#9 Men's Basketball Meets UConn For First Time on Sunday

Game #8: #9 Creighton Bluejays at Connecticut Huskies
Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020 • 11:00 a.m. CST
Harry A. Gampel Pavilion (10,167) • Storrs, Conn.
Radio: KOZN 1620 AM, www.1620thezone.com
Television: FS1 (Kevin Fitzgerald, Steve Lavin)
Series History: First Meeting
Last Meeting: None
CU NOTES PDF | UCONN NOTES | LIVE VIDEO | LIVE AUDIO | LIVE STATS

Next Game
No. 9 Creighton (5-2, 1-1 BIG EAST) wraps up a two-game trip to the East Coast with a meeting against unbeaten Connecticut (3-0, 0-0 BIG EAST).
   The first meeting between the schools will also mark UConn's first BIG EAST game since 2013 after seven years in the American Athletic Conference.
   Tip-off at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion (10,167) in Storrs, Conn., is set for 11 a.m. Central.

Radio Broadcast Information
KOZN (1620 AM) will broadcast all Creighton men's basketball games during the 2020-21 season. KOOO (101.9 FM) will also broadcast all home games that start after 5 p.m.
   John Bishop will call the action with Nick Bahe. The audio is also webcast live at www.1620thezone.com.

Television Broadcast Information
Sunday's game will be televised nationally by FS1, with Kevin Fitzgerald and Steve Lavin on the call.
   Of Creighton's last 138 games, all but the three contests at the 2018 Cayman Islands Classic have been televised. CU is 92-46 in those contests.
Video Webcast Information
Live streaming video 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 No. 9 Creighton
Creighton is ranked ninth nationally in both polls after a 5-2 start that includes convincing wins vs. North Dakota State (69-58), Omaha (94-67), Kennesaw State (93-58), Nebraska (98-74) and St. John's (94-76) as well as a narrow losses to No. 5 Kansas (73-72) and Marquette (89-84).
   The Bluejays return four starters and five of its top six scorers from last season's team that finished 24-7 and won a share of its first BIG EAST regular-season title. CU's 2019-20 team was ranked No. 7 in the year-end Associated Press poll, while this year's club was 11th in the preseason AP poll. Both are program bests for a preseason or postseason poll.
   Senior wing Denzel Mahoney (16.2 ppg.) won the BIG EAST's Sixth Man Award last season, while junior forward Christian Bishop (12.3 ppg., 6.0 rpg.) has shot 72.3 percent from the field to lead the league.
   Point guard Marcus Zegarowski (14.7 ppg., 5.7 apg.) has been named Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year and is a Preseason All-American by nearly every outlet after averaging 16.1 points and 5.1 assists per game last season. He had a double-double vs. Omaha on Dec. 1 in which he had 11 points and a career-high 11 assists.
   Creighton is shooting 51.7 percent from the field, scoring 86.3 points per game and holding foes to 70.7 points per contest.

Scouting Connecticut
UConn is 3-0 on the season, but has not played since a 61-58 win vs. USC on December 3rd. The Huskies opened the season with home wins vs. Central Connecticut State (102-75) and Hartford (69-57).
   James Bouknight (18.7 ppg., 6.3 rpg.) is one of the nation's best guards, and he's supported in the scoring column by R.J. Cole (11.0 ppg., 3.7 apg.) and Isaiah Whaley (10.7 ppg., 3.7 bpg.).
   The Huskies average 77.3 points per game and shoot 45.7 percent from the field, 34.4 percent from three-point range and 71.4 percent at the line. The Huskies surrender just 63.3 points per contest and have allowed only 19 assists and 15 three-pointers in three games. UConn also ranks second in the country with 7.0 blocked shots per game.

The Series With Connecticut
Creighton has never met Connecticut.
   Greg McDermott has never met Connecticut.
   Greg McDermott is 0-1 all-time in head-to-head meetings vs. Danny Hurley, as Hurley's Rhode Island team defeated Creighton 84-72 in the First Round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament in a game contested in Sacramento, Calif.
   McDermott, however, is 2-0 in road games against Danny's brother Bobby Hurley at Arizona State.

The Creighton Coaches
Greg McDermott (Northern Iowa, 1988) owns a 236-118 record in his 11th season with the Bluejays. He owns a career mark of 516-313 in 27 seasons, and is 385-249 in his 20th Division I campaign.
   McDermott led Creighton to its first BIG EAST regular-season title last season, taking a Bluejay team that was picked seventh in the league's preseason poll and ending the year ranked seventh nationally. For those efforts, he was recognized as the BIG EAST Coach of the Year as well as the USBWA District VI Coach of the Year, NABC District 5 Coach of the Year and Basketball Times Midlands District Coach of the Year.
   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 is assisted by Alan Huss, Paul Lusk and Terrence Rencher.

With A Win...
- Creighton would improve to 6-2 on the season with its second road win in four days.
- Creighton would improve to 126-48 all-time (92-36 under Greg McDermott) as a nationally-ranked team.
- Creighton would knock off an unbeaten team for the 11th straight season.
- Creighton would improve to 1-0 all-time vs. UConn.
- Hand UConn their its first BIG EAST loss since March 6, 2013 at South Florida.

High-Powered Offense
Creighton leads the BIG EAST and ranks 27th nationally with 86.3 points per game.
   The Bluejays have pumped in 93 or more points in four games this season, one of four teams in the country (Iowa, Coastal Carolina, McNeese State) who can say that. Last year's BIG EAST champion squad only cracked the 93-point barrier three times all season.
   Creighton is 46-3 in 11 seasons under Greg McDermott when scoring 93 points or more. By comparison, McDermott's teams scored 93+ points just once in his four seasons at Iowa State (96 on 11/22/09 vs. Mississippi Valley State), and also just once in five years at Northern Iowa (99 on 12/1/04 vs. Iowa State) when doing so.

Double-Double Duo
Creighton had a pair of players record a double-double in Thursday's victory at St. John's as Christian Bishop (11 points, 10 rebounds) and Damien Jefferson (10 points, 10 rebounds) each had their first double-doubles of the season. It was also Bishop's first career double-double.
   Bishop and Jefferson were the first Bluejay duo to record double-doubles in the same contest since Dec. 9, 2017, when both Martin Krampelj and Ronnie Harrell Jr. did it.

Dame Time
Damien Jefferson came two assists shy of producing Creighton's first traditional triple-double when he posted 10 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists on Thursday at St. John's.
   His performance made him the only Creighton player in the last 34 seasons with at least 10 points, 10 rebounds and eight or more assists in the same game.
   Creighton has had only three triple-doubles in program history, but all three were of the points/rebounds/blocks variety by Benoit Benjamin.
   Jefferson is just the second Bluejay player with a game of at least eight points, rebounds and assists in 11 seasons under Greg McDermott. Khyri Thomas had 16 points, eight rebounds and eight assists vs. DePaul on Feb. 27, 2018.
   Here's a list of Creighton players with at least 7+ points, 7+ rebounds and 7+ assists in the same game since 1987-88.
7+ Point, 7+ Rebound, 7+ Assist Games, Since 1987-88
   Pts.   Reb.   Ast.   Name   Date
   16   9   7   Mike Amos   1/30/1993
   24   11   7   Rodney Buford   11/18/1998
   25   8   8   Ryan Sears   1/8/2000
   9   7   10   Grant Gibbs   12/19/2011
   12   10   7   Grant Gibbs   1/13/2012
   12   7   9   Austin Chatman   11/11/2013
   9   7   7   Austin Chatman   1/25/2014
   7   9   7   Khyri Thomas   12/9/2015
   16   8   7   Maurice Watson Jr.   1/26/2016
   14   12   7   Khyri Thomas   2/28/2017
   16   8   8   Khyri Thomas   2/27/2018
   10   10   8   Damien Jefferson   12/17/2020

Big Ryan's Big Night
Freshman center Ryan Kalkbrenner had a season-high 15 points in just 16 minutes of work on Thursday at St. John's, including four baskets in a three-minute span during the decisive 22-4 second half run.
   For the season, Kalkbrenner has averaged 8.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocked shots while playing just 12.7 minutes per game.
   He ranks fifth in the BIG EAST in field goal percentage (.617), yet third on the Bluejay squad behind Christian Bishop (.723) and Damien Jefferson (.640).
   Kalkbrenner became CU's first true freshman since Benoit Benjamin (1982-83) to have a blocked shot in each of CU's first three games of the season.
   Creighton is 5-0 this year when he makes a field goal, and 0-2 when he does not. The Bluejays are also 5-0 when he blocks a shot, and 0-2 when he does not.

O'Connell Makes Creighton Debut
A vote by the NCAA Division I Council on Dec. 16 made Alex O'Connell immediately eligible. He made his debut one day later at St. John's with six points, two rebounds a steal, and an assist in 12 minutes of action.
   A senior guard from Roswell, Ga., O'Connell had not played in Creighton's first six games this season while sitting out after an off-season transfer from Duke University. He had been awaiting a ruling on a waiver that Creighton had filed on his behalf with the NCAA.
   While at Duke, O'Connell appeared in 101 games, including 14 starts. He contributed 431 points and 182 rebounds for the Blue Devils with single-game highs of 20 points, seven rebounds and four steals.
   Though a senior, O'Connell will also be eligible to return to Creighton for the 2021-22 season as a result of a previous NCAA decision that indicated winter sport student-athletes who compete during 2020-21 in Division I will receive both an additional season of competition and an additional year in which to complete it.

Limited Fan Attendance Coming at Home
Creighton University will allow a number of fans to attend men's basketball home games at CHI Health Center Omaha – currently up to 10% of maximum capacity – beginning with the Xavier game on Wednesday, Dec. 23, under a plan approved by the Douglas County Health Department and the Metropolitan Entertainment & Convention Authority (MECA).
   Limited tickets will be offered to season-ticket holders on a rotating basis utilizing the Creighton Athletics Priority Seating Point System and will be made available (subject to availability) on a game-by-game basis.
   At this time, only select seats and suites (in limited capacity) have been approved for usage. All tickets will be sold digitally on a single-game basis with seat locations that allow for physical distancing.

Bucket Getters
Despite a seven-minute drought midway through the first half Creighton still made 38 field goals on Thursday night at St. John's.
   The 38 baskets were the most by the Bluejays in a road game since making 39 hoops on Feb. 13, 2002 at Drake.

Are You Experienced?
Year after year, one common theme to success in college basketball is to have veteran players. This year's Creighton team is full of experienced players.
   CU's starting five features two juniors, and three seniors who have combined for 20 years of college experience.
   Off the bench, Alex O'Connell and Jacob Epperson are in their fourth college campaign, Antwann Jones in his third year and Shereef Mitchell in his second season. Of the regular Bluejay rotation, only Ryan Kalkbrenner is a freshman.

UConn A Handful
Creighton coach Greg McDermott has called UConn the best defensive team the Bluejays have faced to date, and his Bluejays will have their hands full on Sunday against the Huskies.
   UConn has played three games and allowed just 19 total assists and 15 total three-pointers to this point.
   By comparison, Creighton has made 13 or more three-pointers in each of the last three games (and averages 10.9 treys per game). The Bluejays also average 19.6 assists per contest.

Taking The Show On The Road
Thursday's win improved Greg McDermott to 8-3 in CU's first conference road game of the season. That includes a 5-3 mark as a member of the BIG EAST Conference.
   This is the third time that Creighton's first BIG EAST road game came at St. John's. The Bluejays won 80-70 on Dec. 31, 2015 and followed that with an 85-72 win a season later on Jan. 4, 2017. Creighton also defeated SJU 94-76 on Dec. 17, 2020.

Mahoney Makes An Impact
Thursday's game vs. St. John's was played on Dec. 17 and is the one-year anniversary of Denzel Mahoney's Creighton debut.
   Mahoney first appeared as a Bluejay on Dec. 17, 2019 with 14 points in a win vs. Oklahoma. In 27 games (7 starts) with CU, he has averaged 12.9 points and 3.3 rebounds per game while shooting 83.5 percent from the charity stripe.
   Creighton is 21-7 since Mahoney became eligible to play, and 20-7 when Mahoney plays. He has scored in double-figures in 19-of-27 games at CU.

Denzel A Leading Man
Creighton trailed 70-65 with 84 seconds left at Kansas before Denzel Mahoney embarked on a personal 5-0 run to tie the game just 21 seconds later.
   Mahoney led Creighton with 19 points at Kansas. He upped that to 20 points on Dec. 11 vs. Nebraska before matching his Bluejay best with 21 points vs. Marquette on Monday. He pumped in 16 more at St. John's in a win on Thursday.
   In four career games as a Bluejay against a top-10 opponent, Mahoney has averaged 18.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game to help CU to a 3-1 mark. Mahoney has made 53.1 percent (26-49) of his shots from the floor, 45.5 percent (10-22) from three-point range and 100 percent (12-12) at the charity stripe.
   Four of his top 10 single-game scoring efforts at CU have come in those four games against top-10 competition.
   Thursday (Dec. 17) marked the one-year anniversary of his Bluejay debut.
Denzel Mahoney's Top Scoring Games at Creighton
   Points   Opponent   Date
   21   at #8 Villanova   02/01/20
   21   Marquette   12/14/20
   20   Nebraska   12/11/20
   19   at Georgetown   01/15/20
   19   at #5 Kansas   12/08/20
   18   St. John's   02/08/20
   18   at #10 Seton Hall   02/12/20
   17   Nebraska-Omaha   12/01/20
   16   #8 Seton Hall   03/08/20
   16   at St. John's   12/17/20

Marcus, Marcus, Marcus
Marcus Zegarowski continues to excel, even with a target on his back as the Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year.
   Comparing this season to his past campaigns through seven games, Zegarowski's assists per game, assist/turnover ratio and free-throw percentage are all far better than any previous season.
Marcus Zegarowski - First 7 Games - By Year
Year   PPG   APG   A/TO   3FG%   FT%
2018-19   10.1   3.1   22/10   .435   .688
2019-20   18.4   4.0   28/14   .404   .667
2020-21   14.7   5.7   40/17   .412   .714

3's Are Falling
Creighton has made 14, 14 and 13 three-pointers in its past three games, connecting on 41-of-85 triple tries (48.2 percent) in that time.
   Creighton is tied for fifth in the country with three different games of 13 three-pointers this year, and the only major conference team to do so.
   Creighton is one of three teams with three consecutive games of 13+ three-pointers this season, joining Oral Roberts and The Citadel. No one's done it in four straight games this winter.
   Creighton last had made 13 or more three-pointers in three straight games from Jan. 31-Feb. 11, 2017. Creighton has never made 13+ three-pointers in four consecutive contests.
   Keying the trey parade has been Mitch Ballock, who has made a three-pointer in 13 straight games, with multiple treys in 11 of those contests. Denzel Mahoney leads the BIG EAST in three-pointers made per game (3.17) and has drained at least three triples in every contest but one this winter.
   Ballock, Mahoney and Marcus Zegarowski make Creighton one of two teams (along with Liberty) with three players to make 19 or more three-pointers this season. The Flames have played 10 games this year...three more than Creighton.

Don't Forget DJ
Damien Jefferson had a pair of big games against St. John's last season, making 15-of-18 field goal attempts and averaging 18 points per contest. He continued that trend on Thursday when he had 10 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists on 4-of-5 shooting.
   Jefferson had scored 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting in the first meeting, then sank 8-of-9 shots to match his career-high with 20 points.
   Jefferson has scored in double-figures in a career-long six straight games, averaging 12.5 ppg. in that period.

Ballock Surpasses 250 Treys
Mitch Ballock owns 252 three-pointers in his Bluejay career, including eight on Monday vs. Marquette. That puts him in fourth place in program history in that category, passing Ryan Sears (245) for fourth place.
   His 232 career treys entering the year were third-most in school history after a junior season, trailing only Kyle Korver (242) and Ethan Wragge (234).
   Ballock ranked 19th nationally with 93 three-pointers made and 11th in three-point percentage (.435) last season.
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.   252   Mitch Ballock   2017-Pres.
   5.   245   Ryan Sears   1997-01
   6.   212   Rodney Buford   1995-99
   7.   210   Ty-Shon Alexander   2017-20
   8.   206   Jahenns Manigat   2010-14
   9.   200   Nate Funk   2002-07
   10.   185   Matt Roggenburk   1986-90

The Great Eight
Mitch Ballock made nine three-pointers in Creighton's first five games of the season before erupting on Monday vs. Marquette.
   The senior guard from Eudora, Kan., made 8-of-14 three-pointers en route to a season-high 26 points.
   His eight trifectas were tied for fourth-most in a game in Bluejay history, but three behind his record 11 vs. DePaul on March 9, 2019.
   Ballock joined Kyle Korver as the only players in school history with multiple games of eight or more triples.
   In addition, Ballock's 14 three-point attempts were also tied for fourth-most in program history and one behind the program record.
   Ballock owns 134 career three-pointers in BIG EAST play, which ranks 36th all-time. That's four more than Lawrence Moten but one behind Kevin Pittsnogle.
   Ballock's 26 points were the most by a Bluejay in any conference opener since 2012, when Doug McDermott scored 29 points vs. Evansville. That came when CU belonged to the Missouri Valley Conference.
3-Pointers Made, 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
       Mitch Ballock vs. Marquette   12/14/20

3-Point Attempts, Game, Creighton History
   FGA   Name, Opponent   Date
   15   Terrell Taylor vs. Florida   03/15/02
       Kyle Korver vs. Fresno State   02/22/03
       Ty-Shon Alexander vs. Villanova   01/13/19
   14   Kyle Korver vs. BYU   12/07/02
       Kyle Korver at Nebraska   12/21/02
       Kyle Korver vs. Evansville   01/15/03
       Ethan Wragge at Villanova   01/20/14
       Mitch Ballock vs. Marquette   12/14/20

Strong League Start Projects To Postseason
Creighton has started 5-2 or better in league play in six of Greg McDermott's first 10 seasons at the helm.
   Five of those teams to start like that reached the NCAA Tournament, while a sixth reached the quarterfinals of the NIT.
   Each of Creighton's 14 teams since 1988-89 to start 5-2, 6-1 or 7-0 after seven games in league play have reached the postseason, a stretch that includes nine NCAA Tournaments and five NIT's.
   Last year CU started 4-3 in league play, before finishing 13-5, but the postseason was cancelled.

Win The Turnover Battle
Creighton forced Nebraska into 25 turnovers last Friday, picking up 16 steals in the process.
   The 25 turnovers tied the most in any of Greg McDermott's 351 games on the Creighton sideline along with a 2012 game vs. Tulsa.
   Creighton's 38 points off Nebraska's 25 turnovers included 11 points in transition.
   The team's 38 points off turnovers were the most since Creighton began tracking points off turnovers for every game starting in 2004-05.

Don't Blink
Creighton pulled away from Nebraska with a 23-2 run in just under a five minute span as its lead went from 55-51 to 78-53.
   During that stretch, Creighton scored on 10 consecutive possessions.
   Each of Creighton's first seven baskets in the flurry were scored by a different player, and the run also featured assists by six different men.
   On Thursday, Creighton buried St. John's with a 22-4 surge in the second half, turning a 52-50 lead into a 74-54 cushion. Thirteen of those points came from the Bluejay bench.

Top 10 Bluejays
After starting the year ranked 11th in both the AP and USA Today Coaches polls, Creighton has ascended into the top 10.
   Creighton's No. 9 ranking in the AP poll this week marks the 16th time the writers have voted the Bluejays into the top-10. All but one of those times have occurred under Greg McDermott. Creighton's highest AP ranking ever has been No. 7 (Jan. 16, 2017; March 9, 2020; March 16, 2020).
   Creighton is one of 10 teams that have been ranked in all 11 AP polls since Feb. 3, 2020, joining Baylor, Duke, Florida State, Gonzaga, Houston, Iowa, Kansas, Tennessee and Villanova.
   Creighton has been ranked in the top-10 of the USA Today Coaches poll in 14 different weeks in program history, and is ninth this week. All but one of those weeks have occurred under Greg McDermott. Creighton's best coaches poll ranking ever has been No. 7 (Jan. 16, 2017 and Dec. 7, 2020).

Target Practice
Christian Bishop has made 34-of-47 shots from the floor this season, good for a BIG EAST-best 72.3 percent. Among the 271 players nationally with 30 or more made field goals through Thursday, Bishop trails only Richmond's Nathan Cavo (72.9%) in field goal percentage.
   Bishop made 6-of-7 shots vs. NDSU, 7-of-10 attempts vs. Omaha, was 4-for-4 vs. Kennesaw State, 5-for-6 at No. 5 Kansas and 5-for-5 vs. Nebraska. He has made 7-of-15 shots in two league games thus far.
   In Greg McDermott's first 11 years at Creighton, 93 players have attempted 21 or more shots (3 shots/game) over the course of the first seven games of any season. Bishop's 72.3 percent marksmanship is the fourth-best of any of those players in that time. Only Jacob Epperson (81.8% in 2018-19), Justin Patton (80.0% in 2016-17) and Gregory Echenique (72.7% in 2012-13) have been better.
   Bishop's 23.8 points per 40 minutes is second on the Creighton team this year, trailing only his backup Ryan Kalkbrenner (27.4 ppg. per 40). That's far above Bishop's 18.2 average as a freshman and 16.0 average per 40 minutes last season.

Bishop Goes Big
Christian Bishop led Creighton in scoring during each of the first two games, and past history suggest he's in for a big season.
   Bishop is the fifth Bluejay this century to lead CU in scoring each of the first two games. Each of the other four men would go on to earn First Team All-Conference accolades that season.
   Those men include Ty-Shon Alexander (2019-20), Marcus Foster (2017-18), Doug McDermott (2013-14) and Kyle Korver (2002-03). Those four men combined to earn nine First Team All-Conference honors, and three of the four have signed NBA contracts.
   Bishop has already made quite a statement in the race for the BIG EAST's Most Improved Player award. Here's his year-by-year numbers.
Year   PPG   RPG   BPG   FG%   FT%
2018-19   4.1   2.1   0.5   .671   .432
2019-20   8.6   5.3   1.1   .592   .579
2020-21   12.3   6.0   0.9   .723   .680

Number Eleven Goes Up To Eleven
Marcus Zegarowski had his first career double-double on Dec. 1 vs. Omaha when the junior guard who wears No. 11 finished with 11 points and 11 assists.
   Zegarowski's 11 assists were a career-high and the most by a Bluejay since Maurice Watson Jr. had 14 assists at Providence on Jan. 7, 2017.
   Zegarowski owns 40 assists through seven games this season. Since 2010-11, the only Bluejay with more assists through seven games was Watson with 59 in 2016-17, and Watson with 43 in 2015-16.
   Zegarowski is the nation's only player with 100 points, 40 assists, 20 three-pointers and at least 30% shooting from downtown this year.

On The Double
Creighton has led by double-figures for 73:48-of-120:00 minutes (61.5%) after halftime in home games.
   For the season (all games), Creighton has trailed for just 54:55 of 280 minutes of play (19.6%). At home, CU has trailed for just 28:50 of 200 minutes (14.4%).

Playing With The Lead
In 299 games at CHI Health Center Omaha all-time, Creighton has not trailed in 84 of those contests, a staggering 28.1 percent of the time.
     Under Greg McDermott at home, Creighton is 149-34 and hasn't trailed in 59 of those games.

Preseason Acclaim
Junior guard Marcus Zegarowski was named Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year on Oct. 28th. In addition, senior guard Mitch Ballock was also voted as a Preseason Second Team All-BIG EAST performer in the annual survey of league coaches.
   The Bluejays, along with Kansas, are one of six schools with a Watch List candidate for both the Bob Cousy and Jerry West Awards, joining Baylor (MaCio Teague & Jared Butler), Florida State (MJ Walker & Scottie Barnes), Gonzaga (Joel Ayayi & Jalen Suggs), Kansas (Ochai Agbaji & Marcus Garrett) and Villanova (Justin Moore & Collin Gillespie).
   Zegarowski is Creighton's second player ever named Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year, joining Doug McDermott (2013-14). McDermott would go on to win BIG EAST Player of the Year honors, as well as 14 National Player of the Year accolades, at season's end.
   In addition, both men have been recognized among the best in the nation at their position. Zegarowski is one of 20 players on the Preseason Watch List for the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award, and Ballock one of 20 players on the Preseason Watch List for the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award.

Torn ACL's End Two Seasons Early
Creighton will be without Rati Andronikashvili and Modestas Kancleris during the 2020-21 season after both men tore the anterior cruciate ligaments in their left knee three days apart during practices in early November.
   Andronikashvili was injured on Nov. 1, with Kancleris three days last on Nov. 4. The two men, who are roommates, hail from the countries of Georgia and Lithuania, respectively.

On The Mend
When Creighton's 2020-21 season began on November 29th, it had been 716 days since Jacob Epperson's last appearance in a Division I game.
   Epperson's last appearance came on Dec. 14, 2018 vs. Green Bay. He would earn a medical hardship for the rest of the 2018-19 season after undergoing knee surgery, then missed all of last year with a broken leg suffered in the preseason.

In Search of 20
Creighton has won 20 or more games in 20 of the last 22 seasons (entering 2020-21), a feat that puts the Jays among an exclusive group, nationally.
   Just three schools nationally have had 20 or more wins each of the previous 22 years: Duke, Gonzaga and Kansas.
   Kentucky has done it 21 times. Creighton and Florida have done it 20 times.
Most 20-Win Seasons, Last 22 Years
Team   20-Win Seasons   2019-20 W-L
Gonzaga   22   31-2
Kansas   22   28-3
Duke   22   25-6
Kentucky   21   25-6
Creighton   20   24-7
Florida   20   19-12

Ballock Surpasses 1,000 Points (Again)
Mitch Ballock owns 1,069 career points after surpassing the 1,000 point mark on Nov. 29 vs. North Dakota State in CU's season-opener, which was also his 100th career game.
   Ballock entered last season's BIG EAST Tournament with 996 points and scored nine points in the first half vs. St. John's on March 12th, but those points were erased when the game was abandoned at halftime.
Games To 1,000 Points, Last 18 Bluejays
Name   CU Games to 1,000 pts.    Date
Mitch Ballock   100   11/29/20
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

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.   1,241   Ty-Shon Alexander   2017-20
   25.   1,238   Ben Walker   1997-01
   27.   1,196   Ray Yost   1951-54
   28.   1,172   Dick Harvey   1956-59
   29.   1,155   Ethan Wragge   2009-14
   30.   1,152   Dane Watts   2004-08
   31.   1,140   Khyri Thomas   2015-18
   32.   1,116   Kenny Evans   1982-87
   33.   1,115   Doug Brookins   1972-75
       1,115   Daryl Stovall   1978-82
   35.   1,093   Tim Powers   1964-67
   36.   1,069   Mitch Ballock   2017-Pres.
   37.   1,050   Reggie Morris   1982-86

Home Run
Since Greg McDermott took over in 2010, Creighton is averaging 81.30 points per home game (14,959 points in 184 home games), a figure that climbs to 85.14 points in non-conference home games (7,918 points in 93 home games).
   Creighton is 118-6 all-time at CHI Health Center Omaha when scoring 80 or points.

Jays Mourn Loss Of Two Greats
Two prominent members of the Creighton Basketball family passed away in the off-season, as Eddie Sutton died on May 23rd and Bob Gibson lost his battle with pancreatic cancer a few months later on October 2nd. Both men were 84.
   Sutton went 82-50 as Creighton's head coach and athletic director between 1969-74. His 806-329 overall mark in 37 years of coaching ranks 11th on the all-time Division I wins list. In April he was announced as part of the Class of 2020 that will be enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame -- part of a group that also contains Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant. However, COVID-19 has pushed that induction ceremony back to 2021.
   Gibson starred in both baseball and basketball with the Bluejays from 1954-57, finishing his college career third with 1,272 career points (he's currently 22nd). He remains in the top-five in CU history in free throws made (418), free throw attempts (575) and scoring average (20.19 ppg.), and his No. 45 basketball jersey is retired. He would play a year with the Harlem Globetrotters before joining the St. Louis Cardinals organization full-time. Gibson is a member of the Hall of Fame's for Creighton Athletics (1968 induction), Missouri Valley Conference (2005) and St. Louis Cardinals (2014), and was honored with a spot on Major League Baseball's All-Century Team in 1999. Gibson was named the best athlete in state history by the Omaha World-Herald in both 2005 and 2015, one spot ahead of Gale Sayers. Tragically, Sayers died nine days before Gibson.

Firing On All Cylinders
Last season Creighton led the BIG EAST with 78.3 points per game, 47.1 percent shooting from the field, 38.6 percent shooting from three-point territory, +8.6 scoring margin, 1.45 assist/turnover ratio and 15.77 assists per game.
   It's early, but this year's team leads the BIG EAST in scoring offense (86.3), field goal percentage (.517), three-point percentage (.398), three-pointers per game (10.86) and assist/turnover ratio (1.93) while ranking second in assists (19.57), steals (7.43) and scoring margin (+15.6).
   In the final KenPom.com ratings, Creighton had the nation's third-best offense.
   It was the fourth different time in the last nine seasons that Creighton has had a top-10 offense per KenPom.
Year   Off. Rating   Def. Rating   Team W-L
2010-11   66   174   23-16
2011-12   5   166   29-6
2012-13   5   66   28-8
2013-14   2   124   27-8
2014-15   59   138   14-19
2015-16   43   76   20-15
2016-17   32   46   25-10
2017-18   25   58   21-12
2018-19   47   83   20-15
2019-20   3   78   24-7
2020-21   5   67   5-2 so far

What Does #11 Mean?
Creighton was ranked 11th in the preseason Associated Press poll. Below is a listing of how teams ranked 11th in the preseason have done since 1999-2000.
Year   School   Year-End Rank*   NCAA's (Wins)
2019-20:   Virginia   16   Tourney Canceled
2018-19:    Kansas State   15   Yes (0)
2017-18:    West Virginia   14   Yes (2)
2016-17:    Indiana   NR   No (0)
2015-16:    Gonzaga   21   Yes (2)
2014-15:    Wichita State   14   Yes (2)
2013-14:    Ohio State   22   Yes (0)
2012-13:    North Carolina   NR   Yes (1)
2011-12:    Memphis   NR   Yes (0)
2010-11:    Kentucky   11   Yes (4)
2009-10:    Butler   11   Yes (5)
2008-09:    Purdue   17   Yes (2)
2007-08:    Marquette   25   Yes (1)
2006-07:    Alabama   NR   No (0)
2005-06:   Boston College   7   Yes (2)
2004-05:   Duke   3   Yes (2)
2003-04:   Kentucky   2   Yes (1)
2002-03:   Oregon   NR   Yes (0)
2001-02:   Virginia   NR   No (0)
2000-01:   Florida   8   Yes (1)
1999-00:   Kansas   NR   Yes (1)
*based on final poll before NCAA Tournament

Getting Votes A Good Sign
Creighton was ranked 11th in the Associated Press preseason poll.
   It's the sixth time that Creighton has picked up votes in the preseason poll under Greg McDermott. Each of the first four times that happened, the Bluejays would finish top three in the league, reach the finals of the conference tournament, and play in the NCAA Tournament. Last year's team shared the BIG EAST title before the Conference and NCAA Tournaments were canceled.
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   T-1st; BIG EAST    No Tourney
2020-21   11th   TBD   TBD

Preseason BIG EAST Poll
Creighton was picked second in the preseason BIG EAST Conference poll that was selected via a vote of league coaches.
   Villanova earned 9-of-11 first place votes to top the poll with 99 points, just ahead of Creighton's two first place votes and 91 overall points. Third in the poll was Providence (79), who was just ahead of UConn (69), Seton Hall (67) and Marquette (50).
   Rounding out the bottom half of the poll were Xavier (47) in seventh place, Butler (37), St. John's (33), DePaul (20) and Georgetown (13).
   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.
   Creighton's Marcus Zegarowski was tabbed Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year, and was joined on the Preseason All-BIG EAST team by Charlie Moore (DePaul), David Duke (Providence), Sandro Mamukelashvili (Seton Hall), Collin Gillespie (Villanova) and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (Villanova).
   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    T-1st   Ty-Shon Alexander (1st)
2020-21    2nd    TBD   Marcus Zegarowski (1st); Mitch Ballock (2nd)

Long Range Marksman
With 93 three-pointers last season, Mitch Ballock broke the previous program record for three-pointers made by a junior of 82 by Tad Ackerman in 1994-95.
   Ballock (along with Ty-Shon Alexander) is one of two Bluejays in school history to make 80 or more three-pointers in consecutive seasons, and one of three Bluejays (along with Alexander and Kyle Korver) with multiple campaigns of 80 or more three-pointers.
   Ballock and Korver are also the only Bluejays with multiple seasons of 90 or more three-pointers.
Most 3-Pointers Made In A Season, Creighton History
   3FG-FGA   3FG%   Name   Year
   129-269   .480   Kyle Korver*   2002-03
   110-234   .471   Ethan Wragge   2013-14
   100-221   .452   Kyle Korver   2000-01
   96-214   .449   Doug McDermott*   2013-14
   97-266   .365   Ty-Shon Alexander   2018-19
   95-230   .413   Marcus Foster   2017-18
   95-227   .419   Mitch Ballock   2018-19
   93-214   .435   Mitch Ballock   2019-20
   91-191   .476   Booker Woodfox*   2008-09
*Conference Player of the Year

Most 3-Pointers Made by a Creighton Junior
   3FG-FGA   3FG%   Name   Year
   93-214   .435   Mitch Ballock   2019-20
   82-210   .390   Tad Ackerman   1994-95
   81-203   .399   Ty-Shon Alexander   2019-20
   79-184   .429   Kyle Korver   2001-02
   78-175   .446   Ethan Wragge   2012-13
   77-157   .490   Doug McDermott   2012-13
   73-214   .341   Marcus Foster   2016-17
   67-194   .345   Ryan Sears   1999-00
   67-176   .381   Terrell Taylor   2001-02
   67-143   .469   Nate Funk   2004-05

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 Dec. 17, 2020
Category   CU Stat   CU Rank
3FG Percentage   .386   1st
3FG Made   3,172   2nd
Assists   5,766   3rd
FG Percentage   .481   3rd
FG Made   9,692   9th
Wins   236   30th
Winning Percentage   .667   34th

Guess Who's Back? Back Again
Creighton brings back nearly 70-80 percent of last year's statistical contributions in virtually every category:
Category   Last Year   Returning   Pct. Back
Dunks   60   52   86.7%
Assists   489   400   81.8%
Starts   155   124   80.0%
Points Per Game   78.3   62   79.2%
Minutes   6,225   4,687   75.3%
Field Goals Made   866   646   74.6%
Points   2,428   1,768   72.8%
Rebounds   1,004   729   72.6%
Blocked Shots   79   57   72.2%
Steals   203   143   70.4%
3-Point Field Goals Made   302   212   70.2%
Free Throws Made   394   264   67.0%
Charges Taken   39   19   48.7%

#ProJays
Creighton had five NBA players in 2019-20, as Kyle Korver (Milwaukee Bucks), Anthony Tolliver (Memphis Grizzlies), Doug McDermott (Indiana Pacers, Justin Patton (Detroit Pistons) and Khyri Thomas (Detroit Pistons) were all in the league. A sixth potential player, Ty-Shon Alexander, played for Creighton last season and recently signed a two-way deal with the Phoenix Suns.
   Including 2019-20, Creighton has now had an NBA player in 36 of the last 37 years.
   Korver ranks fourth in NBA history with 2,450 three-pointers and is 10th in league history with 42.87 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 averaged 6.7 points per game last season for the Milwaukee Bucks.
   Tolliver played for the Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings and Memphis Grizzlies last year, averaging 3.6 points in his 12th NBA season. He owns 4,434 career points, including 861 three-pointers, in the NBA.
   McDermott completed his sixth season in the NBA, and second with the Indiana Pacers, in 2019-20. He averaged a career-high 10.3 points per game last season and is the only player in the NBA to rank in the top-20 in three-point percentage each of the past three seasons.
   Patton is on his fifth organization since being the 16th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls. He appeared in five games last season with Oklahoma City.
   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 and has played in 34 career NBA games, contributing 78 points and 21 rebounds.

McDermott Ranks Second On CU Wins List
Greg McDermott currently has 236 victories at Creighton, good for second place on CU's all-time wins list.
   McDermott's .667 winning percentage is Creighton's best since Arthur A. Schabinger's .714 win rate more 80 years ago.
   Below is a list of the most victorious Creighton coaches in program history.
Most Coaching Wins, Creighton History
Rk.   W-L   Name   Years
1.   327-176   Dana Altman   1994-2010
2.   236-118   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

Triple Trouble
During Creighton's current streak of 889 straight games with a three-pointer, the Jays have drained 7,004 trifectas, an average of 7.88 treys per game.
   That's not surprising since during the streak, Creighton has made exactly 7 three-pointers 135 times, more than any figure.
   Only four times in the streak has Creighton made just one three-pointer, but on 249 occasions the Bluejays have made 10 or more trifectas, including three games of 20 or more.
   Creighton has also made at least one three-pointer before halftime in 260 consecutive contests (since 0-7 at Drake on 1/23/13).
   Since the start of the 2019-20 season, the Bluejays are 27-3 when making eight or more three-pointers, compared to a 2-6 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:    70 times   5:   95 times   6: 90 times
7:   135 times   8:   114 times   9: 85 times
10: 72 times   11: 51 times   12: 47 times
13: 42 times   14: 18 times   15: 7 times
16: 6 times   17: 2 times   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 889 straight games since a 59-53 loss at Illinois State on Feb. 20, 1993. The streak is the nation's 15th-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 (12/17)
   Rk.   Streak   School   Next
   1.   1,107   UNLV   12/20
   2.   1,094   Duke   12/29
   3.   1,049   Arkansas   12/19
   4.   1,041   Western Kentucky   12/22
   5.   1,033   East Tennessee State   12/19
   6.   1,016   Pacific   12/19
   7.   1,008   Oakland   12/19
   8.   1,003   Texas   12/20
   9.   958   Princeton   Season Canceled
   10.   952   Marshall   12/19
   11.   936   Baylor   12/19
   12.   921   Gonzaga   12/19
   13.   910   Long Island   1/7
   14.   893   Mount St. Mary's   12/22
   15.   889   Creighton   12/20
   16.   885   Cornell   Season Canceled
   17.   878   Tennessee State   12/18
   18.   876   East Carolina   12/19

Big Deficits, No Big Deal
Creighton owns 20 victories under Greg McDermott after trailing by double-figures at some point, none larger than the 18-point deficit the Bluejays overcame against then-No.18 Oklahoma on Nov. 19, 2014. Ten of those 20 comebacks have come away from home.
   Creighton owns 11 victories since 2000 in which it has won after overcoming a deficit of 15 points or more, as seen below:
Overcoming Double-Digit Deficits, 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

CHI Health Center Omaha Success
Creighton has played 299 regular and postseason contests at CHI Health Center Omaha all-time in the 18-year-old facility.
   The Bluejays own a 247-52 (.826) record all-time at the facility, and have never lost there on a Friday (21-0).
   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 23,453-19,629 in games at CHI Health Center Omaha, an average margin of 12.79 points per game. Creighton has not trailed 84 different times.
   Creighton is also 28-31 all-time in the 59 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 150-34 (.815) at CHI Health Center Omaha under Greg McDermott, including an 87-6 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 266-52 (.836) at home since the start of the 2002-03 campaign.

#9 Men's Basketball Meets UConn For First Time on Sunday

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Players Mentioned

Ty-Shon Alexander

Rati Andronikashvili

Mitch Ballock

Christian Bishop

Jacob Epperson

Damien Jefferson

Antwann Jones

Ryan Kalkbrenner

Modestas Kancleris

Denzel Mahoney

Shereef Mitchell

Alex O'Connell

Marcus Zegarowski