Men's Basketball Meets DePaul on Wednesday Night

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Game #20: Creighton at DePaul • Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2020 • 8:00 p.m.
Creighton Bluejays at DePaul Blue Demons
Wintrust Center (10,387) • Chicago, Ill.
Radio: KOZN 1620 AM; www.1620thezone.com;
Television: CBS Sports Network (Dave Ryan, Steve Wolff)
Series History: Creighton leads, 20-16
Last Meeting: Creighton 91, DePaul 78 on March 9, 2019 in Omaha, Neb.
LIVE VIDEO | LIVE AUDIO | LIVE STATS | TICKETS

Next Game
Creighton (14-5, 3-3 BIG EAST) heads to the Windy City to take on DePaul (13-5, 1-4 BIG EAST) on Wednesday, Jan. 22.
   Tip-off at Wintrust Arena (10,387) in Chicago, Ill., is scheduled for 8 p.m.

Radio Broadcast Information
KOZN (1620 AM) will broadcast all Creighton men's basketball games during the 2019-20 season.
   John Bishop and former Bluejay Brody Deren will call the action. The audio is also webcast live at www.1620thezone.com.

Television Broadcast Information
Wednesday's tilt will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network. Dave Ryan and Steve Wolff will call the action.

Video Webcast Information
Go to https://www.cbssports.com/cbs-sports-network/ 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 14-5 overall and 3-3 in the BIG EAST. The Bluejays were ranked 25th last Monday before dropping out following a 1-1 week that included an 83-80 road loss at Georgetown and a 78-74 home win over Providence.
   Highlighting the Bluejay resume is wins over No. 12 Texas Tech (83-76 in OT on Nov. 29), Oklahoma (83-73 on Dec. 17), Arizona State (67-60 on Dec. 21), Marquette (92-75 on Jan. 1), at Xavier (77-65 on Jan. 11) and Providence (78-74 on Jan. 18).
   CU returns five of its top six scorers from a year ago, a group led by guards Marcus Zegarowski (16.7 ppg., 4.8 apg.), Ty-Shon Alexander (16.3 ppg., 5.8 rpg.) and Mitch Ballock (12.5 ppg., 5.5 rpg.). The trio have accounted for 146 three-pointers and 59.0 percent of CU's overall points thus far.
   Three other forwards to keep an eye on are Christian Bishop (8.7 ppg., 5.9 rpg.), Damien Jefferson (8.6 ppg., 5.4 rpg.) and Denzel Mahoney (11.9 ppg.).
   Overall, Creighton returns nine lettermen and four starters from last year's team that finished 20-15 and tied for third in the BIG EAST Conference. The Bluejays advanced to the quarterfinals of the NIT with victories over Loyola (Chicago) and Memphis before falling at TCU.

Scouting DePaul
After winning 20 games a year ago and reaching the finals of the CBI, DePaul has carried over that momentum into 2019-20. The Blue Demons went 12-1 in non-conference play, including road wins at Iowa, Minnesota and Boston College, and are now 13-5 overall.
   The Blue Demons lost their first four league games by an average of 5.0 points before picking up their first BIG EAST triumph on Saturday with a win over No. 5 Butler that ranked as the team's first top-five win since 2006.
   Kansas transfer Charlie Moore leads the team in scoring (16.1 ppg.) and the BIG EAST in assists (6.8 apg.).
   Versatile big man Paul Reed (15.9 ppg., 11.2 rpg., 2.9 bpg.) leads the BIG EAST in rebounding and double-doubles and is second in blocked shots.
   Also scoring in double-figures are sharpshooter Jalen Coleman-Lands (11.7 ppg.) and post player Jaylen Butz (11.2 ppg., 6.0 rpg.).
   DePaul averages 75.3 points per game and allows 67.3 per contest. The Blue Demons win the rebound battle by 2.2 caroms per contest and shoot 46.4 percent from the field while also holding foes to 39.2 percent marksmanship.

The Series With DePaul
Creighton has won 15 of the last 16 meetings with DePaul to take a 20-16 lead in the all-time series.
   Thirteen of the last 14 meetings in the series have been decided by double-figures, with the exception being Creighton's first trip to Wintrust Arena in 2018 where CU prevailed, 76-75, on a late three-pointer by Bluejay star Marcus Foster.
   Creighton is 13-1 in the series since joining the BIG EAST, including 10 straight victories.
   Greg McDermott is 13-1 against DePaul. He is 8-0 against Dave Leitao, while Leitao is 0-8 against Creighton.

The Creighton Coaches
Greg McDermott (Northern Iowa, 1988) is in his 10th year as head coach at Creighton. He is 221-114 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 501-309 in his 26th season and is 370-245 in his 19th Division I campaign. Alan Huss, Paul Lusk and Terrence Rencher assist McDermott.

What's Your 20?
Wednesday's game at DePaul is Creighton's 20th contest of the season. With 14 wins already this year, Creighton has now been .500 or better after 20 games in 24 of the last 25 seasons (including 2019-20).
   Even more impressive, Creighton has won at least 13 of its first 20 games in 20 of the last 23 seasons, including 2019-20.
Creighton -- First 20 Games, Last 23 Years
Year   First 20 W-L   Final W-L   Postseason
2019-20   14-5 so far   ? ? ?   ? ? ?
2018-19   12-8   20-15   NIT
2017-18   15-5   21-12   NCAA
2016-17   18-2   25-10   NCAA
2015-16   14-6   20-15   NIT
2014-15   9-11   14-19   --
2013-14   17-3   27-8   NCAA
2012-13   17-3   28-8   NCAA
2011-12   18-2   29-6   NCAA
2010-11   13-7   23-16   CBI
2009-10   10-10   18-16   CIT
2008-09   15-5   27-8   NIT
2007-08   14-6   22-11   NIT
2006-07   13-7   22-11   NCAA
2005-06   15-5    20-10   NIT
2004-05   13-7   23-11   NCAA
2003-04   17-3   20-9   NIT
2002-03   18-2   29-5   NCAA
2001-02   14-6   23-9   NCAA
2000-01   14-6   24-8   NCAA
1999-00   14-6   23-10   NCAA
1998-99   14-6   22-9   NCAA
1997-98   14-6   18-10   NIT

History After 19 Games
Creighton has started 14-5 to date. It's the 12th time in the past 20 seasons that Creighton has won at least 14 of its first 19 games.
   Of the 11 most recent teams to start 14-5 or better, seven made the NCAA Tournament and four reached the NIT.
   This is the sixth time under Greg McDermott that Creighton has started 14-5 or better after exactly 19 games. All five previous teams would advance to the NCAA Tournament.

CHI Health Center Omaha Dramatics
Marcus Zegarowski's go-ahead three-pointer with 3.2 seconds left on Saturday helped beat Providence, and was the latest game-winner in a Bluejay win at home since some heroics from Doug McDermott against St. John's in 2014.
   It was the third time in the last five Omaha meetings between Creighton and Providence that has seen a game-winner in the final five seconds.
   Before Saturday, Creighton's last win at any site when trailing by five or more points in the final 90 seconds of regulation or an overtime was on March 18, 2008 vs. Rhode Island.
   Creighton is now 8-8 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
01/18/20   Providence   W 78-74   Zegarowski 3FG   :3.2
*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

League Leaders
Creighton has a pair of players who are leading the BIG EAST in a statistical category.
   Junior Ty-Shon Alexander tops the BIG EAST in free throw percentage, connecting on 86.3 percent of his attempts from the charity stripe in all games. He's also tops in league play only at 92 percent. Each of the last three Creighton players to lead the conference in free throw percentage (all games) went on to be named Conference Player of the Year (Kyle Korver in 2001-02; Kyle Korver in 2002-03 and Booker Woodfox in 2008-09).
   Classmate Mitch Ballock leads the BIG EAST with 35.9 minutes per game, a number that soars to 38.3 minutes per contest in league play, as he's played all but 10 minutes in CU's first six league games. CU is the nation's only team with three men averaging 34.4 minutes per game or more, but no Bluejay has led a conference in minutes per game (all games) since at least 1996-97.
   Wednesday's tilt in Chicago features the league's top four players in minutes per game.
   Rank   Name, Team   G   MIN   MPG
   1.   Mitch Ballock, CU   19   682   35.9
   2.   Charlie Moore, DPU   18   632   35.1
   3.   Marcus Zegarowski, CU   19   658   34.6
   4.   Ty-Shon Alexander, CU   19   655   34.5
   5.   Naji Marshall, XU   17   584   34.4

Mitch-A-Palooza, The Sequel?
The last time he faced DePaul on March 9, 2019, Mitch Ballock had one of the greatest shooting nights in Creighton, BIG EAST and NCAA history in a 91-78 victory over DePaul.
   Ballock had a career-high 39 points on just 14 shots, and went 11-for-12 from three-point range.
   Ballock's 11 three-pointers were two more than the previous Creighton single-game record held by Kyle Korver and Ethan Wragge.
   Ballock's 11 three-pointers were four more than the previous CHI Health Center Omaha record for a Bluejay, and one more than the mark for a player on any team set by Marquette's Markus Howard.
   Ballock's 11 three-pointers tied the single-game record for any BIG EAST game, a different game for Howard in 2017-18.
   Ballock's 11-for-12 marksmanship (91.7%) set a NCAA single-game record for three-point percentage among players with 12 or more attempts.
Most 3FG, Game, Creighton History
   3FG   Name, Opponent   Date
   11   Mitch Ballock vs. DePaul   03/09/19
   9   Kyle Korver vs. Evansville   01/15/03
       Ethan Wragge at Villanova   01/20/14
   8   Tad Ackerman at Drake   01/23/95
       Kyle Korver at Xavier   12/31/02
       Terrell Taylor vs. Florida   03/15/02
       Isaiah Zierden at DePaul   01/17/16

Ballock Went For 39
Mitch Ballock had a career-high 39 points the last time he faced DePaul. He had 17 points in the first half, his highest-scoring half as a Bluejay, before erupting for 22 more after the intermission to break his own personal best for one half.
   Heading into the night, Ballock had never scored more than 23 points for an entire game in the first 63 games of his career.
   Ballock's 39 points are tied for 15th-most in program history and were 12 shy of Bob Portman's school-record set in 1967.
   Ballock became the nation's first player since Syracuse's John Gillon (vs. NC State on Feb. 1, 2017) to score 39 points or more on 14 field goal attempts or less, and the only man in the previous nine seasons to do it without making more than 10 free throws (Ballock was 4-for-5 at the line).
Most Points, Game, Creighton History
   Pts.   Name, Opponent   Date
   51   Bob Portman vs. UW-Milwaukee   12/16/67
   47   Eddie Cole at Morningside   11/29/54
   46   Bob Portman vs. Weber State   12/23/68
   45   Tim Powers at Idaho State   01/29/66
       Benoit Benjamin vs. Indiana State   01/19/85
       Doug McDermott vs. Providence   03/08/14
   44   Doug McDermott at Bradley   01/07/12
   43   Bob Portman at Kansas State   02/12/68
       Benoit Benjamin vs. Southern Illinois   01/17/85
   42   Bob Portman vs. LaSalle   01/30/68
       Cavel Witter vs. Bradley   03/01/08
   41   Doug McDermott vs. Wichita State   03/02/13
   40   Chad Gallagher vs. Wichita State   02/17/90
       Rodney Buford vs. Bradley   12/30/98
   39   Bob Portman at Oklahoma City   02/08/68
       Doug McDermott at Missouri State   01/11/13
       Doug McDermott vs. St. John's   01/28/14
       Doug McDermott vs. Villanova   02/16/14
       Mitch Ballock vs. DePaul   03/09/19

Sweet Home (Away From Home) Chicago
Creighton has won at DePaul each of the previous six seasons, just the second different opponent in program history that the Jays have beaten on the road in six or more consecutive campaigns.
   Creighton beat Grinnell in seven straight seasons from 1929-30 to 1935-36.
   Since the BIG EAST reconfigured, the only other road team to be 6-0 or 7-0 against another league foe is Villanova (6-0) at DePaul.

Horseshoes and Hand Grenades
Creighton played 20 straight games from March 19, 2019 - Jan. 11, 2020 that were decided by five points or more.
   Since then, each of CU's past two contests have been decided by four points or less. It's the first time the Bluejays have played consecutive games decided by four points or less since March 3 & 8, 2018.
   Creighton has not played three straight games decided by four points or fewer since Feb. 28 - March 7, 2015.
   With all that being said, 13 of the last 14 meetings in the Creighton/DePaul series have been decided by 10 or more points.
   Of the 45 match-ups within the current BIG EAST, only two have had just a single game decided by eight points or less since the start of the 2013-14 season. Those match-ups have been Creighton/DePaul and Georgetown/Villanova.

More Points = Better Results
Creighton has won 13-of-14 meetings with DePaul since the schools became league rivals in the BIG EAST.
   It's probably not a coincidence that Creighton's 81.36 points per game average against the Blue Demons is its most against any BIG EAST foe in that span.
PPG   Opponent   CU W-L
81.36   DePaul   13-1
77.92   Marquette   6-7
75.50   Xavier   8-8
74.75   St. John's   8-4
74.69   Seton Hall   5-8
72.36   Georgetown   7-7
71.71   Villanova   3-11
71.31   Butler   7-6
69.69   Providence   7-9

McDermott Climbs BIG EAST Charts
Greg McDermott owns 59 career regular-season BIG EAST wins, which ranks 21st in league history, and two more victories than both Chris Mack and Mick Cronin.
    Of the 24 men with 50 or more regular-season BIG EAST wins, McDermott's .518 win percentage in league play ranks 16th-best, trailing only Jamie Dixon, Jay Wright, Jim Boeheim, Rick Pitino, Lou Carnesecca, John Thompson Sr., Buzz Williams, Chris Mack, Jim Calhoun, Mike Brey, Mike Jarvis, Rollie Massimino, John Thompson Jr., Steve Lappas and Paul Evans.

Recently On CBS Sports Network
Wednesday will be the third of four scheduled appearances on CBS Sports Network this season for Creighton.
   Last year, the Bluejays had five games on the network, and each one went down to the wire. Four of the games went to overtime, and the fifth game had three lead changes in the last two minutes.
   Creighton's game at Georgetown last Wednesday featured nine ties and nine lead changes.
Creighton on CBSSN in Last 2 Seasons
Date   Game   Score   Lead Changes
1/9/19   #21 Marquette   L 106-104 (OT)   1
2/6/19   at #14 Villanova   L 66-59 (OT)   8
2/9/19   at Seton Hall   L 63-58   8
2/13/19   at Xavier   L 64-61 (OT)   7
3/6/19   Providence   W 76-70 (OT)   3
1/1/20   Marquette   W 92-75   0
1/15/20   at Georgetown   L 83-80   9

200,00 Fans, Again
With 203,505 fans to date, this season marks the 15th straight season that Creighton has surpassed 200,000 home fans.
   Creighton has led its conference in average home attendance each of the last 16 completed seasons, and is once again leading the way in the BIG EAST in 2019-20.

Pink Out Auction Raises $31,803.18 This Year
Creighton raised $31,803.18 for this Sunday's "Creighton vs. Cancer Pink Out" Pink Out game vs. Xavier.
   Below is the final numbers for each jersey/item in the auction this year:
#0   $1725   #1   $585   #4   $710
#5   $7000   #10   $1100   #11   $7350
#12   $600   #13   $3000   #20   $751.55
#21   $910   #23   $860   #24   $2800
#34   $826.66   #41   $710   #43   $460
Ball 1: $355 Ball 2: $355 Ball 3: $355   Ball 4: 365     Ball 5: $375
McDermott's Shoes: $350   McDermott's Tie: $259.97

Yearly Pink Out Totals
Creighton has raised 266,714.18 since the start of the 2011-12 season during its annual men's basketball Pink Out.
2011-12:   $20,600
2012-13:   $24,444
2013-14:   $48,247.11
2014-15:   $16,384.03
2015-16:   $16,527.90
2016-17:   $26,361.64
2017-18:   $28,796
2018-19:   $19,595
2019-20:   31,803.18
Additional Donations:   $25,988.32
Nine-Year Totals: $266,714.18

Pink Out Auction Underway
When Creighton faces Xavier on Sunday, January 26th (3:00 p.m. tip-off) - Bluejay players will wear pink shooting shirts and pink jerseys for the game and fans have the opportunity to honor a friend or family member who has battled cancer or is currently battling cancer by purchasing the apparel via auction (the shooting shirt can be personalized – last name, nickname, etc.).
   The first 16,000 fans entering the venue will receive a complimentary pink t-shirt courtesy of Methodist Health Systems & CHI Health.
   "Pink Out" t-shirts are also available for purchase at the following Lawlor's Custom Sportswear locations: Westroads Mall and the Superstore located at 84th & J Streets. Complimentary "Pink Out" posters will be available to fans exiting the venue after the game.
   Over the past nine years, the annual Creighton University Men's Basketball Pink Out game has raised $266,714.88 benefitting the Hope Lodge facility here in Omaha and the guests it serves.
   All funds raised go to benefit Hope Lodge Omaha, which provides a free home away from home for cancer patients and their caregivers who must travel to Omaha to receive their lifesaving treatment. More than just a roof over their heads, it's a nurturing community that helps patients access the care they need.
   On January 29, 2020 Hope Lodge Nebraska will mark the two-year anniversary of opening its doors. Hope Lodge Nebraska provides a free home away from home for cancer patients and their caregivers who must travel to receive their lifesaving treatment. More than just a roof over their heads, it's a nurturing community that helps patients access the care they need.
   Since opening its doors in January 2018, Hope Lodge Nebraska has served over 2,600 patients and caregivers from 27 different states, provided nearly 18,000 nights of lodging and has saved those families nearly $3 million dollars.
   For more information about the cause, visit GoCreighton.com/PinkOut.

Game 6 Success
Including last Saturday's win vs. Providence, Creighton has won its sixth conference game of the season in 22 of the last 26 seasons.
   Even more impressively, Creighton has been on the road in five of the last seven seasons for its sixth league contest.

Nifty Fifty
Sophomore Marcus Zegarowski played in his 50th college game last Wednesday at Georgetown. Zegarowski owned 644 career points after those 50 games.
   Here's how some other recent high-profile Bluejays have scored after 50 games in Blue & White.
Points After 50 Games at CU (Select Players)
   Points   Name   First Season
   1,195   Bob Portman   1966-67
   1,069   Paul Silas   1961-62
   929   Marcus Foster   2016-17
   860   Doug McDermott   2010-11
   837   Rod Mason   1986-87
   820   Rodney Buford   1995-96
   750   Benoit Benjamin   1981-82
   644   Marcus Zegarowski   2018-19
   625   Bob Harstad   1987-88
   610   Chad Gallagher   1987-88
   535   Kyle Korver   1999-00
   479   Ty-Shon Alexander   2017-18
   433   Mitch Ballock   2017-18
   329   Nate Funk   2002-03
   116   Anthony Tolliver   2003-04

A Grand For Alexander
With 24 points on Saturday vs. Providence, Ty-Shon Alexander moved from 42nd to 37th in Creighton history on the all-time scoring list. He enters Wednesday with 1,027 career points and could pass Johnny Mathies (1,031) and Reggie Morris (1,050).
Most Career Points, Creighton History
   Rank   Pts.   Name   Years
   1.   3,150   Doug McDermott   2010-14
   2.   2,116   Rodney Buford   1995-99
   3.   2,110   Bob Harstad    1987-91
   4.   1,983   Chad Gallagher    1987-91
   5.   1,876   Bob Portman    1966-69
   6.   1,801   Kyle Korver   1999-03
   7.   1,754   Nate Funk   2002-07
   8.   1,682   Rick Apke    1974-78
   9.   1,661   Paul Silas   1961-64
   10.   1,654   Vernon Moore    1981-85
   11.   1,575   Benoit Benjamin    1982-85
   12.   1,526   John C. Johnson   1975-79
   13.   1,500   Kevin McKenna   1977-81
   14.   1,437   Eddie Cole   1951-55
   15.   1,369   Gene Harmon   1971-74
   16.   1,361   Duan Cole   1987-92
   17.   1,342   Antoine Young   2008-12
   18.   1,313   Kenny Lawson Jr.   2006-11
   19.   1,309   Ryan Sears   1997-01
   20.   1,303   Elton Tuttle   1951-54
   21.   1,292   Marcus Foster   2016-18
   22.   1,272   Bob Gibson   1954-57
   23.   1,267   Wally Anderzunas   1965-67, 1968-69
   24.   1,254   Gary Swain   1983-87
   25.   1,238   Ben Walker   1997-01
   26.   1,196   Ray Yost   1951-54
   27.   1,172   Dick Harvey   1956-59
   28.   1,155   Ethan Wragge   2009-14
   29.   1,152   Dane Watts   2004-08
   30.   1,140   Khyri Thomas   2015-18
   31.   1,116   Kenny Evans   1982-87
   32.   1,115   Doug Brookins   1972-75
   33.   1,115   Daryl Stovall   1978-82
   34.   1,093   Tim Powers   1964-67
   35.   1,050   Reggie Morris   1982-86
   36.   1,031   Johnny Mathies   2003-06
   37.   1,027   Ty-Shon Alexander   2017-Pres.
   38.   1,024   P'Allen Stinnett   2007-10
   39.   1,023   Rod Mason   1986-88
   40.   1,013   Austin Chatman   2011-15
   41.   1,006   Gregory Echenique   2010-13
   42.   1,004   Anthony Tolliver   2003-07
   43.   994   Chuck Officer   1960-62, 1963-64
   44.   979   Terrell Taylor   1999-02
   45.   967   David Wesely   1975-79
   46.   965   Fritz Pointer   1963-66
   47.   939   Cyril Baptiste   1969-71
   48.   931   Cornell Smith   1973-77
   49.   921   Jim Berry   1955-59
   50.   915   Darryl Stovall   1978-82
   Soon   866   Mitch Ballock   2017-Pres.

Alexander Surpasses 1,000 Points
Ty-Shon Alexander became the 42nd member of Creighton's 1,000 point club on Jan. 15 at Georgetown.
   Alexander, needed 85 career games to reach the milestone as he became the first Bluejay to reach 1,000 points since Khyri Thomas reached 1,000 points in the 94th game of his career on Feb. 10 vs. No. 5 Xavier, finishing the game with 1,009 career points.
Games To 1,000 Points, Last 18 Bluejays
Name   CU Games to 1,000 pts.    Date
Ty-Shon Alexander   85   01/15/20
Khyri Thomas   94   02/10/18
Marcus Foster   54   01/17/18
Austin Chatman   138   03/11/15
Ethan Wragge   132   01/18/14
Gregory Echenique   101   03/24/13
Doug McDermott   57   01/15/12
Antoine Young   115   12/10/11
Kenny Lawson Jr.   108   11/21/10
P'Allen Stinnett   86   01/16/10
Dane Watts   115   01/22/08
Anthony Tolliver   124   03/16/07
Johnny Mathies   91   03/03/06
Nate Funk   92   02/28/05
Kyle Korver   81   01/30/02
Ben Walker   105   01/06/01
Ryan Sears   97   12/01/00
Rodney Buford   59   03/01/97

Bonus From The Bench
Denzel Mahoney scored a season-high 19 points in Creighton's game at Georgetown last Wednesday.
   It was the most by any Bluejay reserve in any game this winter, and the most since Marcus Zegarowski scored 20 points vs. Coe on Dec. 20, 2018.
   It was also the most against a Division I opponent by a Bluejay sub since Mitch Ballock scored 22 points in a win over No. 23 UCLA on Nov. 20, 2017.

McDermott Earned 500th Career Win
Greg McDermott earned his 500th career victory as a head coach during the Jan. 11 game at Xavier. He's won 50 or more games at four different schools. His 500th win came in his 808th game, and his 26th season as a head coach.
   McDermott then received a standing ovation on Jan. 18 when he was recognized for the achievement prior to CU's next home game.
   Including McDermott, only 27 active Division I men's coaches, and only 56 active men's coaches across all levels, own 500 or more career victories.
Greg McDermott's Milestone Victories
Date   Career W-L   Opponent & Site   Score
01/14/00   100-50   Moorhead State at WSC   92-59
11/23/05   200-117   UNI at Western Michigan   69-63
03/15/11   300-209   San Jose State at CU   85-74
02/24/15   400-248   CU at DePaul   75-62
01/11/20   500-308   CU at Xavier   77-65

Most Career Wins Among Active Division I Coaches
(Through Jan. 19, 2020)
Rank   W-L   Coach, Current School
   1.   1147-347   Mike Krzyzewski, Duke
   2.   957-392   Jim Boeheim, Syracuse
   3.   879-243   Roy Williams, N. Carolina
   4.   874-365   Bob Huggins, W. Virginia
   5.   775-510   Cliff Ellis, C. Carolina
   6.   721-213   John Calipari, Kentucky
   7.   703-370   Rick Barnes, Tennessee
   8.   694-214   Bill Self, Kansas
   9.   660-343   Dana Altman, Oregon
   10.   655-438   Jim Larranaga, Miami, FL
   11.   651-414   Lon Kruger, Oklahoma
   12.   630-326   Kelvin Sampson, Houston
   13.   623-470   Greg Kampe, Oakland
   14.   620-236   Tom izzo, Michigan State
   15.   617-331   Tubby Smith, High Point
   16.   598-306   Steve Alford, Nevada
   17.   588-123   Mark Few, Gonzaga
   18.   586-359   Bob McKillop, Davidson
   19.   584-263   Jay Wright, Villanova
   20.   577-219   Bruce Pearl, Auburn
   21.   575-299   Danny Kaspar, Texas State
   22.   550-428   Leonard Hamilton, Florida State
   23.   540-325   Lennie Acuff, Lipscomb
   24.   527-279   Mike Brey, Notre Dame
   25.   517-199   Gregg Marshall, Wichita State
   26.   503-366   Jeff Jones, Old Dominion
   27.   501-309   Greg McDermott, Creighton

Ballock Joins Top 10
Mitch Ballock leads Creighton with 56 three-point baskets this season, which gives him 195 in his Bluejay career. That puts him in eighth place in program history in that category.
   Only seven Bluejays have ever reached 200 or more triples, and Ballock (and classmate Ty-Shon Alexander) could join Kyle Korver and Ethan Wragge as the only Bluejays to reach that milestone as juniors.
   Ballock ranks 21st nationally with 56 three-pointers made and 11th in three-point percentage (.448). He has also made a three-pointer in each of CU's last 18 games. The only BIG EAST player with a longer active streak is Villanova's Collin Gillespie (20).
Most Career 3FG, Creighton History
Rank       3FG   Name   Years
   1.   371   Kyle Korver   1999-03
   2.   334   Ethan Wragge   2009-14
   3.   274   Doug McDermott   2010-14
   4.   245   Ryan Sears   1997-01
   5.   212   Rodney Buford   1995-99
   6.   206   Jahenns Manigat   2010-14
   7.   200   Nate Funk   2002-07
   8.   195   Mitch Ballock   2017-Pres.
   9.   185   Matt Roggenburk   1986-90
   10.   177   Duan Cole   1987-92
   11.   172   Ty-Shon Alexander   2017-Pres.
   12.   171   Isaiah Zierden   2013-17

Second Half Star
In CU's Jan. 11 win at Xavier, Christian Bishop had all 10 of his points in the second half.
   This season, Bishop has averaged 3.2 points and 2.4 rebounds on 48.9 percent shooting in the first half, but 5.5 points and 3.3 rebounds per game after halftime on 63.2 percent shooting.
   Bishop has been held scoreless in the first half five times this season (Kennesaw State, North Florida, UTRGV, Arizona State, Xavier). In those five games, he's averaged 8.8 points on 77.8 percent shooting from the field after the break, including three games where he's scored in double-digits.
   Creighton is 7-1 this season when Bishop scores in double-figures.

Multiple Choices
Creighton had five men score in double-figures on Jan. 11 at Xavier.
   It was the fourth time this season that the Bluejays have five or more men score 10 or more points in the same game.
   Creighton has won nine straight games when five or more players score in double-digits.

Defending The Line
Creighton is holding foes to 29.4 percent shooting from three-point range, a key reason why the Bluejays have out-scored foes by 114 points behind the arc.
   Creighton held both Villanova (18.2%) and Xavier (19.2%) under 20 percent in early January, and have now held 13 consecutive foes under 40 percent from downtown.
   Bluejay opponents are shooting 27.9 percent from downtown when CU wins, but 34.3 percent from deep in CU losses.
   The 29.4 percent shooting from three-point range by CU opponents is on pace to be the second-best mark in program history. In fact, the only other time CU held foes under 31 percent from deep was in 1995-96 (29.2%).

Dynamic Duo of Denzel and Damien
Since Denzel Mahoney became eligible prior to the Dec. 17 game vs. Oklahoma, both Mahoney and Damien Jefferson have played a key part of CU's success.
   In those nine contests, Jefferson has averaged 9.9 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, while Mahoney checks in at 11.9 points and 3.6 rebounds per contest.
   Jefferson has scored nine or more points in seven of the last eight games, while Mahoney has reached double-figures in seven of the nine contests.

Eight Was Enough
Creighton had an eight-game winning streak snapped at Butler on January 4th, the program's longest since starting the 2016-17 campaign with a 13-0 record. It was CU's sixth different win streak of eight or longer under Greg McDermott.
   During the win streak, Marcus Zegarowski averaged 19.9 points and 5.6 assists per game, making him one of five Bluejays averaging in double-figures. Ty-Shon Alexander topped CU with 7.3 rebounds per game in that time.
    Each of Creighton's last six times that Creighton has had a win streak of seven or longer, that Bluejays team has reached the NCAA Tournament at year's end.
Longest Creighton Win Streaks Under McDermott
Wins                Dates   Snapped By
13 - Nov. 11 - Dec. 28, 2016   #1 Villanova, 80-70
11 - Dec. 31, 2011 - Feb. 1, 2012   at Northern Iowa, 65-62
11 - Dec. 1, 2012 - Jan. 15, 2013   at Wichita State, 67-64
10 - Dec. 3, 2013 - Jan. 14, 2014   at Providence, 81-68
8 - Feb. 14 - March 16, 2012   vs. #4 North Carolina, 87-73
8 - Nov. 29, 2019 - Jan. 1, 2020   at #11 Butler, 71-57
7 - Nov. 11 - Dec. 4, 2011   at Saint Joseph's, 80-71

McDermott Still Getting Buckets
Creighton great Doug McDermott is midway through his second season in Indianapolis as a member of the Pacers, and sixth campaign in the NBA.
   McDermott ranks sixth in NCAA history with 3,150 career points following a Creighton career (from 2010-14) that saw him become the first three-time First Team All-American since Patrick Ewing and Wayman Tisdale in the early 1980s.
   In the Pacers' Jan. 4 game at Atlanta, McDermott joined Pete Maravich, Hersey Hawkins, Freeman Williams and Lionel Simmons as the only players to ever score 3,000 career points at both the NBA and at the Division I level.

Preseason BIG EAST Poll
Creighton was picked seventh in the preseason BIG EAST Conference poll that was selected via a vote of league coaches.
   Seton Hall edged Villanova by one point to be named league favorites for the first time since 1992-93, as both the Pirates and Wildcats garnered five first place votes.
   Xavier was third, with Marquette and Providence tying for fourth place. Georgetown was tabbed sixth, just ahead of Creighton, while Butler, St. John's and DePaul round out the poll.
   Seton Hall standout Myles Powell was named Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year, and was joined on the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team by Ty-Shon Alexander (Creighton), Kamar Baldwin (Butler), Alpha Diallo (Providence), Markus Howard (Marquette) and Naji Marshall (Xavier).
   In nine previous seasons under Greg McDermott, Creighton has exceeded its preseason poll placement on four occasions, matched its expectation four times, and in 2011-12 were picked first in the MVC but finished second. Creighton has met or exceeded its preseason BIG EAST prognostication every year since joining the league, as seen below:
Creighton's BIG EAST Preseason Poll History
Year    Preseason    Actual    Preseason All-BIG EAST
2013-14    3rd    2nd    Doug McDermott (1st)
2014-15    9th    T-9th    -
2015-16    9th    6th    -
2016-17    3rd    T-3rd    Maurice Watson Jr. (1st); Marcus Foster (HM)
2017-18    5th    T-3rd    Marcus Foster (1st); Khyri Thomas (HM)
2018-19    9th    T-3rd    Martin Krampelj (HM)
2019-20    7th    TBD   Ty-Shon Alexander (1st)

Mintz To Redshirt
Senior guard Davion Mintz will redshirt during the 2019-20 season, head coach Greg McDermott announced following the team's Dec. 28 victory over Midland.
   Mintz suffered a high-ankle sprain in late October and only recently returned to live drills in practice.
   Mintz entered the 2019-20 season having made 59 straight starts and with team-highs among active players in career starts (79), games played (97), assists (259) and steals (69).

Ball Control Offense
Creighton's two turnovers on Dec. 28 vs. Midland were its fewest in any game since at least 1981-82.
   The Jays have had two previous games with three turnovers since then (at SMU on 11/25/1995 and vs. Wichita State on 2/1/2005).
   The previous fewest miscues under Greg McDermott had been four on six different occasions, most recently March 3, 2018 at Marquette.
   Since the Christmas break, Creighton's starting line-up has combined for 87 assists and just 42 turnovers.
   Creighton's 11.2 turnovers per game is the best mark in the BIG EAST.

Turn This Over
The Midland game saw three different Bluejays finish with at least five assists and no turnovers, as Shereef Mitchell (6/0), Marcus Zegarowski (6/0) and Mitch Ballock (5/0) all did it.
   It's the first time in Greg McDermott's 10-year tenure that three different Bluejays had five or more assists without a turnover in the same game, and also the first time under McDermott that multiple Bluejays had six assists and no turnovers in the same game.
   In fact, Creighton's starting line-up combined for 20 assists without a turnover in the victory.
   The performance made Creighton the nation's first team this season to score 90+ points in a game with two turnovers or less. It was just the 10th time in the past 10 seasons it's happened.

Jett Fuels Offense
Redshirt freshman guard Jett Canfield had a pair of assists in the victory over Midland, pushing his season totals to 11 assists against just one turnover.
   Through games of January 18th, Canfield is the only player in the nation with 10 or more assists and one turnover or less.
   Canfield is also one of four players in the nation to have played 108 minutes or more with one turnover or less.

The 10 Wins of Christmas
Creighton went 10-2 prior to Christmas, the seventh time in program history that CU had picked up 10 or more wins by December 25th.
   Five of those occasions have taken place under Greg McDermott.
   Each of the previous six times it's been done, Creighton won at least 21 games that year. All but one of those teams reached the NCAA Tournament and all but two clubs also won a postseason contest.
Most Wins by December 25th
   W-L   Season   Final W-L   Postseason?
   10-1   1963-64   22-7   NCAA (1-2)
   10-2   2008-09   27-8   NIT (1-1)
   10-1   2011-12   29-6   NCAA (1-1)
   11-1   2012-13   28-8   NCAA (1-1)
   12-0   2016-17   25-10   NCAA (0-1)
   10-2   2017-18   21-12   NCAA (0-1)
   10-2   2019-20   TBD   TBD

Moving On Up
Creighton was 56 in the initial NET rankings released on Dec. 16, and that figure has surged to 33 after games against Oklahoma, Arizona State, Marquette, Butler, Villanova, Xavier, Georgetown and Providence (and Midland, which isn't factored into the NET) since then.
   Each of Creighton's final 12 regular-season games are against teams that currently own a top-79 NET rating, including No. 51 DePaul.
   Creighton owns a 4-5 mark in Quadrant 1 games and is 10-0 in contests against teams that are in Quadrant 2, 3 or 4. DePaul's rating means that Wednesday will be a Quadrant 1 game.
   As of the January 19th NET update, only six teams have played nine or more games against Quad 1 opponents: Kansas (10), Iowa State (10), Creighton (9), Seton Hall (9), Tennessee (9) and Wisconsin (9).

December To Remember
Creighton went 6-0 in the month of December, its first unbeaten December since the 2012-13 team.
   Each of CU's last two teams (2008-09 and 2012-13) to go unbeaten in December also won their regular-season league title.

Mahoney Makes Debut
The Dec. 17 win vs. Oklahoma marked the first appearance in a Creighton uniform for Denzel Mahoney, who regained his eligibility after CU's first semester concluded.
   Mahoney didn't start for the first time in 65 contests as a collegian, but didn't have to wait long. He checked in just 18 seconds into the game after an early foul on Christian Bishop and drained his first three-pointer as a Bluejay just more than two minutes later. Mahoney finished the game with 14 points, one rebound, one assist and a steal in 29 minutes of action.
   Mahoney averaged 19.3 points and 5.1 rebounds per game the last time he was on the court during the 2017-18 season at Southeast Missouri State.
   In two seasons with the Redhawks from 2016-18, Mahoney scored 1,091 points and grabbed 298 rebounds. He made 121 three-pointers while connecting at a 39.5 percent clip and also sank 314-of-380 free throw attempts (82.6 percent).
   Mahoney is the sixth player in Greg McDermott's 10 seasons to make his Creighton debut with 14 points or more. Of those men, only Marcus Foster also had 14 points or more in his next game, as well.
   Mahoney who scored in double-figures each of his first four games as a Bluejay, joined Foster (8), Doug McDermott (8) and Justin Patton (8) and Maurice Watson Jr. (5) as the only Bluejays to post 10 or more points in each of their first four games (or longer) under Greg McDermott.

Go Big Or Go Home
Creighton owned four regular-season non-conference wins this winter from teams that are in the Big Ten, BIG EAST, Atlantic Coast, Southeastern, Big 12 or Pac-12 Conferences.
   It's just the third time since CU dropped its independent status in 1977 that the Bluejays have picked up four such wins in the same winter. The 2016-17 club had six such wins, while the 2012-13 squad also had four.
   After going 22-12 in such games under Dana Altman from 1994-2010, Creighton is 28-12 under Greg McDermott.
   Here's a list of Creighton's yearly regular-season non-conference records in the past 25 seasons against teams from those top leagues:
Year   W-L   "Major" Conference Victories
1994-95   0-2   -
1995-96   0-1   -
1996-97   1-3   Florida
1997-98   1-1   Nebraska
1998-99   3-1   Iowa, Baylor, Oklahoma State
1999-00   3-0   Iowa, Baylor, Nebraska
2000-01   2-0   Providence, Nebraska
2001-02   1-0   Nebraska
2002-03   2-0   Notre Dame, Nebraska
2003-04   1-0   Nebraska
2004-05   3-0   Missouri, Ohio State, Nebraska
2005-06   1-1   Nebraska
2006-07   0-1   -
2007-08   2-0   DePaul, Nebraska
2008-09   1-1   DePaul
2009-10   1-1   Nebraska
2010-11   0-3   -
2011-12   3-0   Iowa, Nebraska, Northwestern
2012-13   4-0   Wisconsin, Arizona State, Nebraska, Cal
2013-14   3-0   Arizona State, Nebraska, Cal
2014-15   2-1   Oklahoma, Nebraska
2015-16   2-3   Rutgers, Nebraska
2016-17   6-0   Wisconsin, Washington St., NC St., Ole Miss, Nebraska, Arizona St.
2017-18   3-1   Northwestern, UCLA, Nebraska
2018-19   1-3   Clemson
2019-20   4-1   Texas Tech, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Arizona St.

Christian Puts In Work Before Christmas
After a first half that saw him fail to record a point, rebound or blocked shot vs. Arizona State, sophomore Christian Bishop came up big in the second half against the Sun Devils.
   Bishop had 12 points, nine rebounds and two blocked shots after halftime, helping Creighton to overcome a halftime deficit in the 67-60 win.
   Bishop is the first Bluejay with a half of at least 12 points, nine rebounds and two blocked shots since Gregory Echenique had 13 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks before halftime vs. Houston Baptist on Dec. 17, 2011.
   Creighton has not had a player post a double-double in the same half since Doug McDermott had 17 points and 10 rebounds in the first half of a win on March 21, 2014 vs. Louisiana-Lafayette.

Getting Defensive
Creighton has held 9-of-19 opponents under 40 percent this season after doing it a total of seven times in 35 games a year ago.
   Creighton is 92-17 (.844) under Greg McDermott all-time when holding foes under 40 percent marksmanship.
   Last season Creighton ranked 286th in opponents' field goal percentage (.457). This year's team is holding foes to 41.7 percent shooting (its' best since .407 in 2012-13), a figure that ranks 146th-best nationally.
   The best finish by one of McDermott's Creighton teams in field goal percentage defense is 77th by the 2012-13 club.

Ballock For 3, Blocks That Is
Including a career-high three blocked shots on December 7th vs. Nebraska, Mitch Ballock ranks second on the Creighton team with nine swats this season.
   Ballock is the first Bluejay with both three blocked shots and three made three-pointers in the same game since Kenny Lawson Jr. had three blocks and three treys vs. Missouri State on March 24, 2010. That game was also the final one of the Creighton sideline for Dana Altman.
   Only two players in program history have ever made 50 three-pointers while blocking more than 10 shots in a season. Kyle Korver did it three times (129/23 in 2002-03; 76/16 in 2001-02; 100/14 in 2000-01) and Rodney Buford (58/18 in 1996-97).
   Ballock currently owns 56 trifectas and nine blocked shots.

What A Line -- 30-6-9
Marcus Zegarowski had 30 points, nine rebounds and six assists in Creighton's 95-76 win over Nebraska on Dec. 7th.
   The 30 points were the second-highest figure of his career, the six assists tied a season-high, and his nine rebounds were a career-best.
   He's the first Bluejay with at least 30 points, nine rebounds and six assists in the same game since at least 1979-80.
   Zegarowski is just the fourth Creighton player with a game of at least 30 points and nine rebounds in the same game under Greg McDermott, joining Cole Huff, Kenny Lawson Jr. and Doug McDermott (11x).
   Zegarowski is also just the second Creighton player under Greg McDermott with a game of at least 30 points and six assists, joining Marcus Foster vs. Georgetown (35 points, 6 assists) on Feb. 19, 2017.
   Zegarowski is one of three players in the nation with a 30/9/6 game this season, and the only man in the last 10 years to do it without attempting a free throw.
   Zegarowski had 20 points, eight rebounds and a then-season-high seven assists vs. Oklahoma on Dec. 17, the first Bluejay with those numbers in the same game since Ryan Sears had 25 points, eight rebounds and eight assists vs. Southern Illinois on Jan. 8, 2000.

More Z's Please
Marcus Zegarowski is currently leading Creighton with 16.7 points per game and 4.8 assists per game.
   Creighton hasn't had a player average more than 15 points and 3.5 assists per game for a full season since Vernon Moore (21.0 ppg., 5.0 apg.) in 1984-85.

Alexander The Great
Ty-Shon Alexander is second on the Creighton team in rebounds per game (5.8) and points per game (16.3).
   Since 1992-93, only three Bluejays (Doug McDermott, Rodney Buford and Kyle Korver) have finished a season averaging at least 16.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.
   All three men went on to play at least five seasons in the NBA.
16.0 PPG & 5.5 RPG - Creighton Players Since 1991-92
Name       Year   PPG   RPG
Doug McDermott   2013-14   26.7   7.0
Doug McDermott   2012-13   23.2   7.7
Doug McDermott   2011-12   22.9   8.2
Rodney Buford   1996-97   19.6   5.6
Rodney Buford   1997-98   18.9   7.3
Rodney Buford   1998-99   18.6   7.2
Kyle Korver       2002-03   17.8   6.4
Ty-Shon Alexander   2019-20   16.3   5.8

3 x 3
Creighton's backcourt features three of the nation's best shooters, as Ty-Shon Alexander, Mitch Ballock and Marcus Zegarowski have combined to shoot 146-for-355 (41.1 percent) as a group from deep.
   Alexander, Ballock and Zegarowski are one of three trios in the country with 43 or more three-pointers through games of January 18th, joining the North Florida grouping of Carter Hendricksen, J.T. Escobar and Ivan Gandia-Rosa and the Akron trio of Channel Banks, Loren Jackson and Xeyrius Williams. When CU defeated North Florida on Nov. 22nd, Creighton's trio shot 10-for-20 from deep, while the UNF trio shot 4-for-21 from downtown.
   In addition, Ballock is one of four players nationally to have made 55 or more three-pointers while shooting 44.8 percent or better from deep.
   Creighton is 16-3 all-time when Alexander, Ballock and Zegarowski all score in double-figures, including a 9-1 mark this winter with nine straight victories. The trio had combined for at least 50 percent of Creighton's points in 17 of CU's last 20 contests dating to last season.

NCAA Hosts
Creighton will host the First and Second Round of the 2020 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at CHI Health Center Omaha on March 20 & 22.
   It's the fifth time since 2008 that Omaha has been selected to host, joining 2008 (1st Weekend); 2012 (1st Weekend); 2015 (1st Weekend); 2018 (Regionals) and 2020 (1st Weekend).
   Taking out Dayton, which annually hosts the First Four, CHI Health Center Omaha will host more NCAA Tournament games from 2008-20 than any other venue. In addition, CHI Health Center Omaha will host five different years in that span, which trails only Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis from 2008-20.
Most NCAA Tournament Games Hosted, 2008-20
Rk.   G   Venue   City
1.   27   CHI Health Center Omaha   Omaha, NE
2.   24   Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena   Spokane, WA
3.   21   Spectrum Center   Charlotte, NC
   21   Vivint Smart Home Arena   Salt Lake City, UT
5.   18   17 venues
*does not include First Four site Dayton, OH

Most Different Years as a Tourney Host, 2008-20
Rk.   Yrs.   Venue   City
1.   6   Lucas Oil Stadium   Indianapolis, IN
2.   5   CHI Health Center Omaha   Omaha, NE
   5   NRG Stadium   Houston, TX
   5   Honda Center   Anaheim, CA
5.   4   7 venues
*does not include First Four site Dayton, OH

Sophomore Scorer
Sophomore guard Marcus Zegarowski is averaging a team-leading 16.7 points per game, quite an accomplishment for a guy who never scored more than 17 points in any game against a Division I opponent a season ago.
   The only Creighton sophomores in the last 50 seasons to average more points per game than Zegarowski are Doug McDermott (22.9 ppg. in 2011-12) and Rodney Buford (19.6 ppg. in 1996-97), as well as Rick Apke (16.8 ppg. in 1975-76). McDermott and Buford are the top two career scorers in Creighton history.
   Here's a list of Creighton's top 10 sophomore scorers in the past 50 seasons:
Most Points/Game, CU Sophomores Since 1969-70
   PPG   Name   Year
   22.9   Doug McDermott   2011-12
   19.6   Rodney Buford   1996-97
   16.8   Rick Apke   1975-76
   16.7   Marcus Zegarowski   2019-20
   16.7   Bob Harstad   1988-89
   16.2   Benoit Benjamin   1983-84
   15.8   Gene Harmon   1971-72
   15.7   Ty-Shon Alexander   2018-19
   15.3   Chad Gallagher   1988-89
   14.6   Kyle Korver   2000-01

Triple Trouble
During Creighton's current streak of 870 straight games with a three-pointer, the Jays have drained 6,807 trifectas, an average of 7.82 treys per game.
   That's not surprising since during the streak, Creighton has made exactly 7 three-pointers 134 times, more than any figure.
   Only four times in the streak has Creighton made just one three-pointer, but on 237 occasions the Bluejays have made 10 or more trifectas, including three games of 20 or more.
   Creighton has made at least one three-pointer before halftime in 241 consecutive contests (since 0-7 at Drake on 1/23/13).
   The Bluejays are also 13-1 this year when making eight or more three-pointers, compared to a 1-4 mark when making seven treys or fewer.
Team 3FG Made During Creighton's 3-Point Streak
1:    4 times   2: 15 times   3: 31 times
4:    69 times   5:   95 times   6: 89 times
7:   134 times   8:   111 times   9: 85 times
10: 71 times   11: 48 times   12: 47 times
13: 39 times   14: 15 times   15: 6 times
16: 6 times   17: 1 time   19: 1 time
20: 1 time   21: 1 time   22: 1 time

Alexander Up For An Oscar
Creighton guard Ty-Shon Alexander is among 46 standout players selected by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association for its initial watch list for the Oscar Robertson Trophy, presented to the men's national player of the year.
   Since its founding in 1956, the USBWA has named a national player of the year. In the 1997-98 season, the award was named in honor of the legendary Oscar Robertson, "The Big O." In addition, the USBWA selects an All-America team and All-District teams, players and coaches of the year.
   Alexander is averaging 16.3 points per game this season for Creighton, and is second on the club with 5.8 rebounds per game. The Charlotte, N.C., native is shooting 38.7 percent from three-point range and 86.3 percent at the charity stripe. Alexander, who is also on the watch list for the Jerry West Award Shooting Guard of the Year and the John R. Wooden Award, was named a Preseason All-BIG EAST choice.
   Alexander is one of four BIG EAST players on the list, as he's joined by Markus Howard (Marquette), Myles Powell (Seton Hall) and Omer Yurtseven (Georgetown).
   Creighton's Doug McDermott took home the Oscar Robertson Trophy as men's national player of the year following the 2013-14 season.
   The 2019-20 Oscar Robertson Trophy will be presented at the NCAA Final Four in Atlanta in April. The winner will be also be honored at the annual USBWA Awards Luncheon at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis on Mon., April 13, 2020.

Wrecked 'Em
Before Creighton scored 83 points on Nov. 29, Texas Tech had allowed only one team to score more than 80 points since the start of last year -- 85 by Virginia in the 2019 NCAA Tournament title game.
   Creighton's 46 points in the first half tied the most by any TTU foe in a half since the start of last season, something only Kansas did (in Lawrence).
   Creighton's 51.7 percent shooting was the best by a Texas Tech opponent since Oklahoma State shot 52.2 percent on Feb. 21, 2018. The Red Raiders had played 53 games since then before facing CU.

Decade of Doug
What a decade it was for Creighton.
   Doug McDermott, the nation's only three-time First Team All-American last decade, led a host of statistical categories since January 1, 2010. That includes CU's most points (3,150) and rebounds (1,087).
   In fact, on December 12 NBCSports.com named McDermott as its National Player of the Decade.
   Creighton went 231-120 during the last decade, the most wins in any decade in program history. CU won 229 games from Jan. 1, 2000 - Dec. 31, 2009.
   A full list of Creighton's statistical leaders can be found on page 14 of these notes.

Among The Nation's Best
Below is where Creighton ranks nationally since Greg McDermott was hired in 2010, per Basketball-Reference.com.
2010-11 through Jan. 19, 2020
Category   Stat   NCAA Rank
3FG Made   2,966   2nd
Assists   5,418   3rd
3FG Percentage   .384   4th
FG Percentage   .480   5th
FG Made   9,126   9th
Wins   221   30th
Winning Percentage   .660   37th

Release, Rotation, Splash, Repeat
Creighton has made at least one three-pointer in 870 straight games since a 59-53 loss at Illinois State on Feb. 20, 1993. The streak is the nation's 16th-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 1/19)
   Rk.   Streak   School   Next Game
   1.   1,090   UNLV   1/22
   2.   1,077   Duke   1/21
   3.   1,028   Arkansas   1/22
   4.   1,025   Western Kentucky   1/22
   5.   1,013   East Tennessee State   1/25
   6.   1,001   Pacific   1/23
   7.   989   Oakland   1/23
   8.   982   Texas   1/20
   9.   946   Princeton   1/26
   10.   934   Marshall   1/22
   11.   918   Baylor   1/20
   12.   907   Gonzaga   1/25
   13.   894   Long Island   1/20
   14.   874   Mount St. Mary's   1/20
   15.   873   Cornell   1/25
   16.   870   Creighton   1/22
   17.   863   Tennessee State   1/23
   18.   860   East Carolina   1/22

Playing With The Lead
Including its Nov. 5 win over Kennesaw State, Creighton hasn't trailed in its home opener in 10 of the past 20 seasons (2000-01, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2009-10, 2011-12, 2014-15, 2016-17 and 2019-20).
   In 288 games at CHI Health Center Omaha all-time, Creighton has not trailed in 81 of those contests, a staggering 28.1 percent of the time.
     Under Greg McDermott at home, Creighton is
140-33 and hasn't trailed in 56 of those games.

Home Run
Since Greg McDermott took over in 2010, Creighton is averaging 80.97 points per home game (14,008 points in 173 home games), a figure that climbs to 84.99 points in non-conference home games (7,564 points in 89 home games).
   Creighton is 111-5 all-time at CHI Health Center Omaha when scoring 80 or points.

Sophomore Scorers
Marcus Zegarowski scored a career-high 32 points in the Nov. 29 victory over Texas Tech, becoming the latest Bluejay sophomore to pile up the points. He then added 30 points on Dec. 7 vs. Nebraska.
   Each of the last three Creighton players to score 30 or more points have done it as a sophomore. Besides Zegarowski vs. Texas Tech and Nebraska, Mitch Ballock had 39 points vs. DePaul last season, and Ty-Shon Alexander added 36 vs. No. 16 Clemson on Nov. 21, 2018.
   In addition to Zegarowski, Ballock and Alexander, one other player on the Bluejay roster has scored 30 or more points. That player is Denzel Mahoney, who scored 30+ points twice as a sophomore at Southeast Missouri State in 2017-18, and once as a freshman in 2016-17 with the Redhawks.
   Creighton's last non-sophomore to score 30 points or more was then-senior Marcus Foster's 32 points vs. UT Arlington on Dec. 18, 2017.

Australia Recap
Creighton got a head start on the 2019-20 season with a trip to Australia from August 1-13. The Bluejays spent the majority of their time in Sydney, Cairns and the Gold Coast, and went 2-1 in three games while Down Under.
   Five men averaged in double-figures in CU's three games, led by Mitch Ballock (18.3 ppg.), Christian Bishop (15.7 ppg.) and Davion Mintz (13.3 ppg.).
   Among the activities on the adventurous trip were climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge, SCUBA diving and snorkeling along the Great Barrier Reef, a visit to Hartley's Crocodile Farm, zip lining and a high ropes course at the Tree Top Challenge and whitewater rafting.
   For photos, videos and diaries from the trip, visit https://gocreighton.com/JaysDownUnder.

Foreign Tours Lead To Early Success
Creighton is coming off a trip to Australia in August, which it hopes will prepare the team for early victories as past trips have done.
   This year's team is off to a 14-5 start after going to Australia in August.
   A 2015 trip to Italy helped the Bluejays start the season 5-1.
   A 2011 trip to the Bahamas helped get the Bluejays ready for a 7-0 start.
   A 2007 trip to Canada paid dividends as Creighton started 5-0.
   In 2003, the Bluejays also went to Canada and started the subsequent season 12-0.

Where In The World Is Ty-Shon Alexander?
Basketball took Ty-Shon Alexander all over the globe this summer.
   The Charlotte, N.C., native stayed in Omaha for much of the summer before heading to the Chris Paul CP3 Elite Guard Camp in mid-July in Winston-Salem, N.C. Alexander then went to Providence, R.I., for USA Basketball training camp from July 21-26.
   The team, which consisted solely current and former of BIG EAST players, then departed for Lima, Peru, where it played five games in five days from July 31-Aug. 4 and won the bronze medal.
   Alexander then boarded a plane in Lima and flew nine hours to Los Angeles, Calif., where he had about two hours to change terminals and get through customs to board a 15 hour flight from Los Angeles to Sydney, Australia.
   Upon arriving in Sydney, the jet-lagged junior once again had to clear customs and met the Creighton team at the gate as it was boarding a three-hour flight to Cairns.
   Not surprisingly, minutes for a tired and travel-weary Alexander were closely monitored during the team's final two games in Australia.

Alexander Gets Preseason Hype
League coaches didn't give Ty-Shon Alexander anything more than Honorable Mention All-BIG EAST acclaim following last season, but don't tell that to the publishers of Street & Smith's.
   The magazine named Alexander as a Preseason Second Team All-American in its annual basketball issue.
   Alexander was also named to the John R. Wooden Award Preseason Watch List, the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award Watch List and was a Preseason First Team All-BIG EAST choice.

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's largest comeback to win this season is nine, as the Jays overcame an early 17-8 hole to defeat North Florida on Nov. 24.
   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, CU 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

Getting Votes A Good Sign
Creighton received four votes in the Associated Press preseason poll, good for 40th place.
   It's the fifth time that Creighton has picked up votes in the preseason poll under Greg McDermott. Each of the first four times that's happened, the Bluejays would finish top three in the league, reach the finals of the conference tournament, and play in the NCAA Tournament.
Preseason Poll Votes Under Greg McDermott
Year   Preseason Rank   League Finish   NCAA's?
2011-12   34th   2nd, MVC   Yes
2012-13   16th   1st, MVC   Yes
2013-14   27th   2nd, BIG EAST   Yes
2016-17   22nd   T-3rd, BIG EAST   Yes
2019-20   40th   TBD   TBD

#ProJays
Creighton has five NBA players on NBA contracts as Kyle Korver (Milwaukee Bucks), Anthony Tolliver (Sacramento Kings), Doug McDermott (Indiana Pacers, Justin Patton (Oklahoma City Thunder) and Khyri Thomas (Detroit Pistons) are all in the league.
   Including 2019-20, Creighton has now had an NBA player in 36 of the last 37 years.
   Korver ranks fourth in NBA history with 2,414 three-pointers and is eighth in league history with 42.91 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. Korver is shooting 42.6 percent from three-point range this season (13th in the NBA) and averages 6.3 points per game. Korver became Creighton's all-time leading scorer in NBA play on January 14 vs. New York with a three-pointer to surpass Paul Silas' previous high of 11,782 points.
   Tolliver is averaging 3.9 points and 3.3 rebounds per game this season. He was traded from Portland to Sacramento on January 18th.
   McDermott is in his sixth season in the NBA, and second with the Indiana Pacers. He is averaging 10.0 points and 2.7 rebounds per game this year while shooting 44.6 percent from three-point range (fourth-best in the NBA this season). He also ranks 18th in NBA history in career three-point percentage (.4110). On January 4, 2020, McDermott joined Lionel Simmons, Hersey Hawkins, Freeman Williams and Pete Maravich as the only men to score 3,000 or more points in the NBA and at the Division I level.
   Patton is on his fourth organization since being the 16th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls. He signed with the Thunder in August and has played in five games this season for Oklahoma City, averaging 1.8 points per game in limited minutes. He has also spent time with the OKC Blue in the G-League, where he plays for former Bluejay Grant Gibbs.
   Thomas 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 who has played in two games this winter for Detroit, but underwent foot surgery on Nov. 13th that will sideline him for six weeks.

Downtown Duo
Creighton is one of two schools that return a pair of players who each made 95 or more three-pointers at their current school last season, joining UTSA.
   Creighton's Ty-Shon Alexander drained 97 triples last year, two more than Mitch Ballock's 95.
   UTSA's dynamic duo includes Keaton Wallace (121) and Jhivvan Jackson (104).
   Creighton made a school-record 372 three-pointers a year ago, which ranked tied for fifth nationally.

Going For 20, Again
Creighton has won 20 or more games in 19 of the previous 21 seasons, 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 21 years: Duke, Gonzaga and Kansas.    Kentucky and Florida have done it in 20 of the last 21 seasons.
   Creighton and Syracuse each are in the 19-of-21 seasons club.
Most 20-Win Seasons, Last 21 Years
Team   20-Win Seasons   2018-19 W-L
Gonzaga   21   33-4
Duke   21   32-6
Kansas   21   26-10
Kentucky   20   30-7
Florida   20   20-16
Creighton   19   20-15
Syracuse   19   20-14

CHI Health Center Omaha Success
Creighton has played 288 regular and postseason contests at CHI Health Center Omaha all-time in the 17-year-old facility.
   The Bluejays own a 237-51 (.823) record all-time at the facility, and have never lost there on a Friday (19-0).
   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 22,502-18,876 in games at CHI Health Center Omaha, an average margin of 12.59 points per game. Creighton has not trailed 81 different times.
   Creighton is also 28-30 all-time in the 58 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 35-25 when trailing at halftime at CHI Health Center Omaha.
   Creighton is 140-33 (.809) at CHI Health Center Omaha under Greg McDermott, including an 83-6 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 256-51 (.834) at home since the start of the 2002-03 campaign.

Full House
Creighton is averaging 16,959 fans per home game this season, good for fifth place nationally.
   Last year marked the 14th straight season that CU has been among the nation's top 25 in average home attendance, and the eighth straight season in the top-10.
2019-20 Average Home Attendance Leaders (1/19)
   Rk.   School   Average   Next Home
   1.   Kentucky   20,032   1/21
   2.   Syracuse   19,538   1/25
   3.   North Carolina   19,278   1/25
   4.   Tennessee   19,015   1/21
   5.   Creighton   16,959   1/26
   6.   Wisconsin   16,738   1/21
   7.   Kansas   16,475   1/21
   8.   Louisville   16,096   1/22
   9.   Memphis   16,045   1/25
   10.   Indiana   15,762   1/23

McDermott Ranks Second On CU Wins List
Greg McDermott currently has 221 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.   221-114   Greg McDermott    2010-Pres.
3.   165-66   Arthur A. Schabinger    1922-1935
4.   138-118   John J. "Red" McManus    1959-1969
5.   130-64   Tom Apke   1974-1981

Top-20 Crowds
Here's a look at Creighton's top-20 home crowds all-time, which features five games from last year. Last 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

Some Loyal Fans
Creighton has played in front of more than 300,000 fans at home in each of the past two seasons.
   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 previous 16 seasons entering 2019-20.
   Creighton has led its conference in average home attendance every year since moving into CHI Health Center Omaha, which is in its 17th season.
Highest Average Attendance, Creighton History
   Avg. Att.   School   Year
   17,896   Creighton   2013-14
   17,413   Creighton   2016-17
   17,155   Creighton   2012-13
   17,048   Creighton   2014-15
   17,000   Creighton   2017-18

Creighton's Most Home Fans, Season
Rk.   Year   G   Attendance   Average
1.   2017-18   18   306,000   17,000
2.   2018-19   19   303,629   15,980
3.   2015-16   19   302,887   15,941
4.   2008-09   19   302,676   15,930
5.   2010-11   22   297,161   13,507

Ticket Information
Single-game tickets for the 2019-20 season went on sale on October 14th.
   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.

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 (per WarrenNolan.com) in every season since 2000-01, as seen below:
BIG EAST in Conference RPI Rankings
2000-01:   3rd
2001-02:   3rd
2002-03:   5th
2003-04:   4th
2004-05:   2nd
2005-06:   3rd
2006-07:   5th
2007-08:   5th
2008-09:   4th
2009-10:   3rd
2010-11:   1st
2011-12:   2nd
2012-13:   2nd
2013-14:   4th
2014-15:   3rd
2015-16:   4th
2016-17:   3rd
2017-18:   2nd
2018-19   5th
2019-20:   2nd

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Ty-Shon Alexander

Mitch Ballock

Christian Bishop

Jett Canfield

Damien Jefferson

Martin Krampelj

Denzel Mahoney

Davion Mintz

Shereef Mitchell

Marcus Zegarowski