Creighton University Athletics
Friday, January 16
Providence, RI
5:30 PM
Creighton University
at
Providence
Men's Hoops Heads East to Face High-Scoring Friars
1/15/2026 10:55:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jays look for third straight win over PC
Game #19: Creighton Bluejays (11-7, 5-2 BIG EAST) at Providence Friars (8-9, 1-5 BIG EAST)
Friday, Jan. 16, 2026 • 5:30 p.m. Central • Providence, R.I. • Amica Mutual Pavilion
| LIVE VIDEO | LIVE AUDIO | LIVE STATS | CU NOTES | PC NOTES |
Next Game
Creighton (11-7, 5-2 BIG EAST) heads to the East Coast to meet up with Providence (8-9, 1-5 BIG EAST) for a Friday night meeting in the capital city of Rhode Island.
The game will tip at 5:30 p.m. Central from Amica Mutual Pavilion (12,410).
Broadcast Information
Friday's game will be broadcast on FS1 and be streamed at https://FoxSports.com/live.
Alex Faust and Emeka Okafor will announce.
Radio Broadcast Information
KOZN (1620 AM) and KOOO (101.9 FM) will carry all Creighton men's basketball games during the 2025-26 season.
John Bishop will call the action. The audio is webcast live at www.1620thezone.com.
The game can also be heard on SiriusXM 388 as well as https://sxm.app.link/SXM978.
Live Stats Information
All of Creighton's games this season will have free live stats at http://Creighton.StatBroadcast.com.
Scouting Creighton
Creighton is 11-7 overall and 5-2 in BIG EAST play after Tuesday's dramatic overtime win vs. Georgetown. The Bluejays enter Friday with a 6-2 mark in their last eight games.
The seven teams to beat Creighton are a combined 96-23 (through Wednesday), and three of those opponents (#2 Iowa State, #8 Nebraska, #9 Gonzaga) are currently ranked in the Top 10 of the AP poll.
Four of Creighton's top five scorers are newcomers, led by Josh Dix (12.2 ppg.), Austin Swartz (11.6 ppg.), Nik Graves (9.3 ppg., 3.5 apg.) and Blake Harper (9.0 ppg., 4.4 rpg.).
Coming on strong of late has been Jasen Green (10.0 ppg., 5.1 rpg.), while Isaac Traudt (7.7 ppg.) remains one of the most feared marksmen in the conference.
Creighton's most productive returner, Jackson McAndrew (6.8 ppg., 4.5 rpg.), as well as key subs Hudson Greer (6.3 ppg., 3.0 rpg.) and Josh Townley-Thomas (6.0 ppg.), have combined to play just 11 games due to injuries, and just two games since the end of November.
Creighton is averaging 77.7 points per game and shooting 46.5 percent from the field, 34.8 percent from three-point range and 75.2 percent at the line.
Scouting Providence
Providence is 8-9 this season and 1-5 in BIG EAST play. The Friars are winless in three league home games, dropping games to Seton Hall, UConn and Villanova by six points or less. The lone BIG EAST win was an impressive 77-71 victory at St. John's, a contest in which the Friars fell behind 13-0 to start the game.
Four newcomers lead the Friars in scoring, a group consisting of grad transfers Jason Edwards (17.2 ppg.) and Jaylin Sellers (15.9 ppg.) as well as freshmen Stefan Vaaks (14.2 ppg.) and Jamier Jones (11.7 ppg.).
Oswin Erhunmwunse (7.3 ppg,. 7.0 rpg. 2.6 bpg.) is one of the most imposing big men in the league.
The Friars average a league-high 88.7 points per game but rank 350th nationally by allowing 85.1 points per contest. PC shoots 47.9 percent from the floor, 35.4 percent from deep and 77.4 percent at the line.
The Series With Providence
Providence leads the all-time series 21-17, including a 12-5 mark in Rhode Island. Since the Jays joined PC in the BIG EAST in 2013, the Friars have won 15-of-28 contests at all sites.
Last season Creighton beat PC twice in the regular-season for just the second time, and first time since 2018-19.
Creighton & Providence have played in an overtime game against each other in 2018, 2019, 2023 and 2024.
Greg McDermott is 13-15 in his career against Providence. He is 3-2 against coach Kim English, though McDermott's Iowa State teams did face English's Mizzou team four times between 2008-10 when he was a student-athlete.
The Creighton Coaches
Greg McDermott (Northern Iowa, 1988) owns a 361-178 record in his 16th season with the Bluejays. He owns a career mark of 641-373 in his 32nd season, and is 510-309 in 25 Division I campaigns.
McDermott led Creighton to its first BIG EAST regular-season title in 2019-20, taking a Bluejay team that was picked seventh in the league's preseason poll and ending the year ranked seventh nationally. The Cascade, Iowa native has coached Creighton to a share of its first regular-season BIG EAST title in 2019-20 its first Sweet 16 since 1974 in 2020-21 and its first Elite Eight since 1941 in 2022-23.
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, Derek Kellogg, Trey Zeigler, Mitch Ballock and Mike Nesbitt.
With A Win...
- Creighton would win three straight meetings over Providence for just the second time ever, joining a three-game stretch from Dec. 31, 2018 to Jan. 18, 2020.
- Creighton would win a road game at Providence in back-to-back seasons for the first time ever.
Milestone Watch
- Owen Freeman has 791 career points and is nine short of 800.
- Isaac Traudt is three three-pointers away from 100 in his career, and nine points shy of 400.
- Jasen Green is 14 points shy of 400 in his career and five rebounds shy of 250 in his career.
- Blake Harper owns 787 career points, just 13 short of 800.
- Nik Graves is eight points short of 1,100.
- If Austin Swartz can score 30 points or more, he'd become the first Bluejay with back-to-back games of 30 or more points since Doug McDermott's streak of three games in a row from March 8-14, 2014.
Pink Out Auction Opens January 15th
The annual Creighton vs. Cancer Pink Out, presented by Methodist and CHI Health, will take place on January 31st, and this year promises to be bigger and better than ever.
Bluejay players will wear pink shooting shirts and pink-accented jerseys for each game. Fans have the opportunity to honor a friend or family member who has battled cancer or is currently battling cancer by purchasing the apparel via auction (the shooting shirt can be personalized – last name, nickname, etc.). Other items such as signed basketballs, Coach McDermott's game-worn sneakers, golf with each head coach, and more, will be available to bid on.
This year's auction begins the night of Jan. 15th (at 6:30 p.m.) and runs through the evening of Jan. 25th, when items will close in 15 minute increments beginning at 6:30 p.m.
All funds raised go to benefit Hope Lodge Omaha. The American Cancer Society Hope Lodge Nebraska provides a free home away from home for cancer patients and their caregivers who must travel to Omaha to receive their lifesaving treatment.
The annual Creighton University Pink Out athletic events have combined to raise more than $1 million dollars to benefit the Hope Lodge facility here in Omaha and the guests it serves, with $464,000 of that coming from the jersey auctions.
The auction is at
http://www.gocreighton.com/pinkoutauction.
Overtime History
Tuesday was Creighton's first overtime game of the season and 118th in program history. Creighton is now 65-53 all-time in overtime games, including a 31-15 mark at home and a 9-5 record inside CHI Health Center Omaha.
Creighton is now 15-9 under Greg McDermott in overtime games (10-8 in OT, 4-1 in double-OT, 1-0 in triple-OT).
Back-to-Back Overtime?
Looking ahead to what might happen on Friday, Creighton has played back-to-back overtime games just five times in program history, and not since December of 2014.
Season Game 1 (OT if more than 1) Game 2
1963-64 CU 96, Utah St 91 (2OT) CU 77, Iowa 72
1975-76 CU 50, San Diego 48 CU 79, Kansas St 76
1986-87 Dayton 83, CU 81 Nebraska 70, CU 65
1993-94 Drake 81, CU 75 Illinois State 92, CU 88
2014-15 CU 91, S. Dakota 88 (2OT) St. Mary's 71, CU 67
You Can't Spell McDermott Without OT
At the Division I level, Greg McDermott is 18-14 in single-overtime games (10-8 at Creighton), 8-3 in double-overtime games (4-1 at Creighton) and 1-0 in triple-overtime games (1-0 at Creighton).
McDermott's first overtime game as a Division I head coach was a 2002 Northern Iowa win over Creighton. His first double-overtime game as a Division I coach was a 2004 victory over Missouri State in the MVC Tournament title game, which clinched his first appearance in the NCAA Tournament as a Division I head coach.
Overtime, Over Time
Creighton and Providence have played an overtime game in two of the last three meetings in Friartown, and the teams have played at least one overtime four times since 2018.
Creighton has played five overtime games all-time against Providence. The only teams its played more overtime games against have been Drake (9 times), Wichita State (7) and Southern Illinois (6).
Come A Little Bit Closer
On Feb. 7, 2024, Creighton and Providence played 45 minutes of hoops at Amica Mutual Pavilion, and the score was within five points for all but 1:47 of gametime of PC's eventual 91-87 win.
One year earlier on Feb. 14, 2023, Creighton played 50 minutes against Providence at Amica Mutual Pavilion, including a stretch where the teams played more than 42 straight minutes where neither team led by more than four points. That game featured 20 lead changes and 17 ties. PC won that contest, 94-86.
Last year at Providence, neither team led by more than six points in the first 35 minutes before CU closed the game with an 11-3 run to win 80-69, its only double-digit lead of the night.
Triple Trouble
Austin Swartz made a career-high eight three-pointers on Jan. 13 vs. Georgetown. Swartz's performance was tied for fourth-most trifectas in a game in program history.
In the last 15 seasons, Swartz is just the third player to score at least 33 points, make eight or more three-pointers and shoot at least 75 percent from the field in the same BIG EAST game. He joins current CU assistant coach Mitch Ballock on March 9, 2019, when he made 12-of-14 shots (including 11-for-13 from 3) to score 39 points vs. DePaul, as well as former Marquette standout Kam Jones vs. DePaul on Feb. 21, 2024 when Jones had 34 points, made 8-of-10 three-pointers and shot 12-for-15 from the field.
Swartz has now made seven or more three-pointers twice this season, making him just the fifth different Bluejay to ever do that along with Trey Alexander (2022-23), Mitch Ballock (2018-19 and 2020-21), Kyle Korver (2002-03), Ethan Wragge (2013-14). Korver did it four times in 2002-03, making him the only Bluejay with three (or more) such games in the same season.
With another game of seven or more three-pointers in the next seven weeks, Swartz can join Rutgers' Jerome Coleman (in 2001-02) as the only players in the last 30 years with three or more BIG EAST games in the same season with seven trifectas or more. No one's had multiple BIG EAST games of eight or more three-pointers in the same campaign during the last 30 years.
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
Ryan Hawkins at Georgetown 02/12/22
Austin Swartz vs. Georgetown 01/13/26
7 Gary Swain vs. Nebraska-Omaha 12/11/86
Ryan Sears vs. Wyoming 12/06/97
Kyle Korver vs. Notre Dame 11/26/02
Kyle Korver vs. Fresno State 02/22/03
Nate Funk at Nebraska 11/18/06
Booker Woodfox at Saint Joseph's 12/06/08
Ethan Wragge at Saint Joseph's 11/16/13
Doug McDermott vs. DePaul 03/13/14
Cole Huff vs. Seton Hall 03/10/16
Ty-Shon Alexander vs. Clemson 11/21/18
Mitch Ballock at Nebraska 12/08/18
Marcus Zegarowski vs. Butler 02/23/20
Mitch Ballock at Seton Hall 01/27/21
Trey Alexander vs. DePaul 12/25/22
Trey Alexander vs. Georgetown 03/01/23
Baylor Scheierman at Marquette 12/30/23
Steven Ashworth vs. Butler 03/08/25
Austin Swartz at Xavier 12/17/25
Defense!
Creighton beat Georgetown on Tuesday despite allowing the Hoyas to shoot 56.9 percent from the floor.
It made CU just the third team since 2013-14 to win a BIG EAST game despite allowing an opponent to shoot at least 56 percent. Marquette beat Creighton on Feb. 17, 2018 despite the Jays shooting 56.1 percent from the field, and St. John's topped Providence on Jan. 25, 2017 even though the Friars made 62.0 percent of their shots.
Creighton hadn't won any game when the opponent shot 56.0 percent or better since Feb. 21, 2012 vs. Evansville, when the Purple Aces shot 58.9 percent from the field. Ironically enough, CU also won three days earlier against Long Beach State when the 49ers shot 58.8 percent from the floor.
Odds & Ends
• Creighton outscored Georgetown 20-9 in the 6:37 when Austin Swartz, Blake Harper, Josh Dix, Nik Graves and Kerem Konan were on the floor together, including the 12-0 run to end the 1st half. In CU's first 17 games, it had scored 12 points all year with any 5 newcomer combo on the floor at the same time.
• Providence lost its final two BIG EAST home games last season and is 0-3 at home in league play this winter. It's the first time the Friars have ever lost five consecutive BIG EAST home contests.
• Providence opponents are shooting 37.8 percent from three-point range, a figure that ranks 352nd of 361 teams in the country. Creighton ranks 22nd in the country per KenPom in points that come from the three-point shot, as it accounts for 39.5 percent of its offense. Creighton is 5-0 this year when shooting 39 percent or better from three-point range.
• Creighton is 5-1 all-time against Providence when making 10 or more three-pointers and 6-2 when shooting 37.8 percent or better from downtown against the Friars.
• Creighton has won its eighth, ninth and 10th game of the BIG EAST schedule in each of the previous three seasons. Friday is game at Providence is CU's eighth BIG EAST game.
Big Deficits, No Big Deal
Creighton owns 32 victories since the start of the 2010-11 season after trailing by double-figures at some point, including rallies from 10 points down at both Villanova (25-15 on Jan. 7) and Georgetown (36-26 on Jan. 13).
This is the fifth time under Greg McDermott that Creighton has had multiple wins after trailing by 10+ points in the same month, joining March of 2012, December of 2014, February of 2018 and November of 2021.
Fifteen of those 32 comebacks have come away from home.
If you're curious, CU's largest comeback win since 2000 came on Jan. 28, 2006, when the Jays trailed 25-6 early before rallying to beat Wichita State on a buzzer-beater by Anthony Tolliver.
CU's Double-Digit Comebacks Under McDermott
Deficit Opponent Date
18 #18 Oklahoma 11/19/14
17 at San Diego State 11/30/11
17 vs. DePaul 03/13/25
16 at Evansville 02/16/13
16 at Seton Hall 01/27/21
16 SIU Edwardsville 11/27/21
15 Arkansas-Pine Bluff 11/09/21
14 Evansville 02/21/12
14 vs. San Diego State 03/17/22
13 at Saint Joseph's 11/16/13
13 Xavier 01/12/14
13 #22 Xavier 12/23/20
12 Saint Joseph's 12/11/10
12 at DePaul 01/17/16
12 East Tennessee State 11/11/18
11 at Wichita State 12/31/11
11 Northern Iowa 01/10/12
11 vs. Alabama 03/16/12
11 vs. Ole Miss 11/21/16
11 vs. Connecticut 03/12/21
11 DePaul 01/22/22
11 St. John's 12/31/24
10 UAB 11/14/12
10 vs. Drake 03/02/12
10 at Nebraska 12/07/14
10 South Dakota 12/09/14
10 St. John's 01/03/18
10 at DePaul 02/07/18
10 Bemidji State 02/13/18
10 Georgetown 02/23/25
10 at Villanova 01/07/26
10 Georgetown 01/13/26
Making An Impact
The 7th Annual Silver Waves Media 100 Most Impactful High Major Coaches List was unveiled on Jan. 12th.
Creighton had three coaches on the list, as Alan Huss, Derek Kellogg and Trey Zeigler were all recognized. Not only was Trey Zeigler honored, but so was his dad Ernie Zeigler, who is an assistant coach at Nebraska.
The only eight schools with at least three coaches honored on the list were Florida (4), Kansas (4), BYU, Creighton, Duke, Illinois, Stanford and Texas.
BIG EAST Honors Martin Luther King Jr.
As part of the conference-wide efforts to support social impact and inclusion, BIG EAST men's and women's basketball programs are using their platform to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Teams will be wearing shooting shirts donning a message representing the life lived by Dr. King.
The phrase, "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter" is also the theme of a social media campaign that can be seen by following @BIGEAST on X and Instagram this upcoming holiday weekend.
The campaign tipped off Wednesday, Jan. 14, and will continue throughout the weekend to Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday with a total of 13 combined games on the men's and women's side. That includes Friday's Creighton game at Providence.
What's In A Number?
Creighton has scored 80 points or more in each of its last three trips to Providence, and five of its last eight meetings at all sites overall.
That's an ecouraging sign for the Bluejays, who are 8-0 this season and 198-21 all-time under Greg McDermott when scoring 80 or more points.
CU has won 26 games in a row at all sites when scoring 80 points or more, though its last loss with 80+ points came in a 91-87 overtime loss at Providence on Feb. 7, 2024.
This year's Providence team has allowed an average of 85.1 points per contest and is 1-7 when surrendering 80 points or more.
No DQ's Here
Through Wednesday, Creighton was one of five teams nationally that has not had a player foul out this season, a group that also includes Central Connecticut State, Yale, Richmond and Michigan State.
Last year Creighton was tied for 19th nationally with only four foul out disqualifications
In 2023-24, Creighton was the only team in the country without a player to foul out.
In 2022-23, Creighton's two foul outs were tied for second-fewest in the nation.
In the last four seasons (2022-23 to present), Creighton has only had only six players foul in out 126 games. By comparison, Providence big man Oswin Erhunmwunse has fouled out 10 times in 49 appearances over the past two seasons alone.
Jays Reach 30K at CHI
Creighton has outscored its opponents 30,000-25,082 in games at CHI Health Center Omaha, an average margin of 12.91 points per game in 380 all-time games in the building that count.
Creighton is 28-2 all-time in games where it moves over any 1,000 point milestone at CHI Health Center Omaha, as seen below:
Date Pts-Opp (CHI Game #) Who/How vs. Opp.
02/18/04 1,000-787 (14) Lindeman FG vs. Indiana State
02/05/05 2,000-1,696 (28) Funk FG vs. Missouri St.
01/18/06 3,000-2,504 (41) Watts FT vs. Bradley
01/09/07 4,000-3,359 (56) Tolliver FG vs. Drake
12/17/07 5,000-4,174 (69) Kaleb Korver 3FG vs. Hou. Baptist
11/16/08 6,000-5,048 (82) Dotzler FG vs. New Mexico
02/11/09 7,000-5,870 (95) Witter 3FG vs. Bradley
01/16/10 8,000-6,750 (109) Young FG vs. Wichita State
12/20/10 9,000-7,645 (123) Wragge FG vs. W. Illinois
03/23/11 10,000-8,500 (136) Lawson FG vs. UCF
01/21/12 11,000-9,310 (148) McDermott FG vs. Ind. St.
12/19/12 12,000-10,136 (161) Echenique FG vs. Tulsa
11/23/13 13,000-10,922 (173) Artino FG vs. Tulsa
02/23/14 14,000-11,711 (185) Gibbs FG vs. Seton Hall
01/28/15 15,000-12,612 (198) Hanson FT vs. St. John's
12/28/15 16,000-13,498 (211) Huff FG vs. Coppin State
11/15/16 17,000-14,349 (224) Patton FG vs. #9 Wisconsin
01/28/17 18,000-15,166 (235) Hanson FG vs. DePaul
12/18/17 19,000-15,927 (246) Foster 3FG vs. UT Arlington
11/06/18 20,000-16,741 (258) Ballock 3FG vs. W. Illinois
02/03/19 21,000-17,619 (270) Zegarowski FG vs. Xavier
12/07/19 22,000-18,463 (282) Ballock 3FG vs. Nebraska
03/07/20 23,000-19,280 (294) Mahoney 3FG vs. #8 Seton Hall
02/13/21 24,000-20,103 (306) Zegarowski FG vs. #5 Villanova
02/14/22 25,000-20,950 (320) Hawkins 3FG vs. Georgetown
01/25/23 26,000-21,786 (333) Nembhard 3FG vs. St. John's
12/20/23 27,000-22,535 (345) Kalkbrenner FG vs. Villanova
11/13/24 28,000-23,388 (357) Isaacs 3FG vs. Hou. Christian
02/26/25 29,000-24,231 (370) Kalkbrenner FG vs. DePaul
01/13/26 30,000-25,082 (381) Dix FT vs. Georgetown
Triple Jumper
Josh Dix has made a three-pointer in each of his first 18 games with Creighton, and also made a trey in his final 12 games with Iowa. His 30 game streak with a three-pointer is tied for the nation's fourth-longest active streak through games of Jan. 14.
Dix and Baylor Scheierman (all 37 games in 2022-23) are Creighton's only players in the last 20 seasons to make a three-pointer in each of his first 15+ games as a Bluejay.
Longest Active Streaks With a Made 3-Pointer (1/14)
Streak Name, Current School Next
64 Josh Hubbard, Mississippi State 1/17
46 Honor Huff, West Virginia 1/17
43 Cliff Davis, James Madison 1/15
30 Josh Dix, Creighton 1/16
30 Tyler Lundblade, Belmont 1/17
29 Ryan Conwell, Louisville 1/17
29 Tyler Nickel, Vanderbilt 1/17
27 Vijami Vartiainen, Weber State 1/15
27 Miles Barnstable, Tulsa 1/18
The Number To Watch
Need a number to keep an eye on that could determine Creighton's success? Look no further than paint points.
Creighton is 10-0 this year when scoring 30 or more paint points, but 1-7 when scoring 28 or less in the paint.
Last season Creighton was 20-5 when scoring 30 or more paint points but 5-6 when scoring 28 or less.
Home Sweet Home
Creighton won its final four BIG EAST home games in 2023-24, was 9-1 in BIG EAST home games last season, and has started 3-1 in league play at home this winter.
Creighton's 16-2 record is tied for the best mark in the conference by any school in its last 18 BIG EAST home games, as seen below:
Last 18 BIG EAST Home Games
W-L Team
16-2 Creighton
16-2 Connecticut
15-3 St. John's
13-5 Villanova
11-7 Marquette
11-7 Xavier
8-10 Seton Hall
7-11 Providence
6-12 Georgetown
7-11 Butler
4-14 DePaul
Starting Strong
Creighton's has started 4-2 or better after six league games in 12 of Greg McDermott's first 16 seasons at Creighton, and third straight campaign.
Year League W-L After 6
2010-11 4-2
2011-12 5-1
2012-13 6-0
2013-14 5-1
2014-15 0-6
2015-16 4-2
2016-17 5-1
2017-18 4-2
2018-19 2-4
2019-20 3-3
2020-21 5-1
2021-22 4-2
2022-23 3-3
2023-24 4-2
2024-25 4-2
2025-26 4-2
McDermott Among The Best
Greg McDermott ranks sixth in BIG EAST history with 143 regular-season league wins. The five coaches ahead of him all have won at least one national title.
McDermott, along with Ed Cooley, Rick Pitino and Kevin Willard are the only four active coaches with 100 regular-season BIG EAST wins.
McDermott has been at his current job (16 seasons) longer than any active BIG EAST coach, but since his first three years were as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference, Cooley's 15 years in the BIG EAST lead all active league coaches.
Most League Wins, BIG EAST MBB Coaches (1/15)
Rk. Wins Name, School
1. 366 Jim Boeheim, Syracuse
2. 274 Jim Calhoun, UConn
3. 244 Jay Wright, Villanova
4. 198 John Thompson Jr., Georgetown
5. 145 Rick Pitino, Prov./Louisville/SJU
6. 143 Greg McDermott, Creighton
7. 136 Mike Brey, Notre Dame
8. 131 John Thompson III, Georgetown
9. 130 Ed Cooley, Providence/G'Town
10. 127 Lou Carnesecca, St. John's
Swartz Comes Through
Austin Swartz made 12-of-16 shots from the field on Tuesday vs. Georgetown. Creighton is now 5-0 this season when the sophomore shoots 50 percent or better (min. 1 FGA) from the field, including four BIG EAST victories.
1 And Only
Austin Swartz wears No. 1 on his uniform, but he's unique in other ways.
Swartz is one of 1,822 players nationally to have scored 115 points or more (he has 198 through Tuesday), but the only one in that mix to have done it by making two free throws or less.
The next-most points with two free throws made or less is High Point's Chase Johnston (113 points). The next-most points by a Power Five player with two free throws made or less is Utah's Jacob Patrick (72).
Swartz is 2-for-5 at the foul line this year after going 14-for-16 at the stripe as a freshman at Miami (Fla.).
Among The Best
Creighton owns more BIG EAST wins (87) than any other school in the last six seasons, 11 more than Villanova's and Connecticut's 76.
Since the league's 2013 realignment, Villanova has 166 league wins to lead the BIG EAST by a wide margin, but Creighton's 143 league victories are second-most.
Most Men's Basketball BIG EAST Wins
(2019-20 to Jan. 15, 2026)
Team W L Pct.
Creighton 87 37 .702
UConn 76 27 .738
Villanova 76 43 .639
Marquette 72 51 .585
Providence 65 55 .542
St. John's 64 58 .525
Seton Hall 63 59 .516
Xavier 62 55 .530
Butler 46 78 .371
Georgetown 25 94 .210
DePaul 20 99 .168
Most Men's Basketball BIG EAST Wins
(2013-14 to Jan. 15, 2026)
Team W L Pct.
Villanova 166 61 .731
Creighton 143 89 .616
Xavier 128 97 .569
Marquette 124 107 .537
Providence 123 105 .539
Seton Hall 116 114 .504
St. John's 104 126 .452
Butler 100 132 .431
UConn 76 27 .738
Georgetown 71 156 .313
DePaul 45 182 .198
New Year, Same Success
Creighton owns a league-best 20-6 record in the month of January since the start of 2023.
The Jays are also 29-12 in the month of January since the start of 2021, which is tied for second-best in the BIG EAST.
Best January Records Among BIG EAST Teams Since 2023
Rk. W L Pct. Team
1. 20 6 .769 Creighton
2. 18 7 .720 Marquette
3. 20 8 .714 Connecticut
Best January Records Among BIG EAST Teams Since 2021
Rk. W L Pct. Team
1. 29 11 .725 Connecticut
2. 29 12 .707 Creighton
28 13 .683 Marquette
Productive Month
Austin Swartz entered the month of December averaging 1.3 points per game before his whole season turned around.
Swartz has played 10 games since the month of December started, and his scoring average has gone up after every game he's played but one.
The sophomore from Charlotte enters Friday's averaging 11.6 points per game.
Entering Average Pts. End Game Average
1.3 entering Nicholls 11 2.7
2.7 entering Nebraska 16 4.4
4.4 entering Kansas State 12 5.2
5.2 entering Xavier 27 7.4
7.4 entering Marquette 9 7.5
7.5 entering Utah Tech 19 8.5
8.5 entering Butler 22 9.5
9.5 entering Seton Hall 16 10.0
10.0 entering Villanova 20 10.7
10.7 entering St. John's 5 10.3
10.3 entering Georgetown 33 11.6
All-Around Performance
Josh Dix had one of the top all-around performances of his career on Dec. 22 vs. Utah Tech, as the senior guard had 17 points, six rebounds, five assists and a career-high five steals.
Dix was the first Bluejay in the last 30 years to have a line with at least 15/5/5/5 in the same game without a turnover.
The game earned Dix recognition as BIG EAST Player of the Week on Monday, Dec. 28.
Dix Does It
Josh Dix had another impressive stat line on Jan. 4th at Seton Hall, when he posted his first career double-double with 12 points, 10 rebounds and six assists without a turnover.
He's just the second Creighton player in the last 20 years to have at least 12 points, 10 rebounds and six assists without a turnover, joining Baylor Scheierman (20/10/6) did it on Jan. 20, 2024. That game was also against Seton Hall.
Bench Boost
Creighton scored 43 (at Xavier) and 41 (vs. Marquette) bench points in its first two league games, a fact that's even more incredible when you consider that the Bluejays had gone 147 straight BIG EAST games without scoring 40+ points off the bench dating to Jan. 13, 2018.
Creighton had not scored 40+ bench points in consecutive games (conference or otherwise) since doing it vs. Presbyterian (43) and Longwood (56) in November of 2012.
40+ Points in BIG EAST Play
Year 40+ Bench Points Opponent
2013-14: 0 of 18 -
2014-15: 2 of 18 @SJU, SJU
2015-16: 1 of 18 DPU
2016-17: 0 of 18 -
2017-18: 1 of 18
2018-19: 0 of 18 -
2019-20: 0 of 18 -
2020-21: 0 of 20 -
2021-22: 0 of 19 -
2022-23: 0 of 20 -
2023-24: 0 of 20 -
2024-25: 0 of 20 -
2025-26: 2 of 7 so far @XU, MU
Most Creighton Bench Points in BIG EAST Play
Bench Pts. Opponent Date
51 DePaul 02/06/16
46 at Xavier 01/13/18
45 at St. John's 02/07/15
44 St. John's 01/28/15
43 at Xavier 12/17/25
41 Marquette 12/20/25
Nik The Quik
Nik Graves went nuclear in the first half of Creighton's Dec. 20 game vs. Marquette, scoring 17 points in a span of just 2:55. His 17 points were the most by any Bluejay in a half this season.
Graves entered the game with a season-high of 15 points in the South Dakota game before catching fire against the Golden Eagles.
Here's how it happened:
Time Play CU Score After Points
11:22 Graves Floater Down 15-14
10:56 Graves Jumper Up 16-15
10:07 Graves 3FG Up 21-15
9:03 Graves 3FG Up 27-17
8:46 Graves 3FG Up 30-17
8:24 Graves 3FG Up 33-17
8:24 Graves FT Up 34-17
That's A Plus
Nik Graves finished CU's Dec. 20 win against Marquette with a +40 plus/minus rating, as Creighton outscored Marquette 66-26 with the senior guard on the floor.
That +40 mark out-did the previous high by a Bluejay this season (Josh Dix was +37 vs. Maryland Eastern Shore) and was the top mark by a Creighton player since James Milliken was also +40 on Feb. 28, 2016.
Non-Con Success
Creighton went 6-5 in regular-season non-conference play this season. It's the 29th straight season that the Bluejays have had a .500 record or better in regular-season non-conference game. The last Bluejay team that wasn't was CU's 1996-97 team that went 5-6.
Creighton's last team to lose five regular-season non-conference games was its 2022-23 squad that finished the year in the Elite Eight.
Below is a look at Creighton's annual regular-season non-conference marks under Greg McDermott.
W-L Year Year-End W-L (Postseason)
8-5 2010-11 23-16 (CBI)
11-1 2011-12 29-6 (NCAA)
11-2 2012-13 28-8 (NCAA)
10-2 2013-14 27-8 (NCAA)
9-4 2014-15 14-19 (None)
9-4 2015-16 20-15 (NIT)
13-0 2016-17 25-10 (NCAA)
11-2 2017-18 21-12 (NCAA)
9-4 2018-19 20-15 (NIT)
11-2 2019-20 24-7 (None due to COVID-19)
4-1 2020-21 22-9 (NCAA)
8-3 2021-22 23-12 (NCAA)
6-5 2022-23 24-13 (NCAA)
9-2 2023-24 25-10 (NCAA)
7-4 2024-25 25-11 (NCAA)
6-5 2025-26 TBD
They Did What?
Creighton led 49-22 at half and walloped Xavier, 98-57, on Dec. 17 in Cincinnati. It led to a plethora of eyebrow-raising stats.
- It was Creighton's largest halftime lead since leading Houston Christian 39-12 at the break on Nov. 13, 2024.
, - It was Creighton's largest halftime lead in a BIG EAST game since leading Georgetown 51-24 at the break on March 1, 2023, and tied for its third-largest ever in BIG EAST play.
- It is believed to be Creighton's largest halftime lead in a conference road game since at least 1948. Creighton's last halftime lead away from home of 27 points or more was also a 49-22 lead, which came on Nov. 30, 1990 in Iowa City, Iowa, against UTSA.
- It was Creighton's largest margin of victory ever in a conference road game, topping its 93-58 win at DePaul on Feb. 11, 2017.
- It was tied for Creighton's second-largest margin of victory ever in a conference game at any site, trailing only a 69-25 win vs. Saint Louis on Jan. 9, 1943 in Missouri Valley Conference play.
That Saint Louis game was also a league lid-lifter.
- It tied Creighton's largest margin of victory ever in a BIG EAST game at any site, matching a 100-59 win vs. St. John's on Feb. 28, 2016.
- Creighton's 98-57 win was the second-largest road win in a BIG EAST Conference game ever, trailing only UConn's 99-57 win at Seton Hall on Feb. 11, 2006. It was also tied for the eighth-largest BIG EAST victory margin in league history, regardless of site.
- Creighton's 41 point win at Xavier matched the combined margin of victory in Creighton's eight previous wins in Cincinnati over the Musketeers. CU had never before won at Xavier by more than 12 points.
- It was the largest margin of victory in a BIG EAST opener by any team, surpassing Villanova's 84-46 win vs. West Virginia on Jan. 5, 2005.
- Creighton's 98 points were its most ever in a conference road win, one more than its output on Jan. 20, 2024 in a 97-94 triple-overtime win at Seton Hall, and two more than its previous high in regulation in a conference road win done on Jan. 20, 2014 at No. 4 Villanova in a 96-68 win.
- Creighton's 98 points were the most Xavier has ever allowed inside Cintas Center, which opened in 2000.
- Along with the Creighton women defeating Omaha 92-48 on Wednesday, it was the first time a BIG EAST school posted 40+ point wins in men's and women's basketball on the same day since Nov. 6, 2018, when Seton Hall dominated Wagner in both sports.
The only other time in history that Creighton MBB and WBB had wins of 40+ points on the same day was Nov. 27, 1982, when the men beat Wisconsin-Platteville 98-54 and the women topped SIU Edwardsville 99-59, but both of those games were in Omaha.
- Creighton's men and women both made 16 three-pointers. It was the first time a BIG EAST school had both its men's and women's programs make 15+ three-pointers on the same day since Creighton did it on March 23, 2024. On that day, the CU men did it in a double-overtime win vs. Oregon, while the women did it in a victory against UNLV. Both of those were NCAA Tournament contests.
- It was Xavier's largest halftime deficit since trailing Duke 55-24 at half on Dec. 20, 2008 in East Rutherford, N.J., in an eventual 82-64 loss.
- It was Xavier's largest halftime deficit ever in a BIG EAST game (previously 48-22 vs. UConn on Jan. 28, 2024), and largest halftime deficit in a BIG EAST home game since trailing 44-28 vs. Seton Hall on Dec. 30, 2020.
- It was Xavier's second-largest loss ever in a conference game, trailing only its 99-56 loss at UConn on Jan. 28, 2024.
- It was Xavier's largest loss in a home game in program history, eclipsing an 86-48 loss to Dayton on March 5, 1977.
- Xavier's previous largest loss at Cintas Center (which opened in 2000) was a 64-42 loss to Oral Roberts on Dec. 18, 2011.
Sharing Is Caring
Creighton's 31 assists at Xavier were its second-most ever in a game under Greg McDermott, trailing only the 32 vs. USC Upstate on Dec. 20, 2017 in a 116-62 win.
Nationally, Creighton became the first road team with 31 or more assists in a Power 5 conference game since Washington at California on March 3, 2005.
Creighton's 31 assists were the most in a regular-season BIG EAST game by any school since Xavier had 32 vs. Georgetown on Jan. 21, 2023, and tied for the third-most in any league game since 1996-97. Creighton's 31 assists were also its most ever in any BIG EAST game.
Home Run
Under Greg McDermott Creighton is averaging 80.85 points per home game (21,507 points in 266 home games), a figure that climbs to 84.31 points in non-conference home games (10,371 points in 123 home games).
Creighton is 162-7 all-time at CHI Health Center Omaha when scoring 80 or points.
Creighton has won its last 26 games (at all sites) when scoring 80 points or more dating to a 91-87 overtime loss at Providence on Feb. 7, 2024. That's more than twice as long as UConn's 13-game streak that is the next-longest streak in the BIG EAST. Here's a look at the nation's longest active win streaks when scoring 80+ points, though games of Jan. 14.
Most Consecutive Wins When Scoring 80+ Points
Streak School Streak Start Next Game
48 Hofstra 03/07/21 1/15
48 Saint Mary's 01/09/20 1/17
37 McNeese State 03/01/23 1/17
35 Utah State 01/20/24 1/17
34 Miami (Ohio) 12/29/23 1/17
33 Michigan State 11/19/23 1/17
31 George Mason 11/11/22 1/19
31 Pittsburgh 03/08/23 1/17
30 UCLA 02/26/22 1/17
28 Idaho 02/04/23 1/15
27 Navy 01/16/19 1/17
27 Stephen F. Austin 02/11/23 1/17
26 Creighton 02/13/24 1/16
26 Hawaii 11/10/21 1/15
Turnover Trends
How well Creighton has taken care of the ball has had a major correlation whether or not the Bluejays win.
Creighton owns a 204/111 assist/turnover ratio (1.84) in its 11 wins this year, compared to a 85/87 (0.98) ratio in its seven losses.
Sixty Percent Club
Creighton shot 60.3 percent in its Dec. 17 win at Xavier. Since Greg McDermott was hired at Creighton, the Bluejays have shot 60 percent or better 33 times.
Here's that list, as well as several others, per Basketball-Reference.com, through Jan. 13.
Most Games, 60%+ FG Shooting, Since 2010-11
Rk. Games (W-L) Team
1. 50 (50-0) Gonzaga
2. 33 (33-0) Creighton
3. 30 (30-0) Kansas
30 (29-1) Northern Colorado
5. 28 (28-0) Indiana
28 (27-1) Loyola (Chicago)
28 (25-3) Campbell
Most Games, 50%+ FG Shooting, Since 2010-11
Rk. Games (W-L) Team
1. 320 (310-10) Gonzaga
2. 228 (212-16) Belmont
3. 225 (210-15) Creighton
225 (212-13) Kansas
5. 218 (206-12) Duke
Most Games, 50%+ 3FG Shooting, Since 2010-11
Rk. Games (W-L) Team
1. 91 (81-10) Weber State
2. 88 (78-10) UCLA
3. 87 (72-15) Michigan State
4. 86 (83-3) Gonzaga
5. 85 (81-4) Creighton
Best Field Goal Percentage, Since 2010-11
Rk. FG% Team
1. .508 Gonzaga
2. .483 Belmont
3. .478 Kansas
4. .476 Creighton
5. .476 Duke
Best 2-Point Field Goal Percentage, Since 2010-11
(includes teams that have been Division I 10+ years)
Rk. 2FG% Team
1. .574 Gonzaga
2. .573 Belmont
3. .553 Creighton
4. .540 Furman
5. .540 Duke
Austin Powers
Austin Swartz had 27 points in 23 minutes of CU's Dec. 17 road win at Xavier.
He's just the seventh Bluejay in the last 20 seasons with 25+ points in 25 minutes or less, and joined Cole Huff as one of two Bluejays with a game of 27+ points in 23 minutes or less since 1991-92.
25+ Points in 25 Minutes or Less
Creighton Players Since 1991-92
PTS MIN Name, Opponent Date
26 25 Dane Watts vs. Mississippi Valley State 11/17/07
25 18 Doug McDermott vs. Hou. Christian 12/17/11
27 24 Geoffrey Groselle vs. North Texas 12/21/15
28 22 Cole Huff vs. DePaul 02/06/16
25 25 Marcus Zegarowski vs. #21 Butler 02/23/20
25 23 Trey Alexander vs. Georgetown 03/01/23
27 23 Austin Swartz at Xavier 12/17/25
Triple Option
Creighton made 16 three-pointers in its Dec. 17 victory at Xavier. It was tied for the third-most three-pointers ever by the Bluejays in a road game.
Most 3FG Made in a Road Game, Creighton History
3FG 3FGA Opponent Date
21 35 at #4 Villanova 01/20/14
17 35 at Seton Hall 01/27/21
16 36 at Georgetown 01/06/18
16 33 at Xavier 12/17/25
Preseason All-BIG EAST Votes Revealed
The Creighton men's basketball team was picked to finish third in the BIG EAST Conference in the annual survey of league coaches, which was unveiled as part of 2025 BIG EAST Media Day on October 21.
It marks the fourth straight year the Bluejays have been tabbed for a top-three finish and the third time CU has been picked exactly third in the BIG EAST poll, having also happened in 2013-14 as well as 2016-17.
Defending league champion St. John's garnered 7-of-11 first place votes and was chosen atop the poll with 97 points, just ahead of Connecticut. The Huskies collected four first place votes and 94 points. Creighton was third with 80 points, just ahead of Providence (64) and Marquette (60). The second half of the league poll consists of Georgetown (57), Villanova (50), Xavier (33), DePaul (29), Butler (26) and Seton Hall (15).
Creighton finished 25-11 overall and 15-5 in BIG EAST play last season and returns starters Jackson McAndrew (7.8 ppg., 4.4 rpg.) and Jasen Green (4.9 ppg., 3.2 rpg.) along with a talented crop of newcomers.
Three of those newcomers join McAndrew with Preseason All-BIG EAST accolades, giving CU four honorees for the first time since its 2022-23 team that eventually finished the season in the Elite Eight. Owen Freeman was voted a Preseason All- BIG EAST First Team selection and Josh Dix was a Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team choice. McAndrew and Nik Graves were both Preseason All-BIG EAST Third Team honorees.
Freeman is the eighth different Bluejay to earn Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team recognition, and first to do it prior to playing a game with the Bluejays. It also means CU has had a First Team pick each of the last four seasons, as Trey Alexander was chosen prior to 2023-24 and Ryan Kalkbrenner was honored each of the previous three campaigns.
Creighton has matched or exceeded its preseason projection in all but one season since joining the BIG EAST in 2013-14, the best showing in the league in that time. The Bluejays are seeking a 10th straight finish in the top four of the league standings.
Creighton's BIG EAST Preseason Poll History
Year Preseason Actual Preseason All-BIG EAST
2013-14 3rd 2nd Doug McDermott (POY, 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 2nd Marcus Zegarowski (POY, 1st); Mitch Ballock (2nd)
2021-22 8th 4th -
2022-23 1st 3rd Ryan Kalkbrenner (1st); Arthur Kaluma (2nd)
Ryan Nembhard (2nd); Baylor Scheierman (HM)
2023-24 2nd T-2nd Ryan Kalkbrenner (1st); Trey Alexander (1st)
Baylor Scheierman (2nd)
2024-25 2nd 2nd Ryan Kalkbrenner (POY, 1st); Steven Ashworth (3rd)
2025-26 3rd ? ? ? Owen Freeman (1st); Josh Dix (2nd)
Jackson McAndrew (3rd); Nik Graves (3rd)
League Of Their Own
Creighton has finished with a .500 mark or better in league play 29 times in the previous 30 seasons, one of six schools nationally that can say that.
The only BIG EAST teams to finish .500 or better in league play each of the previous 10 seasons are Creighton and Villanova.
Creighton is also the only "Power 5" school with an active streak of six years or longer with 12 or more league wins.
Most Seasons .500 or Better League Record
Last 30 Seasons (Entering 2025-26)
Seasons Team
30 Duke
30 Kansas
30 Gonzaga
29 Creighton
29 Kentucky
29 Michigan State
Consecutive Seasons .500 or Better League Record
Power 5 Schools (Entering 2025-26)
Seasons Team
36 Kansas
30 Duke
14 Oregon
13 Villanova
10 Creighton
10 Houston
10 Florida
Consecutive Seasons 12+ League Wins
Power 5 Schools (Entering 2025-26)
Seasons Team
6 Creighton
Best BIG EAST Years
Creighton's 15 league wins last season set a program record for most conference wins in any of its first 12 seasons in the BIG EAST. It was the third straight season CU won 14 league games or more, something only Villanova (2013-14 to 2017-18) and Connecticut (1993-94 to 1995-96) have done in BIG EAST history.
Four of CU's seven teams to win 12 or more BIG EAST games reached the BIG EAST Tournament final, with the prematurely cancelled 2019-20 campaign being one of the exceptions.
Creighton's 15 conference wins last year matched its most as a member of any league, as it picked up 15 conference wins in 2002-03 when it was a member of the Missouri Valley Conference.
Creighton has now set or tied program records for most conference wins in a one-year span (15), two-year span (29), three-year span (43), four-year span (55), five-year span (69), six-year span (82) and seven-year span (91).
Creighton has finished first or second in the BIG EAST in four of the last six seasons, and top four in the league each of the previous nine campaigns.
Creighton's Most BIG EAST Wins, Season
W-L Year BIG EAST Tourney
15-5 2024-25 TBA
14-4 2013-14 Lost in Final
14-6 2020-21 Lost in Final
14-6 2022-23 Lost in Semi's
14-6 2023-24 Lost in Quarterfinals
13-5 2019-20 Tourney Cancelled
12-7 2021-22 Lost in Final
Creighton's Most Conference Wins, Season
W-L Year League
15-3 2002-03 MVC
15-5 2024-25 BIG EAST
14-4 2000-01 MVC
14-4 2001-02 MVC
14-4 2008-09 MVC
14-4 2011-12 MVC
14-4 2013-14 BIG EAST
14-6 2020-21 BIG EAST
14-6 2022-23 BIG EAST
14-6 2023-24 BIG EAST
Use The Swartz
Sophomore guard Austin Swartz has stepped up in the absence of Hudson Greer.
One game after a DNP-CD against Oregon to close out the Players Era Championship in Las Vegas, Swartz scored 11 points on Dec. 2 in 13 minutes vs. Nicholls, eclipsing his point total (8) in his first eight games of the season combined.
Swartz was a bright spot in the Dec. 7 game at Nebraska, scoring 16 points while also adding two steals. He shot 7-of-15 from the field, compared to 9-for-37 by the rest of the Jays.
Swartz made his first start with the Bluejays on Dec. 13 against Kansas State. scoring a dozen points in 25 minutes.
Swartz then poured in 27 points in just 23 minutes in a Dec. 17 win at Xavier, as the Charlotte native made seven three-pointers.
He's followed that up with nine points vs. Marquette, 19 more vs. Utah Tech, 22 in the win over Butler, 16 at Seton Hall, 20 at Villanova and a career-high 33 vs. Georgetown.
In other words, Swartz has 190 points in CU's last 11 games (17.3 ppg.) after just eight total points in Creighton's initial seven contests.
Balanced Effort
Austin Swartz's 27 points at Xavier was the first time all season that Creighton had a player produce a 20-point game this season. It had been Creighton's longest drought to start a season since it didn't happen in the first 12 games in 2003-04.
Creighton then had both Jasen Green (23) and Swartz (22) score more than 20 points in its Dec. 30 win vs. Butler. Swartz also scored 20 at Villanova on Jan. 7.
Since Greg McDermott's 2010 arrival, Creighton has had at least one player score 20 points or more in 57.1 percent (308) of its 539 games.
Availability Reports
The BIG EAST is now requiring availability reports prior to each league game, with plans calling for the information will be released three hours prior to each conference contest.
The league website with that information is
https://bigeast.com/sports/2025/11/26/2526_mbb_availability_reports.aspx .
Three's Company
Creighton has made five or more three-pointers in 89 straight games, the nation's second-longest active streak.
CU's streak of 65 consecutive games with six or more three-pointers was snapped on Thanksgiving Day vs. Oregon when the Jays made five three-pointers.
Longest Active Streaks of 5+ 3FG Made (1/14)
Rk. Streak School Next Game
1. 114 North Florida 1/15
2. 89 Creighton 1/16
3. 87 BYU 1/17
4. 85 Wofford 1/17
Seeking the Pefect Blend
Creighton's roster includes nine newcomers and seven returners. CU has yet to play a single possession with five returners on the floor at the same time.
# of Newcomers CU Pts.-Opp Pts. % of Pts. by CU
0 Newcomers on Floor Hasn't Happened n/a
1 Newcomer on Floor 55-46 .545
2 Newcomers on Floor 345-351 .496
3 Newcomers on Floor 515-470 .523
4 Newcomers on Floor 451-412 .523
5 Newcomers on Floor 32-22 .593
Newcomers Lead The Way
For the season, 946 of Creighton's 1,398 points have been scored by newcomers, an astounding 67.7 percent. This shouldn't be too much of a shock though, as only 28.0 percent of last year's points returned.
By comparison, newcomers on last year's team were responsible for only 36.6 percent of the points.
McChesney Perserveres
Liam McChesney capped Creighton's 96-76 win with a tip-dunk in the final 30 seconds.
It was McChesney's first field goal in a game since scoring at Arch Madness on March 2, 2023 when he played for Illinois State, a span of 1,007 days.
Hudson Strong
Hudson Greer made 7-of-8 shots and scored 16 points in the Nov. 24 game vs. Baylor, an impressive showing for the true freshman who had his redshirt lifted just a few days earlier.
Greer became the first Bluejay freshman with 16 points or more in one of his first two games since Khyri Thomas scored 18 points in his collegiate debut vs. Texas Southern on Nov. 14, 2015.
McDermott's Coaching Tree
Greg McDermott's coaching tree includes 11 men who are currently a head coach at the Division I level, including three men at Power 5 schools.
Here's a list:
Darian DeVries - Indiana
Eric Henderson - Drake
Ben Jacobson - Northern Iowa
Steve Lutz - Oklahoma State
Ryan Miller - Murray State
TJ Otzelberger - Iowa State
Bryan Petersen - South Dakota State
David Richman - North Dakota State
Daniyal Robinson - North Texas
Paul Sather - North Dakota
Patrick Sellers - Central Connecticut State
Deep Thoughts
Greg McDermott talked in the off-season about how this year's squad figured to be the deepest team he's ever had at Creighton, and the early results have proven him right.
Creighton's bench has outscored foes 493-420 this season. That +73 figure would be CU's best year-end mark since 2018-19 (+96). The 493 points are CU's most bench points since scoring 661 bench points in 2018-19.
Creighton's bench has accounted for 35.26 percent of CU's scoring, and 27.39 points per game. That's the most bench points per game since the 2007-08 team averaged 36.91 bench points per game and actually outscored the starting line-up (34.61 ppg.).
Creighton entered this season with 48 straight wins when scoring 17 or more bench points, but are just 10-6 this year when scoring 17 points or more off the bench.
Creighton's loss last Saturday when scoring 38 bench points vs. St. John's was CU's most bench points in a loss since scoring 46 at No. 10 Xavier on Jan. 13, 2018.
Postseason Success
Creighton has won at least one NCAA Tournament game in 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025. That makes CU one of four teams in the country to have a win in each of the last five NCAA Tournaments, joining Baylor, Gonzaga and Houston.
This is the first time that Creighton Basketball has won an NCAA Tournament game in five straight years. The only other CU program in any sport to win an NCAA Tournament game in five straight seasons is Creighton Volleyball (2015-19).
Even though a certain NCAA bid was wiped away in 2020 by COVID-19, Creighton has still appeared in each of the last five NCAA Tournaments (2021-25).
The only previous time that Creighton Men's Basketball has appeared in five straight NCAA Tournaments was from 1999-2003.
Creighton is one of 13 teams to have appeared in each of the last five NCAA Tournaments (2021-25). That list consists of Alabama, Baylor, Connecticut, Creighton, Gonzaga, Houston, Kansas, Illinois, Michigan State, Purdue, San Diego State, Tennessee and Texas.
Ain't Too Proud To Brag
Creighton has won 20 or more games in each of the past 10 seasons, tied for the nation's fourth-longest active streak. Kansas leads the way with 36, followed by Gonzaga (28) and Belmont (15). The others with 10 (like Creighton) include Oregon and Houston.
Creighton has won 22 games or more in six straight seasons. Only Gonzaga (28) and Houston (8) have longer streaks.
Creighton is one of two schools to have men's and women's basketball programs to both own 22 wins or more each of the previous four seasons, a list that includes Creighton and UConn.
Creighton is one of two teams in the nation with 25 or more wins in both men's basketball and women's basketball each of the previous two seasons. That list consists of Creighton and Gonzaga.
Most Consecutive 20-Win Seasons
Team Consec. 20-Win Seasons (entering 2025-26)
Kansas 36
Gonzaga 28
Belmont 15
Oregon 15
Creighton 10
Houston 10
Most Consecutive 22-Win Seasons
Team Consec. 22-Win Yrs. (entering 2025-26)
Gonzaga 28
Houston 8
Creighton 6
25 of 27 Seasons With 20 Wins
Creighton has won 20 or more games in 25 of the previous 27 seasons, a feat that puts the Jays among an exclusive group, nationally.
Entering 2025-26, just two schools have had 20 or more wins each of the previous 27 years: Gonzaga and Kansas. Duke has done it 26 times, Creighton and Kentucky 25 times each.
Most 20-Win Seasons, Previous 27 Seasons
Team 20-Win Seasons (Entering 2025-26)
Gonzaga 27
Kansas 27
Duke 26
Creighton 25
Kentucky 25
Arizona 23
Florida 23
Michigan State 23
BYU 22
Memphis 22
North Carolina 22
Ohio State 22
Wisconsin 22
Most 20-Win Seasons, Head Coaches Since 2010-11
20-Win Seasons (2010-11 to 20224-25) Name, Team
15 Mark Few, Gonzaga
15 Bill Self, Kansas
15 Dana Altman, Oregon
14 Greg McDermott, Creighton
14 John Calipari, Kentucky and Arkansas
Two Dozen, Cousin
Creighton is one of 15 schools to have won 24 games or more in 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024- 25. That group consists of Alabama, Arizona, Charleston, Connecticut, Creighton, Drake, Duke, Gonzaga, Grand Canyon, Houston, Purdue, Saint Mary's, Tennessee, Utah State and VCU.
Sweetness!
Creighton is one of just nine teams to have reached at least three of the last five Sweet 16s.
Houston has done it each of the previous five seasons, while Alabama, Arkansas and Gonzaga have done it four times each.
Doing it three times in the previous five seasons are Duke, Michigan, Purdue, Tennessee, UCLA and Creighton.
Most Sweet 16's, Previous Five Seasons
# Team Years
5 Houston 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
4 Alabama 2021 - 2023 2024 2025
4 Arkansas 2021 2022 2023 - 2025
4 Gonzaga 2021 2022 2023 2024 -
3 Creighton 2021 - 2023 2024 -
3 UCLA 2021 2022 2023 - -
3 Duke - 2022 - 2024 2025
3 Michigan 2021 2022 - - 2025
3 Purdue - 2022 - 2024 2025
3 Tennessee - - 2023 2024 2025
Coaching Consistency Is Key
Between women's basketball coach Jim Flanery (460) and men's basketball coach Greg McDermott (361), Creighton is the nation's only school with a pair of active head coaches with at least 360 victories at their current school.
Flanery (hired in 2002) and McDermott (2010) also make Creighton one of three schools to have the same men's and women's basketball head coaches each of the last 15 seasons, joining Boise State (Leon Rice and Gordy Presnell) and Northern Iowa (Ben Jacobsen and Tanya Warren).
Jacobsen played on teams McDermott assisted at North Dakota from 1989-93 and later replaced McDermott as head coach at UNI In 2006, while Warren was a former Creighton player and assistant and is one of two women in program history to have her number retired.
Stability is Key
One reason for Creighton's extended run of success has been the continuity within its coaching staff. The Bluejays have had just two head coaches in the last 32 years, Dana Altman (1994-2010) and Greg McDermott (2010-Present).
Here's a list of major conference schools to have a coach with 300 wins at that school, and their predecessor also had 300 wins at the school:
School Former Coach Current Coach
Creighton Dana Altman Greg McDermott
Kansas Roy Williams Bill Self
Michigan State Jud Heathcote Tom Izzo
Purdue Gene Keady Matt Painter
Long Run
Greg McDermott is in his 16th season on the Creighton sideline in 2025-26. That's tied for the 15th-longest active run of any men's coach with his current team as a Division I head coach.
Most Consecutive Years as Head Coach, Current Team
Years Name School
1995-Pr. Tom Izzo Michigan State
1998-Pr. Greg Kampe Oakland
1999-Pr. Mark Few Gonzaga
1999-Pr. James Jones Yale
2001-Pr. Randy Bennett Saint Mary's
2002-Pr. Bill Self Kansas
2003-Pr. Scott Drew Baylor
2005-Pr. Matt Painter Purdue
2006-Pr. Ben Jacobsen Northern Iowa
2006-Pr. Bill Coen Northeastern
2007-Pr. Mark Schmidt St. Bonaventure
2007-Pr. Brent Reed Lehigh
2007-Pr. Tommy Amaker Harvard
2009-Pr. LaVelle Moton North Carolina Central
2010-Pr. Greg McDermott Creighton
2010-Pr. Andy O'Toole Robert Morris
2010-Pr. Tad Boyle Colorado
2010-Pr. Leon Rice Boise State
2010-Pr. Dana Altman Oregon
2010-Pr. Russell Turner UC Irvine
2010-Pr. Brad Brownell Clemson
The McDermott Era
Greg McDermott owns 361 wins at Creighton since his arrival in 2010-11. It's the eighth-most of programs that have had the same coach the entire time.
Schools With Most Wins Since 2010-11, Only 1 Coach
(Through games of Jan. 14)
Rk. Wins School Coach Next
1. 469 Gonzaga Mark Few 1/15
2. 438 Kansas Bill Self 1/16
3. 401 Saint Mary's Randy Bennett 1/17
4. 389 Michigan State Tom Izzo 1/17
5. 378 Oregon Dana Altman 1/17
6. 375 Purdue Matt Painter 1/17
7. 368 Baylor Scott Drew 1/16
8. 361 Creighton Greg McDermott 1/16
National Ranks In The McDermott Era
Below is where Creighton ranks nationally since the start of the 2010-11 season among teams to have played 150 or more Division I games, per Basketball-Reference.com.
2010-11 to Jan. 13, 2026
Category CU Stat CU Rank
3FG Made 4,846 2nd
2FG Percentage .553 3rd
FG Percentage .476 4th
Assists 8,653 5th
3FG Percentage .371 6th
FG Made 14,745 8th
Points 41,210 8th
Wins 361 23rd
Winning Percentage .670 32nd
Among The Best
CBS Sports conducted a pair of surveys during the summer that highlight Greg McDermott as one of the best in the country at what he does.
Who is the best X's and O's coach in college basketball right now? (Asked to roughly 100 coaches)
1. Matt Painter (Purdue): 19%
2. Dan Hurley (UConn): 18%
3. Greg McDermott (Creighton): 16%
4. Kelvin Sampson (Houston): 7%
5. Ben McCollum (Iowa): 5%
6. Randy Bennett (Saint Mary's): 4%
Tom Izzo (Michigan State): 4%
Dusty May Michigan): 4%
Bill Self (Kansas): 4%
10. Rick Barnes (Tennessee): 2%
Chris Collins (Northwestern): 2%
Grant McCasland (Texas Tech): 2%
Nate Oats (Alabama): 2%
Rick Pitino (St. John's): 2%
Mark Schmidt (St. Bonaventure): 2%
Others: 7%
Who are the best college basketball coaches? (Asked to 6 CBB writers)
1. Dan Hurley, Connecticut
2. Kelvin Sampson, Houston
3. Rick Pitino, St. John's
4. Bill Self, Kansas
5. Matt Painter, Purdue
6. Nate Oats, Alabama
7. Todd Golden, Florida
8. Tom Izzo, Michigan State
9. Mark Few, Gonzaga
10. Scott Drew, Baylor
11. Jon Scheyer, Duke
12. Dusty May, Michigan
13. Rick Barnes, Tennessee
14. John Calipari, Arkansas
15. Tommy Lloyd, Arizona
16. Mark Pope, Kentucky
17. Greg McDermott, Creighton
18. Grant McCasland, Texas Tech
19. Brad Underwood, Illinois
20. Pat Kelsey, Louisville
21. TJ Otzelberger, Iowa State
22. Chris Beard, Ole Miss
23. Mick Cronin, UCLA
24. Randy Bennett, Saint Mary's
25. Shaka Smart, Marquette
And 1. Ben McCollum, Iowa
Release, Rotation, Splash, Repeat
Creighton has made at least one three-pointer in 1,074 straight games. That ranks as the nation's 10th-longest active streak.
Creighton's last game without a three-pointer came at Illinois State on Feb. 20, 1993, when the Jays were 0-for-5. 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 (1/14)
Rk. Streak School Next Game
1. 1,281 Duke 1/17
2. 1,276 UNLV 1/17
3. 1,209 East Tennessee State 1/17
4. 1,185 Oakland 1/15
5. 1,181 Pacific 1/17
6. 1,179 Texas 1/17
7. 1,117 Marshall 1/17
8. 1,112 Gonzaga 1/15
9. 1,097 Princeton 1/17
10. 1,074 Creighton 1/16
11. 1,064 Long Island 1/17
12. 1,058 Mount St. Mary's 1/17
Triple Trouble
During Creighton's current streak of 1,074 straight games with a three-pointer, the Jays have drained 8,688 trifectas, an average of 8.09 treys per game.
Only five times in the streak has Creighton made just one three-pointer, but on 334 occasions the Bluejays have made 10 or more trifectas, including three games of 20 or more.
Since the start of the 2019-20 season, the Bluejays are 112-31 when making eight or more three-pointers, compared to a 39-37 mark when making seven treys or fewer.
Team 3FG Made During Creighton's 3-Point Streak
1: 5 times 2: 19 times 3: 36 times
4: 75 times 5: 105 times 6: 114 times
7: 155 times 8: 135 times 9: 96 times
10: 93 times 11: 67 times 12: 65 times
13: 53 times 14: 26 times 15: 9 times
16: 10 times 17: 5 times 18: 1 time
19: 2 times 20: 1 time 21: 1 time 22: 1 time
Nifty Fifty Leads To Postseason?
Not counting 2019-20, when there was no postseason, Creighton has made the postseason each of the 12 most recent times in which it has made at least 50 percent of its field goal attempts to open the year.
Ten of those postseason trips were NCAA Tournament berths. The last time that didn't hold true was 1991-92, when CU shot 51.0 percent in the opener but finished just 9-19.
Creighton has shot 50 percent or better in 10 of its last 14 season-openers, including 50 percent (37-for-74) on Wednesday vs. South Dakota.
CU Season-Opener Field Goal Percentage 50+%
Since 1993-94
FG% Year Opponent Postseason
.541 1997-98 UMKC NIT
.524 1998-99 Towson State NCAA
.569 2000-01 Western Illinois NCAA
.594 2002-03 UT Arlington NCAA
.500 2012-13 North Texas NCAA
.556 2013-14 Alcorn State NCAA
.528 2015-16 Texas Southern NIT
.508 2016-17 UMKC NCAA
.558 2017-18 Yale NCAA
.524 2019-20 Kennesaw St. Postseason Ccd.
.585 2021-22 Ark.-Pine Bluff NCAA
.567 2023-24 Florida A&M NCAA
.600 2024-25 UTRGV NCAA
.500 2025-26 South Dakota ? ? ?
The Push For 90
Of Creighton's 26 all-time NCAA Tournament teams, 13 have scored 90 or more points in their season-opener.
Put another way...of CU's 20 teams (before 2025-26) to score 90 points in an opener, 13 would reach the NCAA Tournament.
Here's a look at Creighton's 12 most recent teams (before 2025-26) to score 90 or more points in a season-opener:
Final Post-
Score Opponent Date W-L Season
93-47 UT-San Antonio 11/30/90 24-8 NCAA
93-48 Towson State 11/14/98 22-9 NCAA
96-50 Western Illinois 11/20/00 24-8 NCAA
106-50 Texas-Arlington 11/17/02 29-5 NCAA
97-65 North Carolina A&T 11/11/11 29-6 NCAA
107-61 Alcorn State 11/08/13 27-8 NCAA
104-77 Central Arkansas 11/14/14 14-19 --
93-70 Texas Southern 11/14/15 20-15 NIT
92-76 Yale 11/10/17 21-12 NCAA
90-77 Arkansas-Pine Bluff 11/09/21 23-12 NCAA
105-54 Florida A&M 11/07/23 25-10 NCAA
99-86 UTRGV 11/06/24 25-11 NCAA
92-76 South Dakota 11/05/25 ? ? ? ? ? ?
NBA Jays
There are five former Creighton players in the NBA this season.
Former Creighton All-American Doug McDermott is with the Sacramento Kings as he begins his 12th year in the NBA. He was a Lottery pick in 2014 by the Denver Nuggets.
Baylor Scheierman is in his second year with the Boston Celtics after being a First Round pick in 2024.
Trey Alexander, who was named 2024-25 G-League Rookie of the Year in the Denver Nuggets organization, is now on a two-way contract with the New Orleans Pelicans.
There is palpable buzz around Ryan Kalkbrenner, a Second Round pick of the Charlotte Hornets, in his rookie campaign.
Lastly, former Creighton point guard Ryan Nembhard is on a two-way contract with the Dallas Mavericks. Nembhard played two years at Creighton before finishing his career at Gonzaga.
These men give Creighton at least one NBA player for the 42nd time in the last 43 seasons.
Other famous Bluejays to play in the NBA in the past include Paul Silas, Kyle Korver, Benoit Benjamin and Anthony Tolliver.
Who's Back?
With Creighton returning only seven of the 15 men who appeared in a game last season -- including its top three scorers -- much of the production is gone.
Below is a breakdown of what is back:
Stat Returners Departures
3FG Made 135 (39.2%) 209 (60.8%)
Minutes 2661 (36.7%) 4589 (63.3%)
Rebounds 426 (34.4%) 811 (65.6%)
Starts 61 (33.9%) 119 (66.1%)
Steals 43 (33.1%) 87 (66.9%)
Points 761 (28.0%) 1956 (72.0%)
Assists 112 (18.2%) 503 (81.8%)
Blocks 28 (17.4%) 133 (82.6%)
Charges Taken 2 (16.7%) 10 (83.3%)
McChesney On The Mend
Liam McChesney is a rare seventh-year junior who saw his first regular-season action in 979 days on Nov. 5 against South Dakota. He played just over four minutes, collecting a rebound and a blocked shot but missing both field goal attempts.
McChesney began his career in 2019-20 when he redshirted at Utah State. He played in three games at Utah State in 2020-21 before suffering a season-ending broken ankle.
The Prince Rupert, Canada native then transferred to Illinois State, where he played in 60 games and made 27 starts for the Redbirds in two seasons from 2021-23.
McChesney transferred to High Point to play for then-Panther head coach Alan Huss (now Creighton's associate head coach and head coach in waiting), but was sidelined after a preseason medical evaluation revealed an issue with one of his heart valves, which led to heart surgery that has caused him to miss the past two seasons as his weight dropped 208 to 172 pounds.
McChesney transferred to Creighton this summer and continues his comeback.
Preseason Top 25
The Creighton men's basketball team was ranked 23rd in the Associated Press Preseason Top 25 poll, the fourth straight season the Bluejays have been ranked among the nation's best in the preseason.
This year's announcement marks the eighth time in program history the writers have voted CU to the Top 25 in the preseason, joining 2006-07 (No. 19), 2012-13 (No. 16) and 2016-17 (No. 22), 2020-21 (No. 11), 2022-23 (No. 9), 2023-24 (No. 8) and 2024-25 (No. 15). All seven of those teams would end up in the NCAA Tournament, with three of the four most recent squads making the Sweet 16.
Creighton's best ranking in program history is seventh, done five times (Jan. 16, 2017, March 10, 2020, March 18, 2020, Jan. 7, 2021 and Nov. 28, 2022).
Including this year's preseason ranking, Creighton has now been ranked 148 times in program history, with 120 of those under the direction of Greg McDermott. Creighton is 180-78 all-time as a ranked team, including a 146-66 mark under McDermott. Creighton has now been ranked at least one week in 12 of McDermott's 16 seasons on The Hilltop after doing it just five different seasons in program history before his 2010 arrival.
Creighton has been one of 11 schools ranked in the Top 25 of the Preseason AP poll each of the last four years, joining Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Duke, Gonzaga, Houston, Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina and Tennessee.
Creighton was one of three BIG EAST Conference schools in the poll, joining No. 4 Connecticut and No. 5 St. John's.
Among Creighton's non-conference opponents in the poll are preseason No. 21 Gonzaga and preseason No. 16 Iowa State.
Creighton was also ranked 23rd in the preseason USA Today Coaches poll.
Let's Go On A Run
Creighton unleashed a 23-0 run on Iowa State during its exhibition meeting, turning an early 8-4 deficit into a 27-8 lead over a span of just under seven minutes (6:57).
Dating back to the start of the 2021-22 season, it was Creighton's largest run in any game, including exhibitions. Below is that list.
Longest Creighton Runs Since 2021-22
Run Opponent (Score change) Date
23-0* #16 Iowa State (4-8 to 27-8) 10/17/25
21-0* Upper Iowa (32-29 to 53-29) 10//30/21
20-0 Texas Southern (61-44 to 81-44) 11/18/23
19-0 vs. #11 Providence (37-27 to 56-27) 03/11/22
19-0 Georgetown (0-0 to 19-0) 03/01/23
18-0 Houston Christian (19-9 to 37-9) 11/13/24
*exhibition game
Who Are These Guys?
Creighton returns 61 starts from last year's team (31 by Jackson McAndrew, 25 by Jasen Green, 4 by Isaac Traudt, 1 by Ty Davis), its fewest since the 2021-22 team returned just two starts.
Returning Returning Starts Final
Year Starters From Previous Year W-L
2025-26 2 61 ? ? ?
2024-25 3 105 25-11
2023-24 3 111 25-10
2022-23 3 104 24-13
2021-22 0 2 23-12
2020-21 5 124 22-9
2019-20 4 136 24-7
2018-19 2 57 20-15
2017-18 2 72 21-12
2016-17 4 130 25-10
2015-16 1 64 20-15
2014-15 1 49 14-19
2013-14 4 144 27-8
2012-13 4 140 28-8
2011-12 3 101 29-6
2010-11 4 123 23-16
2009-10 3 106 18-16
2008-09 3 83 27-8
2007-08 1 44 22-11
2006-07 4 120 22-11
2005-06 4 134 20-10
2004-05 2 58 23-11
2003-04 3 101 20-9
2002-03 5 159 29-5
2001-02 2 65 23-9
2000-01 3 90 24-8
1999-00 3 84 23-10
1998-99 3 84 22-9
1997-98 4 72 18-10
1996-97 4 126 15-15
1995-96 4 100 14-15
1994-95 2 52 7-19
1993-94 3 73 7-22
1992-93 2 64 8-18
1991-92 2 51 9-19
1990-91 4 132 24-8
1989-90 4 127 21-12
1988-89 4 123 20-11
1987-88 3 83 16-16
1986-87 2 65 9-19
1985-86 1 48 12-16
1984-85 4 124 20-12
1983-84 3 72 17-14
1982-83 3 77 8-19
1981-82 2 78 7-20
1980-81 4 112 21-9
McDermott Is Wins Leader
Greg McDermott has 361 victories at Creighton, passing his predecessor Dana Altman (327) for the most in program history in CU's Nov. 13, 2024 win vs. Houston Christian.
McDermott broke a different record on Jan. 21, 2025 at DePaul when he coached his 504th game on the Bluejay sideline, breaking the mark of 503 held by Altman.
McDermott's .670 winning percentage is Creighton's best since Arthur A. Schabinger's .714 win rate from 90 years ago.
Most Coaching Wins, Creighton MBB History
Rk. W-L Name Years
1. 361-178 Greg McDermott 2010-Pres.
2. 327-176 Dana Altman 1994-2010
3. 165-66 Arthur A. Schabinger 1922-1935
4. 138-118 John J. "Red" McManus 1959-1969
5. 130-64 Tom Apke 1974-1981
CHI Health Center Omaha Dramatics
Creighton is 8-8 in contests with a game-winning go-ahead score in the final 10 seconds at CHI Health Center Omaha, which opened in 2003.
The last time such a game happened was in 2020 when Creighton's Marcus Zegarowski hit a shot with 3.2 seconds left to beat Providence.
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
Top-20 Crowds
Here's a look at Creighton's top-20 home crowds all-time.
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. 18,571 DePaul?? 01/22/24
10. 18,525 Marquette 12/31/13
11. 18,519 #8 Seton Hall 03/07/20
12. 18,518 Georgetown 01/27/18
13. 18,509 Villanova 02/04/23
14. 18,495 Marquette 02/17/18
15. 18,494 Illinois State 02/09/13
16. 18,475 Nebraska 11/22/24
17. 18,458 Evansville 12/29/12
18. 18,436 Bradley 01/28/12
19. 18,430 Seton Hall 01/25/25
20. 18,323 DePaul 02/07/14
CHI Health Center Omaha Success
Creighton has played 381 regular and postseason contests at CHI Health Center Omaha all-time in the now 23-year-old facility.
The Bluejays own a 315-66 (.827) record all-time at the facility.
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 30,000-25,082 in games at CHI Health Center Omaha, an average margin of 12.91 points per game. Creighton has not trailed 95 different times, including twice this year (Maryland Eastern Shore and Utah Tech).
Incredibly, Creighton hasn't trailed in its home opener in 10 of the past 25 seasons (2000-01, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2009-10, 2011-12, 2014-15, 2016-17 and 2019-20).
Creighton is also 35-39 all-time in the 74 games at the arena in which it's fallen behind by double-figures at any point, 8-14 when down by 10+ points at halftime in the facility, and 42-32 when trailing at halftime at CHI Health Center Omaha.
Creighton is 218-48 (.820) at CHI Health Center Omaha under Greg McDermott and hasn't trailed in 68 of those games. In that same span, CU owns a 112-11 home record (.911) 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 333-66 (.835) at home since the start of the 2002-03 campaign.
Perfect 10
Greg McDermott has guided his team to the NCAA Tournament 10 times at Creighton. That put him in the company of some of the greatest coaches in CU Athletics history, and most among basketball coaches.
McDermott is one of three head coaches in Creighton history to lead 10 or more NCAA Tournament teams.
Name Sport NCAA's @CU
Kirsten Bernthal Booth Volleyball 14
Bob Warming Men's Soccer 11
Greg McDermott Men's Basketball 10
Jim Flanery Women's Basketball 8
Dana Altman Men's Basketball 7
Brent Vigness Softball 7
Firing On All Cylinders
Creighton finished the 2024-25 season ranked 35th overall by KenPom.com. That included the nation's No. 33 offense, and No. 44 defense.
Creighton has finished with a top-25 offense per KenPom eight times and a top-25 defense three times in 15 completed seasons under Greg McDermott.
Year Off. Rating Def. Rating Overall Rank
2010-11 66 174 98
2011-12 5 166 28
2012-13 5 66 15
2013-14 2 124 17
2014-15 59 138 79
2015-16 43 76 40
2016-17 32 46 28
2017-18 25 58 30
2018-19 47 83 55
2019-20 3 78 12
2020-21 25 32 22
2021-22 112 19 50
2022-23 23 14 12
2023-24 9 24 11
2024-25 33 44 35
2025-26 (1/14) 50 69 53
Ticket Information
Single-game tickets for the 2025-26 season went on sale on October 16th.
Fans can purchase single-game tickets at CHI Health Center Omaha Box Office, Ryan Athletic Center, by calling Ticketmaster or visiting Ticketmaster.com, and charging by phone at (800) 745-3000.
For more information, call the Creighton Ticket Office at (402) 280-JAYS.
Friday, Jan. 16, 2026 • 5:30 p.m. Central • Providence, R.I. • Amica Mutual Pavilion
| LIVE VIDEO | LIVE AUDIO | LIVE STATS | CU NOTES | PC NOTES |
Next Game
Creighton (11-7, 5-2 BIG EAST) heads to the East Coast to meet up with Providence (8-9, 1-5 BIG EAST) for a Friday night meeting in the capital city of Rhode Island.
The game will tip at 5:30 p.m. Central from Amica Mutual Pavilion (12,410).
Broadcast Information
Friday's game will be broadcast on FS1 and be streamed at https://FoxSports.com/live.
Alex Faust and Emeka Okafor will announce.
Radio Broadcast Information
KOZN (1620 AM) and KOOO (101.9 FM) will carry all Creighton men's basketball games during the 2025-26 season.
John Bishop will call the action. The audio is webcast live at www.1620thezone.com.
The game can also be heard on SiriusXM 388 as well as https://sxm.app.link/SXM978.
Live Stats Information
All of Creighton's games this season will have free live stats at http://Creighton.StatBroadcast.com.
Scouting Creighton
Creighton is 11-7 overall and 5-2 in BIG EAST play after Tuesday's dramatic overtime win vs. Georgetown. The Bluejays enter Friday with a 6-2 mark in their last eight games.
The seven teams to beat Creighton are a combined 96-23 (through Wednesday), and three of those opponents (#2 Iowa State, #8 Nebraska, #9 Gonzaga) are currently ranked in the Top 10 of the AP poll.
Four of Creighton's top five scorers are newcomers, led by Josh Dix (12.2 ppg.), Austin Swartz (11.6 ppg.), Nik Graves (9.3 ppg., 3.5 apg.) and Blake Harper (9.0 ppg., 4.4 rpg.).
Coming on strong of late has been Jasen Green (10.0 ppg., 5.1 rpg.), while Isaac Traudt (7.7 ppg.) remains one of the most feared marksmen in the conference.
Creighton's most productive returner, Jackson McAndrew (6.8 ppg., 4.5 rpg.), as well as key subs Hudson Greer (6.3 ppg., 3.0 rpg.) and Josh Townley-Thomas (6.0 ppg.), have combined to play just 11 games due to injuries, and just two games since the end of November.
Creighton is averaging 77.7 points per game and shooting 46.5 percent from the field, 34.8 percent from three-point range and 75.2 percent at the line.
Scouting Providence
Providence is 8-9 this season and 1-5 in BIG EAST play. The Friars are winless in three league home games, dropping games to Seton Hall, UConn and Villanova by six points or less. The lone BIG EAST win was an impressive 77-71 victory at St. John's, a contest in which the Friars fell behind 13-0 to start the game.
Four newcomers lead the Friars in scoring, a group consisting of grad transfers Jason Edwards (17.2 ppg.) and Jaylin Sellers (15.9 ppg.) as well as freshmen Stefan Vaaks (14.2 ppg.) and Jamier Jones (11.7 ppg.).
Oswin Erhunmwunse (7.3 ppg,. 7.0 rpg. 2.6 bpg.) is one of the most imposing big men in the league.
The Friars average a league-high 88.7 points per game but rank 350th nationally by allowing 85.1 points per contest. PC shoots 47.9 percent from the floor, 35.4 percent from deep and 77.4 percent at the line.
The Series With Providence
Providence leads the all-time series 21-17, including a 12-5 mark in Rhode Island. Since the Jays joined PC in the BIG EAST in 2013, the Friars have won 15-of-28 contests at all sites.
Last season Creighton beat PC twice in the regular-season for just the second time, and first time since 2018-19.
Creighton & Providence have played in an overtime game against each other in 2018, 2019, 2023 and 2024.
Greg McDermott is 13-15 in his career against Providence. He is 3-2 against coach Kim English, though McDermott's Iowa State teams did face English's Mizzou team four times between 2008-10 when he was a student-athlete.
The Creighton Coaches
Greg McDermott (Northern Iowa, 1988) owns a 361-178 record in his 16th season with the Bluejays. He owns a career mark of 641-373 in his 32nd season, and is 510-309 in 25 Division I campaigns.
McDermott led Creighton to its first BIG EAST regular-season title in 2019-20, taking a Bluejay team that was picked seventh in the league's preseason poll and ending the year ranked seventh nationally. The Cascade, Iowa native has coached Creighton to a share of its first regular-season BIG EAST title in 2019-20 its first Sweet 16 since 1974 in 2020-21 and its first Elite Eight since 1941 in 2022-23.
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, Derek Kellogg, Trey Zeigler, Mitch Ballock and Mike Nesbitt.
With A Win...
- Creighton would win three straight meetings over Providence for just the second time ever, joining a three-game stretch from Dec. 31, 2018 to Jan. 18, 2020.
- Creighton would win a road game at Providence in back-to-back seasons for the first time ever.
Milestone Watch
- Owen Freeman has 791 career points and is nine short of 800.
- Isaac Traudt is three three-pointers away from 100 in his career, and nine points shy of 400.
- Jasen Green is 14 points shy of 400 in his career and five rebounds shy of 250 in his career.
- Blake Harper owns 787 career points, just 13 short of 800.
- Nik Graves is eight points short of 1,100.
- If Austin Swartz can score 30 points or more, he'd become the first Bluejay with back-to-back games of 30 or more points since Doug McDermott's streak of three games in a row from March 8-14, 2014.
Pink Out Auction Opens January 15th
The annual Creighton vs. Cancer Pink Out, presented by Methodist and CHI Health, will take place on January 31st, and this year promises to be bigger and better than ever.
Bluejay players will wear pink shooting shirts and pink-accented jerseys for each game. Fans have the opportunity to honor a friend or family member who has battled cancer or is currently battling cancer by purchasing the apparel via auction (the shooting shirt can be personalized – last name, nickname, etc.). Other items such as signed basketballs, Coach McDermott's game-worn sneakers, golf with each head coach, and more, will be available to bid on.
This year's auction begins the night of Jan. 15th (at 6:30 p.m.) and runs through the evening of Jan. 25th, when items will close in 15 minute increments beginning at 6:30 p.m.
All funds raised go to benefit Hope Lodge Omaha. The American Cancer Society Hope Lodge Nebraska provides a free home away from home for cancer patients and their caregivers who must travel to Omaha to receive their lifesaving treatment.
The annual Creighton University Pink Out athletic events have combined to raise more than $1 million dollars to benefit the Hope Lodge facility here in Omaha and the guests it serves, with $464,000 of that coming from the jersey auctions.
The auction is at
http://www.gocreighton.com/pinkoutauction.
Overtime History
Tuesday was Creighton's first overtime game of the season and 118th in program history. Creighton is now 65-53 all-time in overtime games, including a 31-15 mark at home and a 9-5 record inside CHI Health Center Omaha.
Creighton is now 15-9 under Greg McDermott in overtime games (10-8 in OT, 4-1 in double-OT, 1-0 in triple-OT).
Back-to-Back Overtime?
Looking ahead to what might happen on Friday, Creighton has played back-to-back overtime games just five times in program history, and not since December of 2014.
Season Game 1 (OT if more than 1) Game 2
1963-64 CU 96, Utah St 91 (2OT) CU 77, Iowa 72
1975-76 CU 50, San Diego 48 CU 79, Kansas St 76
1986-87 Dayton 83, CU 81 Nebraska 70, CU 65
1993-94 Drake 81, CU 75 Illinois State 92, CU 88
2014-15 CU 91, S. Dakota 88 (2OT) St. Mary's 71, CU 67
You Can't Spell McDermott Without OT
At the Division I level, Greg McDermott is 18-14 in single-overtime games (10-8 at Creighton), 8-3 in double-overtime games (4-1 at Creighton) and 1-0 in triple-overtime games (1-0 at Creighton).
McDermott's first overtime game as a Division I head coach was a 2002 Northern Iowa win over Creighton. His first double-overtime game as a Division I coach was a 2004 victory over Missouri State in the MVC Tournament title game, which clinched his first appearance in the NCAA Tournament as a Division I head coach.
Overtime, Over Time
Creighton and Providence have played an overtime game in two of the last three meetings in Friartown, and the teams have played at least one overtime four times since 2018.
Creighton has played five overtime games all-time against Providence. The only teams its played more overtime games against have been Drake (9 times), Wichita State (7) and Southern Illinois (6).
Come A Little Bit Closer
On Feb. 7, 2024, Creighton and Providence played 45 minutes of hoops at Amica Mutual Pavilion, and the score was within five points for all but 1:47 of gametime of PC's eventual 91-87 win.
One year earlier on Feb. 14, 2023, Creighton played 50 minutes against Providence at Amica Mutual Pavilion, including a stretch where the teams played more than 42 straight minutes where neither team led by more than four points. That game featured 20 lead changes and 17 ties. PC won that contest, 94-86.
Last year at Providence, neither team led by more than six points in the first 35 minutes before CU closed the game with an 11-3 run to win 80-69, its only double-digit lead of the night.
Triple Trouble
Austin Swartz made a career-high eight three-pointers on Jan. 13 vs. Georgetown. Swartz's performance was tied for fourth-most trifectas in a game in program history.
In the last 15 seasons, Swartz is just the third player to score at least 33 points, make eight or more three-pointers and shoot at least 75 percent from the field in the same BIG EAST game. He joins current CU assistant coach Mitch Ballock on March 9, 2019, when he made 12-of-14 shots (including 11-for-13 from 3) to score 39 points vs. DePaul, as well as former Marquette standout Kam Jones vs. DePaul on Feb. 21, 2024 when Jones had 34 points, made 8-of-10 three-pointers and shot 12-for-15 from the field.
Swartz has now made seven or more three-pointers twice this season, making him just the fifth different Bluejay to ever do that along with Trey Alexander (2022-23), Mitch Ballock (2018-19 and 2020-21), Kyle Korver (2002-03), Ethan Wragge (2013-14). Korver did it four times in 2002-03, making him the only Bluejay with three (or more) such games in the same season.
With another game of seven or more three-pointers in the next seven weeks, Swartz can join Rutgers' Jerome Coleman (in 2001-02) as the only players in the last 30 years with three or more BIG EAST games in the same season with seven trifectas or more. No one's had multiple BIG EAST games of eight or more three-pointers in the same campaign during the last 30 years.
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
Ryan Hawkins at Georgetown 02/12/22
Austin Swartz vs. Georgetown 01/13/26
7 Gary Swain vs. Nebraska-Omaha 12/11/86
Ryan Sears vs. Wyoming 12/06/97
Kyle Korver vs. Notre Dame 11/26/02
Kyle Korver vs. Fresno State 02/22/03
Nate Funk at Nebraska 11/18/06
Booker Woodfox at Saint Joseph's 12/06/08
Ethan Wragge at Saint Joseph's 11/16/13
Doug McDermott vs. DePaul 03/13/14
Cole Huff vs. Seton Hall 03/10/16
Ty-Shon Alexander vs. Clemson 11/21/18
Mitch Ballock at Nebraska 12/08/18
Marcus Zegarowski vs. Butler 02/23/20
Mitch Ballock at Seton Hall 01/27/21
Trey Alexander vs. DePaul 12/25/22
Trey Alexander vs. Georgetown 03/01/23
Baylor Scheierman at Marquette 12/30/23
Steven Ashworth vs. Butler 03/08/25
Austin Swartz at Xavier 12/17/25
Defense!
Creighton beat Georgetown on Tuesday despite allowing the Hoyas to shoot 56.9 percent from the floor.
It made CU just the third team since 2013-14 to win a BIG EAST game despite allowing an opponent to shoot at least 56 percent. Marquette beat Creighton on Feb. 17, 2018 despite the Jays shooting 56.1 percent from the field, and St. John's topped Providence on Jan. 25, 2017 even though the Friars made 62.0 percent of their shots.
Creighton hadn't won any game when the opponent shot 56.0 percent or better since Feb. 21, 2012 vs. Evansville, when the Purple Aces shot 58.9 percent from the field. Ironically enough, CU also won three days earlier against Long Beach State when the 49ers shot 58.8 percent from the floor.
Odds & Ends
• Creighton outscored Georgetown 20-9 in the 6:37 when Austin Swartz, Blake Harper, Josh Dix, Nik Graves and Kerem Konan were on the floor together, including the 12-0 run to end the 1st half. In CU's first 17 games, it had scored 12 points all year with any 5 newcomer combo on the floor at the same time.
• Providence lost its final two BIG EAST home games last season and is 0-3 at home in league play this winter. It's the first time the Friars have ever lost five consecutive BIG EAST home contests.
• Providence opponents are shooting 37.8 percent from three-point range, a figure that ranks 352nd of 361 teams in the country. Creighton ranks 22nd in the country per KenPom in points that come from the three-point shot, as it accounts for 39.5 percent of its offense. Creighton is 5-0 this year when shooting 39 percent or better from three-point range.
• Creighton is 5-1 all-time against Providence when making 10 or more three-pointers and 6-2 when shooting 37.8 percent or better from downtown against the Friars.
• Creighton has won its eighth, ninth and 10th game of the BIG EAST schedule in each of the previous three seasons. Friday is game at Providence is CU's eighth BIG EAST game.
Big Deficits, No Big Deal
Creighton owns 32 victories since the start of the 2010-11 season after trailing by double-figures at some point, including rallies from 10 points down at both Villanova (25-15 on Jan. 7) and Georgetown (36-26 on Jan. 13).
This is the fifth time under Greg McDermott that Creighton has had multiple wins after trailing by 10+ points in the same month, joining March of 2012, December of 2014, February of 2018 and November of 2021.
Fifteen of those 32 comebacks have come away from home.
If you're curious, CU's largest comeback win since 2000 came on Jan. 28, 2006, when the Jays trailed 25-6 early before rallying to beat Wichita State on a buzzer-beater by Anthony Tolliver.
CU's Double-Digit Comebacks Under McDermott
Deficit Opponent Date
18 #18 Oklahoma 11/19/14
17 at San Diego State 11/30/11
17 vs. DePaul 03/13/25
16 at Evansville 02/16/13
16 at Seton Hall 01/27/21
16 SIU Edwardsville 11/27/21
15 Arkansas-Pine Bluff 11/09/21
14 Evansville 02/21/12
14 vs. San Diego State 03/17/22
13 at Saint Joseph's 11/16/13
13 Xavier 01/12/14
13 #22 Xavier 12/23/20
12 Saint Joseph's 12/11/10
12 at DePaul 01/17/16
12 East Tennessee State 11/11/18
11 at Wichita State 12/31/11
11 Northern Iowa 01/10/12
11 vs. Alabama 03/16/12
11 vs. Ole Miss 11/21/16
11 vs. Connecticut 03/12/21
11 DePaul 01/22/22
11 St. John's 12/31/24
10 UAB 11/14/12
10 vs. Drake 03/02/12
10 at Nebraska 12/07/14
10 South Dakota 12/09/14
10 St. John's 01/03/18
10 at DePaul 02/07/18
10 Bemidji State 02/13/18
10 Georgetown 02/23/25
10 at Villanova 01/07/26
10 Georgetown 01/13/26
Making An Impact
The 7th Annual Silver Waves Media 100 Most Impactful High Major Coaches List was unveiled on Jan. 12th.
Creighton had three coaches on the list, as Alan Huss, Derek Kellogg and Trey Zeigler were all recognized. Not only was Trey Zeigler honored, but so was his dad Ernie Zeigler, who is an assistant coach at Nebraska.
The only eight schools with at least three coaches honored on the list were Florida (4), Kansas (4), BYU, Creighton, Duke, Illinois, Stanford and Texas.
BIG EAST Honors Martin Luther King Jr.
As part of the conference-wide efforts to support social impact and inclusion, BIG EAST men's and women's basketball programs are using their platform to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Teams will be wearing shooting shirts donning a message representing the life lived by Dr. King.
The phrase, "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter" is also the theme of a social media campaign that can be seen by following @BIGEAST on X and Instagram this upcoming holiday weekend.
The campaign tipped off Wednesday, Jan. 14, and will continue throughout the weekend to Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday with a total of 13 combined games on the men's and women's side. That includes Friday's Creighton game at Providence.
What's In A Number?
Creighton has scored 80 points or more in each of its last three trips to Providence, and five of its last eight meetings at all sites overall.
That's an ecouraging sign for the Bluejays, who are 8-0 this season and 198-21 all-time under Greg McDermott when scoring 80 or more points.
CU has won 26 games in a row at all sites when scoring 80 points or more, though its last loss with 80+ points came in a 91-87 overtime loss at Providence on Feb. 7, 2024.
This year's Providence team has allowed an average of 85.1 points per contest and is 1-7 when surrendering 80 points or more.
No DQ's Here
Through Wednesday, Creighton was one of five teams nationally that has not had a player foul out this season, a group that also includes Central Connecticut State, Yale, Richmond and Michigan State.
Last year Creighton was tied for 19th nationally with only four foul out disqualifications
In 2023-24, Creighton was the only team in the country without a player to foul out.
In 2022-23, Creighton's two foul outs were tied for second-fewest in the nation.
In the last four seasons (2022-23 to present), Creighton has only had only six players foul in out 126 games. By comparison, Providence big man Oswin Erhunmwunse has fouled out 10 times in 49 appearances over the past two seasons alone.
Jays Reach 30K at CHI
Creighton has outscored its opponents 30,000-25,082 in games at CHI Health Center Omaha, an average margin of 12.91 points per game in 380 all-time games in the building that count.
Creighton is 28-2 all-time in games where it moves over any 1,000 point milestone at CHI Health Center Omaha, as seen below:
Date Pts-Opp (CHI Game #) Who/How vs. Opp.
02/18/04 1,000-787 (14) Lindeman FG vs. Indiana State
02/05/05 2,000-1,696 (28) Funk FG vs. Missouri St.
01/18/06 3,000-2,504 (41) Watts FT vs. Bradley
01/09/07 4,000-3,359 (56) Tolliver FG vs. Drake
12/17/07 5,000-4,174 (69) Kaleb Korver 3FG vs. Hou. Baptist
11/16/08 6,000-5,048 (82) Dotzler FG vs. New Mexico
02/11/09 7,000-5,870 (95) Witter 3FG vs. Bradley
01/16/10 8,000-6,750 (109) Young FG vs. Wichita State
12/20/10 9,000-7,645 (123) Wragge FG vs. W. Illinois
03/23/11 10,000-8,500 (136) Lawson FG vs. UCF
01/21/12 11,000-9,310 (148) McDermott FG vs. Ind. St.
12/19/12 12,000-10,136 (161) Echenique FG vs. Tulsa
11/23/13 13,000-10,922 (173) Artino FG vs. Tulsa
02/23/14 14,000-11,711 (185) Gibbs FG vs. Seton Hall
01/28/15 15,000-12,612 (198) Hanson FT vs. St. John's
12/28/15 16,000-13,498 (211) Huff FG vs. Coppin State
11/15/16 17,000-14,349 (224) Patton FG vs. #9 Wisconsin
01/28/17 18,000-15,166 (235) Hanson FG vs. DePaul
12/18/17 19,000-15,927 (246) Foster 3FG vs. UT Arlington
11/06/18 20,000-16,741 (258) Ballock 3FG vs. W. Illinois
02/03/19 21,000-17,619 (270) Zegarowski FG vs. Xavier
12/07/19 22,000-18,463 (282) Ballock 3FG vs. Nebraska
03/07/20 23,000-19,280 (294) Mahoney 3FG vs. #8 Seton Hall
02/13/21 24,000-20,103 (306) Zegarowski FG vs. #5 Villanova
02/14/22 25,000-20,950 (320) Hawkins 3FG vs. Georgetown
01/25/23 26,000-21,786 (333) Nembhard 3FG vs. St. John's
12/20/23 27,000-22,535 (345) Kalkbrenner FG vs. Villanova
11/13/24 28,000-23,388 (357) Isaacs 3FG vs. Hou. Christian
02/26/25 29,000-24,231 (370) Kalkbrenner FG vs. DePaul
01/13/26 30,000-25,082 (381) Dix FT vs. Georgetown
Triple Jumper
Josh Dix has made a three-pointer in each of his first 18 games with Creighton, and also made a trey in his final 12 games with Iowa. His 30 game streak with a three-pointer is tied for the nation's fourth-longest active streak through games of Jan. 14.
Dix and Baylor Scheierman (all 37 games in 2022-23) are Creighton's only players in the last 20 seasons to make a three-pointer in each of his first 15+ games as a Bluejay.
Longest Active Streaks With a Made 3-Pointer (1/14)
Streak Name, Current School Next
64 Josh Hubbard, Mississippi State 1/17
46 Honor Huff, West Virginia 1/17
43 Cliff Davis, James Madison 1/15
30 Josh Dix, Creighton 1/16
30 Tyler Lundblade, Belmont 1/17
29 Ryan Conwell, Louisville 1/17
29 Tyler Nickel, Vanderbilt 1/17
27 Vijami Vartiainen, Weber State 1/15
27 Miles Barnstable, Tulsa 1/18
The Number To Watch
Need a number to keep an eye on that could determine Creighton's success? Look no further than paint points.
Creighton is 10-0 this year when scoring 30 or more paint points, but 1-7 when scoring 28 or less in the paint.
Last season Creighton was 20-5 when scoring 30 or more paint points but 5-6 when scoring 28 or less.
Home Sweet Home
Creighton won its final four BIG EAST home games in 2023-24, was 9-1 in BIG EAST home games last season, and has started 3-1 in league play at home this winter.
Creighton's 16-2 record is tied for the best mark in the conference by any school in its last 18 BIG EAST home games, as seen below:
Last 18 BIG EAST Home Games
W-L Team
16-2 Creighton
16-2 Connecticut
15-3 St. John's
13-5 Villanova
11-7 Marquette
11-7 Xavier
8-10 Seton Hall
7-11 Providence
6-12 Georgetown
7-11 Butler
4-14 DePaul
Starting Strong
Creighton's has started 4-2 or better after six league games in 12 of Greg McDermott's first 16 seasons at Creighton, and third straight campaign.
Year League W-L After 6
2010-11 4-2
2011-12 5-1
2012-13 6-0
2013-14 5-1
2014-15 0-6
2015-16 4-2
2016-17 5-1
2017-18 4-2
2018-19 2-4
2019-20 3-3
2020-21 5-1
2021-22 4-2
2022-23 3-3
2023-24 4-2
2024-25 4-2
2025-26 4-2
McDermott Among The Best
Greg McDermott ranks sixth in BIG EAST history with 143 regular-season league wins. The five coaches ahead of him all have won at least one national title.
McDermott, along with Ed Cooley, Rick Pitino and Kevin Willard are the only four active coaches with 100 regular-season BIG EAST wins.
McDermott has been at his current job (16 seasons) longer than any active BIG EAST coach, but since his first three years were as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference, Cooley's 15 years in the BIG EAST lead all active league coaches.
Most League Wins, BIG EAST MBB Coaches (1/15)
Rk. Wins Name, School
1. 366 Jim Boeheim, Syracuse
2. 274 Jim Calhoun, UConn
3. 244 Jay Wright, Villanova
4. 198 John Thompson Jr., Georgetown
5. 145 Rick Pitino, Prov./Louisville/SJU
6. 143 Greg McDermott, Creighton
7. 136 Mike Brey, Notre Dame
8. 131 John Thompson III, Georgetown
9. 130 Ed Cooley, Providence/G'Town
10. 127 Lou Carnesecca, St. John's
Swartz Comes Through
Austin Swartz made 12-of-16 shots from the field on Tuesday vs. Georgetown. Creighton is now 5-0 this season when the sophomore shoots 50 percent or better (min. 1 FGA) from the field, including four BIG EAST victories.
1 And Only
Austin Swartz wears No. 1 on his uniform, but he's unique in other ways.
Swartz is one of 1,822 players nationally to have scored 115 points or more (he has 198 through Tuesday), but the only one in that mix to have done it by making two free throws or less.
The next-most points with two free throws made or less is High Point's Chase Johnston (113 points). The next-most points by a Power Five player with two free throws made or less is Utah's Jacob Patrick (72).
Swartz is 2-for-5 at the foul line this year after going 14-for-16 at the stripe as a freshman at Miami (Fla.).
Among The Best
Creighton owns more BIG EAST wins (87) than any other school in the last six seasons, 11 more than Villanova's and Connecticut's 76.
Since the league's 2013 realignment, Villanova has 166 league wins to lead the BIG EAST by a wide margin, but Creighton's 143 league victories are second-most.
Most Men's Basketball BIG EAST Wins
(2019-20 to Jan. 15, 2026)
Team W L Pct.
Creighton 87 37 .702
UConn 76 27 .738
Villanova 76 43 .639
Marquette 72 51 .585
Providence 65 55 .542
St. John's 64 58 .525
Seton Hall 63 59 .516
Xavier 62 55 .530
Butler 46 78 .371
Georgetown 25 94 .210
DePaul 20 99 .168
Most Men's Basketball BIG EAST Wins
(2013-14 to Jan. 15, 2026)
Team W L Pct.
Villanova 166 61 .731
Creighton 143 89 .616
Xavier 128 97 .569
Marquette 124 107 .537
Providence 123 105 .539
Seton Hall 116 114 .504
St. John's 104 126 .452
Butler 100 132 .431
UConn 76 27 .738
Georgetown 71 156 .313
DePaul 45 182 .198
New Year, Same Success
Creighton owns a league-best 20-6 record in the month of January since the start of 2023.
The Jays are also 29-12 in the month of January since the start of 2021, which is tied for second-best in the BIG EAST.
Best January Records Among BIG EAST Teams Since 2023
Rk. W L Pct. Team
1. 20 6 .769 Creighton
2. 18 7 .720 Marquette
3. 20 8 .714 Connecticut
Best January Records Among BIG EAST Teams Since 2021
Rk. W L Pct. Team
1. 29 11 .725 Connecticut
2. 29 12 .707 Creighton
28 13 .683 Marquette
Productive Month
Austin Swartz entered the month of December averaging 1.3 points per game before his whole season turned around.
Swartz has played 10 games since the month of December started, and his scoring average has gone up after every game he's played but one.
The sophomore from Charlotte enters Friday's averaging 11.6 points per game.
Entering Average Pts. End Game Average
1.3 entering Nicholls 11 2.7
2.7 entering Nebraska 16 4.4
4.4 entering Kansas State 12 5.2
5.2 entering Xavier 27 7.4
7.4 entering Marquette 9 7.5
7.5 entering Utah Tech 19 8.5
8.5 entering Butler 22 9.5
9.5 entering Seton Hall 16 10.0
10.0 entering Villanova 20 10.7
10.7 entering St. John's 5 10.3
10.3 entering Georgetown 33 11.6
All-Around Performance
Josh Dix had one of the top all-around performances of his career on Dec. 22 vs. Utah Tech, as the senior guard had 17 points, six rebounds, five assists and a career-high five steals.
Dix was the first Bluejay in the last 30 years to have a line with at least 15/5/5/5 in the same game without a turnover.
The game earned Dix recognition as BIG EAST Player of the Week on Monday, Dec. 28.
Dix Does It
Josh Dix had another impressive stat line on Jan. 4th at Seton Hall, when he posted his first career double-double with 12 points, 10 rebounds and six assists without a turnover.
He's just the second Creighton player in the last 20 years to have at least 12 points, 10 rebounds and six assists without a turnover, joining Baylor Scheierman (20/10/6) did it on Jan. 20, 2024. That game was also against Seton Hall.
Bench Boost
Creighton scored 43 (at Xavier) and 41 (vs. Marquette) bench points in its first two league games, a fact that's even more incredible when you consider that the Bluejays had gone 147 straight BIG EAST games without scoring 40+ points off the bench dating to Jan. 13, 2018.
Creighton had not scored 40+ bench points in consecutive games (conference or otherwise) since doing it vs. Presbyterian (43) and Longwood (56) in November of 2012.
40+ Points in BIG EAST Play
Year 40+ Bench Points Opponent
2013-14: 0 of 18 -
2014-15: 2 of 18 @SJU, SJU
2015-16: 1 of 18 DPU
2016-17: 0 of 18 -
2017-18: 1 of 18
2018-19: 0 of 18 -
2019-20: 0 of 18 -
2020-21: 0 of 20 -
2021-22: 0 of 19 -
2022-23: 0 of 20 -
2023-24: 0 of 20 -
2024-25: 0 of 20 -
2025-26: 2 of 7 so far @XU, MU
Most Creighton Bench Points in BIG EAST Play
Bench Pts. Opponent Date
51 DePaul 02/06/16
46 at Xavier 01/13/18
45 at St. John's 02/07/15
44 St. John's 01/28/15
43 at Xavier 12/17/25
41 Marquette 12/20/25
Nik The Quik
Nik Graves went nuclear in the first half of Creighton's Dec. 20 game vs. Marquette, scoring 17 points in a span of just 2:55. His 17 points were the most by any Bluejay in a half this season.
Graves entered the game with a season-high of 15 points in the South Dakota game before catching fire against the Golden Eagles.
Here's how it happened:
Time Play CU Score After Points
11:22 Graves Floater Down 15-14
10:56 Graves Jumper Up 16-15
10:07 Graves 3FG Up 21-15
9:03 Graves 3FG Up 27-17
8:46 Graves 3FG Up 30-17
8:24 Graves 3FG Up 33-17
8:24 Graves FT Up 34-17
That's A Plus
Nik Graves finished CU's Dec. 20 win against Marquette with a +40 plus/minus rating, as Creighton outscored Marquette 66-26 with the senior guard on the floor.
That +40 mark out-did the previous high by a Bluejay this season (Josh Dix was +37 vs. Maryland Eastern Shore) and was the top mark by a Creighton player since James Milliken was also +40 on Feb. 28, 2016.
Non-Con Success
Creighton went 6-5 in regular-season non-conference play this season. It's the 29th straight season that the Bluejays have had a .500 record or better in regular-season non-conference game. The last Bluejay team that wasn't was CU's 1996-97 team that went 5-6.
Creighton's last team to lose five regular-season non-conference games was its 2022-23 squad that finished the year in the Elite Eight.
Below is a look at Creighton's annual regular-season non-conference marks under Greg McDermott.
W-L Year Year-End W-L (Postseason)
8-5 2010-11 23-16 (CBI)
11-1 2011-12 29-6 (NCAA)
11-2 2012-13 28-8 (NCAA)
10-2 2013-14 27-8 (NCAA)
9-4 2014-15 14-19 (None)
9-4 2015-16 20-15 (NIT)
13-0 2016-17 25-10 (NCAA)
11-2 2017-18 21-12 (NCAA)
9-4 2018-19 20-15 (NIT)
11-2 2019-20 24-7 (None due to COVID-19)
4-1 2020-21 22-9 (NCAA)
8-3 2021-22 23-12 (NCAA)
6-5 2022-23 24-13 (NCAA)
9-2 2023-24 25-10 (NCAA)
7-4 2024-25 25-11 (NCAA)
6-5 2025-26 TBD
They Did What?
Creighton led 49-22 at half and walloped Xavier, 98-57, on Dec. 17 in Cincinnati. It led to a plethora of eyebrow-raising stats.
- It was Creighton's largest halftime lead since leading Houston Christian 39-12 at the break on Nov. 13, 2024.
, - It was Creighton's largest halftime lead in a BIG EAST game since leading Georgetown 51-24 at the break on March 1, 2023, and tied for its third-largest ever in BIG EAST play.
- It is believed to be Creighton's largest halftime lead in a conference road game since at least 1948. Creighton's last halftime lead away from home of 27 points or more was also a 49-22 lead, which came on Nov. 30, 1990 in Iowa City, Iowa, against UTSA.
- It was Creighton's largest margin of victory ever in a conference road game, topping its 93-58 win at DePaul on Feb. 11, 2017.
- It was tied for Creighton's second-largest margin of victory ever in a conference game at any site, trailing only a 69-25 win vs. Saint Louis on Jan. 9, 1943 in Missouri Valley Conference play.
That Saint Louis game was also a league lid-lifter.
- It tied Creighton's largest margin of victory ever in a BIG EAST game at any site, matching a 100-59 win vs. St. John's on Feb. 28, 2016.
- Creighton's 98-57 win was the second-largest road win in a BIG EAST Conference game ever, trailing only UConn's 99-57 win at Seton Hall on Feb. 11, 2006. It was also tied for the eighth-largest BIG EAST victory margin in league history, regardless of site.
- Creighton's 41 point win at Xavier matched the combined margin of victory in Creighton's eight previous wins in Cincinnati over the Musketeers. CU had never before won at Xavier by more than 12 points.
- It was the largest margin of victory in a BIG EAST opener by any team, surpassing Villanova's 84-46 win vs. West Virginia on Jan. 5, 2005.
- Creighton's 98 points were its most ever in a conference road win, one more than its output on Jan. 20, 2024 in a 97-94 triple-overtime win at Seton Hall, and two more than its previous high in regulation in a conference road win done on Jan. 20, 2014 at No. 4 Villanova in a 96-68 win.
- Creighton's 98 points were the most Xavier has ever allowed inside Cintas Center, which opened in 2000.
- Along with the Creighton women defeating Omaha 92-48 on Wednesday, it was the first time a BIG EAST school posted 40+ point wins in men's and women's basketball on the same day since Nov. 6, 2018, when Seton Hall dominated Wagner in both sports.
The only other time in history that Creighton MBB and WBB had wins of 40+ points on the same day was Nov. 27, 1982, when the men beat Wisconsin-Platteville 98-54 and the women topped SIU Edwardsville 99-59, but both of those games were in Omaha.
- Creighton's men and women both made 16 three-pointers. It was the first time a BIG EAST school had both its men's and women's programs make 15+ three-pointers on the same day since Creighton did it on March 23, 2024. On that day, the CU men did it in a double-overtime win vs. Oregon, while the women did it in a victory against UNLV. Both of those were NCAA Tournament contests.
- It was Xavier's largest halftime deficit since trailing Duke 55-24 at half on Dec. 20, 2008 in East Rutherford, N.J., in an eventual 82-64 loss.
- It was Xavier's largest halftime deficit ever in a BIG EAST game (previously 48-22 vs. UConn on Jan. 28, 2024), and largest halftime deficit in a BIG EAST home game since trailing 44-28 vs. Seton Hall on Dec. 30, 2020.
- It was Xavier's second-largest loss ever in a conference game, trailing only its 99-56 loss at UConn on Jan. 28, 2024.
- It was Xavier's largest loss in a home game in program history, eclipsing an 86-48 loss to Dayton on March 5, 1977.
- Xavier's previous largest loss at Cintas Center (which opened in 2000) was a 64-42 loss to Oral Roberts on Dec. 18, 2011.
Sharing Is Caring
Creighton's 31 assists at Xavier were its second-most ever in a game under Greg McDermott, trailing only the 32 vs. USC Upstate on Dec. 20, 2017 in a 116-62 win.
Nationally, Creighton became the first road team with 31 or more assists in a Power 5 conference game since Washington at California on March 3, 2005.
Creighton's 31 assists were the most in a regular-season BIG EAST game by any school since Xavier had 32 vs. Georgetown on Jan. 21, 2023, and tied for the third-most in any league game since 1996-97. Creighton's 31 assists were also its most ever in any BIG EAST game.
Home Run
Under Greg McDermott Creighton is averaging 80.85 points per home game (21,507 points in 266 home games), a figure that climbs to 84.31 points in non-conference home games (10,371 points in 123 home games).
Creighton is 162-7 all-time at CHI Health Center Omaha when scoring 80 or points.
Creighton has won its last 26 games (at all sites) when scoring 80 points or more dating to a 91-87 overtime loss at Providence on Feb. 7, 2024. That's more than twice as long as UConn's 13-game streak that is the next-longest streak in the BIG EAST. Here's a look at the nation's longest active win streaks when scoring 80+ points, though games of Jan. 14.
Most Consecutive Wins When Scoring 80+ Points
Streak School Streak Start Next Game
48 Hofstra 03/07/21 1/15
48 Saint Mary's 01/09/20 1/17
37 McNeese State 03/01/23 1/17
35 Utah State 01/20/24 1/17
34 Miami (Ohio) 12/29/23 1/17
33 Michigan State 11/19/23 1/17
31 George Mason 11/11/22 1/19
31 Pittsburgh 03/08/23 1/17
30 UCLA 02/26/22 1/17
28 Idaho 02/04/23 1/15
27 Navy 01/16/19 1/17
27 Stephen F. Austin 02/11/23 1/17
26 Creighton 02/13/24 1/16
26 Hawaii 11/10/21 1/15
Turnover Trends
How well Creighton has taken care of the ball has had a major correlation whether or not the Bluejays win.
Creighton owns a 204/111 assist/turnover ratio (1.84) in its 11 wins this year, compared to a 85/87 (0.98) ratio in its seven losses.
Sixty Percent Club
Creighton shot 60.3 percent in its Dec. 17 win at Xavier. Since Greg McDermott was hired at Creighton, the Bluejays have shot 60 percent or better 33 times.
Here's that list, as well as several others, per Basketball-Reference.com, through Jan. 13.
Most Games, 60%+ FG Shooting, Since 2010-11
Rk. Games (W-L) Team
1. 50 (50-0) Gonzaga
2. 33 (33-0) Creighton
3. 30 (30-0) Kansas
30 (29-1) Northern Colorado
5. 28 (28-0) Indiana
28 (27-1) Loyola (Chicago)
28 (25-3) Campbell
Most Games, 50%+ FG Shooting, Since 2010-11
Rk. Games (W-L) Team
1. 320 (310-10) Gonzaga
2. 228 (212-16) Belmont
3. 225 (210-15) Creighton
225 (212-13) Kansas
5. 218 (206-12) Duke
Most Games, 50%+ 3FG Shooting, Since 2010-11
Rk. Games (W-L) Team
1. 91 (81-10) Weber State
2. 88 (78-10) UCLA
3. 87 (72-15) Michigan State
4. 86 (83-3) Gonzaga
5. 85 (81-4) Creighton
Best Field Goal Percentage, Since 2010-11
Rk. FG% Team
1. .508 Gonzaga
2. .483 Belmont
3. .478 Kansas
4. .476 Creighton
5. .476 Duke
Best 2-Point Field Goal Percentage, Since 2010-11
(includes teams that have been Division I 10+ years)
Rk. 2FG% Team
1. .574 Gonzaga
2. .573 Belmont
3. .553 Creighton
4. .540 Furman
5. .540 Duke
Austin Powers
Austin Swartz had 27 points in 23 minutes of CU's Dec. 17 road win at Xavier.
He's just the seventh Bluejay in the last 20 seasons with 25+ points in 25 minutes or less, and joined Cole Huff as one of two Bluejays with a game of 27+ points in 23 minutes or less since 1991-92.
25+ Points in 25 Minutes or Less
Creighton Players Since 1991-92
PTS MIN Name, Opponent Date
26 25 Dane Watts vs. Mississippi Valley State 11/17/07
25 18 Doug McDermott vs. Hou. Christian 12/17/11
27 24 Geoffrey Groselle vs. North Texas 12/21/15
28 22 Cole Huff vs. DePaul 02/06/16
25 25 Marcus Zegarowski vs. #21 Butler 02/23/20
25 23 Trey Alexander vs. Georgetown 03/01/23
27 23 Austin Swartz at Xavier 12/17/25
Triple Option
Creighton made 16 three-pointers in its Dec. 17 victory at Xavier. It was tied for the third-most three-pointers ever by the Bluejays in a road game.
Most 3FG Made in a Road Game, Creighton History
3FG 3FGA Opponent Date
21 35 at #4 Villanova 01/20/14
17 35 at Seton Hall 01/27/21
16 36 at Georgetown 01/06/18
16 33 at Xavier 12/17/25
Preseason All-BIG EAST Votes Revealed
The Creighton men's basketball team was picked to finish third in the BIG EAST Conference in the annual survey of league coaches, which was unveiled as part of 2025 BIG EAST Media Day on October 21.
It marks the fourth straight year the Bluejays have been tabbed for a top-three finish and the third time CU has been picked exactly third in the BIG EAST poll, having also happened in 2013-14 as well as 2016-17.
Defending league champion St. John's garnered 7-of-11 first place votes and was chosen atop the poll with 97 points, just ahead of Connecticut. The Huskies collected four first place votes and 94 points. Creighton was third with 80 points, just ahead of Providence (64) and Marquette (60). The second half of the league poll consists of Georgetown (57), Villanova (50), Xavier (33), DePaul (29), Butler (26) and Seton Hall (15).
Creighton finished 25-11 overall and 15-5 in BIG EAST play last season and returns starters Jackson McAndrew (7.8 ppg., 4.4 rpg.) and Jasen Green (4.9 ppg., 3.2 rpg.) along with a talented crop of newcomers.
Three of those newcomers join McAndrew with Preseason All-BIG EAST accolades, giving CU four honorees for the first time since its 2022-23 team that eventually finished the season in the Elite Eight. Owen Freeman was voted a Preseason All- BIG EAST First Team selection and Josh Dix was a Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team choice. McAndrew and Nik Graves were both Preseason All-BIG EAST Third Team honorees.
Freeman is the eighth different Bluejay to earn Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team recognition, and first to do it prior to playing a game with the Bluejays. It also means CU has had a First Team pick each of the last four seasons, as Trey Alexander was chosen prior to 2023-24 and Ryan Kalkbrenner was honored each of the previous three campaigns.
Creighton has matched or exceeded its preseason projection in all but one season since joining the BIG EAST in 2013-14, the best showing in the league in that time. The Bluejays are seeking a 10th straight finish in the top four of the league standings.
Creighton's BIG EAST Preseason Poll History
Year Preseason Actual Preseason All-BIG EAST
2013-14 3rd 2nd Doug McDermott (POY, 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 2nd Marcus Zegarowski (POY, 1st); Mitch Ballock (2nd)
2021-22 8th 4th -
2022-23 1st 3rd Ryan Kalkbrenner (1st); Arthur Kaluma (2nd)
Ryan Nembhard (2nd); Baylor Scheierman (HM)
2023-24 2nd T-2nd Ryan Kalkbrenner (1st); Trey Alexander (1st)
Baylor Scheierman (2nd)
2024-25 2nd 2nd Ryan Kalkbrenner (POY, 1st); Steven Ashworth (3rd)
2025-26 3rd ? ? ? Owen Freeman (1st); Josh Dix (2nd)
Jackson McAndrew (3rd); Nik Graves (3rd)
League Of Their Own
Creighton has finished with a .500 mark or better in league play 29 times in the previous 30 seasons, one of six schools nationally that can say that.
The only BIG EAST teams to finish .500 or better in league play each of the previous 10 seasons are Creighton and Villanova.
Creighton is also the only "Power 5" school with an active streak of six years or longer with 12 or more league wins.
Most Seasons .500 or Better League Record
Last 30 Seasons (Entering 2025-26)
Seasons Team
30 Duke
30 Kansas
30 Gonzaga
29 Creighton
29 Kentucky
29 Michigan State
Consecutive Seasons .500 or Better League Record
Power 5 Schools (Entering 2025-26)
Seasons Team
36 Kansas
30 Duke
14 Oregon
13 Villanova
10 Creighton
10 Houston
10 Florida
Consecutive Seasons 12+ League Wins
Power 5 Schools (Entering 2025-26)
Seasons Team
6 Creighton
Best BIG EAST Years
Creighton's 15 league wins last season set a program record for most conference wins in any of its first 12 seasons in the BIG EAST. It was the third straight season CU won 14 league games or more, something only Villanova (2013-14 to 2017-18) and Connecticut (1993-94 to 1995-96) have done in BIG EAST history.
Four of CU's seven teams to win 12 or more BIG EAST games reached the BIG EAST Tournament final, with the prematurely cancelled 2019-20 campaign being one of the exceptions.
Creighton's 15 conference wins last year matched its most as a member of any league, as it picked up 15 conference wins in 2002-03 when it was a member of the Missouri Valley Conference.
Creighton has now set or tied program records for most conference wins in a one-year span (15), two-year span (29), three-year span (43), four-year span (55), five-year span (69), six-year span (82) and seven-year span (91).
Creighton has finished first or second in the BIG EAST in four of the last six seasons, and top four in the league each of the previous nine campaigns.
Creighton's Most BIG EAST Wins, Season
W-L Year BIG EAST Tourney
15-5 2024-25 TBA
14-4 2013-14 Lost in Final
14-6 2020-21 Lost in Final
14-6 2022-23 Lost in Semi's
14-6 2023-24 Lost in Quarterfinals
13-5 2019-20 Tourney Cancelled
12-7 2021-22 Lost in Final
Creighton's Most Conference Wins, Season
W-L Year League
15-3 2002-03 MVC
15-5 2024-25 BIG EAST
14-4 2000-01 MVC
14-4 2001-02 MVC
14-4 2008-09 MVC
14-4 2011-12 MVC
14-4 2013-14 BIG EAST
14-6 2020-21 BIG EAST
14-6 2022-23 BIG EAST
14-6 2023-24 BIG EAST
Use The Swartz
Sophomore guard Austin Swartz has stepped up in the absence of Hudson Greer.
One game after a DNP-CD against Oregon to close out the Players Era Championship in Las Vegas, Swartz scored 11 points on Dec. 2 in 13 minutes vs. Nicholls, eclipsing his point total (8) in his first eight games of the season combined.
Swartz was a bright spot in the Dec. 7 game at Nebraska, scoring 16 points while also adding two steals. He shot 7-of-15 from the field, compared to 9-for-37 by the rest of the Jays.
Swartz made his first start with the Bluejays on Dec. 13 against Kansas State. scoring a dozen points in 25 minutes.
Swartz then poured in 27 points in just 23 minutes in a Dec. 17 win at Xavier, as the Charlotte native made seven three-pointers.
He's followed that up with nine points vs. Marquette, 19 more vs. Utah Tech, 22 in the win over Butler, 16 at Seton Hall, 20 at Villanova and a career-high 33 vs. Georgetown.
In other words, Swartz has 190 points in CU's last 11 games (17.3 ppg.) after just eight total points in Creighton's initial seven contests.
Balanced Effort
Austin Swartz's 27 points at Xavier was the first time all season that Creighton had a player produce a 20-point game this season. It had been Creighton's longest drought to start a season since it didn't happen in the first 12 games in 2003-04.
Creighton then had both Jasen Green (23) and Swartz (22) score more than 20 points in its Dec. 30 win vs. Butler. Swartz also scored 20 at Villanova on Jan. 7.
Since Greg McDermott's 2010 arrival, Creighton has had at least one player score 20 points or more in 57.1 percent (308) of its 539 games.
Availability Reports
The BIG EAST is now requiring availability reports prior to each league game, with plans calling for the information will be released three hours prior to each conference contest.
The league website with that information is
https://bigeast.com/sports/2025/11/26/2526_mbb_availability_reports.aspx .
Three's Company
Creighton has made five or more three-pointers in 89 straight games, the nation's second-longest active streak.
CU's streak of 65 consecutive games with six or more three-pointers was snapped on Thanksgiving Day vs. Oregon when the Jays made five three-pointers.
Longest Active Streaks of 5+ 3FG Made (1/14)
Rk. Streak School Next Game
1. 114 North Florida 1/15
2. 89 Creighton 1/16
3. 87 BYU 1/17
4. 85 Wofford 1/17
Seeking the Pefect Blend
Creighton's roster includes nine newcomers and seven returners. CU has yet to play a single possession with five returners on the floor at the same time.
# of Newcomers CU Pts.-Opp Pts. % of Pts. by CU
0 Newcomers on Floor Hasn't Happened n/a
1 Newcomer on Floor 55-46 .545
2 Newcomers on Floor 345-351 .496
3 Newcomers on Floor 515-470 .523
4 Newcomers on Floor 451-412 .523
5 Newcomers on Floor 32-22 .593
Newcomers Lead The Way
For the season, 946 of Creighton's 1,398 points have been scored by newcomers, an astounding 67.7 percent. This shouldn't be too much of a shock though, as only 28.0 percent of last year's points returned.
By comparison, newcomers on last year's team were responsible for only 36.6 percent of the points.
McChesney Perserveres
Liam McChesney capped Creighton's 96-76 win with a tip-dunk in the final 30 seconds.
It was McChesney's first field goal in a game since scoring at Arch Madness on March 2, 2023 when he played for Illinois State, a span of 1,007 days.
Hudson Strong
Hudson Greer made 7-of-8 shots and scored 16 points in the Nov. 24 game vs. Baylor, an impressive showing for the true freshman who had his redshirt lifted just a few days earlier.
Greer became the first Bluejay freshman with 16 points or more in one of his first two games since Khyri Thomas scored 18 points in his collegiate debut vs. Texas Southern on Nov. 14, 2015.
McDermott's Coaching Tree
Greg McDermott's coaching tree includes 11 men who are currently a head coach at the Division I level, including three men at Power 5 schools.
Here's a list:
Darian DeVries - Indiana
Eric Henderson - Drake
Ben Jacobson - Northern Iowa
Steve Lutz - Oklahoma State
Ryan Miller - Murray State
TJ Otzelberger - Iowa State
Bryan Petersen - South Dakota State
David Richman - North Dakota State
Daniyal Robinson - North Texas
Paul Sather - North Dakota
Patrick Sellers - Central Connecticut State
Deep Thoughts
Greg McDermott talked in the off-season about how this year's squad figured to be the deepest team he's ever had at Creighton, and the early results have proven him right.
Creighton's bench has outscored foes 493-420 this season. That +73 figure would be CU's best year-end mark since 2018-19 (+96). The 493 points are CU's most bench points since scoring 661 bench points in 2018-19.
Creighton's bench has accounted for 35.26 percent of CU's scoring, and 27.39 points per game. That's the most bench points per game since the 2007-08 team averaged 36.91 bench points per game and actually outscored the starting line-up (34.61 ppg.).
Creighton entered this season with 48 straight wins when scoring 17 or more bench points, but are just 10-6 this year when scoring 17 points or more off the bench.
Creighton's loss last Saturday when scoring 38 bench points vs. St. John's was CU's most bench points in a loss since scoring 46 at No. 10 Xavier on Jan. 13, 2018.
Postseason Success
Creighton has won at least one NCAA Tournament game in 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025. That makes CU one of four teams in the country to have a win in each of the last five NCAA Tournaments, joining Baylor, Gonzaga and Houston.
This is the first time that Creighton Basketball has won an NCAA Tournament game in five straight years. The only other CU program in any sport to win an NCAA Tournament game in five straight seasons is Creighton Volleyball (2015-19).
Even though a certain NCAA bid was wiped away in 2020 by COVID-19, Creighton has still appeared in each of the last five NCAA Tournaments (2021-25).
The only previous time that Creighton Men's Basketball has appeared in five straight NCAA Tournaments was from 1999-2003.
Creighton is one of 13 teams to have appeared in each of the last five NCAA Tournaments (2021-25). That list consists of Alabama, Baylor, Connecticut, Creighton, Gonzaga, Houston, Kansas, Illinois, Michigan State, Purdue, San Diego State, Tennessee and Texas.
Ain't Too Proud To Brag
Creighton has won 20 or more games in each of the past 10 seasons, tied for the nation's fourth-longest active streak. Kansas leads the way with 36, followed by Gonzaga (28) and Belmont (15). The others with 10 (like Creighton) include Oregon and Houston.
Creighton has won 22 games or more in six straight seasons. Only Gonzaga (28) and Houston (8) have longer streaks.
Creighton is one of two schools to have men's and women's basketball programs to both own 22 wins or more each of the previous four seasons, a list that includes Creighton and UConn.
Creighton is one of two teams in the nation with 25 or more wins in both men's basketball and women's basketball each of the previous two seasons. That list consists of Creighton and Gonzaga.
Most Consecutive 20-Win Seasons
Team Consec. 20-Win Seasons (entering 2025-26)
Kansas 36
Gonzaga 28
Belmont 15
Oregon 15
Creighton 10
Houston 10
Most Consecutive 22-Win Seasons
Team Consec. 22-Win Yrs. (entering 2025-26)
Gonzaga 28
Houston 8
Creighton 6
25 of 27 Seasons With 20 Wins
Creighton has won 20 or more games in 25 of the previous 27 seasons, a feat that puts the Jays among an exclusive group, nationally.
Entering 2025-26, just two schools have had 20 or more wins each of the previous 27 years: Gonzaga and Kansas. Duke has done it 26 times, Creighton and Kentucky 25 times each.
Most 20-Win Seasons, Previous 27 Seasons
Team 20-Win Seasons (Entering 2025-26)
Gonzaga 27
Kansas 27
Duke 26
Creighton 25
Kentucky 25
Arizona 23
Florida 23
Michigan State 23
BYU 22
Memphis 22
North Carolina 22
Ohio State 22
Wisconsin 22
Most 20-Win Seasons, Head Coaches Since 2010-11
20-Win Seasons (2010-11 to 20224-25) Name, Team
15 Mark Few, Gonzaga
15 Bill Self, Kansas
15 Dana Altman, Oregon
14 Greg McDermott, Creighton
14 John Calipari, Kentucky and Arkansas
Two Dozen, Cousin
Creighton is one of 15 schools to have won 24 games or more in 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024- 25. That group consists of Alabama, Arizona, Charleston, Connecticut, Creighton, Drake, Duke, Gonzaga, Grand Canyon, Houston, Purdue, Saint Mary's, Tennessee, Utah State and VCU.
Sweetness!
Creighton is one of just nine teams to have reached at least three of the last five Sweet 16s.
Houston has done it each of the previous five seasons, while Alabama, Arkansas and Gonzaga have done it four times each.
Doing it three times in the previous five seasons are Duke, Michigan, Purdue, Tennessee, UCLA and Creighton.
Most Sweet 16's, Previous Five Seasons
# Team Years
5 Houston 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
4 Alabama 2021 - 2023 2024 2025
4 Arkansas 2021 2022 2023 - 2025
4 Gonzaga 2021 2022 2023 2024 -
3 Creighton 2021 - 2023 2024 -
3 UCLA 2021 2022 2023 - -
3 Duke - 2022 - 2024 2025
3 Michigan 2021 2022 - - 2025
3 Purdue - 2022 - 2024 2025
3 Tennessee - - 2023 2024 2025
Coaching Consistency Is Key
Between women's basketball coach Jim Flanery (460) and men's basketball coach Greg McDermott (361), Creighton is the nation's only school with a pair of active head coaches with at least 360 victories at their current school.
Flanery (hired in 2002) and McDermott (2010) also make Creighton one of three schools to have the same men's and women's basketball head coaches each of the last 15 seasons, joining Boise State (Leon Rice and Gordy Presnell) and Northern Iowa (Ben Jacobsen and Tanya Warren).
Jacobsen played on teams McDermott assisted at North Dakota from 1989-93 and later replaced McDermott as head coach at UNI In 2006, while Warren was a former Creighton player and assistant and is one of two women in program history to have her number retired.
Stability is Key
One reason for Creighton's extended run of success has been the continuity within its coaching staff. The Bluejays have had just two head coaches in the last 32 years, Dana Altman (1994-2010) and Greg McDermott (2010-Present).
Here's a list of major conference schools to have a coach with 300 wins at that school, and their predecessor also had 300 wins at the school:
School Former Coach Current Coach
Creighton Dana Altman Greg McDermott
Kansas Roy Williams Bill Self
Michigan State Jud Heathcote Tom Izzo
Purdue Gene Keady Matt Painter
Long Run
Greg McDermott is in his 16th season on the Creighton sideline in 2025-26. That's tied for the 15th-longest active run of any men's coach with his current team as a Division I head coach.
Most Consecutive Years as Head Coach, Current Team
Years Name School
1995-Pr. Tom Izzo Michigan State
1998-Pr. Greg Kampe Oakland
1999-Pr. Mark Few Gonzaga
1999-Pr. James Jones Yale
2001-Pr. Randy Bennett Saint Mary's
2002-Pr. Bill Self Kansas
2003-Pr. Scott Drew Baylor
2005-Pr. Matt Painter Purdue
2006-Pr. Ben Jacobsen Northern Iowa
2006-Pr. Bill Coen Northeastern
2007-Pr. Mark Schmidt St. Bonaventure
2007-Pr. Brent Reed Lehigh
2007-Pr. Tommy Amaker Harvard
2009-Pr. LaVelle Moton North Carolina Central
2010-Pr. Greg McDermott Creighton
2010-Pr. Andy O'Toole Robert Morris
2010-Pr. Tad Boyle Colorado
2010-Pr. Leon Rice Boise State
2010-Pr. Dana Altman Oregon
2010-Pr. Russell Turner UC Irvine
2010-Pr. Brad Brownell Clemson
The McDermott Era
Greg McDermott owns 361 wins at Creighton since his arrival in 2010-11. It's the eighth-most of programs that have had the same coach the entire time.
Schools With Most Wins Since 2010-11, Only 1 Coach
(Through games of Jan. 14)
Rk. Wins School Coach Next
1. 469 Gonzaga Mark Few 1/15
2. 438 Kansas Bill Self 1/16
3. 401 Saint Mary's Randy Bennett 1/17
4. 389 Michigan State Tom Izzo 1/17
5. 378 Oregon Dana Altman 1/17
6. 375 Purdue Matt Painter 1/17
7. 368 Baylor Scott Drew 1/16
8. 361 Creighton Greg McDermott 1/16
National Ranks In The McDermott Era
Below is where Creighton ranks nationally since the start of the 2010-11 season among teams to have played 150 or more Division I games, per Basketball-Reference.com.
2010-11 to Jan. 13, 2026
Category CU Stat CU Rank
3FG Made 4,846 2nd
2FG Percentage .553 3rd
FG Percentage .476 4th
Assists 8,653 5th
3FG Percentage .371 6th
FG Made 14,745 8th
Points 41,210 8th
Wins 361 23rd
Winning Percentage .670 32nd
Among The Best
CBS Sports conducted a pair of surveys during the summer that highlight Greg McDermott as one of the best in the country at what he does.
Who is the best X's and O's coach in college basketball right now? (Asked to roughly 100 coaches)
1. Matt Painter (Purdue): 19%
2. Dan Hurley (UConn): 18%
3. Greg McDermott (Creighton): 16%
4. Kelvin Sampson (Houston): 7%
5. Ben McCollum (Iowa): 5%
6. Randy Bennett (Saint Mary's): 4%
Tom Izzo (Michigan State): 4%
Dusty May Michigan): 4%
Bill Self (Kansas): 4%
10. Rick Barnes (Tennessee): 2%
Chris Collins (Northwestern): 2%
Grant McCasland (Texas Tech): 2%
Nate Oats (Alabama): 2%
Rick Pitino (St. John's): 2%
Mark Schmidt (St. Bonaventure): 2%
Others: 7%
Who are the best college basketball coaches? (Asked to 6 CBB writers)
1. Dan Hurley, Connecticut
2. Kelvin Sampson, Houston
3. Rick Pitino, St. John's
4. Bill Self, Kansas
5. Matt Painter, Purdue
6. Nate Oats, Alabama
7. Todd Golden, Florida
8. Tom Izzo, Michigan State
9. Mark Few, Gonzaga
10. Scott Drew, Baylor
11. Jon Scheyer, Duke
12. Dusty May, Michigan
13. Rick Barnes, Tennessee
14. John Calipari, Arkansas
15. Tommy Lloyd, Arizona
16. Mark Pope, Kentucky
17. Greg McDermott, Creighton
18. Grant McCasland, Texas Tech
19. Brad Underwood, Illinois
20. Pat Kelsey, Louisville
21. TJ Otzelberger, Iowa State
22. Chris Beard, Ole Miss
23. Mick Cronin, UCLA
24. Randy Bennett, Saint Mary's
25. Shaka Smart, Marquette
And 1. Ben McCollum, Iowa
Release, Rotation, Splash, Repeat
Creighton has made at least one three-pointer in 1,074 straight games. That ranks as the nation's 10th-longest active streak.
Creighton's last game without a three-pointer came at Illinois State on Feb. 20, 1993, when the Jays were 0-for-5. 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 (1/14)
Rk. Streak School Next Game
1. 1,281 Duke 1/17
2. 1,276 UNLV 1/17
3. 1,209 East Tennessee State 1/17
4. 1,185 Oakland 1/15
5. 1,181 Pacific 1/17
6. 1,179 Texas 1/17
7. 1,117 Marshall 1/17
8. 1,112 Gonzaga 1/15
9. 1,097 Princeton 1/17
10. 1,074 Creighton 1/16
11. 1,064 Long Island 1/17
12. 1,058 Mount St. Mary's 1/17
Triple Trouble
During Creighton's current streak of 1,074 straight games with a three-pointer, the Jays have drained 8,688 trifectas, an average of 8.09 treys per game.
Only five times in the streak has Creighton made just one three-pointer, but on 334 occasions the Bluejays have made 10 or more trifectas, including three games of 20 or more.
Since the start of the 2019-20 season, the Bluejays are 112-31 when making eight or more three-pointers, compared to a 39-37 mark when making seven treys or fewer.
Team 3FG Made During Creighton's 3-Point Streak
1: 5 times 2: 19 times 3: 36 times
4: 75 times 5: 105 times 6: 114 times
7: 155 times 8: 135 times 9: 96 times
10: 93 times 11: 67 times 12: 65 times
13: 53 times 14: 26 times 15: 9 times
16: 10 times 17: 5 times 18: 1 time
19: 2 times 20: 1 time 21: 1 time 22: 1 time
Nifty Fifty Leads To Postseason?
Not counting 2019-20, when there was no postseason, Creighton has made the postseason each of the 12 most recent times in which it has made at least 50 percent of its field goal attempts to open the year.
Ten of those postseason trips were NCAA Tournament berths. The last time that didn't hold true was 1991-92, when CU shot 51.0 percent in the opener but finished just 9-19.
Creighton has shot 50 percent or better in 10 of its last 14 season-openers, including 50 percent (37-for-74) on Wednesday vs. South Dakota.
CU Season-Opener Field Goal Percentage 50+%
Since 1993-94
FG% Year Opponent Postseason
.541 1997-98 UMKC NIT
.524 1998-99 Towson State NCAA
.569 2000-01 Western Illinois NCAA
.594 2002-03 UT Arlington NCAA
.500 2012-13 North Texas NCAA
.556 2013-14 Alcorn State NCAA
.528 2015-16 Texas Southern NIT
.508 2016-17 UMKC NCAA
.558 2017-18 Yale NCAA
.524 2019-20 Kennesaw St. Postseason Ccd.
.585 2021-22 Ark.-Pine Bluff NCAA
.567 2023-24 Florida A&M NCAA
.600 2024-25 UTRGV NCAA
.500 2025-26 South Dakota ? ? ?
The Push For 90
Of Creighton's 26 all-time NCAA Tournament teams, 13 have scored 90 or more points in their season-opener.
Put another way...of CU's 20 teams (before 2025-26) to score 90 points in an opener, 13 would reach the NCAA Tournament.
Here's a look at Creighton's 12 most recent teams (before 2025-26) to score 90 or more points in a season-opener:
Final Post-
Score Opponent Date W-L Season
93-47 UT-San Antonio 11/30/90 24-8 NCAA
93-48 Towson State 11/14/98 22-9 NCAA
96-50 Western Illinois 11/20/00 24-8 NCAA
106-50 Texas-Arlington 11/17/02 29-5 NCAA
97-65 North Carolina A&T 11/11/11 29-6 NCAA
107-61 Alcorn State 11/08/13 27-8 NCAA
104-77 Central Arkansas 11/14/14 14-19 --
93-70 Texas Southern 11/14/15 20-15 NIT
92-76 Yale 11/10/17 21-12 NCAA
90-77 Arkansas-Pine Bluff 11/09/21 23-12 NCAA
105-54 Florida A&M 11/07/23 25-10 NCAA
99-86 UTRGV 11/06/24 25-11 NCAA
92-76 South Dakota 11/05/25 ? ? ? ? ? ?
NBA Jays
There are five former Creighton players in the NBA this season.
Former Creighton All-American Doug McDermott is with the Sacramento Kings as he begins his 12th year in the NBA. He was a Lottery pick in 2014 by the Denver Nuggets.
Baylor Scheierman is in his second year with the Boston Celtics after being a First Round pick in 2024.
Trey Alexander, who was named 2024-25 G-League Rookie of the Year in the Denver Nuggets organization, is now on a two-way contract with the New Orleans Pelicans.
There is palpable buzz around Ryan Kalkbrenner, a Second Round pick of the Charlotte Hornets, in his rookie campaign.
Lastly, former Creighton point guard Ryan Nembhard is on a two-way contract with the Dallas Mavericks. Nembhard played two years at Creighton before finishing his career at Gonzaga.
These men give Creighton at least one NBA player for the 42nd time in the last 43 seasons.
Other famous Bluejays to play in the NBA in the past include Paul Silas, Kyle Korver, Benoit Benjamin and Anthony Tolliver.
Who's Back?
With Creighton returning only seven of the 15 men who appeared in a game last season -- including its top three scorers -- much of the production is gone.
Below is a breakdown of what is back:
Stat Returners Departures
3FG Made 135 (39.2%) 209 (60.8%)
Minutes 2661 (36.7%) 4589 (63.3%)
Rebounds 426 (34.4%) 811 (65.6%)
Starts 61 (33.9%) 119 (66.1%)
Steals 43 (33.1%) 87 (66.9%)
Points 761 (28.0%) 1956 (72.0%)
Assists 112 (18.2%) 503 (81.8%)
Blocks 28 (17.4%) 133 (82.6%)
Charges Taken 2 (16.7%) 10 (83.3%)
McChesney On The Mend
Liam McChesney is a rare seventh-year junior who saw his first regular-season action in 979 days on Nov. 5 against South Dakota. He played just over four minutes, collecting a rebound and a blocked shot but missing both field goal attempts.
McChesney began his career in 2019-20 when he redshirted at Utah State. He played in three games at Utah State in 2020-21 before suffering a season-ending broken ankle.
The Prince Rupert, Canada native then transferred to Illinois State, where he played in 60 games and made 27 starts for the Redbirds in two seasons from 2021-23.
McChesney transferred to High Point to play for then-Panther head coach Alan Huss (now Creighton's associate head coach and head coach in waiting), but was sidelined after a preseason medical evaluation revealed an issue with one of his heart valves, which led to heart surgery that has caused him to miss the past two seasons as his weight dropped 208 to 172 pounds.
McChesney transferred to Creighton this summer and continues his comeback.
Preseason Top 25
The Creighton men's basketball team was ranked 23rd in the Associated Press Preseason Top 25 poll, the fourth straight season the Bluejays have been ranked among the nation's best in the preseason.
This year's announcement marks the eighth time in program history the writers have voted CU to the Top 25 in the preseason, joining 2006-07 (No. 19), 2012-13 (No. 16) and 2016-17 (No. 22), 2020-21 (No. 11), 2022-23 (No. 9), 2023-24 (No. 8) and 2024-25 (No. 15). All seven of those teams would end up in the NCAA Tournament, with three of the four most recent squads making the Sweet 16.
Creighton's best ranking in program history is seventh, done five times (Jan. 16, 2017, March 10, 2020, March 18, 2020, Jan. 7, 2021 and Nov. 28, 2022).
Including this year's preseason ranking, Creighton has now been ranked 148 times in program history, with 120 of those under the direction of Greg McDermott. Creighton is 180-78 all-time as a ranked team, including a 146-66 mark under McDermott. Creighton has now been ranked at least one week in 12 of McDermott's 16 seasons on The Hilltop after doing it just five different seasons in program history before his 2010 arrival.
Creighton has been one of 11 schools ranked in the Top 25 of the Preseason AP poll each of the last four years, joining Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Duke, Gonzaga, Houston, Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina and Tennessee.
Creighton was one of three BIG EAST Conference schools in the poll, joining No. 4 Connecticut and No. 5 St. John's.
Among Creighton's non-conference opponents in the poll are preseason No. 21 Gonzaga and preseason No. 16 Iowa State.
Creighton was also ranked 23rd in the preseason USA Today Coaches poll.
Let's Go On A Run
Creighton unleashed a 23-0 run on Iowa State during its exhibition meeting, turning an early 8-4 deficit into a 27-8 lead over a span of just under seven minutes (6:57).
Dating back to the start of the 2021-22 season, it was Creighton's largest run in any game, including exhibitions. Below is that list.
Longest Creighton Runs Since 2021-22
Run Opponent (Score change) Date
23-0* #16 Iowa State (4-8 to 27-8) 10/17/25
21-0* Upper Iowa (32-29 to 53-29) 10//30/21
20-0 Texas Southern (61-44 to 81-44) 11/18/23
19-0 vs. #11 Providence (37-27 to 56-27) 03/11/22
19-0 Georgetown (0-0 to 19-0) 03/01/23
18-0 Houston Christian (19-9 to 37-9) 11/13/24
*exhibition game
Who Are These Guys?
Creighton returns 61 starts from last year's team (31 by Jackson McAndrew, 25 by Jasen Green, 4 by Isaac Traudt, 1 by Ty Davis), its fewest since the 2021-22 team returned just two starts.
Returning Returning Starts Final
Year Starters From Previous Year W-L
2025-26 2 61 ? ? ?
2024-25 3 105 25-11
2023-24 3 111 25-10
2022-23 3 104 24-13
2021-22 0 2 23-12
2020-21 5 124 22-9
2019-20 4 136 24-7
2018-19 2 57 20-15
2017-18 2 72 21-12
2016-17 4 130 25-10
2015-16 1 64 20-15
2014-15 1 49 14-19
2013-14 4 144 27-8
2012-13 4 140 28-8
2011-12 3 101 29-6
2010-11 4 123 23-16
2009-10 3 106 18-16
2008-09 3 83 27-8
2007-08 1 44 22-11
2006-07 4 120 22-11
2005-06 4 134 20-10
2004-05 2 58 23-11
2003-04 3 101 20-9
2002-03 5 159 29-5
2001-02 2 65 23-9
2000-01 3 90 24-8
1999-00 3 84 23-10
1998-99 3 84 22-9
1997-98 4 72 18-10
1996-97 4 126 15-15
1995-96 4 100 14-15
1994-95 2 52 7-19
1993-94 3 73 7-22
1992-93 2 64 8-18
1991-92 2 51 9-19
1990-91 4 132 24-8
1989-90 4 127 21-12
1988-89 4 123 20-11
1987-88 3 83 16-16
1986-87 2 65 9-19
1985-86 1 48 12-16
1984-85 4 124 20-12
1983-84 3 72 17-14
1982-83 3 77 8-19
1981-82 2 78 7-20
1980-81 4 112 21-9
McDermott Is Wins Leader
Greg McDermott has 361 victories at Creighton, passing his predecessor Dana Altman (327) for the most in program history in CU's Nov. 13, 2024 win vs. Houston Christian.
McDermott broke a different record on Jan. 21, 2025 at DePaul when he coached his 504th game on the Bluejay sideline, breaking the mark of 503 held by Altman.
McDermott's .670 winning percentage is Creighton's best since Arthur A. Schabinger's .714 win rate from 90 years ago.
Most Coaching Wins, Creighton MBB History
Rk. W-L Name Years
1. 361-178 Greg McDermott 2010-Pres.
2. 327-176 Dana Altman 1994-2010
3. 165-66 Arthur A. Schabinger 1922-1935
4. 138-118 John J. "Red" McManus 1959-1969
5. 130-64 Tom Apke 1974-1981
CHI Health Center Omaha Dramatics
Creighton is 8-8 in contests with a game-winning go-ahead score in the final 10 seconds at CHI Health Center Omaha, which opened in 2003.
The last time such a game happened was in 2020 when Creighton's Marcus Zegarowski hit a shot with 3.2 seconds left to beat Providence.
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
Top-20 Crowds
Here's a look at Creighton's top-20 home crowds all-time.
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. 18,571 DePaul?? 01/22/24
10. 18,525 Marquette 12/31/13
11. 18,519 #8 Seton Hall 03/07/20
12. 18,518 Georgetown 01/27/18
13. 18,509 Villanova 02/04/23
14. 18,495 Marquette 02/17/18
15. 18,494 Illinois State 02/09/13
16. 18,475 Nebraska 11/22/24
17. 18,458 Evansville 12/29/12
18. 18,436 Bradley 01/28/12
19. 18,430 Seton Hall 01/25/25
20. 18,323 DePaul 02/07/14
CHI Health Center Omaha Success
Creighton has played 381 regular and postseason contests at CHI Health Center Omaha all-time in the now 23-year-old facility.
The Bluejays own a 315-66 (.827) record all-time at the facility.
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 30,000-25,082 in games at CHI Health Center Omaha, an average margin of 12.91 points per game. Creighton has not trailed 95 different times, including twice this year (Maryland Eastern Shore and Utah Tech).
Incredibly, Creighton hasn't trailed in its home opener in 10 of the past 25 seasons (2000-01, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2009-10, 2011-12, 2014-15, 2016-17 and 2019-20).
Creighton is also 35-39 all-time in the 74 games at the arena in which it's fallen behind by double-figures at any point, 8-14 when down by 10+ points at halftime in the facility, and 42-32 when trailing at halftime at CHI Health Center Omaha.
Creighton is 218-48 (.820) at CHI Health Center Omaha under Greg McDermott and hasn't trailed in 68 of those games. In that same span, CU owns a 112-11 home record (.911) 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 333-66 (.835) at home since the start of the 2002-03 campaign.
Perfect 10
Greg McDermott has guided his team to the NCAA Tournament 10 times at Creighton. That put him in the company of some of the greatest coaches in CU Athletics history, and most among basketball coaches.
McDermott is one of three head coaches in Creighton history to lead 10 or more NCAA Tournament teams.
Name Sport NCAA's @CU
Kirsten Bernthal Booth Volleyball 14
Bob Warming Men's Soccer 11
Greg McDermott Men's Basketball 10
Jim Flanery Women's Basketball 8
Dana Altman Men's Basketball 7
Brent Vigness Softball 7
Firing On All Cylinders
Creighton finished the 2024-25 season ranked 35th overall by KenPom.com. That included the nation's No. 33 offense, and No. 44 defense.
Creighton has finished with a top-25 offense per KenPom eight times and a top-25 defense three times in 15 completed seasons under Greg McDermott.
Year Off. Rating Def. Rating Overall Rank
2010-11 66 174 98
2011-12 5 166 28
2012-13 5 66 15
2013-14 2 124 17
2014-15 59 138 79
2015-16 43 76 40
2016-17 32 46 28
2017-18 25 58 30
2018-19 47 83 55
2019-20 3 78 12
2020-21 25 32 22
2021-22 112 19 50
2022-23 23 14 12
2023-24 9 24 11
2024-25 33 44 35
2025-26 (1/14) 50 69 53
Ticket Information
Single-game tickets for the 2025-26 season went on sale on October 16th.
Fans can purchase single-game tickets at CHI Health Center Omaha Box Office, Ryan Athletic Center, by calling Ticketmaster or visiting Ticketmaster.com, and charging by phone at (800) 745-3000.
For more information, call the Creighton Ticket Office at (402) 280-JAYS.
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