Men's Basketball Welcomes Seton Hall For Pink Out

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Game #22 • Seton Hall at Creighton • Saturday, Jan.30, 2016 • 7:01 p.m. Central
CenturyLink Center Omaha (17,352) • Omaha, Neb.
Radio: KOZN 1620 AM, www.1620thezone.com
Television: FSN Midwest
Series History: Seton Hall leads, 8-4
Last Meeting: Creighton 82, Seton Hall 67 on Jan. 9, 2016 in Newark, N.J.

Next Game
The Creighton men's basketball team (14-7, 5-3 BIG EAST) looks for a season sweep of Seton Hall (14-6, 4-4 BIG EAST) on Saturday evening in Omaha, Neb.
   Tip-off at CenturyLink Center Omaha (17,352) is scheduled for 7:01 p.m. Central.
   The first 16,000 fans entering the venue will receive a complimentary pink t-shirt courtesy of CHI Health and Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center. "Pink Out" t-shirts are also available for purchase at the following Lawlor's Custom Sportswear locations: Westroads Mall and the Superstore located at 84th & J Streets.
   Complimentary "Pink Out" posters will be available to fans exiting the venue after the game.

Radio Broadcast Information
KOZN (1620 The Zone) will broadcast all Creighton men's basketball games during the 2015-16 season. John Bishop and former Bluejay Brody Deren will call the action.
   Prior to the game, Corey Lathrop and Heath Gunderson will host "Bluejay Shootaround", beginning at 5:00 pm.
   Following the game, Tim Krueger and Ravi Lulla will host "Overtime" for approximately one hour, while also taking calls from listeners.
   The audio is also webcast live at www.1620thezone.com.

Television Broadcast Information
Saturday's game will air live on FSN Midwest, which can be found in Omaha on Cox Cable channel 47 (1047 in HD).
   Dick Stockton and Nick Bahe will announce.

Video Webcast Information
Live streaming video of Saturday's game will be available via FOXSportsGO.com for desktop users, and via the FOX Sports GO app for mobile devices (iOS, Android, Kindle Fire tablets and Fire phones and select Window devices). A cable authorization may be required.
   The FOX Sports GO mobile app can be downloaded for free from the iTunes App Store, Google Play, Amazon App Store or the Windows Store, and the games are now available internationally.
   GoCreighton.com/watch also has a free video webcast of the postgame press conference following all home games.
Live Stats Information
All of Creighton's games this season will have free live stats. Visit www.gocreighton.com and click on the small bar graph icon on the scoreboard at the top of the page for the event of your choosing.
   Home games can also be followed by those who have mobile devices with internet capability at www.gocreightonstats.com.

Scouting Creighton
Creighton is 14-7 on the season, including a 9-3 mark at home and a 5-4 mark on road/neutral floors. The Bluejays are 5-3 in league play, with three road wins, and all but one victory this season has come by double-digits.
   The Bluejays are scoring a league-leading 82.5 points per game (20th nationally) and have four men averaging 10 or more points per game.
   Boston University transfer Maurice Watson Jr. leads Creighton with 6.5 assists per contest and 14.1 points per game, while Geoffrey Groselle tops the club with 6.1 rebounds per game and is third with 11.6 points per game. He's shooting 71.2 percent from the field this year, third nationally among players with at least five attempts per game.
   Isaiah Zierden (12.3 ppg., 1.6 spg.) leads the BIG EAST with 56 three-pointers made and also leads the Bluejays with 33 steals.
   The Bluejays return nine lettermen and one starter (Toby Hegner) from last year's team that finished 14-19 and tied for ninth in the BIG EAST with a 4-14 league mark. Hegner averages 6.5 points per game, while the team's leading returning scorer (James Milliken) averages 7.5 points per contest.

Scouting Seton Hall
Seton Hall is 14-6 on the season and 4-4 in BIG EAST play heading into Saturday's trip to Omaha.
   Seton Hall has started five sophomores for the majority of the season, a group headed by former McDonald's All-American Isaiah Whitehead (15.7 ppg., 4.5 apg.).
   Khadeen Carrington (14.7 ppg.) and Desi Rodriguez (12.1 ppg) also score in double-figures, while Angel Delgado (9.5 ppg., 9.8 rpg.) is second in the BIG EAST in rebounds per game after a 14-point, 17-rebound showing in Wednesday's win against St. John's
   The Pirates score 74.2 points per game and shoot 44.4 percent from the field, 33.0 percent from three-point range and 65.0 percent at the line. SHU yields 66.8 points per game, allowing opponents to shoot 39.8 percent.

The Coaches
Greg McDermott (Northern Iowa, 1988) is in his sixth season as head coach at Creighton. He is 135-64 with the Bluejays. McDermott has previously been a head coach at Iowa State (2006-10), Northern Iowa (2001-06), North Dakota State (2000-01) and Wayne State (1994-2000). He owns a career mark of 415-259 in his 22nd season and is 284-195 in his 15th Division I campaign. McDermott is assisted by Darian DeVries, Steve Lutz and Preston Murphy.
   Kevin Willard (Pittsburgh, 1997) owns a 96-87 record in his sixth season at Seton Hall, which moves his career mark to 141-136 in nine years as a college head coach. He came to Seton Hall after a three-year stint as Iona head coach. Willard is assisted by Shaheen Holloway, Fred Hill and Grant Billmeier.

The Series With Seton Hall
Seton Hall leads the all-time series with Creighton 8-4, including a 1-1 mark in Omaha. Both previous meetings in Omaha have been decided by a single point, and three of the last four meetings at all sites have been one-point contests.
   Greg McDermott is 3-2 against Seton Hall and coach Kevin Willard. Willard is 3-3 all-time against Creighton, leading his 2009-10 Iona team to a 63-55 win over the Bluejays at the Old Spice Classic near Orlando, Fla.

Pink Out Auction Raises More Than $16,000
As part of the nation-wide Coaches vs. Cancer event, men's basketball fans are encouraged to wear pink to promote cancer awareness and participate in Saturday's "Creighton vs. Cancer Pink Out" game.
   Bluejay players will wear pink shooting shirts and pink jerseys for the game and, like last year's event, fans had 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 could be personalized – last name, nickname, etc.).
   For those looking to make a contribution to this year's event, click on this link: http://www.GoCreighton.com/PinkOut.
   The first 16,000 fans entering the venue received a complimentary pink t-shirt courtesy of CHI Health and Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center. "Pink Out" t-shirts are also available for purchase at the following Lawlor's Custom Sportswear locations: Westroads Mall and the Superstore located at 84th & J Streets.
   Complimentary "Pink Out" posters will be available to fans exiting the venue after the game.
   This year's Creighton vs. Cancer jersey auction raised $16,527.90, and the past five seasons have seen $126,203.04 raised.
   Below is the final numbers for each item in the auction this year:
#0   $710   #1   $532.40   #2   $1125
#4   $1035   #5   $455   #10   $1397
#11   $910   #12   $620   #13   $1009
#15   $610   #20   $485   #21   $1280
#22   $960   #23   $860   #32   $1125
#40   $1025   #41   $1275
Basketballs: $242.50, $230.50, $227.50, $210.50, $203.50

McDermott's 200th CU Game Is Saturday
Saturday will be Greg McDermott's 200th game as Creighton head coach. His 135-64 mark thus far is good for the program's best winning percentage (.678) in the last 80 years.
   Here's how Creighton's coaches have fared when reaching their 200th game on the Bluejay sideline:
Coach, Years   W-L After 200
Arthur A. Schabinger, 1922-35   145-55
John J. "Red" McManus, 1959-69   116-84
Dana Altman, 1994-2010   116-84
Greg McDermott, 2010-Present   135-64 so far

Triple Doubles For Zierden
Junior guard Isaiah Zierden has made at least two three-pointers in each of Creighton's last nine games.
   With two trifectas on Saturday, Zierden can become the first Bluejay with 10 straight games of multiple triples since Ethan Wragge did it in 16 straight games from Nov. 28, 2013 - January 25, 2014.
   Prior to Wragge's marksmanship, no one had done it since Kyle Korver's streak of 13 straight from Feb. 4 - March 20, 2003.
   By making one three-pointer, Zierden be the first Bluejay with 10 straight games with a trey since Rick Kreklow did in 15 consecutive games last season from Jan. 3-March 3, 2015.
   Zierden has drained 34 three-pointers in 12 home games this season, making two or more in all but one contest.
   If you're curious, the only player in the NBA with a streak with multiple three-pointers in eight games or more (through Jan. 27) is Stephen Curry's 13.

Won (Or Lost) By One
Three of the last four meetings between Creighton and Seton Hall have been decided by exactly one point, including both meetings last year, and both previous meetings in Omaha.
   Last year was just the second time ever that Creighton played multiple one-point games against the same team in the same season, joining the 2004-05 Northern Iowa series (CU won 67-66 and 83-82).
   Creighton is 5-6 in one-point games under Greg McDermott and 78-73 in program history in one-point games.
   Creighton went 0-4 last season in one-point games and its current streak of five straight losses in one-point games is tied for the program's longest streak ever, matching a stretch of five straight losses in one-point games between 1947-52.

Late Game Struggle
Creighton led Tuesday's game at Georgetown for more than 32 minutes, and all but 80 seconds of the second half. Unfortunately for the Bluejays, some of that time came in the final 6.2 seconds as Georgetown capped a game-ending 15-3 run to win by one point.
   Creighton was just 3-for-6 at the free throw line and had two turnovers in the final two minutes of the loss, compared to 28-of-33 marksmanship from the stripe and two total turnovers in the final two minutes of CU's first seven league games.

So Close, Yet So Far
Seton Hall won a pair of one-point decisions against Creighton last season, but Creighton led both games with 17 seconds left.
   In Seton Hall's 68-67 win in Omaha, Creighton took a 67-65 lead with 17.2 seconds left on a tip-in by Will Artino, only to surrender a three-pointer by Sterling Gibbs with 2.2 left. A game-winning attempt from three-point range by James Milliken hit the front rim and rolled over the rim.
   Five weeks later in Newark, Angel Delgado's putback with 15.9 seconds left provided the winning margin of SHU's 67-66 victory. After Delgado's score, Austin Chatman was stripped while shooting and Milliken, Geoffrey Groselle and Milliken (again) all missed putback tries amid contact in the final frenzied seconds before the clock expired. Creighton trailed for just 65 seconds in the entire game, and led by as much as 14 points in the contest.

Some People Call Him Maurice
Maurice Watson Jr. dished 14 assists in Creighton's win at Seton Hall on Jan. 9. While it was three shy of his collegiate high accomplished while he was at Boston University, the 14 helpers were his most in a Creighton uniform.
   Watson's 14 assists tie Providence's Kris Dunn (twice) for the most by any BIG EAST player this season, and were the most in a regular-season BIG EAST game since Dee Davis had 15 assists vs. Providence on Feb. 7, 2015.
   Watson's 14 assists are tied for fifth-most nationally in a game this season, and directly led to 37 points by the Bluejays in that game.
   Watson's 14 assists were the most ever by a Creighton player in any conference game.
   Watson's 14 assists were the most by any Bluejay since Ralph Bobik tied his own school-record with 17 assist vs. Bradley on Jan. 22, 1974. Below is a list of the six occasions in CU history in which a player has had 13 or more assists.
   Ast.   Name, Opponent   Date
   17   Ralph Bobik at St. Francis (Pa.)   02/23/73
       Ralph Bobik vs. Bradley   01/22/74
   16   Ralph Bobik vs. BYU   12/17/73
   14   Maurice Watson Jr. at Seton Hall   01/09/16
   13   Latrell Wrightsell vs. Nebraska   12/07/91
       Jason Bey vs. Southern Illinois   02/27/95

The Road Less Travelled
Creighton is off to a strong start on the road in the BIG EAST and won each of its first three games away from home before Tuesday's heartbreak at Georgetown.
   Since the BIG EAST was reformatted in the summer of 2013, the Bluejays are one of four teams to start 3-0 on the road in league play.
   Villanova started 7-0 on the road in 2013-14 before losing at Creighton. Villanova is 4-0 on the road this year in league play, while Providence is 3-0 on the road in league play this season.
   In the first two years of the restructured BIG EAST, teams with three or more BIG EAST road wins finished in the top-six of the league standings on 12 of 13 occasions, while teams with two or less league road wins finished in the top six on just one of seven occasions.
   This season was Creighton's fifth team since the 1942-43 to start 3-0 on the road in league play.

Over .500, Again
Creighton has been better than .500 in either the first or second-half of its league season in 38 of its last 40 trips through the league, including the first halvf this year.
   Here's how Creighton's teams have fared in the various halves of the MVC/BIG EAST season since 1995-96.
Year   1st Half   2nd Half
2015-16   5-3 so far   ? ? ?
2014-15   1-8   3-6
2013-14   8-1   6-3
2012-13   7-2   6-3
2011-12   8-1   6-3
2010-11   5-4   5-4
2009-10   5-4   5-4
2008-09   5-4   9-0
2007-08   5-4   5-4
2006-07   6-3   7-2
2005-06   7-2   5-4
2004-05   5-4   6-3
2003-04   7-2   5-4
2002-03   8-1   7-2
2001-02   8-1   6-3
2000-01   5-4   9-0
1999-00   5-4   6-3
1998-99   6-3   5-4
1997-98   5-4   7-2
1996-97   5-4   5-4
1995-96   4-5   5-4
Total   120-68 (.638)   118-62 (.656)

New And Improved
Last season's rare down year saw Creighton finish 14-19 overall, and just 4-14 in the BIG EAST. This year's team is 14-7 overall and 5-3 in league play.
   The win last Saturday vs. Butler matched CU's total of 14 wins from last year, and exceeded last year's total of four conference wins.
   This is the earliest Creighton has ever matched its previous season's league win total. The previous mark was January 21st, when the 1994-95 squad earned its third MVC win to match the 3-15 total in league play done one year earlier.

Most Improved Big Men?
With the possible exception of Providence's Ben Bentil, few players around the BIG EAST have improved more than Creighton's Geoffrey Groselle.
   Groselle entered his senior season averaging 3.2 points and 1.6 rebounds per contest, collecting 200 career points and 102 career rebounds in his first 63 games. This year Groselle owns 11.6 points and 6.1 rebounds per game and has 243 points and 129 rebounds in 21 starts.

Watson Dishes and Scores
Maurice Watson Jr. has led Creighton in both scoring and assists in each of the team's last two games, extending his team lead in both categories. In fact, in Creighton's last 12 games Watson has led the team in assists 11 times and tied for the team lead on the other occasion.
   Watson is on pace to become Creighton's sixth player since 1970-71 to lead the club in both points per game and assists per game, as seen below:
Creighton Leaders in PPG & APG, Since 1970-71
Name, Year   PPG   APG
Kevin McKenna, 1979-80   16.5   3.7
Matt Petty, 1992-93   17.2   3.1
Kyle Korver, 2001-02   15.1   3.3
Nate Funk, 2003-04   11.1   2.7
Nate Funk, 2006-07   17.7   3.0
Austin Chatman, 2014-15   11.5   3.7
Maurice Watson Jr., 2015-16   14.1   6.5

Mo' Points, Mo' Assists
Maurice Watson Jr. leads Creighton in both scoring and assists, and he's doing things at a rate that has never been approached in school history.
   Since the program began tracking assists in 1970-71, Watson is one of four men to average at least 12 points and five assists per game. However, he's the only one in that quartet that's scored 12 points per game while also averaging six assists per contest.
12+ PPG & 5+ APG, Since 1970-71 at Creighton
Name, Year   PPG   APG
Ralph Bobik, 1971-72   14.1   5.2
James Farr, 1988-89   12.0   5.0
Antoine Young, 2010-11   13.1   5.0
Maurice Watson Jr., 2015-16   14.1   6.5

Against The BIG EAST
Since joining the BIG EAST on July 1, 2014, Creighton has won in every road venue except Georgetown and Providence, and is unbeaten at home against only Marquette and St. John's, as well as on the road at DePaul.
Team   CU Home Games   CU Road Games
Butler   2-1   1-1
DePaul   1-1   3-0
Georgetown   2-1   0-3
Marquette   2-0   1-1
Providence   1-2   0-2
Seton Hall   1-1   2-1
St. John's   2-0   1-2
Villanova   1-2   1-1
Xavier   1-1   1-1
Total   13-9   10-12

Strong League Start Projects To Postseason
Prior to the Georgetown loss, Creighton had started 5-2 or better in league play for the fourth time in Greg McDermott's six seasons at the helm.
   His first three teams that started 5-2 or better not only reached the NCAA Tournament, but won a game in the Big Dance.
   Each of Creighton's 11 teams since 1988-89 to start 5-2, 6-1 or 7-0 in league play have reached the postseason, a stretch that includes seven NCAA Tournaments and four NIT's.

Dynamite Starts For Newcomers
A pair of newcomers are among Creighton's leading scorers through 21 games, as Maurice Watson Jr. has 296 and Cole Huff has 212 points.
   Since 1995-96, Watson's figure is second among all Creighton newcomers through 21 games, five behind Rodney Buford's 301 but 10 ahead of Doug McDermott's 286 points.
   McDermott would finish his career with 3,150 in 145 career games to rank fifth in NCAA history.
Most Points, CU Newcomers First 21 Games Since 1995-96
   Pts.   Name, Class   Year   After 22
   301   Rodney Buford, Fr.   1995-96   322
   296   Maurice Watson Jr., Jr.   2015-16   TBD
   286   Doug McDermott, Fr.    2010-11   302
   229   Gregory Echenique, So.   2010-11   231
   228   P'Allen Stinnett, Fr.   2007-08   252
   227   Ryan Sears, Fr.   1997-98   241
   226   Doug Swenson, Jr.   1997-98   235
   217   Brody Deren, So.   2001-02   221
   212   Cole Huff, Jr.   2015-16   TBD

Zierden With Efficient Eight
Isaiah Zierden's eight three-pointers at DePaul (Jan. 17) are tied for third-most in Creighton history for a single-game, and one shy of the record set by Kyle Korver (1/15/03 vs. Evansville) and Ethan Wragge (1/20/14 at #4 Villanova).
   Zierden is one of four men with exactly eight trifectas in a contest, joining Korver (12/31/02 at #19 Xavier), Tad Ackerman (1/23/95 at Drake) and Terrell Taylor (3/15/02 vs. #15 Florida).
   Of the players to make eight or more three-pointers in a Creighton game, Zierden's 11 attempts are easily the fewest, two less than Ackerman and Korver (at Xavier). Both Korver (vs. Evansville) and Wragge needed 14 attempts, while Taylor set the school-record with 15 attempts against Florida.
   Zierden's eight three-pointers vs. DePaul remain the most by any BIG EAST player in a game this season.

30 Point Efforts
Isaiah Zierden 31 point game at DePaul made him the third Creighton player to score 30 or more points in a game in Greg McDermott's six-year tenure on The Hilltop. Kenny Lawson Jr. did it first with 30 points on Dec. 11, 2010 vs. Saint Joseph's, and Doug McDermott did it 27 different times.
   Zierden was the first player with 30 or more points since Doug McDermott's 30 vs. Louisiana on March 21, 2014, and the first player with 31 or more since Doug McDermott's 32 vs. Xavier on March 14, 2014.
   Creighton has won 28 straight games in which an individual has scored 31 points or more. In addition to one such game from Zierden, that streak includes 31 point (or more) games from Doug McDermott (21 times), Nate Funk (3), Kyle Korver (1), Johnny Mathies (1) and Cavel Witter (1). The last time a Bluejay scored 31 or more in a loss came on Dec. 31, 2002, when Korver compiled 32 points in a two-point loss at No. 19 Xavier.

Some Loyal Fans
Creighton has attracted 203,274 fans at home this season, surpassing 200,000 fans last Saturday for the 11th straight season.
   Creighton had never attracted more than 141,000 home fans in any season prior to the opening of CenturyLink Center Omaha, and now has done it in 13 straight seasons.
   Creighton has led its conference in home attendance every year since moving into CenturyLink Center Omaha, which is now in its 13th season.

Butler Was 100th Home Game For McDermott
Last Saturday marked the 100th home game on the Creighton sideline for Greg McDermott. He's currently 82-18 on CenturyLink Center Omaha's south sideline.
   McDermott became the fourth man in Creighton history to coach at least 100 home games, and he has more home wins in those games (82) than anyone else at that point.
   Red McManus and Arthur A. Schabinger both were 78-22 after 100 home games, while Dana Altman was 75-25 after 100 home games at Creighton.

Big Deficits, No Big Deal
Creighton owns 15 victories under Greg McDermott after trailing by double-figures at some point, including DePaul (down 12) on January 17th. Eight of those comebacks came away from home.
   On Nov. 19, 2014, Creighton trailed 42-24 to No. 18 Oklahoma with 18:30 to go before putting together a comeback for the ages. It was CU's largest comeback victory under Greg McDermott (see chart below), the second-largest since 2000 (see chart below), and the second-biggest in the history of CenturyLink Center Omaha (see chart, left column on page five).
   On the other hand, CU is 118-8 under McDermott when putting together double-digit leads, including wins 106 of the last 110 times.
Double-Digit Comebacks Under Greg McDermott
Deficit   Opponent   Date
18   #18 Oklahoma   11/19/14
17   at San Diego State   11/30/11
16   at Evansville   02/16/13
14   Evansville   02/21/12
13   at Saint Joseph's   11/16/13
13   Xavier   01/12/14
12   Saint Joseph's   12/11/10
12   at DePaul   01/17/16
11   at Wichita State   12/31/11
11   Northern Iowa   01/10/12
11   vs. Alabama   03/16/12
10   UAB   11/14/12
10   vs. Drake   03/02/12
10   at Nebraska   12/07/14
10   South Dakota   12/09/14

Complete Games For Zierden
Isaiah Zierden played all 40 minutes for Creighton in its Jan. 12 game vs. No. 12 Providence, then again on Jan. 23 vs. No. 18 Butler, meaning he hasn't been off the floor at home since 9:26 remained on Jan. 5 vs. Georgetown.
   Since the start of the 2001-02 season, Zierden is just the second man to log a "complete game". Antoine Young had three such games in 2010-11 and before him no Bluejay had done it since Ryan Sears on March 15, 2001.

CenturyLink Center Omaha Dramatics
Providence's Kris Dunn hit a game-winning shot as time expired to beat Creighton on Jan. 12th. It was the first game-winning shot with no time left to ever to beat Creighton at CenturyLink Center Omaha, exceeding the previous low with 1.9 seconds left by Butler's Roosevelt Jones last year.
   Dunn's shot was the first to beat Creighton (at any site) with no time left on the clock since Anthony James drained a game-winning three-pointer for Northern Iowa in a 65-62 win on Feb. 4, 2012 in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
   After allowing just two game-winning go-ahead scores in the last 10 seconds in the first 11 seasons at CenturyLink Center Omaha, Creighton has allowed that to happen four times in the past 13 months alone.
   Creighton is now 7-6 in games with a game-winning go-ahead score in the final 10 seconds in the 13-year old facility.
Creighton's Go-Ahead Scores in Wins at CLCO, 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
*double-overtime

Opponent Go-Ahead Scores in CU Losses at CLCO, Last 10 Seconds
Date   Opponent   Score   Player/Score   Time
03/20/06   Miami (Fla.)   53-52   G. Diaz FT   :2.6
01/20/07   Southern Illinois   58-57   B. Mullins FG   :4.1
01/10/15   #19 Seton Hall   68-67   S. Gibbs 3FG   :2.2
02/16/15   #19 Butler   58-56   R. Jones FG   :1.9
03/07/15   Xavier   74-73   D. Davis FT's   :6.3
01/12/16   #12 Providence   50-48   K. Dunn FG   :0.0

Defense Delivering
Since allowing Villanova to shoot 68 percent on January 2nd, Creighton's defense has picked up.
   Bluejay opponents have shot just 40.8 percent (117-292) in the past five games, which includes wins over Georgetown, Seton Hall, DePaul and No. 18 Butler, and last possession losses to Providence and Georgetown.
   In this stretch, Creighton opponents are also shooting 29.3 percent (27-92) from downtown en route to averaging 67.0 points per game.
   Creighton's defense ranks 62nd nationally in "adjusted defensive efficiency" per KenPom.com.

Assists Are Elementary For Watson
Maurice Watson Jr. had his third game this season with 10 or more assists when he dished 14 dimes on Jan. 9th at Seton Hall. Watson had six such games at Boston University in his first two years as a collegian.
   Watson is the first Bluejay with three games of 10 or more assists in the same season since Grant Gibbs had three in 2011-12.
   The last Bluejay with more than three games of 10+ assists in the same season has been Duan Cole, who had four such games in 1989-90.

Z For 3!
Isaiah Zierden is leading the BIG EAST Conference with 56 three-pointers made, five more than Kellen Dunham (Butler).
   In Creighton's first year in the BIG EAST in 2013-14, Ethan Wragge led the league with 110 trifectas, while Doug McDermott was second with 96.

Man Of Steal
Isaiah Zierden ranks tied for third in the BIG EAST with 33 steals this season, trailing only Providence guard Kris Dunn's 60 and Georgetown's D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera (34).
   Zierden owns eight games this season with three steals or more, and had at least three in each of CU's first four BIG EAST victories this winter.
   By comparison, Zierden had a total of three steals (in 28 games and 304 minutes) as a freshman, and 12 steals (in 20 games and 558 minutes) a year ago. Zierden owned just two steals in 23 career BIG EAST games entering the season.

Standard Five
Creighton used the same starting line-up in each of its first 18 games this season before finally making a change on Jan. 17 (in game 19) when Toby Hegner replaced Cole Huff in the first five.
   Last season Creighton used 10 different starting line-up combinations, its most in any season since using 11 pairings in 1994-95.
   Creighton used the same starting five combination for every game in 2011-12, and then again in 2012-13.

Magic Number is 79
Creighton has scored 79 points or more in 13 of its 14 wins thus far. Creighton averages 89.9 points per game in its 14 wins this winter, compared to 67.6 per game when it loses.
   Seton Hall allows 66.8 points per game (second in the BIG EAST) and is 0-3 when allowing 79 points or more this season.
   Seton Hall has allowed 62.4 points in its 14 wins this year, compared to 77.0 points allowed in its six losses.

Watson Reaches Milestones
Though he's still relatively new to Creighton, that hasn't kept Maurice Watson Jr. from reaching a couple big milestones at the collegiate level.
   Watson owns 296 points and 137 assists at Creighton this season, and when combined with his 800 points and 410 assists in two seasons at Boston University, now owns career collegiate totals of 1,096 points and 547 assists.
   Only two players have ever attained 1,000 points and 500 assists (all with CU) during their Creighton careers, Ryan Sears (1,309/570) and Antoine Young (1,342/505). Both Sears and Young got there as seniors.
   Watson surpassed 1,000 career points on Jan. 5 vs. Georgetown in the 81st game of Watson's collegiate career. If you're curious to see how that stacks up with others in recent Creighton history to reach 1,000 career points, here's a list:
Games To 1,000 CU Points, Last 15 Bluejays
Name   Games to 1,000 pts.    Date
Austin Chatman   139   03/11/15
Ethan Wragge   132   01/18/14
Gregory Echenique   101   03/24/13
Doug McDermott   57   01/15/12
Antoine Young   115   12/10/11
Kenny Lawson Jr.   108   11/21/10
P'Allen Stinnett   86   01/16/10
Dane Watts   115   01/22/08
Anthony Tolliver   124   03/16/07
Johnny Mathies   91   03/03/06
Nate Funk   92   02/28/05
Kyle Korver   81   01/30/02
Ben Walker   105   01/06/01
Ryan Sears   97   12/01/00
Rodney Buford   59   03/01/97

Groselle Good As Gold
Geoffrey Groselle made his last five shots in an 8-for-9 against North Texas on Dec. 21, then followed it with an 8-for-8 showing from the floor vs. Coppin State one week later. On Dec. 31 at St. John's, Groselle made his first eight shots before finishing 9-of-10. Groselle was also perfect from the field vs. Villanova on Jan. 2nd, though he only attempted one shot.
   The streak of 21 straight field goals made was just five shy of the NCAA record set by Bowling Green's Torian Oglesby over seven games from Dec. 4, 2011-Jan. 1, 2012.
   The recent play has moved Groselle's field goal percentage to 71.2 percent, the third-best mark nationally (min 5 FGA/game) and tops in the BIG EAST (min. 3 FG/game).
   If you're curious, the NCAA record (min. 5 FG/game) was set in 1981 by Oregon State's Steve Johnson, who shot 74.6 percent, while the Creighton record (min. 200 attempts) is 67.4 percent set by Vernon Moore in 1984-85.
   Groselle's older brother, Mike Groselle, played at The Citadel from 2009-13 and ranks eighth in Southern Conference history with a 58.9 career field goal percentage and led the league in that category as a senior when he shot 57.4 percent from the floor.
FG Percentage Leaders (through 1/27)
Minimum 5 FGA/game
   Rk.   Team       FG%
   1.   Thomas Bryant, Indiana   .716
   2.   Evan Bradds, Belmont       .714
   3.   Geoffrey Groselle, Creighton   .712
   4.   James Thompson IV, Eastern Michigan   .707
   5.   Sterling Brown, SMU       .683

Watson Plays Distributor
Maurice Watson Jr. owns 85 assists in Creighton's last 12 games against just 35 turnovers.
   He was Creighton's first player in more than 30 years with five straight games with seven or more assists, but that streak ended vs. Villanova on Jan. 2nd.
   Watson is currently averaging 6.52 assists per game. Creighton's last player to average 6.0 assists per game or more for an entire season is Randy Eccker's 7.3 assists per contest in 1976-77.
   Overall, Watson's 2.21 assist/turnover ratio this year ranks fourth in the BIG EAST (min. 3.0 assists per game), and his career ratio (including Boston) of 2.15 assists per turnover ranks ninth-best nationally among active players with 400 or more career assists.
   That ratio ranks better that such highly-touted point guards such as, Kay Felder (2.14), Nic Moore (2.12), Ryan Arcidiacono (2.03), Yogi Ferrell (1.99) and Kris Dunn (1.79).

Not So Sweet Home
After going 61-10 in home non-conference games, BIG EAST teams are 18-22 at home thus far in league play.
   BIG EAST teams went 54-36 in league play at home last year after going 55-35 in 2013-14 in Creighton's first year as a league member.

Century Mark Back-to-Back
Creighton scored 105 points on Dec. 21st against North Texas, then had 102 more on Dec. 28th vs. Coppin State.
   Creighton had not scored 100 points or more in consecutive games since Jan. 29 (104 at Idaho State) and Feb. 2 (115 vs. Memphis) during the 1965-66 season, and had not scored 100 points twice in the same month since February of 1990.
   Creighton has scored 100 points or more in three different games this season. It's the fourth different season in program history it's done that, and first time since 1989-90's squad did it three times.
   The 1965-66 team cracked the century mark seven times, while the 1971-72 club reached triple-digits five times.

The Link Turns Into The Dunk Tank
Creighton has put down 40 dunks in 21 regular-season games as a unit this year. By comparison, Creighton had 29 dunks in 33 games all last season.
   Seven different men have thrown down a dunk this winter, led by 11 from Geoffrey Groselle and 10 from both Zach Hanson and Khyri Thomas.

The Fast And The Furious
Creighton has 212 fast break points already this winter. By comparison, last year Creighton had a total of 143 fast break points (4.3 per game), and never had more than 11 in any contest.
   Creighton had a whopping 30 fast break points in its Nov. 14 win over Texas Southern, added 24 more on Nov. 17 vs. UTSA.
   Creighton's 30 fast break points are believed to be its most since moving to CenturyLink Center Omaha in 2003, with the next highest mark on file (before Texas Southern on Nov. 14) was listed as 24 vs. Kennesaw State on Nov. 26, 2010.

Pace Makers
Creighton ranks 20th nationally in scoring offense, averaging 82.48 points per game to date.
   This year's team has scored 79 points or more in 13 of its 14 victories, significantly better than last year's team that reached 85 points just twice all winter.
   Since 2000-01, Creighton owns 54 games of 85+ points in the eight seasons it has made the NCAA Tournament, compared to 19 such outbursts in the seven years it has missed the Big Dance.
Year   85+ Point Games   Postseason?
2015-16   9   TBD
2014-15   2   None
2013-14   12   NCAA
2012-13   7   NCAA
2011-12   13   NCAA
2010-11   3   CBI
2009-10   2   CIT
2008-09   3   NIT
2007-08   6   NIT
2006-07   0   NCAA
2005-06   2   NIT
2004-05   1   NCAA
2003-04   1   NIT
2002-03   11   NCAA
2001-02   6   NCAA
2000-01   4   NCAA

Balance Is Key
Here's a look at how Creighton has done statistically after 20 games in recent seasons.
   Of note, Creighton has started 14-7 or better after 21 games in 17 of the past 19 seasons.
   Creighton's 82.48 points per game clip is the team's sixth-highest mark after 21 games in history, and most since the 2002-03 club was averaging 82.71 points at this point. Creighton's single-season record is 88.2 points per game in 1965-66, and that team was averaging 88.71 points per game after 21 contests.
   Creighton's 47.7 percent field goal percentage through 21 games is the fifth-best mark in the last 20 years, trailing only the 2002-03, 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14 teams that were led by Kyle Korver and Doug McDermott, respectively.
   Creighton's 177 three-pointers through 21 games are its eighth-most in the last 20 years, as well.
Year   W-L   PPG   FG%   3FG   10+ PPG guys
2015-16   14-7   82.5   .477   177   4
2014-15   9-12   67.0   .415   167   1
2013-14   18-3   81.3   .493   230   2
2012-13   18-3   78.6   .519   199   2
2011-12   19-2   81.2   .513   181   2
2010-11   13-8   67.0   .446   147   4
2009-10   11-10   69.3   .434   148   1
2008-09   15-6   73.7   .434   180   3
2007-08   15-6   72.0   .456   180   2
2006-07   14-7   66.8   .442   131   2
2005-06   16-5   68.4   .426   155   3
2004-05   13-8   69.7   .449   170   2
2003-04   18-3   69.6   .471   123   3
2002-03   19-2   82.7   .516   185   2
2001-02   15-6   74.4   .453   130   3
2000-01   15-6   73.0   .435   152   3
1999-00   14-7   72.2   .469   180   3
1998-99   14-7   77.8   .466   164   2
1997-98   15-6   76.2   .466   156   3
1996-97   11-10   66.3   .419   109   3
1995-96   11-10   66.6   .396   130   1
1994-95   6-15   61.7   .378   138   2

Release, Rotation, Splash, Repeat
Creighton has made at least one three-pointer in 734 straight games since a 59-53 loss at Illinois State on Feb. 20, 1993. The streak is the nation's 23rd-longest active streak.
   Creighton's last win without making a three-point basket came on March 3, 1991 when the Jays went 0-for-2 from three-point range in a 71-66 win over Southern Illinois in the championship game of the MVC Tournament.
   Creighton's streak of games with at least 15 trey attempts stands at 97, which is second-longest nationally.
   Courtesy Stats Inc., below is a list of the nation's longest active three-point streaks.
Longest Active 3-Point Streaks (thru 1/27)
   Rk.   Streak   School   Next Game
   1.   961   UNLV   1/30
   2.   958   Kentucky   1/30
   3.   951   Vanderbilt   1/30
   4.   932   Duke   2/2
   5.   891   Western Kentucky   1/28
   6.   889   Arkansas   1/30
   7.   879   East Tennessee State   1/28
   8.   876   Pacific   1/30
   9.   856   Oakland   1/29
   10.   845   Texas   1/30
   11.   830   Princeton   1/29
   12.   817   Florida   1/30
   13.   797   La Salle   1/30
   14.   795   Marshall   1/28
   15.   786   Baylor   1/30
   16.   765   LIU-Brooklyn   1/30
   17.   760   Cornell   1/29
   18.   757   Gonzaga   1/28
   19.   744   Mount St. Mary's   1/28
   20.   743   Tennessee State   1/28
   21.   742   Samford   1/30
   22.   737   East Carolina   1/30
   23.   734   Creighton   1/30
   24.   698   Lafayette   1/30
   25.   696   DePaul   1/30
   26.   688   Davidson   1/29

Longest Active Streaks of 15+ 3FG Attempts
(Source: STATS Inc., thru Jan. 27)
   Rk.   Streak   School   Next Game
   1.   153   Coppin State   1/30
   2.   97   Creighton   1/30
   3.   88   Iona   1/29
   4.   87   San Jose State   1/30
   5.   78   Lipscomb   1/30

On Your Mark, Get Set, Go
Creighton has averaged 82.48 points per game in its first 21 regular-season contests to date.
   Greg McDermott is 36-0 as a Division I head coach when his teams score 90 or more points, including a 30-0 mark on the Creighton sideline.
   In fact, McDermott's team has already scored 90 or more points eight times (in 20 games) this season, compared to six total times in 280 games on the sideline in nine years at Northern Iowa and Iowa State.
   Creighton has won 74 straight games when scoring 90 or more points at all sites since a Jan. 11, 1988 loss to Southern Illinois.
   Creighton is 52-2 all-time when scoring 100 points or more, including 24 straight wins since a 1977 loss to North Texas State.

So Many Weapons
Creighton had seven players score in double-figures in its Dec. 28 win over Coppin State, as Geoffrey Groselle (16), Isaiah Zierden (16), Cole Huff (14), Malik Albert (13), Khyri Thomas (10), Maurice Watson Jr. (10) and Zach Hanson (10) all had 10 or more points.
   It was the first time since at least 1980-81 that Creighton has had seven men score 10 or more points in the same game.
   It's also the first time since Nov. 21, 2010 that all five Bluejay starters scored in double-figures in the same contest.
   Albert's 13 points were a season-high, and made him the 11th different Bluejay with score 10 or more points in a game this season.

McDermott Moves Into Top Four
CU's Dec. 9 win over Nebraska was the 127th on the Creighton sideline for head coach Greg McDermott. The triumph helped McDermott pass Eddie Hickey for fifth in Creighton history in wins.
   Nineteen days later on Dec. 28, McDermott tied Tom Apke (1974-81), who had 130 wins for fourth place on the wins list. He currently has 135 victories to own sole possession of fourth place.
   McDermott's .678 winning percentage is Creighton's best since Arthur A. Schabinger's .714 win rate more 80 years ago.
   McDermott reached 130 wins quicker than any coach except Schabinger, as well.
   Below is a list of the most victorious Creighton MBB coaches in history.
Most Coaching Wins, Creighton History
Rk.   W-L   Name (games to 130 wins)   Years
1.   327-176   Dana Altman (220)   1994-2010
2.   165-66   Arthur A. Schabinger (182)   1922-35
3.   138-118   John J. "Red" McManus (242)   1959-69
4.   135-64   Greg McDermott (191)   2010-Pres.
5.   130-64   Tom Apke (193)   1974-81

Double R's, Double L's, Double-Double Harrell
With Toby Hegner and Martin Krampelj out of the line-up, Ronnie Harrell Jr. took advantage of an opportunity to play extended minutes on Dec. 21 vs. North Texas.
   Harrell, who entered the game with 16 points, 14 rebounds, four assists and two steals in his first six career games, had career-highs with 14 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and two steals against the Mean Green.
   Harrell became the first Creighton freshman with a double-double since Doug McDermott had 31 points and 10 rebounds against Davidson in the 2011 CBI.
   Since Greg McDermott took over as coach six years ago, the only other Creighton player with at least 14 points, 11 rebounds and five or more assists was Austin Chatman. Chatman had 17 points, 11 rebounds and six assists in Creighton's 65-63 win over Oklahoma on Nov. 19, 2014.

Big Men In The Middle
Geoffrey Groselle and Zach Hanson were a big part of Creighton's 105-82 romp over North Texas on Dec. 21, as both men went for career-highs and combined for 40 points on 14-of-15 shooting from the floor, adding five blocked shots.
   Groselle's 27 points were seven more than his previous best and came on 8-of-9 shooting from the floor and 11-of-14 free throw marksmanship.
   Hanson's 13 points were two more than his previous best. He was a perfect 6-for-6 from the floor and also 1-for-2 at the line.
   The duo continued their effectiveness on Dec. 28 vs. Coppin State. Groselle was a perfect 8-for-8 from the floor and added nine rebounds, while Hanson was 3-for-4 from the floor. Both men added two blocked shots.

Khyri Lets It Fly
Khyri Thomas had the best scoring game of his young career on Dec. 5 when he poured in 22 points at Loyola (Chicago). Thomas sank 9-of-10 shots from the field, and was 4-for-4 from three-point range.
   Thomas' 22 points were the most by a Bluejay freshman in a game since Doug McDermott had 31 vs. Davidson on March 21, 2011, and the most points by a Creighton freshman in a true road game since Rodney Buford also scored 22 points at Wichita State on Feb. 3, 1996.
   Thomas' 90 percent marksmanship from the field was the second-best single-game showing by a Bluejay (minimum 8 FG) since 1994, trailing only an 11-for-11 outing from Anthony Tolliver vs. Illinois State on Jan. 1, 2007.
   Thomas' 4-for-4 showing from three-point range was the most makes without a miss from downtown since Devin Brooks also went 4-for-4 from deep on Nov. 28, 2013 vs. Arizona State.
   Creighton hasn't had a player go 5-for-5 (or better) from three-point range since Michael Lindeman was 5-for-5 vs. Bradley on Feb. 8, 2003.

Triple Threat
Khyri Thomas entered the Dec. 9 game vs. Nebraska with five total assists in Creighton's first eight games, but the freshman guard would match that total in the first 14 minutes, and tallied seven helpers overall.
   Thomas finished with seven points, seven assists and nine rebounds against the Cornhuskers. He is just the third Bluejay in Greg McDermott's six-year tenure to post at least seven points, seven rebounds and seven assists in the same game, joining Austin Chatman and Grant Gibbs. Both Chatman and Gibbs did it twice each. Maurice Watson Jr. has also done it once since then (Jan. 26 at Georgetown).
   Creighton has never had a traditional point/rebound/assist triple-double.
7+ Point, 7+ Rebound, 7+ Assist Games, Since 2010-11
   Pts.   Reb.   Ast.   Name   Date
   12   10   7   Grant Gibbs   1/13/12
   12   7   9   Austin Chatman   11/11/13
   9   7   10   Grant Gibbs   12/19/11
   9   7   7   Austin Chatman   1/25/14
   7   9   7   Khyri Thomas   12/9/15
   16   8   7   Maurice Watson Jr.   1/26/16

What's Your Twenty?
Creighton has had five different players score 20 points or more this season, as Isaiah Zierden (2x), Cole Huff, Maurice Watson Jr. (3x), Khyri Thomas and Geoffrey Groselle (4x) have all reached that mark.
   By comparison, last year Creighton had five players all year reach 20+ points (Austin Chatman, James Milliken, Toby Hegner, Will Artino and Zierden), and in the two previous years had only three players surpass 20 points in any game.

Thomas Makes History
Khyri Thomas opened his Creighton career with 18 points in a win over Texas Southern, which earned him BIG EAST Freshman of the Week honors on Nov. 16th.
   Thomas is the first Bluejay in program history to be named BIG EAST Freshman of the Week.
   Creighton's last player to be named league Freshman/Newcomer of the Week following the first week of the season was Doug McDermott on Nov. 15, 2010, when CU was in the Missouri Valley Conference. McDermott would go on to be named First-Team All-MVC and, MVC Newcomer of the Year and MVC Freshman of the Year.

Among The Best
Since the start of the 2010-11 season, which coincides with Greg McDermott's arrival, Creighton has been the nation's fourth-most accurate team from three-point range.
   The Bluejays are 1669-4274 from deep in that time, shooting 39.1 percent.
Best 3FG%, Since 2010-11
Rk.   Pct.   Team   3FG   3FGA
1.   .396   Indiana   1388   3503
2.   .393   Northern Colorado   1191   3034
3.   .392   Weber State   1412   3599
4.   .391   Creighton   1669   4274
5.   .388   UC Davis   1357   3497

Shooting Stars
Creighton has proven to be one of the nation's best shooting teams since the 2010-11 season, which coincides with when Greg McDermott arrived at Creighton.
   Check out the lists below that show various categories showcasing their dominance, through Jan. 27:
Most Games, 50% FG & 40% 3FG
Rk.   Occasions   Team
1.   67   Creighton
2.   59   Gonzaga
3.   58   Saint Mary's
4.   57   Kansas
5.   56   Denver

Most Games, 50% 3FG
Rk.   Occasions   Team
1.   45   Creighton
2.   41   Northern Colorado
   41   UCLA
4.   40   Michigan State
5.   39   Weber State
   39   Northeastern

Most Games, 40% 3FG
Rk.   Occasions   Team
1.   103   Creighton
2.   99   Duke
3.   97   Indiana
4.   92   Weber State
5.   90   Saint Mary's

Most Games, 50% FG
Rk.   Occasions   Team
1.   95   Gonzaga
2.   88   Kansas
3.   85   Belmont
4.   84   Creighton
5.   81   Indiana

Most Games, 60% FG
Rk.   Occasions   Team
1.   16   Creighton
   16   Ohio State
   16   Utah
4.   14   Kansas
   14   Gonzaga
   14   North Dakota State

Most Games, 25+ Assists
Rk.   Occasions   Team
1.   18   Michigan State
2.   16   North Carolina
3.   15   Iona
4.   14   Creighton
   14   Sam Houston State

A 60 Point Half!
Creighton scored 61 points in the first half on Nov. 17 vs. UTSA, tying a CenturyLink Center Omaha record first done in the second half vs. Houston Baptist on Dec. 12, 2007.
   It was also the most points in any first half since scoring 61 vs. Drake on Feb. 3, 1990.
   Creighton had not scored 60 points in any half since doing so in the first half on Nov. 25, 2011 vs. Campbell, and the 61 were tied for its second-most point in any half since 1996-97, trailing only a 63-point outburst in the second half of the 2002-03 opener vs. Texas-Arlington.
   Creighton scored 60 points in a half for the second time this year when it did so in the second half of a 97-76 win over Massachusetts on Nov. 25th.

Malik's Magic
Junior guard Malik Albert got extended run on Nov. 17 vs. UTSA with Maurice Watson Jr. saddled to the bench with two personal fouls. The Detroit native responded in a big way, finishing with 10 assists in 20 minutes of work. The 10 assists led to 28 points from his Bluejay teammates.
   In the process, Albert became the nation's third reserve with 10 or more assists in 20 minutes or less in a win against a Division I team since 2010-11. He joins Kansas's Naadir Tharpe (12 assists in 20 minutes vs. American on Dec. 29, 2012) and Louisiana Tech's Kenneth Smith (10 assists in 20 minutes on Nov. 20, 2013 vs. Central Arkansas).
   Per STATS Inc., Albert became the second BIG EAST reserve since 2004-05 with 10+ assists in 20 minutes or less against a Division I team, joining Marquette's Maurice Acker (12/28/08 vs. Presbyterian).
   Albert is Creighton's only player in the last 30 years to have a game of 10 or more assists as a reserve.

Big Margin Can Lead To Big Things
Creighton's 104-77 win last year vs. Central Arkansas was the second straight season the team has cracked triple-digits in a season-opener.
   The 2015-16 season saw Creighton reach 90 points in each of its first two games this season, just the fourth time that's happened. Each of the previous three times (1973-74, 2011-12, 2013-14), the Bluejays would reach the NCAA Tournament and then win at last one game in the Big Dance.
   Nine of Creighton's 19 all-time NCAA Tournament teams have scored 90 or more points in their season-opener.
   Here's a look at Creighton's last eight teams to score 90 or more in a season-opener, which shows that six of the previous seven to do so reached the NCAA Tournament.
               Final   Post-
   Score   Opponent   Date   W-L   Season
   93-70   Texas Southern   11/14/15   ? ? ?   ? ? ?
   104-77   Central Arkansas   11/14/14   14-19   --
   107-61   Alcorn State   11/08/13   27-8   NCAA
   97-65   N. Carolina A&T   11/11/11   29-6   NCAA
   106-50   Texas-Arlington   11/17/02   29-5   NCAA
   96-50   Western Illinois   11/20/00   24-8   NCAA
   93-48   Towson State   11/14/98   22-9   NCAA
   93-47   UT-San Antonio   11/30/90   24-8   NCAA

Debut News
Creighton started three players on Nov. 14 who were making their Bluejay debut, as transfers Cole Huff and Maurice Watson Jr. joined true freshman Khyri Thomas in the first five.
   Thomas' start was especially historic, as he became just the third true freshman to start since 1992-93, joining Bluejay legends Doug McDermott (2010-11) and Ryan Sears (1997-98). Both McDermott (145 games) and Sears (124) started every contest of their four-year Creighton careers.

Huff Earns MVP Honor
Nevada transfer Cole Huff returned to the Silver State and picked up MVP honors of the 2015 Men Who Speak Up Main Event after averaging 19.0 points and 5.0 rebounds in the two wins.
   Huff made 13-of-25 field goal attempts, including 7-of-15 three-pointers. He scored 26 points in the victory over Rutgers before a 12-point effort over UMass in the title game.

Preseason BIG EAST Poll
Creighton was picked to finish ninth in its third season as BIG EAST Conference members according to a preseason poll of league coaches. Villanova was picked first with 81 points and nine first-place votes, while Georgetown (70, 1), Butler (67), Xavier (55) and Providence (45) round out the top half. The predicted lower half was Marquette (44), Seton Hall (27), DePaul (25), Creighton (23) and St. John's (13).
   Creighton did not have any honorees on the Preseason All-BIG EAST Teams, which was led by Preseason Player of the Year Kris Dunn from Providence.

Zierden Returns From Second Knee Injury
Isaiah Zierden had 15 points on Nov. 14 after missing the second half of last season after suffering a season-ending injury to his right knee for the second straight campaign.
   Zierden was carried off the floor with 4:05 left in the first half on Jan. 21, 2015 at Butler and did not return.
   An MRI two days later determined that Zierden partially tore the MCL in his knee, while also suffering an injury to his patella.
   Unlike his first injury, Zierden elected to have surgery this time around, as he underwent a medical procedure in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 13, 2015.
   The uncommon injury is very similar to one he suffered the previous March at Xavier, which caused him to miss CU's last seven games.

NBA Representation
This year marks the second time since 1970 (joining last season) that Creighton has three NBA players at the same time, as Kyle Korver (Atlanta Hawks), Anthony Tolliver (Detroit Pistons) and Doug McDermott (Chicago Bulls) are all in the league.
   Including 2015-16, Creighton has now had an NBA player in 32 of the last 33 years.
   Korver ranks ninth in NBA history with 1,816 three-pointers and is also eighth in league history with 43.0 percent marksmanship from three-point range (through Jan. 27). He owns NBA records with 127 straight games with a three-pointer, and also set a single-season NBA mark that still stands with his 53.6 percent shooting from three-point range. Last season he was named an All-Star and led the league in three-point percentage for the third time.
   Tolliver is averaging 5.3 points per game this season for the Pistons, his 10th NBA organization.
   McDermott is in his second season with the Chicago Bulls, where he's averaging 7.6 points per game and ranks eighth in the NBA, shooting 42.7 percent from three-point range for fellow Ames High alum Fred Hoiberg. Hoiberg, ironically, is the same man who replaced Greg McDermott as Iowa State's head coach in 2010.

Full House
Last year's Creighton team averaged 17,048 fans in 17 home dates, good for sixth-nationally, and better than 11 NBA franchises.
   It's the 10th straight season that CU has been among the nation's top 25 in average home attendance, and the fourth straight season in the top-six nationally in attendance, as well.
   Last year Creighton was the nation's first team to average 17,000+ fans, despite a losing record, since Louisville in 2000-01.
   This year's team is averaging 16,940 fans per game, which ranks eighth nationally through Jan. 27.
2015-16 Attendance Leaders
   Rk.   School   Average   Next Home
   1.   Kentucky   23,138   2/6
   2.   Louisville   20,273   1/30
   3.   Syracuse   19,970   1/28
   4.   Maryland   17,816   1/28
   5.   North Carolina   17,308   1/30
   6.   Wisconsin   17,287   2/4
   7.   Indiana   16,954   1/30
   8.   Creighton   16,940   1/30
   9.   Kansas   16,510   1/30
   10.   North Carolina State   16,483   1/30

Highest Average Attendance, Creighton History
   Avg. Att.   School   Year
   17,896   Creighton   2013-14
   17,155   Creighton   2012-13
   17,048   Creighton   2014-15
   16,940 so far   Creighton   2015-16
   16,665   Creighton   2011-12

Full House
Creighton's Dec. 9 crowd of 17,766 was the program's 18th largest home crowd ever. 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.   18,797   #6 Villanova   02/16/14
   4.   18,742   Seton Hall   02/23/14
   5.   18,735   Wichita State   02/11/12
   6.   18,613   Wichita State   03/02/13
   7.   18,525   Marquette   12/31/13
   8.   18,494   Illinois State   02/09/13
   9.   18,458   Evansville   12/29/12
   10.   18,436   Bradley   01/28/12
   11.   18,323   DePaul   02/07/14
   12.   18,160   Central Arkansas   11/14/14
   13.   18,111   Bradley   02/02/13
   14.   18,078   Tulsa   11/23/13
   15.   18,073   Drake   01/08/13
   16.   17,971   #19 Butler   02/16/15
   17.   17,954   Wichita State   12/28/08
   18.   17,766   Nebraska   12/09/15
   19.   17,740   Alcorn State   11/08/13
   20.   17,694   Indiana State   01/05/13

Going For 20, Again
Creighton has won 20 or more games in 15 of the last 17 seasons (including 2014-15), a feat that puts the Jays among an exclusive group, nationally.
   Just three schools nationally have had 20 or more wins each of the last 17 years: Duke, Gonzaga and Kansas.
   Kentucky , Florida, Texas and Syracuse have each done it in 16 of the last 17 seasons.
   Along with Arizona, Xavier, Kent State and Connecticut, Creighton is one of five schools with 20 or more wins in exactly 15 of the past 17 years.

Très Bien
Creighton made 39-of-91 three-pointers (42.9 percent) in its BIG EAST victories last season, but just 93-for-299 (31.1 percent) from deep in its league losses.
   For the season Creighton shot 34.5 percent from three-point land.
   Since 2011-12, Creighton is 43-37 (.538) when shooting 40.00 percent or worse from three-point range. While respectable, that pales in comparison to CU's 69-10 (.873) mark the last five years when shooting better than 40.00 percent from downtown.
   Lower the standards to 30%, and it's still impressive. Creighton is 99-24 in the last five years when shooting 30 percent or better from deep, compared to 13-23 when shooting 29.99 percent or less.

NCAA Success
Creighton is one of 18 schools to have won an NCAA Tournament game in at least three of the last four seasons.
   Gonzaga, Kansas, Louisville, Michigan State and North Carolina are the only five teams to have won at least one game all four seasons.
   The list of teams with an NCAA win in three of the last four campaigns consists of Arizona, Creighton, Florida, Iowa State, Kentucky, North Carolina State, Ohio State, Oregon, Saint Louis, San Diego State, Syracuse, Wichita State and Wisconsin.

CenturyLink Center Omaha Success
Creighton has played 215 regular and postseason contests at CenturyLink Center Omaha all-time in the 13-year-old facility.
   The Bluejays own a 179-36 (.833) record all-time at the facility, and have never lost there on a Thursday (7-0) or Friday (10-0).
   Creighton has outscored its opponents 16,367-13,837 in games at CenturyLink Center Omaha, an average margin of 11.77 points per game. Creighton has led wire-to-wire 58 different times, including six times this year (UTSA, Western Illinois, Nebraska, IUPUI, North Texas and Coppin State).
   Creighton is also 25-20 all-time in the 45 games at CLCO in which it's fallen behind by double-figures.
   Creighton is 82-18 (.820) at CenturyLink Center Omaha under Greg McDermott, including a 47-4 record vs. non-conference teams.
   Factor in a 17-0 home mark at the Omaha Civic Auditorium in 2002-03 and two wins at the Civic in the 2010 CIT, and the Bluejays are 198-36 (.846) at home since the start of the 2002-03 campaign.

Winning Formulas
Below are the records for each current BIG EAST school over the last four, 10 and 16 (since 2000-01) seasons, ranked by overall wins, through games of Jan. 27.
Most Wins Since 2000-01
Team   W   L
Butler   372   152
Xavier   371   151
Creighton   363   162
Villanova   354   168
Marquette   341   177
Georgetown   338   172
Providence   275   220
Seton Hall   258   230
St. John's   241   248
DePaul   200   284

Most Wins - Last 10 Years (2006-07 - Present)
Team   W   L
Butler   246   90
Xavier   234   97
Villanova   232   96
Creighton   224   110
Georgetown   220   100
Marquette   215   115
Providence   175   139
Seton Hall   162   146
St. John's   159   154
DePaul   109   198

Most Wins - Last 4 Years (2012-13 - Present)
Team   W   L
Villanova   99   25
Creighton   83   42
Providence   81   43
Xavier   79   43
Georgetown   78   41
Butler   78   43
Marquette   70   50
St. John's   65   55
Seton Hall   62   56
DePaul   42   75

What A Start!
Greg McDermott is 135-64 on the Creighton sideline midway through his sixth year at the helm. The 135 wins are easily the most in Creighton history in the first six seasons, way more than Tom Apke's 109.
Most Wins at CU, First Six Seasons
Coach   Years   W-L After 6 Yrs
Greg McDermott   2010-Pres.   135-64 so far
Tom Apke   1974-80   109-55
Tony Barone   1985-91   102-82
Dana Altman   1994-00   99-78
Red McManus   1959-65   91-63

Pizza Pie, Piled High = Wins
Thanks to a promotion with Omaha-based Godfather's Pizza, Creighton season ticket-holders can get a free mini pizza any time the Jays score 75 points at home.
   History has proven that when the team earns the fans pizza, it often leads to a victory as well.
   The first three years of CenturyLink Center Omaha (2003-06), Creighton needed 70 points to earn its fans free pizza, and the Jays went 27-3 when reaching that threshold, closing out that run with 12 straight wins.
   Since upping the standard to 75 points prior to the 2006-07 campaign, Creighton is 94-1 when scoring 75 points or more at CenturyLink Center Omaha. In other words, Creighton is 106-1 in CenturyLink Center Omaha since Feb. 6, 2005 when scoring enough points to earn its fans some free pizza. The perfect streak of 101-0 was snapped on Dec. 2, 2015 when Arizona State scored three points in the final 15 seconds to sneak away with a 79-77 victory.

Home Run
Since Greg McDermott took over in 2010, Creighton is averaging 78.73 points per home game (7,873 points in 100 home games).
   Since a 92-83 loss to Southern Illinois on Feb. 19, 2000, Creighton is 116-0 at home (87-0 at CenturyLink Center Omaha) when scoring 78 points or more, and 97-0 at home (70-0 at CenturyLink Center Omaha) when scoring 80 points or more at home dating to that same setback.

Last Season Recap
Creighton went 14-19 last season, finishing 4-14 to tie for ninth place in the BIG EAST Conference.
   The Bluejays started the season 5-0, including a win over No. 18 Oklahoma, before losing eight remaining games in the final minute.
   Senior point guard Austin Chatman led Creighton in scoring (11.5 ppg.) and assists (3.7 apg.), while fellow senior Devin Brooks paced the team in rebounds (5.0 ppg.) and steals (1.0 spg.).
   Despite the struggles on the court, Creighton still ranked sixth nationally with 17,048 fans per home game.

Shuttle Service Provided Again
Chief Bus will provide complimentary shuttle service from the Creighton University campus to CenturyLink Center Omaha for all men's basketball home games this season. The service is available to all fans, not just Creighton students.
   The shuttle will start 75 minutes before tip-off and shuttles will continue to operate the route during the game. The three designated stops for pick-up around the CU campus are: 24th & California (nearside/southbound); 20th & Cass (nearside/eastbound) and at Billy Blues Alumni Grill (outside the Mike & Josie Harper Center in the turnaround which is on the east side of the building).
   The shuttle will then go eastbound on Capitol Avenue and then go north up 10th Street for drop-off at the CenturyLink Center Omaha convention center entrance. The route is designed for each shuttle driver to make a roundtrip every 15 minutes.
   Following the game's conclusion, the shuttle will start at the CenturyLink Center Omaha convention center entrance on 10th Street and loop the original route with the first of three stops at 24th & California Streets.

Ticket Information
Single-game tickets for the 2015-16 season went on sale on October 29th.
   Fans can purchase single-game tickets at CenturyLink Center Omaha Box Office, Ryan Athletic Center, all Ticketmaster locations (Baker's, Younkers), Ticketmaster online at http://www.ticketmaster.com or by calling Ticketmaster and charging by phone at (800) 745-3000. Only upper bowl seats will be available for any game.
   For more information, call the Creighton Ticket Office at (402) 280-JAYS.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Malik Albert

Will Artino

Devin Brooks

Austin Chatman

Geoffrey Groselle

Zach Hanson

Ronnie Harrell Jr.

Toby Hegner

Cole Huff

Martin Krampelj

Rick Kreklow

James Milliken

Khyri Thomas

Maurice Watson Jr.

Isaiah Zierden