Men's Basketball Ranked #8 in Preseason USA Today Coaches Poll
10/16/2023 11:26:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Bluejays earn highest preseason rank in program history
OMAHA, Neb. --Â The Creighton University men's basketball team has earned the No. 8 spot in the preseason USA Today Coaches poll, released on Monday afternoon. It's the highest preseason ranking in the coaches poll in program history.
The Bluejays are one of four BIG EAST Conference teams represented, joining No. 5 Connecticut, No. 7 Marquette and No. 20 Villanova. Creighton will face all of those teams twice and also play against No. 24 Alabama. Other opponents that dot the Bluejay schedule and are receiving votes include St. John's and Xavier.
Kansas earned the top spot in the poll, earning 23-of-32 first-place votes to edge out Purdue by 43 points. The rest of the top-four consisted of Duke and Michigan State. Creighton earned 552 points in the poll to rank eighth, just behind Marquette.
This year's preseason hype is CU's sixth preseason ranking from the coaches in the last 18 seasons, and seventh occurrence all-time. CU was previously tabbed 19th in the preseason poll in 1962-63, 23rd in both 2006-07 and 2016-17, 15th in 2012-13, 11th in 2020-21 and 9th in 2022-23.
This is the 150th time in program history that Creighton has been ranked in the Coaches poll, and 108th week under the direction of Greg McDermott. The Bluejays were last ranked in the year-end poll of the 2022-23 campaign, coming in 12th. Creighton is 185-74 all-time when ranked in the Coaches poll, including a 134-54 mark under McDermott. Of Creighton's 17 different teams to be ranked in the Coaches poll, nine have been mentored by McDermott. Creighton's best ranking ever in the Coaches poll is No. 5, done the week of Jan. 4, 2021.
A spot in the top 25 of the preseason poll is no guarantee of success. Ten teams ranked in the preseason last year were not in the rankings at year's end (No. 1 North Carolina, No. 4 Kentucky, No. 15 Auburn, No. 16 TCU, No. 17 Villanova, No. 21 Oregon, No. 22 Michigan, No. 23 Illinois, No. 24 Texas Tech and No. 25 Dayton). In the previous six seasons, 60 of the 150 ranked teams from the preseason were not ranked in the year-end poll.
Creighton was also ranked No. 8 in the preseason poll released earlier on Monday by the Associated Press.
Creighton opens the season with a Nov. 3 exhibition vs. Wayne State before opening the regular-season on Nov. 7 against Florida A&M. Single-game tickets are now available at http://GoCreighton.com/buy.
USA Today Top 25 Coaches Poll
Oct. 16, 2023 • (Preseason Poll)
Rk   School   W-L    PTS
1Â Â Â Kansas (23)Â Â Â 0-0Â Â Â 785
2Â Â Â Purdue (5)Â Â Â 0-0Â Â Â 742
3Â Â Â Duke (3)Â Â Â 0-0Â Â Â 716
4   Michigan State   0-0   667
5Â Â Â Connecticut (1)Â Â Â 0-0Â Â Â 626
6   Houston   0-0   615
7   Marquette   0-0   614
8   Creighton   0-0   552
9   Florida Atlantic   0-0   548
10   Tennessee   0-0   496
11   Arizona   0-0   449
12   Gonzaga   0-0   407
13Â Â Â Miami (Fla.)Â Â Â 0-0Â Â Â 390
14   Arkansas   0-0   315
15   San Diego State   0-0   277
16   Kentucky   0-0   261
17   Baylor   0-0   258
18   Texas   0-0   251
19Â Â Â Texas A&MÂ Â Â 0-0Â Â Â 231
20   Villanova   0-0   217
21   North Carolina   0-0   197
22Â Â Â USCÂ Â Â 0-0Â Â Â 176
23   Saint Mary's   0-0   147
24   Alabama   0-0   142
25Â Â Â UCLAÂ Â Â 0-0Â Â Â 52
Others receiving votes: Illinois 45; Wisconsin 43; Maryland 29; TCU 26; Colorado 21; Xavier 17; Ohio State 16; Virginia 13; St. John's 13; Kansas State 8; Indiana 7; Washington 5; Florida 5; Auburn 5; Missouri 4; Oregon 3; Memphis 3; Mississippi State 2; Iowa State 2; Yale 1; Boise State 1.
The Bluejays are one of four BIG EAST Conference teams represented, joining No. 5 Connecticut, No. 7 Marquette and No. 20 Villanova. Creighton will face all of those teams twice and also play against No. 24 Alabama. Other opponents that dot the Bluejay schedule and are receiving votes include St. John's and Xavier.
Kansas earned the top spot in the poll, earning 23-of-32 first-place votes to edge out Purdue by 43 points. The rest of the top-four consisted of Duke and Michigan State. Creighton earned 552 points in the poll to rank eighth, just behind Marquette.
This year's preseason hype is CU's sixth preseason ranking from the coaches in the last 18 seasons, and seventh occurrence all-time. CU was previously tabbed 19th in the preseason poll in 1962-63, 23rd in both 2006-07 and 2016-17, 15th in 2012-13, 11th in 2020-21 and 9th in 2022-23.
This is the 150th time in program history that Creighton has been ranked in the Coaches poll, and 108th week under the direction of Greg McDermott. The Bluejays were last ranked in the year-end poll of the 2022-23 campaign, coming in 12th. Creighton is 185-74 all-time when ranked in the Coaches poll, including a 134-54 mark under McDermott. Of Creighton's 17 different teams to be ranked in the Coaches poll, nine have been mentored by McDermott. Creighton's best ranking ever in the Coaches poll is No. 5, done the week of Jan. 4, 2021.
A spot in the top 25 of the preseason poll is no guarantee of success. Ten teams ranked in the preseason last year were not in the rankings at year's end (No. 1 North Carolina, No. 4 Kentucky, No. 15 Auburn, No. 16 TCU, No. 17 Villanova, No. 21 Oregon, No. 22 Michigan, No. 23 Illinois, No. 24 Texas Tech and No. 25 Dayton). In the previous six seasons, 60 of the 150 ranked teams from the preseason were not ranked in the year-end poll.
Creighton was also ranked No. 8 in the preseason poll released earlier on Monday by the Associated Press.
Creighton opens the season with a Nov. 3 exhibition vs. Wayne State before opening the regular-season on Nov. 7 against Florida A&M. Single-game tickets are now available at http://GoCreighton.com/buy.
USA Today Top 25 Coaches Poll
Oct. 16, 2023 • (Preseason Poll)
Rk   School   W-L    PTS
1Â Â Â Kansas (23)Â Â Â 0-0Â Â Â 785
2Â Â Â Purdue (5)Â Â Â 0-0Â Â Â 742
3Â Â Â Duke (3)Â Â Â 0-0Â Â Â 716
4   Michigan State   0-0   667
5Â Â Â Connecticut (1)Â Â Â 0-0Â Â Â 626
6   Houston   0-0   615
7   Marquette   0-0   614
8   Creighton   0-0   552
9   Florida Atlantic   0-0   548
10   Tennessee   0-0   496
11   Arizona   0-0   449
12   Gonzaga   0-0   407
13Â Â Â Miami (Fla.)Â Â Â 0-0Â Â Â 390
14   Arkansas   0-0   315
15   San Diego State   0-0   277
16   Kentucky   0-0   261
17   Baylor   0-0   258
18   Texas   0-0   251
19Â Â Â Texas A&MÂ Â Â 0-0Â Â Â 231
20   Villanova   0-0   217
21   North Carolina   0-0   197
22Â Â Â USCÂ Â Â 0-0Â Â Â 176
23   Saint Mary's   0-0   147
24   Alabama   0-0   142
25Â Â Â UCLAÂ Â Â 0-0Â Â Â 52
Others receiving votes: Illinois 45; Wisconsin 43; Maryland 29; TCU 26; Colorado 21; Xavier 17; Ohio State 16; Virginia 13; St. John's 13; Kansas State 8; Indiana 7; Washington 5; Florida 5; Auburn 5; Missouri 4; Oregon 3; Memphis 3; Mississippi State 2; Iowa State 2; Yale 1; Boise State 1.
Meet the Jays - MBB Blake Harper
Friday, August 15
Meet the Jays - MBB Austin Swartz
Friday, August 15
Meet the Jays - MBB Jasen Green
Friday, August 15
Meet the Jays - MBB Ty Davis
Friday, August 15
