11th with 87 wins and 114th with a .551 win percentage in regular-season BIG EAST games.

Quest For 21,000, Completed
Creighton has scored 21,045 points all-time at CHI Health Center Omaha, passing the 20,000 mark on earlier this season on Nov. 6th vs. Western Illinois and the 21,000 plateau on Feb. 3 vs. Xavier.
   Creighton is 20-1 all-time in games where it moves over any 1,000 point milestone at CHI Health Center Omaha, as seen below:
   Creighton has currently outscored the opposition 21,045 to 17,652 at the 16-year old facility in 270 all-time games in the building that count.
Date   Pts-Opp (CLCO Game #)   Who/How vs. Opp.
02/18/04   1,000-787 (14)   Lindeman FG vs. Indiana State
02/05/05   2,000-1,696 (28)   Funk FG vs. Missouri St.
01/18/06   3,000-2,504 (41)   Watts FT vs. Bradley
01/09/07   4,000-3,359 (56)   Tolliver FG vs. Drake
12/17/07   5,000-4,174 (69)   Ka. Korver 3FG vs. Hou. Baptist
11/16/08   6,000-5,048 (82)   Dotzler FG vs. New Mexico
02/11/09   7,000-5,870 (95)   Witter 3FG vs. Bradley
01/16/10   8,000-6,750 (109)   Young FG vs. Wichita State
12/20/10   9,000-7,645 (123)   Wragge FG vs. W. Illinois
03/23/11   10,000-8,500 (136)   Lawson FG vs. UCF
01/21/12   11,000-9,310 (148)   McDermott FG vs. Ind. St.
12/19/12   12,000-10,136 (161)   Echenique FG vs. Tulsa
11/23/13   13,000-10,922 (173)   Artino FG vs. Tulsa
02/23/14   14,000-11,711 (185)   Gibbs FG vs. Seton Hall
01/28/15   15,000-12,612 (198)   Hanson FT vs. St. John's
12/28/15   16,000-13,498 (211)   Huff FG vs. Coppin State
11/15/16   17,000-14,349 (224)   Patton FG vs. #9 Wisconsin
01/28/17   18,000-15,166 (235)   Hanson FG vs. DePaul
12/18/17   19,000-15,927 (246)   Foster 3FG vs. UT Arlington
11/06/18   20,000-16,741 (258)   Ballock 3FG vs. W. Illinois
02/03/19   21,000-17,619 (270)   Zegarowski FG vs. Xavier

A Scurry Scholly, Again
For the second straight year, Creighton surprised walk-on Jordan Scurry with a scholarship in late January.
   Last year, the Jays did it in a team meeting on the same day the die-hard New England Patriots fans saw his beloved team qualify for the Super Bowl.
   This season, Scurry was surprised on January 21 on the bus ride following Creighton's 91-87 win at Georgetown, one day after the Patriots qualified once again for the Super Bowl.

200,00 Fans, Again
With 222,463 fans to date, Creighton has eclipsed 200,000 or more home fans for the 14th straight season.
   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.
   Creighton played in front of 306,000 home fans last season, a program record.

McDermott Wins 300th Game Coached at CU
Greg McDermott coached in his 300th game as Creighton head coach in a Jan. 21 win at Georgetown.
   He now owns a 200-103 record on the Bluejay sideline entering Wednesday.
   Only one previous person in program history has served as head men's basketball coach for 300 games, with that being McDermott's predecessor Dana Altman.
   Altman finished his CU career in 2010 with a 327-176 record, and owned a 194-106 mark after 300 games with the Bluejays.
   Here's a look at Altman and McDermott per each 50 games at Creighton:
Game # at CU   Altman W-L   McDermott W-L
50   20-30   33-17
100   45-55   72-28
150   82-68   112-38
200   116-84   135-65
250   155-95   168-82
300   194-106   198-102
350   226-124   --
400   260-140   --
450   294-156   --
500   325-175   --

The Full Arsenal
Creighton has four men averaging double-figures in scoring, with two others a fraction of a point away from joining them.
   Entering Wednesday, Ty-Shon Alexander (17.0), Martin Krampelj (12.0), Mitch Ballock (10.7) and Marcus Zegarowski (10.9) are contributing at a double-digit clip, with Davion Mintz (9.9) and Damien Jefferson (9.4) not far behind.
   In league play, Alexander (16.6), Krampelj (15.7), Ballock (11.4), Mintz (11.4) and Zegarowski (11.7) are all well into double-figures.
   Creighton has not had five or more men finish a season averaging 10 or more points per game since the 1964-65 club had SIX men average in double-figures (Neil Johnson, 17.3; Elton McGriff, 15.0; Fritz Pointer, 14.3; Tim Powers, 12.6; Bob Miles, 11.9; Charlie Brown (11.6), though Johnson only played in 8-of-23 games.

The 40/40 Club
Creighton is a member of a relatively exclusive 40/40 club this season, having made at made at least 40 percent of its three-point attempts (.418), and having taken 40 percent or more of its field goal attempts (.471) from beyond the arc.
   Here's a list of the nation's three other teams that join Creighton in that category.
Team   W-L   3FG%   %FGA's are 3's
Creighton   13-9   .418   .471
Virginia Tech   18-4   .420   .448
Wofford   19-4   .410   .427
South Dakota State   19-6   .420   .402

Most Improved?
Ty-Shon Alexander had 23 points vs. Marquette on Jan. 9, then added 22 more vs. Villanova four days later.
   It's the fourth and fifth times this season that the sophomore guard has scored 20 or more points in a game, and first time in his career he's done so in consecutive contests.
   The Charlotte native has upped his scoring average to 17.0 points per game, an improvement of 11.5 points over his 5.5 points per game from a year ago. That's easily the largest improvement of any of the BIG EAST's top 30 scorers this season, as seen below:
Rk.   Name, School   18-19PPG   17-18PPG   +/-
1.   Ty-Shon Alexander, CU   17.0   5.5   +11.5
2.   Phil Booth, VU   18.5   10.0   +8.5
3.   Paul Scruggs, XU   13.0   4.9   +8.1
   Paul Reed, DPU   11.7   3.6   +8.1
5.   Collin Gillespie, VU   12.1   4.3   +7.8

Zegarowski Does It All
Marcus Zegarowski's first career start came on Jan. 13 against Villanova, and the true freshman produced 10 points to go with career-highs of seven rebounds and seven assists.
   He's just the fifth player in the last five seasons with a game of 10-7-7 against Villanova, joining Khadeen Carrington, Justin Simon, Kamar Baldwin and Kris Dunn.
   Zegarowski is the fifth Bluejay to have a game with at least 10-7-7 under Greg McDermott, and first freshman.
Name   Date   Opp.   PTS   REB   AST
Grant Gibbs   1/13/12   at Illinois St.   12   10   7
Austin Chatman   11/11/13   UMKC   12   7   9
Maurice Watson Jr.   1/26/16   at Georgetown   16   7   8
Khyri Thomas   2/28/17   St. John's   14   12   7
Khyri Thomas   2/27/18   DePaul   16   8   8
Marcus Zegarowski   1/13/19   Villanova   10   7   7

Records Fell
Here's a list of some of the various records that were broken on January 13 vs. Marquette:
- Among the single-game arena records set or tied by Marquette's Markus Howard were points (53), three-pointers (10), field goal attempts (26) and turnovers (9).
- Marquette's 16 three-pointers tied a CHI Health Center Omaha record for three-pointers by a non-Creighton team.
- Markus Howard's 53 points were a Marquette record, a BIG EAST record and a record for a Bluejay opponent in one game. The legendary Bevo Francis held the previous mark for a CU opponent, scoring 49 points for Rio Grande on Jan. 23, 1954.

The "Three"-Placements
Coming into the season, many were left wondering how Creighton was going to replace three of its top four three-point shooters from a season ago (Marcus Foster, Khyri Thomas, Toby Hegner), among others, as the Bluejays were left trying to replace 229 of its 343 three-pointers from last year.
   The answer has been quite well, thank you.
   Creighton's newcomers this season have combined to shoot 65-for-145 (44.8 percent) from three-point range this season, as Connor Cashaw, Marcus Zegarowski and Damien Jefferson are all making 44.8 percent or better from long-range, and Samson Froling is 4-for-13 in limited attempts.

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

60 Percent Club
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.
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

The Race To 75
Creighton has scored 75 or more points in each of its 13 victories this season, and in 18 straight wins dating to last winter.
   Creighton has averaged 95.3 points in three all-time wins over Villanova, but 63.92 in 12 losses against the Wildcats.

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
   3.18   70   22   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
   2.86   63   22   Mitch Ballock   2018-19

3-Pointers, By Average
Creighton has made 11.55 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)
   11.55   2018-19    254   22   13-9 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 838 straight games with a three-pointer, the Jays have drained 6,517 trifectas, an average of 7.78 treys per game.
   That's not surprising since during the streak, Creighton has made exactly 7 three-pointers 132 times, more than any figure.
   Only four times in the streak has Creighton made just one three-pointer, but on 224 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 58 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 209 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:   132 times   8:   109 times   9: 76 times
10: 65 times   11: 48 times   12: 45 times
13: 36 times   14: 13 times   15:   6 times
16: 6 times   17: 1 time   19:   1 time
20: 1 time   21: 1 time   22: 1 time

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 record-breaking 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.   17   #21 Marquette   01/09/2019   L 104-106 (ot)
   6.   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

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 have made 254 three-pointers this season, compared to 256 free throws.
   Creighton has never finished a season with more three-pointers made than free throws made.

When Three-Pointers Fall, Creighton Excels
Creighton is shooting 41.8 percent from three-point range this season, good for fourth-best nationally.
   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   4th   .418   13-9 so far

We're Jamming!
Creighton already has 66 dunks this season, with 46 of those coming by Martin Krampelj. Just how impressive is Krampelj's dunk total this year? It's just one fewer than Duke sensation Zion Williamson.
   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
46   Martin Krampelj   2018-19
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
20   Khyri Thomas   2017-18

Most Creighton Dunks, Career, Since 2010-11
Dunks   Name   Years
93   Martin Krampelj   2015-Pres.
90   Gregory Echenique   2010-13
72   Justin Patton   2016-17
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)
66   2018-19   13-9 so far
58   2015-16   20-15 (NIT)
56   2010-11   23-16 (CBI)
54   2012-13   28-8 (NCAA)
42   2011-12   29-6 (NCAA)
35   2013-14   27-8 (NCAA)
29   2014-15   14-19

Not Your Ordinary Freshman
Marcus Zegarowski had a season-high 20 points on Dec. 20 vs. Coe. His season average of 10.9 points per game ranks third 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
   10.9   Marcus Zegarowski   2018-19
   10.5   Ryan Sears   1997-98

Scoring In Bunches
Creighton has scored 1,812 points through 22 games to rank 22nd nationally with 82.36 points per contest. That puts this year's team on pace to be the sixth-highest scoring team ever, and second-best in nearly 50 years.
Most Points Per Game, Season
   Rk.   PPG   Season   Final W-L (Postseason)
   1.   88.23   1965-66   14-12 (None)
   2.   84.17   1963-64   22-7 (NCAA)
   3.   83.96   1970-71   14-11 (None)
   4.   83.52   2017-18   21-12 (NCAA)
   5.   82.83   1964-65   13-10 (None)
   6.   82.36   2018-19   13-9 so far (TBD)
   7.   82.00   1968-69   13-13 (None)
   8.   81.83   2016-17   25-10 (NCAA)
   9.   80.89   1976-77   21-7 (NIT)

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.
   Creighton owns 11 victories since 2000 in which it has won after overcoming a deficit of 15 points or more, as seen below:
Overcoming Double-Digit Deficits, Since 2000
Deficit   Opponent   Date
19   Wichita State   01/28/06
18   #17 Western Kentucky   11/27/01
18   #18 Oklahoma   11/19/14
17   Missouri State   02/12/03
17   DePaul   11/09/07
17   Rhode Island   03/18/08
17   at San Diego State   11/30/11
16   TCU   01/26/03
16   at Drake   02/04/06
16   New Mexico   11/16/08
16   at Evansville   02/16/13
15   Wichita State   02/02/08

Free Falling
Despite a team of star marksmen from behind the arc, Creighton ranks just 246th nationally this year at the free throw line with its 68.1 percent accuracy.
   That may not seem like much, but consider that the Bluejays are shooting 78.3 percent in league play after struggling to 62.1 marksmanship from the line in non-conference action.
   The free throw woes have yet to cost the Bluejays too much, as CU has shot 78.9 percent (45-57) in the last five minutes of the second half (or overtime) from the stripe during its 10 games decided by 12 points or less.
   This year's struggles would definitely seem like and aberration, as the Bluejays rank 44th nationally in free throw percentage at 72.3 percent since Greg McDermott took over in 2010.
   Creighton shot 13-for-13 at the line against Xavier on Feb. 3rd, just the fourth time in the last 25 seasons that the Jays were perfect in a game with 10 or more attempts.

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.

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 270 games at CHI Health Center Omaha all-time, Creighton has not trailed in 75 of those contests, a staggering 27.8 percent of the time.
   Under Greg McDermott at home, Creighton is 124-31 and hasn't trailed in 50 of those games.

CHI Health Center Omaha Success
Creighton has played 270 regular and postseason contests at CHI Health Center Omaha all-time in the 16-year-old facility.
   The Bluejays own a 221-49 (.819) record all-time at the facility, and have never lost there on a Friday (16-0).
   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 21,045-17,652 in games at CHI Health Center Omaha, an average margin of 12.57 points per game. Creighton has not trailed 75 different times.
   Creighton is also 28-29 all-time in the 57 games at the arena in which it's fallen behind by double-figures at any point, 7-11 when down by 10+ points at halftime in the facility, and 34-25 when trailing at halftime at CHI Health Center Omaha.
   Creighton is 124-31 (.800) 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 238-49 (.829) 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 February 4, 2019
Category   Stat   NCAA Rank
FG Percentage   .483   2nd
3FG Percentage   .388   3rd
3FG Made   2,676   3rd
Assists   4,948   4th
FG Made   8,271   11th
Wins   200   32nd
Winning Percentage   .660   39th

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 ranks second among all active players (Stephen Curry) and ranks fourth in NBA history with 2,308 three-pointers. He's also second among active players (Stephen Curry, again) and eighth all-time in league history with 43.09 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 42.0 percent from downtown and averaging 8.9 points per game this season.
   Tolliver is averaging 4.5 points and 2.2 rebounds per game on 38.7 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 6.7 points per game on 38.8 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 made his NBA debut on Nov. 9th and is averaging 3.0 points and 0.9 rebounds per game.

Full House
This year Creighton is averaging 17,113 fans per game at home, good for sixth 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 2/4)
   Rk.   School   Average   Next Home
   1.   Kentucky   21,015   2/5
   2.   North Carolina   20,852   2/5
   3.   Syracuse   20,186   2/5
   4.   Tennessee   18,406   2/5
   5.   Wisconsin   17,127   2/12
   6.   Creighton   17,113   2/17
   7.   Kansas   16,216   2/9
   8.   Indiana   15,816   2/7
   9.   Nebraska   15,620   2/6
   10.   Marquette   15,364   2/5

Some Loyal Fans
Creighton played in front of 306,000 home fans last season, a school-record.
   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 16 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
   17,113 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 80.97 points per home game (12,551 points in 155 home games), a figure that climbs to 85.38 points in non-conference home games (6,660 points in 78 home games).
   Creighton is 101-5 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 No. 1 Gonzaga on Dec. 1.

Release, Rotation, Splash, Repeat
Creighton has made at least one three-pointer in 838 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 2/4)
   Rk.   Streak   School   Next Game
   1.   1,060   UNLV   2/6
   2.   1,052   Vanderbilt   2/5
   3.   1,042   Duke   2/5
   4.   998   Arkansas   2/5
       998   Western Kentucky   2/7
   6.   983   East Tennessee State   2/7
   7.   973   Pacific   2/7
   8.   961   Oakland   2/7
   9.   950   Texas   2/6
   10.   921   Princeton   2/8
   11.   902   Marshall   2/7
   12.   889   Baylor   2/6
   13.   872   Gonzaga   2/7
   14.   866   LIU-Brooklyn   2/7
   15.   849   Cornell   2/8
   16.   848   Mount St. Mary's   2/7
   17.   838   Creighton   2/6
   18.   837   Tennessee State   2/7
   19.   832   East Carolina   2/6

McDermott Ranks Second On CU Wins List
Greg McDermott currently has 200 victories at Creighton, good for second place on CU's all-time wins list.
   McDermott's .660 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.   200-103   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 82.36 points per game to date.
   Greg McDermott is 59-4 as a Division I head coach when his teams score 90 or more points, including a 53-4 mark on the Creighton sideline.
   Creighton is 63-3 all-time when scoring 100 points or more, and had a streak of 36 straight wins when scoring triple-digits since a 1977 loss to North Texas State snapped in the Jan. 9 loss to Marquette (106-104).

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   5th
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 Visits League-Leading Villanova on Wednesday

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Ty-Shon Alexander

Mitch Ballock

Connor Cashaw

Jacob Epperson

Marcus Foster

Samson Froling

Toby Hegner

Damien Jefferson

Kaleb Joseph

Martin Krampelj

Davion Mintz

Jordan Scurry

Khyri Thomas

Marcus Zegarowski