Men's Basketball Starts Road Trip With Game at No. 8 Villanova

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Game #22: Creighton Bluejays at #8 Villanova Wildcats
Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020 • 11:00 a.m. CST
Wells Fargo Center (20,456) • Philadelphia, Pa.
Radio: KOZN 1620 AM; www.1620thezone.com
Television: FS1 (Brian Custer, Len Elmore)
Series History: Villanova leads, 14-3
Last Meeting: #16 Villanova 64, Creighton 59 on Jan. 7, 2020 in Omaha, Neb.
LIVE VIDEO | LIVE AUDIO | LIVE STATS | TICKETS

Next Game
Creighton (16-5, 5-3 BIG EAST) closes the first half of conference play with a road game at defending league champion and No. 8 Villanova (17-3, 7-1 BIG EAST).
   Tip-off at Wells Fargo Center (20,456) in Philadelphia, Pa., is scheduled for 11 a.m. CST.

Radio Broadcast Information
KOZN (1620 AM) will broadcast all Creighton men's basketball games during the 2019-20 season. KOOO (101.9 FM) also broadcasts all home games.
   John Bishop and former Bluejay Ross Ferrarini will call the action. The audio is also webcast live at www.1620thezone.com.

Television Broadcast Information
Saturday's tilt will be televised nationally on FS1. Brian Custer joins Len Elmore on the call.

Video Webcast Information
Live streaming video of Saturday's game will be available via FOXSportsGo.com for desktop users, and via the FOX Sports Go app for mobile devices (iOS, Android, Kindle Fire tablets and Fire phones and select Window devices). A cable authorization may be required.
   The FOX Sports GO mobile app can be downloaded for free from the iTunes App Store, Google Play, Amazon App Store or the Windows Store, and the games are now available internationally.

Live Stats Information
All of Creighton's games this season will have free live stats. Visit www.gocreighton.com and click on the small bar graph icon on the scoreboard at the top of the page for the event of your choosing.
   Home games can also be followed by those who have mobile devices with internet capability at www.gocreightonstats.com.

Scouting Creighton
Creighton is 16-5 overall and 5-3 in the BIG EAST. The Bluejays are riding a three-game winning streak and are tied for third place in the league race.
   Creighton ranks tied for sixth nationally with five Quadrant 1 wins this season thanks to victories over No. 12 Texas Tech (83-76 in OT on Nov. 29), Arizona State (67-60 on Dec. 21), Marquette (92-75 on Jan. 1), at Xavier (77-65 on Jan. 11) and at DePaul (83-68 on Jan. 22).
   CU returns five of its top six scorers from a year ago, a group led by guards Marcus Zegarowski (16.3 ppg., 5.1 apg.), Ty-Shon Alexander (16.5 ppg., 5.5 rpg.) and Mitch Ballock (12.9 ppg., 5.4 rpg.). The trio have accounted for 163 three-pointers and 58.9 percent of CU's overall points thus far.
   Three other forwards to keep an eye on are Christian Bishop (8.6 ppg., 5.7 rpg.), Damien Jefferson (8.6 ppg., 5.3 rpg.) and Denzel Mahoney (12.3 ppg.).

Scouting Villanova
Ranked No. 8 nationally, Villanova is 17-3 on the season and 7-1 in BIG EAST play. The Wildcats have won seven in a row, a streak that started with a 64-59 win in Omaha on January 7th.
   Six players account for 94.6 percent of Villanova's scoring and 87.8 percent of the minutes. That group is led by Saddiq Bey (15.3 ppg., 5.3 rpg.), Collin Gillespie (15.2 ppg., 4.7 apg.) and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (11.3 ppg., 9.7 rpg.), with Justin Moore (10.8 ppg.), Jermaine Samuels (11.1 ppg., 5.0 rpg.) and Cole Swider (7.8 ppg.) not far behind.
   The Wildcats average 74.6 points per game and allow 65.8 points per contest. VU shoots 44.5 percent from the floor, 35.3 percent from downtown and 78.2 percent at the line while out-rebounding teams by 2.6 caroms per contest.

The Series With Villanova
Villanova leads the all-time series with Creighton, 14-3, including an 8-1 record 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 February of 2018.
   Two of the last four meetings have gone to overtime, including last year's game at Finneran Pavilion.
   Greg McDermott is 3-11 against Villanova and Jay Wright. Wright is 11-3 versus Creighton.

The Creighton Coaches
Greg McDermott (Northern Iowa, 1988) is in his 10th year as head coach at Creighton. He is 223-114 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 503-309 in his 26th season and is 372-245 in his 19th Division I campaign. Alan Huss, Paul Lusk and Terrence Rencher assist McDermott.

The Cats Meow
Villanova has the second-best win percentage in the country since the start of the 2013-14 season, which coincides with the reconfiguration of the BIG EAST. Villanova is 208-34 (.860), just behind a Gonzaga program that is 215-30 (.878).
   Of the 75 different schools to play Villanova in that time, only 21 have actually beaten the Wildcats.
   Creighton is one of eight schools to post multiple victories over the Wildcats in that time. Creighton, Marquette and Butler each have three victories over Villanova, one fewer than Seton Hall's four.

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 465 victories in 19 seasons. That's an average of 24.47 wins per season (counting this season and this year's wins) for Wright, and a .723 winning percentage in that time.
   His counterpart on Saturday, Creighton's Greg McDermott, owns a record of 223-114 in his 10 seasons with the Bluejays, an average of 22.30 wins per season. McDermott owns a .662 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 21 games of his 10th season at Villanova, Wright owned 220 wins and had been to six NCAA Tournaments at VU, while McDermott owns 223 wins and has coached CU to five NCAA bids to this point.
   Wright had a 226-111 record after exactly 337 games with the Wildcats, while McDermott is 223-114 at Creighton thus far.

Live By The 3, Thrive By The 3
Few teams in the country have made as many three-pointers in the last seven seasons as the team's featured in Saturday's match-up. Villanova leads the nation in that category with 2,324 trifectas, while Creighton is sixth with 2,113.
   Creighton is 0-11 all-time when making eight three-pointers or less against Villanova, but 3-3 when making nine or more trifectas. CU has hit 42-of-79 treys (53.2%) in the three wins, but 78-of-250 triples (31.2%) in the 11 losses.
   Villanova has made nine or more three-pointers against Creighton in 10-of-14 meetings as BIG EAST rivals, but in each of its losses made 10 or more shots from downtown.
   Creighton is 21-2 in its last 23 games when attempting 15 or fewer three-pointers, with one of those losses coming on January 7th when the Jays were 3-of-14 from deep vs. Villanova.
   Since Greg McDermott was hired, Creighton has made 2,987 three-pointers in 337 games. With 13 treys on Saturday, the Bluejays will be the second team to reach 3,000 trifectas since the start of the 2010-11 season, trailing only Belmont (3,151).
Most 3FG Made Since 2013-14 (thru 1/28/2020)
Rk.   Team   3FG   Games
1.   Villanova   2,324   242
2.   Belmont   2,236   218
3.   North Florida   2,178   223
4.   Akron   2,155   226
5.   Citadel   2,120   209
6.   Creighton   2,113   227
7.   Central Michigan   2,109   218
8.   Purdue-Fort Wayne   2,098   222
   Iona   2,098   218
10.   Michigan   2,085   241

Nova's Last Setback of 2017-18 Was Creighton Villanova went 36-4 in 2017-18 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. That remains the last time that CU defeated Nova.
   The loss was Villanova's only setback that season at full strength, as the Wildcats were missing Collin Gillespie, Eric Paschall or Phil Booth in each of their other three losses.

The Race To 70
Creighton has scored 70 or more points in 15 of its 16 victories this season, and is 15-1 when reaching that plateau this winter.
   Creighton has averaged 95.3 points in three all-time wins over Villanova, but just 63.21 in 14 losses against the Wildcats.
   Villanova has surrendered 65.8 points per game this season.
   On the other hand, Creighton is 9-1 this season when allowing fewer than 70 points. The lone loss came to Villanova, which defeated the Jays 64-59 on January 7th.

Ranking News & Notes
Villanova is ranked No. 8 in this week's AP poll. Some notes of interest as it pertains to Creighton and ranked foes...
- Creighton is 34-147 all-time (1-2 this year) against nationally-ranked teams in the Associated Press poll, and 11-15 since the start of the 2016-17 season vs. ranked foes. Nationally, Creighton owns the 18th-best win percentage against top-25 teams among schools who have played 25+ games against ranked competition in that time.
- Creighton is 16-32 under Greg McDermott against nationally-ranked teams, nine more top-25 wins than any other coach in Creighton history. Prior to McDermott's arrival, Creighton was 18-115 all-time against top-25 foes.
- Creighton has beaten at least one top-12 team each of the last five seasons (including 2019-20). On a national basis, the only 12 teams with a top-12 win each of the last five seasons (including 2019-20) are Creighton, Duke, Florida, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, Texas Tech, Villanova, Virginia, Virginia Tech, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
- Creighton has beaten at least one ranked team in each of the last seven seasons (including 2019-20), and multiple ranked foes in each of the previous five years (but has only one so far in 2019-20).
- Creighton has beaten at least one top-25 team each of the last seven years (including 2019-20). On a national basis, the only 25 teams with a top-25 win each of the last seven seasons (including 2019-20) are Baylor, Cincinnati, Clemson, Creighton, Duke, Florida State, Indiana, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Kentucky, Louisville, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Oregon, Seton Hall, South Carolina, Syracuse, Temple, Texas Tech, Villanova, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
   Four other teams had top-25 wins each of the previous six years and are still seeking a top-25 victory this winter: North Carolina State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Xavier.
- Creighton is 11-15 since the start of the 2016-17 season against ranked teams. The 11 wins over ranked teams in that time is tied for 22nd nationally, and trails only Villanova (19) and Seton Hall (12) among BIG EAST clubs.
- Creighton's four top-25 road wins since the start of 2016-17 are tied for fifth-most nationally. Only Duke (8), Virginia (8), Kansas (5) and Michigan State (5) own more than four.
- Creighton is 0-6 all-time against teams ranked exactly eighth, but the Jays haven't faced a team ranked eighth since 1972.
- Creighton meets No. 8 Villanova on Saturday. Ironically, Creighton's first game ever against a ranked team was a January 3, 1951 road game at No. 8 Villanova.
- Three of Creighton's last six games against top-25 competition have gone to overtime. Creighton is 4-11 all-time in overtime versus top-25 foes.

In Chart Form
Most Top-25 Road Wins Since 2016-17
Rk.   Wins   Team
1.   8   Duke
   8   Virginia
3.   5   Kansas
   5   Michigan State
5.   4   Creighton
   4   Gonzaga
   4   Iowa State
   4   North Carolina
   4   Villanova
   4   Florida State
   4   Wisconsin
   4   Louisville
   4   Baylor

Best Win Percentage vs. Top-25 Since 2016-17
(Minimum 25 games)
Rk.   Pct.   W-L   Team
1.   .679   19-9   Villanova
2.   .659   27-14   Duke
3.   .647   22-12   Virginia
4.   .632   24-14   Kansas
5.   .618   21-13   Florida State
6.   .594   19-13   Michigan State
7.   .559   19-15   Michigan
8.   .558   24-19   North Carolina
9.   .545   18-15   Kentucky
10.   .545   18-15   Texas Tech
11.   .486   17-18   Purdue
12.   .481   13-14   South Carolina
13.   .471   16-18   Baylor
14.   .438   14-18   West Virginia
15.   .433   13-17   Iowa
16.   .429   12-16   Seton Hall
17.   .424   14-19   Florida
18.   .423   11-15   Creighton
19.   .394   13-20   Iowa State
20.   .379   11-18   Kansas State

Endless Range In Philly in 2014
Creighton set BIG EAST and school-records that still stand with 21 three-point baskets in a 28-point win at No. 4 Villanova in 2014.
   Creighton's previous mark was 20, done vs. Chattanooga in 2005. The previous BIG EAST mark was 20, done by West Virginia vs. Marquette in 2006 and matched by Notre Dame vs. Villanova in 2011.
   The 21 three-pointers remain the most by one team in a game between major conference teams since Kentucky made 21 vs. North Carolina on Dec. 27, 1989.
   Creighton broke the Wells Fargo Center record for three-pointers by a Villanova opponent late in the first half (the old mark was 12), and also set a mark for most points against 'Nova at the Wells Fargo Center with 96, passing the old mark of 90.

What A Start!
Creighton made a three-pointer on each of its first nine possessions in its 2014 win at No. 4 Villanova. Creighton started the game 7-for-7 from deep, missed a two-pointer but turned an offensive rebound into another trey, and then sank a trifecta on its ninth trip, as well.
   That brings to mind all sorts of fun stats.
-According to Ken Pomeroy, Creighton became the first team since Indiana State in 2012 to make its first nine attempts from three-point range in a game. Pomeroy found evidence of six teams in the previous five years to make their first nine attempts from downtown.
-Pomeroy's research also indicated that Creighton was the only team in the previous five years to make nine straight three's without any other scores to start a game.
-Pomeroy also found that Creighton was the second team in the previous five years to score each of its first 30 points via the three-pointer. Miami (Ohio) had its first 33 points vs. Western Michigan on Jan. 28, 2012.
-Subsequent research by the Omaha World-Herald determined that of Creighton's 21 three-pointers, 17 were made from behind the NBA three-point line that was on the Wells Fargo Center floor.

Moving On Up
Creighton was 56 in the initial NET rankings released on Dec. 16, and that figure has surged to 22 after games against Oklahoma, Arizona State, Marquette, Butler, Villanova, Xavier (2x), Georgetown, Providence and DePaul (and Midland, which isn't factored into the NET) since then.
   Each of Creighton's final 10 regular-season games are against teams that currently own a top-78 NET rating, including No. 11 Villanova.
   Creighton owns a 5-5 mark in Quadrant 1 games and is 10-0 in contests in Quadrant 2, 3 or 4 games. Villanova's rating means that Saturday will be a Quadrant 1 game.
   As of the January 29th NET update, only eight teams have played 10 or more games against Quad 1 opponents: Kansas (11), Seton Hall (11), Wisconsin (11), Minnesota (11), Iowa State (10), Creighton (10), Butler (10) and Michigan (10).
   Creighton's five Quadrant 1 wins are tied for sixth in the nation, trailing only Kansas (8), Seton Hall (7), Baylor (6), Butler (6) and Iowa (6).
   Creighton's three Quad 1 road wins rank tied for third-most nationally, trailing only Seton Hall (5) and Kansas (4).

Not An Inside Job
Creighton defeated Xavier last Sunday, 77-66, despite being outscored 36-16 in the paint.
   It was the first time that Creighton won any game despite being outscored by 20 points or more in the paint since a 74-73 NIT win over Rhode Island on March 18, 2008.
   Creighton lost the rebound battle 45-28 to Xavier. It was CU's first victory when losing the rebound battle by 17 or more since a 75-69 win over East Tennessee State on Nov. 11, 2018.
   And speaking of rebounding, how about this oddity unearthed by Bluejay broadcaster John Bishop: Creighton has lost the offensive rebound battle in each of the last 19 games, but gone 15-4 in those contests. That has come after CU had more offensive rebounds than its opponent in each of the first two games this winter, and each of its final three games a season ago.

Foul Stripe Fun
Creighton has made 20 or more free throws in each of its last three games, sinking 20 vs. Providence, 23 vs. DePaul and 20 vs. Xavier.
   It's the first time that Creighton has made 20 or more foul shots since Nov. 16-22, 2008. CU hasn't made 20 free throws in four straight games since Jan. 30, 1989 - Feb. 6, 1989.
   This season, Creighton has made 130 free throws in BIG EAST play, while its opponents have attempted just 113 (making 86). CU's 130 free throws were tied for the most in BIG EAST play this season after games of Jan. 28.

History After 21 Games
Creighton has started 16-5 to date. It's the ninth time in the past 18 seasons that Creighton has won at least 16 of its first 21 games.
   Of the eight most recent teams to start 16-5 or better, six made the NCAA Tournament and two reached the NIT.
   This is the sixth time under Greg McDermott that Creighton has started 16-5 or better after exactly 20 games. All five previous teams would advance to the NCAA Tournament.

Bishop For The Block
Christian Bishop has had at least one blocked shot in each of Creighton's last seven games.
   He's the first Bluejay to do that since Justin Patton had a stretch of 13 straight games with a rejection from Nov. 29, 2016 through Jan. 16, 2017.
   Bishop's streak of seven straight games with a block is tied for the second-longest active streak in the BIG EAST through games of January 28th. He trails only DePaul's Paul Reed (26), is tied with Reed's freshman teammate, Romeo Weems (7).

Toe The Line
Ty-Shon Alexander ranks second in the BIG EAST in free throw percentage, draining 88-of-103 attempts (85.4 percent).
   Alexander has been to the line 23 times over his past two games, shooting 12 foul shots at DePaul and then attempting 11 more tries vs. Xavier.
   Alexander is the first Bluejay to shoot 10 or more free throws in consecutive games since Doug McDermott did it in back-to-back games vs. Tulsa (15 attempts) and Arizona State (10) in November of 2013-14. McDermott would go on to earn BIG EAST and National Player of the Year recognition that season.
   Alexander has attempted 11 free throws in Creighton's five losses (2.2 attempts per loss), and 92 foul shots in CU's 16 victories (5.75 attempts per win).
   Creighton is 8-0 this season when Alexander attempts six or more free throws this season and has won the last 12 games dating to last season when that has happened.

Win Over Xavier Completes BIG EAST Sweep
Sunday's victory over Xavier means that Creighton has now swept both regular-season meetings against all nine opponents in the BIG EAST at least once since the league's reconfiguration in 2013-14.
   Besides Creighton, the only other school that can claim that is Villanova.
   Since the league's reconfiguration only two teams have won both regular-season meetings in the same year against Villanova even once.
   Creighton did it in 2013-14, while Butler did so in 2016-17.

All's Well At Wells Fargo
Creighton has certainly seen some extremes during its recent trips to Wells Fargo Center.
   Creighton closed its run as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference during the 2013 NCAA Tournament at Wells Fargo Center. The Bluejays defeated BIG EAST member Cincinnati (67-63) in the Second Round before dropping to No. 6 Duke, 66-50, in the Third Round. Creighton shot just 2-of-19 from three-point range in the loss, scoring a season-low 50 points.
   In 2013-14, Creighton made a Wells Fargo Center record 21 three-pointers in a 28-point win over then-No. 4 Villanova.
   In 2018 against top-ranked Villanova at Wells Fargo Center, Creighton lost 98-78 as the Wildcats drained a program-record 19-of-39 three-point shots.

Ballock Reaches 200 Treys
Mitch Ballock leads Creighton with 65 three-point baskets this season, which gives him 204 in his Bluejay career. That puts him in seventh place in program history in that category, just two behind Jahenns Manigat (2010-14) for sixth.
   Ballock has joined Kyle Korver and Ethan Wragge as the only Bluejays to reach that milestone as juniors.
   Ballock ranks 15th nationally with 65 three-pointers made and 10th in three-point percentage (.451), one of four players nationally in the top-15 of both categories.
   Also moving into the top-10 in program history on Sunday was junior guard Ty-Shon Alexander. He's tied for 10th with Duan Cole (1987-92) with 177.
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.   204   Mitch Ballock   2017-Pres.
   8.   200   Nate Funk   2002-07
   9.   185   Matt Roggenburk   1986-90
   10.   177   Duan Cole   1987-92
       177   Ty-Shon Alexander   2017-Pres.
   12.   171   Isaiah Zierden   2013-17

You Can Only Hope To Contain Him
Mitch Ballock has made a three-pointer in each of his last 20 games, tied for the ninth-longest streak in program history with a three-pointer. The only BIG EAST player with a longer active streak is Villanova's Collin Gillespie (23).
   Creighton is 9-0 this season when Ballock makes four or more three-pointers.
   Ballock (20) is one of four current Bluejays to have compiled a streak of 19 or longer straight games at some point in their college career, joining Ty-Shon Alexander (33), Marcus Zegarowski (20) and Denzel Mahoney (19 at Southeast Missouri State).
    It's worth noting that Kyle Korver's third-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 then-head coach Steve Merfeld).
   Consecutive Games With a 3FG, Creighton History
   Streak   Name   Dates
   33   Ty-Shon Alexander   2/27/18 to 3/6/19
   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
   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
   20   Marcus Zegarowski   2/20/19 to 12/17/19
20   Mitch Ballock   11/12/19 to Present

Iron Man Mitch
Junior Mitch Ballock leads the BIG EAST with 36.10 minutes per game, a number that soars to 38.25 minutes per contest in league play, as he's played all but 14 minutes in CU's first eight league games. CU is the nation's only team with three men averaging 34.6 minutes per game or more, but no Bluejay has led a conference in minutes per game (all games) since at least 1996-97.
   Saturday's tilt in Philadelphia features five of the league's top nine players in minutes per game.
   Rank   Name, Team   G   MIN   MPG
   1.   Mitch Ballock, CU   21   758   36.10
   2.   Charlie Moore, DPU   20   710   35.50
   3.   Marcus Zegarowski, CU   21   731   34.81
   4.   Ty-Shon Alexander, CU   21   728   34.67
   5.   Naji Marshall, XU   19   649   34.16
   6.   Paul Scruggs, XU   19   637   33.53
   7.   Saddiq Bey, VU   20   667   33.35
       Paul Reed, DPU   20   667   33.35
   9.   Collin Gillespie, VU   19   663   33.15
   10.   Sacar Anim, MU   20   661   33.05

Pink Out Sets Records
In addition to bringing nationwide attention to the fight against cancer during last weekend's Creighton vs. Cancer Pink Out, the Bluejays also raised $60,000 (nearly $32,000 in the jersey auction and more than $28,000 via in-person donations or on-line).
   Nationally, the Suits and Sneakers fundraising campaign has raised nearly $115,000 in the last few weeks. More than half of that has come in support of the Creighton vs. Cancer Pink Out.
   Additional donations are still being accepted at GoCreighton.com/HopeLodge. The CU women's basketball team's Pink Out auction begins Thursday, Jan. 30 at GoCreighton.com/PinkOutAuction.

The Chase For .500
Currently 5-3 in the BIG EAST, Creighton will own a winning percentage over .500 at the midway point in league play for the 22nd time in the past 24 seasons.
   Entering this season Creighton has gone 5-4 or better in the second half of league action in 20 of the last 24 years.
   Entering this season Creighton has made the postseason each of the 20 most recent times it's been 5-4 or better at the midway point, and missed one of the two times it wasn't in that span.
   Here's how Creighton's teams have fared in the various halves of the MVC/BIG EAST season since 1995-96.
Year   1st Half   2nd Half
2019-20   5-3 so far   TBD
2018-19   4-5   5-4
2017-18   6-3   4-5
2016-17   6-3   4-5
2015-16   5-4   4-5
2014-15   1-8   3-6
2013-14   8-1   6-3
2012-13   7-2   6-3
2011-12   8-1   6-3
2010-11   5-4   5-4
2009-10   5-4   5-4
2008-09   5-4   9-0
2007-08   5-4   5-4
2006-07   6-3   7-2
2005-06   7-2   5-4
2004-05   5-4   6-3
2003-04   7-2   5-4
2002-03   8-1   7-2
2001-02   8-1   6-3
2000-01   5-4   9-0
1999-00   5-4   6-3
1998-99   6-3   5-4
1997-98   5-4   7-2
1996-97   5-4   5-4
1995-96   4-5   5-4
Total   141-83 (.629)   135-81 (.625)

CHI Health Center Omaha Dramatics
Marcus Zegarowski's go-ahead three-pointer with 3.2 seconds left on Jan. 18th 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 Jan. 18th, 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

Sweet Home (Away From Home) Chicago
Creighton has won at DePaul each of the last seven seasons (including 2019-20), just the second different opponent in program history that the Jays have beaten on the road in seven or more consecutive campaigns.
   Creighton also 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.

More Points = Better Results
Creighton has won just 3-of-14 meetings with Villanova since the schools became league rivals in the BIG EAST.
   It's probably not a coincidence that Creighton's 71.71 points per game average against the Wildcats is its third-fewest against any BIG EAST foe in that span.
PPG   Opponent   CU W-L
81.47   DePaul   14-1
77.92   Marquette   6-7
75.59   Xavier   9-8
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 61 career regular-season BIG EAST wins, which ranks 21st in league history, and four more victories than both Chris Mack and Mick Cronin.
    Of the 24 men with 50 or more regular-season BIG EAST wins, McDermott's .526 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.

200,00 Fans, Again
With 221,301 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.

A Grand For Alexander
With 24 points on Sunday vs. Xavier, Ty-Shon Alexander moved from 36th to 35th in Creighton history on the all-time scoring list with 1,063 points. He is 30 points behind Tim Powers (1964-67) for 35th place.
   Mitch Ballock owns 899 career points and is 16 points from joining the top 50. He's 22 points behind Jim Berry, who later coached Greg McDermott at Northern Iowa.
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.   1,063   Ty-Shon Alexander   2017-Pres.
   36.   1,050   Reggie Morris   1982-86
   37.   1,031   Johnny Mathies   2003-06
   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   899   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

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 60 active men's coaches across all levels, own 500 or more career victories. One of those men is Villanova's Jay Wright, who owns 587 career victories.
   Saturday will mark the first regular-season BIG EAST game when both coaches enter the contest with 500 or more wins since March 2, 2013, when Syracuse's Jim Boeheim squared off against Louisville's Rick Pitino. Boeheim was recognized with 922 wins and Pitino with 652 victories at the time of the game, though 111 of Boeheim's and 53 of Pitino's wins attained to that point were later vacated.
   The road team (Louisville) won that day in a game that saw Syracuse's Michael Carter-Williams finish with 11 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Carter-Williams is the brother of current Creighton guard Marcus Zegarowski.
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. 28, 2020)
Rank   W-L   Coach, Current School
   1.   1149-347   Mike Krzyzewski, Duke
   2.   959-393   Jim Boeheim, Syracuse
   3.   881-244   Roy Williams, North Carolina
   4.   876-365   Bob Huggins, West Virginia
   5.   775-511   Cliff Ellis, Coastal Carolina
   6.   723-213   John Calipari, Kentucky
   7.   704-372   Rick Barnes, Tennessee
   8.   697-214   Bill Self, Kansas
   9.   662-343   Dana Altman, Oregon
   10.   656-440   Jim Larranaga, Miami, FL
   11.   652-415   Lon Kruger, Oklahoma
   12.   632-326   Kelvin Sampson, Houston
   13.   623-472   Greg Kampe, Oakland
   14.   621-237   Tom Izzo, Michigan State
   15.   618-333   Tubby Smith, High Point
   16.   600-306   Steve Alford, Nevada
   17.   589-123   Mark Few, Gonzaga
   18.   588-359   Bob McKillop, Davidson
   19.   587-263   Jay Wright, Villanova
   20.   580-219   Bruce Pearl, Auburn
   21.   575-300   Danny Kaspar, Texas State
   22.   551-429   Leonard Hamilton, Florida State
   23.   541-326   Lennie Acuff, Lipscomb
   24.   527-281   Mike Brey, Notre Dame
   25.   519-199   Gregg Marshall, Wichita State
   26.   505-367   Jeff Jones, Old Dominion
   27.   503-309   Greg McDermott, Creighton

Bonus From The Bench
Denzel Mahoney scored a season-high 19 points in Creighton's game at Georgetown on Jan. 15.
   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.

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 3.0 points and 2.3 rebounds on 47.9 percent shooting in the first half, but 5.5 points and 3.2 rebounds per game after halftime on 64.5 percent shooting.
   Bishop has been held scoreless in the first half six times this season (Kennesaw State, North Florida, UTRGV, Arizona State, Xavier, Xavier), and Creighton has won all six games. In those six contests, he's averaged 8.0 points on 74.2 percent shooting from the field after the break, including three games where he's scored in double-digits.
   Creighton is 8-1 this season when Bishop scores in double-figures.

Multiple Choices
Creighton had five men score in double-figures on in BIG EAST road wins at Xavier (Jan. 11) and at DePaul (Jan. 22).
   It was the fourth and fifth times this season that the Bluejays have five or more men score 10 or more points in the same game.
   Creighton has won 10 straight games when five or more players score in double-digits.

Defending The Line
Creighton is holding foes to 29.1 percent shooting from three-point range, a key reason why the Bluejays have out-scored foes by 150 points behind the arc.
   Creighton held both Villanova (18.2%) and Xavier (19.2%) under 20 percent in early January, and have now held 15 consecutive foes under 40 percent from downtown.
   Bluejay opponents are shooting 27.5 percent from downtown when CU wins, but 34.3 percent from deep in CU losses.
   The 29.1 percent shooting from three-point range by CU opponents is on pace to be the 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 11 contests, Jefferson has averaged 9.6 points and 5.9 rebounds per game, while Mahoney checks in at 12.3 points and 3.5 rebounds per contest.
   Jefferson has scored nine or more points in eight of the last 10 games, while Mahoney has reached double-figures in nine of his 11 contests.
   Jefferson was 6-for-6 from the field on Jan. 22 at DePaul. It was the most attempts by a Creighton player without a miss since Jacob Epperson was 7-for-7 on Feb. 17, 2018 vs. Marquette.

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 117 assists and just 55 turnovers.
   Creighton's 11.1 turnovers per game is the best mark in the BIG EAST.
   Creighton is 7-0 this year when Ty-Shon Alexander does not have a turnover, and 6-0 when Christian Bishop plays turnover-free ball.

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 28th, Canfield is one of two players 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 109 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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Getting Defensive
Creighton has held 9-of-21 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 41.6 percent shooting (its' best since .407 in 2012-13), a figure that ranks 132nd-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 10 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 65 trifectas and 10 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 four 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 5.1 assists per game and adding 16.3 points 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.
   Zegarowski's 10 assists at DePaul on Jan. 22 tied his career-high, first done against DePaul on March 9, 2019.

Alexander The Great
Ty-Shon Alexander is second on the Creighton team in rebounds per game (5.5) and leads the way in points per game (16.5).
   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   16.5   5.5

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 163-for-398 (41.0 percent) as a group from deep.
   Alexander, Ballock and Zegarowski are one of three trios in the country with 48 or more three-pointers through games of January 28th, 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 65 or more three-pointers while shooting 44.8 percent or better from deep.
   Creighton is 17-3 all-time when Alexander, Ballock and Zegarowski all score in double-figures, including a 10-1 mark this winter with 10 straight victories. The trio had combined for at least 50 percent of Creighton's points in 18 of CU's last 22 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 16.3 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), Rick Apke (16.8 ppg. in 1975-76) and Bob Harstad (16.7 in 1988-89). McDermott and Buford are the top two career scorers in Creighton history, while Harstad is third.
   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   Bob Harstad   1988-89
   16.3   Marcus Zegarowski   2019-20
   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

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 16.5 points per game this season for Creighton, as well as 5.5 rebounds per game. The Charlotte, N.C., native is shooting 38.1 percent from three-point range and 85.4 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.

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. 28, 2020
Category   Stat   NCAA Rank
3FG Made   2,987   2nd
Assists   5,451   3rd
3FG Percentage   .384   4th
FG Percentage   .480   5th
FG Made   9,174   9th
Wins   223   30th
Winning Percentage   .662   T-35th

Triple Trouble
During Creighton's current streak of 872 straight games with a three-pointer, the Jays have drained 6,828 trifectas, an average of 7.83 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 239 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 243 consecutive contests (since 0-7 at Drake on 1/23/13).
   The Bluejays are also 15-1 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: 72 times   11: 49 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

Release, Rotation, Splash, Repeat
Creighton has made at least one three-pointer in 872 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 1/28)
   Rk.   Streak   School   Next Game
   1.   1,092   UNLV   2/1
   2.   1,079   Duke   2/1
   3.   1,030   Arkansas   1/29
   4.   1,027   Western Kentucky   1/30
   5.   1,014   East Tennessee State   1/29
   6.   1,003   Pacific   1/30
   7.   991   Oakland   1/31
   8.   984   Texas   1/29
   9.   947   Princeton   1/31
   10.   936   Marshall   1/30
   11.   920   Baylor   1/29
   12.   908   Gonzaga   1/30
   13.   896   Long Island   2/1
   14.   876   Mount St. Mary's   1/30
   15.   874   Cornell   1/31
   16.   872   Creighton   2/1
   17.   864   Tennessee State   1/30
   18.   862   East Carolina   1/29

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.

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 289 games at CHI Health Center Omaha all-time, Creighton has not trailed in 82 of those contests, a staggering 28.4 percent of the time.
     Under Greg McDermott at home, Creighton is
141-33 and hasn't trailed in 57 of those games.

Home Run
Since Greg McDermott took over in 2010, Creighton is averaging 80.95 points per home game (14,085 points in 174 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 16-5 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 Dallas Mavericks) and Khyri Thomas (Detroit Pistons) have all been 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 2,420 three-pointers and is ninth in league history with 42.92 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 42.9 percent from three-point range this season (12th in the NBA) and averages 6.5 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 3.6 points and 3.1 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 10.5 points and 2.7 rebounds per game this year while shooting 46.8 percent from three-point range (second-best in the NBA this season). He also ranks 17th in NBA history in career three-point percentage (.4157). 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 has spent time in five organizations since being the 16th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls. He signed with the Thunder in August and 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 played for former Bluejay Grant Gibbs. He was traded on January 24th to the Dallas Mavericks organization, then released, and has cleared waivers.
   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 and has not seen the NBA floor since.

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 289 regular and postseason contests at CHI Health Center Omaha all-time in the 17-year-old facility.
   The Bluejays own a 238-51 (.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 22,579-18,942 in games at CHI Health Center Omaha, an average margin of 12.58 points per game. Creighton has not trailed 82 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 141-33 (.810) 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 257-51 (.834) at home since the start of the 2002-03 campaign.

Full House
Creighton is averaging 17,023 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 (1/28)
   Rk.   School   Average   Next Home
   1.   Kentucky   20,041   1/29
   2.   Syracuse   19,859   2/1
   3.   North Carolina   19,463   2/1
   4.   Tennessee   18,742   2/8
   5.   Creighton   17,023   2/8
   6.   Wisconsin   16,750   2/1
   7.   Kansas   16,440   2/1
   8.   Memphis   16,132   2/1
   9.   Louisville   16,132   2/5
   10.   Indiana   15,971   2/8

McDermott Ranks Second On CU Wins List
Greg McDermott currently has 223 victories at Creighton, good for second place on CU's all-time wins list.
   McDermott's .662 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.   223-114   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
   17,023   Creighton   2019-20
   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:   1st

Men's Basketball Starts Road Trip With Game at No. 8 Villanova

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Ty-Shon Alexander

Mitch Ballock

Christian Bishop

Jett Canfield

Jacob Epperson

Damien Jefferson

Martin Krampelj

Denzel Mahoney

Davion Mintz

Shereef Mitchell

Marcus Zegarowski