Marcus Foster
Photo by: Steve Branscombe
No. 12 Men's Basketball Returns Home to Host Loyola (Md.) on Saturday
11/24/2016 8:15:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Bluejays seek first 6-0 start since 2012-13.
Download Notes as a PDF
Loyola (Md.) Greyhounds at No. 12 Creighton Bluejays
CenturyLink Center Omaha (17,390) • Omaha, Neb.
Radio: KOZN 1620 AM; KOOO 101.9; www.1620thezone.com
Television: FS2 (Steve Physioc, Nick Bahe)
Series History: Loyola (Md.) leads, 1-0
Last Meeting: Loyola (Md.) 69, Creighton 65 on Jan. 29, 1959 in Baltimore, Md.
Next Game
No. 12 Creighton (5-0) looks to carry the momentum from last week's Paradise Jam title back to the mainland when it hosts Loyola (Md.) (2-3) on Saturday afternoon at 3:31 pm Central.
   CenturyLink Center Omaha (17,390) in Omaha, Neb., will host the action.
Radio Broadcast Information
KOZN (1620 AM) will broadcast all Creighton men's basketball games during the 2016-17 season, while KOOO (101.9 FM) will also broadcast all home games. The audio is also webcast live at www.1620thezone.com.
   John Bishop and former Bluejay Josh Dotzler will call the action.
Television Information
Saturday's game will be televised on FS2, which can be found in Omaha on Cox Cable channel 216 and 1216 (HD).
   Steve Physioc 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.
Live Stats Information
All of Creighton's games this season will have free live stats. Visit www.gocreighton.com and click on the small bar graph icon on the scoreboard at the top of the page for the event of your choosing.
   Home games can also be followed by those who have mobile devices with internet capability at www.gocreightonstats.com.
Scouting No. 12 Creighton
Creighton has climbed to 12th in the Associated Press poll after a stellar start to the season that includes wins over UMKC, No. 9 Wisconsin, Washington State, North Carolina State and Ole Miss. The last three victories came in the Virgin Islands at the Paradise Jam, where CU won the team title.
   The Bluejays are putting up 93.8 points per game (12th nationally) while shooting 54.5 percent from the field (3rd nationally) and 50.8 percent from three-point territory (1st nationally).
   Kansas State transfer Marcus Foster (18.0 ppg.) helped Creighton to the Paradise Jam title, scoring 25 points in the final and earning MVP honors.
   Joining him on the All-Tournament Team was senior forward Cole Huff (11.0 ppg., 4.2 rpg.). Huff made 10-of-15 three-point shots during the Paradise Jam and was perfect in 13 free throw attempts, leading the team in scoring vs. Washington State and NC State.
    Maurice Watson Jr. (12.6 ppg., 9.2 apg.) was a preseason All-BIG EAST selection. He's the nation's active leader in career assists (685), and his 46 assists this year also lead the nation.
   Two Omaha products in the starting line-up are also doing big things. Khyri Thomas averages 14.6 points per game, as the sophomore wing shoots 70.3 percent from the field and 62.5 percent from deep. Redshirt freshman big man Justin Patton averages 10.6 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. He's shooting 71.9 percent from the field and has 14 dunks already.
Scouting Loyola (Md.)
Loyola (Md.) owns a 2-3 record after Wednesday's home win over Fairfield. The Greyhounds' first win came against Millersville, while it has lost to Duquesne, LIU Brooklyn and Notre Dame.
   Jarred Jones leads the Greyhounds with 15.0 points per contest and a team-high 6.6 rebounds per game.
   Andre Walker averages 12.6 points points and 3.4 assists per game and is tied for the team-lead with seven three-pointers made.
   Loyola (Md.) averages 65.8 points per game and shoots 39.7 percent from the field, 29.1 percent from three-point range and 69.1 percent at the line. The Greyhounds also have 27 blocked shots in five games, as four men have four or more swats.
The Series With Loyola (Md.)
Creighton is 0-1 all-time against Loyola (Md.), with the Greyhounds taking a 69-65 decision in Baltimore on January 29, 1959.
   Greg McDermott has never coached against G.G. Smith nor Loyola (Md.).
The Coaches
Greg McDermott (Northern Iowa, 1988) is in his seventh season as head coach at Creighton. He is 146-72 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 426-267 in his 23rd season and is 295-203 in his 16th Division I campaign. McDermott is assisted by Darian DeVries, Steve Lutz and Preston Murphy.
   G.G. Smith (Georgia, 1999) is 33-61 in his fourth season at the helm of Loyola (Md.), which doubles as his career record. He is the son of current Memphis coach Tubby Smith and played for his father at Georgia during two of his four years with the Bulldogs. He is assisted by Keith Booth, Josh Loeffler and Trevor Quinn.
Up To 12th
Three double-digit wins over "Power 5" Conference teams early in the season has helped the Creighton men's basketball team vault from No. 22 to No. 12 in this week's Associated Press rankings.
   No team climbed more spots than the Bluejays, which defeated then-No. 9 Wisconsin (79-67), and fellow unbeatens Washington State (103-77) and North Carolina State (112-94) in the week that ended on Sunday.
   CU has now been ranked 71 weeks in program history, with 43 of those under the direction of seventh-year head coach Greg McDermott. The No. 12 placement is the highest slotting in the AP poll since the Bluejays were a program-record ninth on March 1, 2014, and ties for the program's fifth-best weekly ranking since the AP poll debuted in 1949.
   The Bluejays are one of three BIG EAST teams in the top-12, as Villanova ranks second and Xavier is ninth. Wisconsin dropped to 16th after falling in Omaha.
   Below is a list of the top weekly rankings in the AP poll in program history:
Best Weekly AP rankings, Creighton History
9th - 3/1/14
10th - 1/20/03
11th - 11/26/12
11th - 2/17/14
12th - 2/10/03
12th - 1/14/13
12th - 2/3/14
12th - 11/21/16
We're Number Two
According to WarrenNolan.com on Thanksgiving morning, Creighton ranked No. 2 nationally in the RPI.
   Xavier was first and Villanova was ninth, which has helped the BIG EAST to an overwhelming spot as No. 1 in the conference RPI rankings.
On Your Mark, Get Set, Go!
Creighton ranks 12th nationally with 95.8 points per game, well ahead of Loyola's 65.8 points per game that ranks 313th nationally.
   Creighton has scored 79 points or more in all five games, but has also allowed 4-of-5 opponents to score 77 or more points. The Bluejays were ranked fifth in adjusted offensive efficiency and 51st in tempo per KenPom.com on Thursday morning.
Chasing 1,000
Marcus Foster has averaged 18.0 points per game in his first five contests at Creighton, and is quickly closing in on 1,000 career points.
   Foster scored 875 points in two years at Kansas State, giving him 965 career points in 67 games as a collegian.
   He is 35 points from 1,000 career points, and has a career-high of 34 points.
   Another Bluejay transfer, Cole Huff, averages 11.0 points per game and now owns 978 career points. Huff has played in 102 games as a collegian.
Shooting Stars
Creighton is third nationally in field goal percentage at 54.5 percent, trailing only East Tennessee State (58.8) and UCLA (57.1).
   Nationally, Creighton is one of three teams to shoot 50 percent or better in every game this season, joining Seton Hall and North Dakota.
It Do Run, Run
Creighton ranks fifth in the KenPom.com's Adjusted Offensive rankings this year.
   Per figures from StatBroadcast.com, Creighton has scored on more than half its possessions in all five games this season, despite averaging just 14 seconds per possession.
Creighton Offense
Opponent   Poss.   Scores   PPP   Sec/Poss.
UMKCÂ Â Â 80Â Â Â 40Â Â Â 1.113Â Â Â :14
#9 Wisconsin   68   35   1.162   :15
Washington St.   84   44   1.226   :13
NC State   80   45   1.400   :15
Ole Miss   70   35   1.229   :15
TOTALSÂ Â Â 382Â Â Â 199Â Â Â 1.228Â Â Â :14
BIG EAST > Power 5 So Far
Creighton has knocked off teams from the Big Ten (Wisconsin), Pac-12 (Washington State), ACC (North Carolina State) and SEC (Ole Miss) in its last four games, all by nine or more points.
   Those four wins over the "Power 5" leagues is twice as many as any other team in the nation.
   The BIG EAST owns 12 wins over "Power 5" leagues. That is also twice as many as any other league.
   Both figures are through games of Nov. 23.
MBB Wins Over "Power 5" Leagues, By Team
   4   Creighton
   2   Davidson
   2   Kansas
   2   North Carolina
   2   Northern Iowa
   2   Notre Dame
   2   Villanova
   2   Xavier
MBB Wins Over "Power 5" Leagues, By Conference
   12   BIG EAST
   6   Atlantic Coast
   5   Big Ten
   4   Missouri Valley
   4   Pac-12
   4   Big 12
   4   American
   3   Atlantic 10
   3   Southeastern
BIG EAST Playing Big
Though the BIG EAST may not be considered of the traditional "Power 5" Conferences due to its lack of big time football, the performance of the league has been big time for a long time.
   The league has owned a top-five RPI in the NCAA RPI rankings in every season since 2000-01, as seen below:
BIG EAST in Conference RPI Rankings
2016-17:Â Â Â 1st (per WarrenNolan.com)
2015-16:Â Â Â 4th
2014-15:Â Â Â 3rd
2013-14:Â Â Â 4th
2012-13:Â Â Â 2nd
2011-12:Â Â Â 2nd
2010-11:Â Â Â 1st
2009-10:Â Â Â 3rd
2008-19:Â Â Â 4th
2007-08:Â Â Â 5th
2006-07:Â Â Â 5th
2005-06:Â Â Â 3rd
2004-05:Â Â Â 2nd
2003-04:Â Â Â 4th
2002-03:Â Â Â 5th
2001-02:Â Â Â 3rd
2000-01:Â Â Â 3rd
15 Treys & 50 Percent?
Creighton shot made 44-of-81 three-point attempts in three games at the Paradise Jam, good for 54.3 percent.
   The Bluejays shot 15-of-28 (53.6%) against Washington State, 13-of-27 (48.1%) against North Carolina State and 16-of-26 (61.5%) in the title tilt vs. Ole Miss.
   In program history, Creighton owns 11 all-time games in which it has made 15 or more three-pointers and shot 50 percent or better, as seen below. Two of those were last week in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Best 3FG%, Minimum 15 3FG Made
3FG%   Opponent   3FG-3FGA   Date
.667   Chattanooga   20-30   02/19/05
.640   Chicago State   16-25   12/29/13
.625   at Indiana State   15-24   12/31/08
.615   vs. Ole Miss   16-26   11/21/16
.600   at #4 Villanova   21-35   01/24/14
.600   Texas-Arlington   15-25   11/17/02
.600Â Â Â vs. IUPUIÂ Â Â 15-25Â Â Â 11/25/02
.593   Drake   16-27   01/08/13
.536   Missouri State   15-28   01/30/13
.536   vs. Washington State   15-28   11/18/16
.533   Evansville   16-30   01/04/99
Not 1, Not 2, Not 3, Not 4, Not 5, Not 6...
Creighton placed seven men in double-figures last Sunday against North Carolina State. All five starters scored in double-figures, as did Isaiah Zierden and Zach Hanson off the bench.
   It was just the second time since 1980-81 that Creighton has had seven men score 10 or more points in the same game, joining a win over Coppin State on Dec. 28, 2015.
Tournament History
Creighton won its sixth tournament title in seven years (and fourth in a preseason event) under Greg McDermott last week at the Paradise Jam. McDermott is 22-4 in preseason tournaments at Creighton.
   Prior to the Paradise Jam Creighton won the 2011 Dale Howard Classic (including a win over Iowa), the 2012 Las Vegas Invitational (Wisconsin & Arizona State) and the 2015 Men Who Speak Up Main Event (UMass and Rutgers).
   The Bluejays also won the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament in both 2012 (Illinois State) and 2013 (Wichita State).
Creighton in MTE's Under Greg McDermott
Year   W-L   Event Name
2010Â Â Â 3-1Â Â Â Global Sports Hy-Vee Challenge
2011Â Â Â 4-0Â Â Â Dale Howard Classic
2012Â Â Â 4-0Â Â Â Las Vegas Invitational
2013Â Â Â 1-2Â Â Â Wooden Legacy
2014Â Â Â 3-1Â Â Â Emerald Coast Classic
2015Â Â Â 4-0Â Â Â Men Who Speak Up Main Event
2016Â Â Â 3-0Â Â Â Paradise Jam
Total   22-4   Four titles
Under .500 Streak
Creighton has won 94 straight home contests against teams that enter the game with a record of .500 or worse, a streak that dates to Feb. 25, 2002.
   Loyola (Md.) is 2-3 entering Saturday's game.
Keeping It 100
Creighton cracked the century mark in last Friday's 103-77 win over Washington State, then did it again on Sunday in a 112-94 win over North Carolina State.
   Creighton is 55-2 all-time when scoring 100 or more points, with 27 straight wins.
   Creighton scored 100 points in consecutive games for the fourth time in school history, having also done it once last year and twice in 1965-66. Creighton has never scored 100 points in three straight games.
   Creighton's 215 points over those two games were the second-most in school history for point totals in consecutive contests, trailing only the 219 in two straight games (104 & 115) in 1965-66.
   Creighton's 301 points at the Paradise Jam were its most points in a three-game stretch since scoring 303 points (84, 104, 115) over the course of three games from Jan. 27-Feb. 2, 1966.
   Last Friday's win marked the sixth straight season that Creighton has put up 100 or more points in one of its first four games of the season.
   Creighton's 112 points on Sunday were its fifth-most in school history for a game, and the most since 115 vs. Indiana State on Jan. 19, 1985. It was also the second-most points NC State has ever allowed in one game.
   Below is a list of the most points in a game in Creighton history:
Score   Opponent   Date
124-94Â Â Â at Miami (Fla.)Â Â Â 02/10/1964
120-76   Nevada   12/21/1962
115-80   Indiana State   01/19/1985
115-82   Memphis   02/02/1966
112-94   vs. North Carolina State   11/20/2016
111-110 (2ot)   Bradley   03/11/2008
We're Jamming!
Creighton had 11 dunks during its three wins in the Paradise Jam. Justin Patton has 14 of CU's 19 dunks this season, with Zach Hanson (2), Khyri Thomas (2) and Marcus Foster (1) accounting for the others.
   Last season Creighton had 58 dunks total in 35 games, the most its had in any of Greg McDermott's first six years at the helm of the Bluejays. That group had 11 dunks after five games.
   Here's a look at the Creighton student-athletes with 10 or more dunks in a season under McDermott:
Most Creighton Dunks, Season, Since 2010-11
Dunks   Name   Year
36   Gregory Echenique   2012-13
30   Gregory Echenique   2011-12
24   Gregory Echenique   2010-11
22   Kenny Lawson Jr.   2010-11
18   Geoffrey Groselle   2015-16
14   Zach Hanson   2015-16
14   Justin Patton   2016-17
12   Khyri Thomas   2015-16
12   Will Artino   2014-15
11   Will Artino   2013-14
We're Jamming, Part II
Creighton rewrote the Paradise Jam record books during last week in the Virgin Islands.
   On Friday vs. Washington State, Creighton tied a tournament record with 25 assists as Maurice Watson Jr. tied a tourney mark with 13 helpers in a game. On Sunday vs. North Carolina State, Creighton set a tournament record with 112 points in a game.
   On Monday, Creighton finished the tournament with records for points, assists, field goal percentage and three-point field goal percentage, most of them by a significant margin.
Category   Old Record   Creighton in 2016
Points   267   301
Assists   55   64
FG Percentage   .516   .569
3FG Percentage   .491   .543
First Half Blitz
Creighton led 60-36 at halftime on Friday vs. Washington State. The 60 points were the most by the Bluejays in one half since scoring 60 points in the second half vs. Massachusetts on Nov. 25, 2015.
   The last time Creighton had 60 points in the first half of a game came Nov. 17, 2015, when CU led 61-37 at halftime over UTSA.
   In Sunday's romp over NC State, Creighton put up 54 and 58 in consecutive halves.
   Creighton has won 65 straight games in which it has scored 42 or more points in the first half, and 50 straight when scoring 44 or more in the first half.
Assist Leader
Not only is Maurice Watson Jr. is the nation's active leader in assists with 685, but he's also third in steals (168), sixth in assist/turnover ratio (2.08) and 12th in field goals made (516).
   Watson is the nation's only active Division I player with at least 500 field goals and 500 assists.
   Below is a look at the national active leaders in assists and steals, through Nov. 23rd.
Active Leaders in Career Assists
1.   Maurice Watson Jr., Creighton   685
2.   Monte Morris, Iowa State   575
3.   Alec Wintering, Portland   491
4.   Marquis Wright, Siena   471
5.   Bryce Alford, UCLA   458
Active Leaders in Career Steals
1.   Paris Lee, Illinois State   188
2.   Monte Morris, Iowa State   178
3.   Maurice Watson Jr., Creighton   168
   Justin Robinson, Monmouth   168
5.   Marquis Wright, Siena   167
Double-Digits x 5
Marcus Foster and Justin Patton have each scored in double-figures during each of Creighton's first five games this season.
   They join Maurice Watson Jr. and Doug McDermott as the only Bluejays to open their career in double-figures during CU's first five games in the last 20 years. McDermott opened his 2010-11 campaign with eight straight games in double-figures.
   McDermott is also the last player with six straight double-figure games to start a season, doing so in his 2013-14 senior season that ended with National Player of the Year acclaim.
   As it relates to Foster, he could become the first Bluejay transfer to start his career with 10 or more points in each of CU's first six games since Wabash Valley JC transfer Tad Ackerman during the 1994-95 season.
   Below is a list of Creighton's longest double figure scoring streaks to start a season since 1979-80.
Consecutive Double-Figure Scoring Games
To Start Year, Since 1979-80
   Consec.   Name, Class   Year
   all 35   Doug McDermott, So.   2011-12
   all 32   Vernon Moore, Sr.   1984-85
   28   Benoit Benjamin, Jr.   1984-85
   27   Bob Harstad, Sr.   1990-91
   16   Rod Mason, Sr.   1987-88
   13   Rodney Buford, Sr.   1998-99
   12   Gary Swain, Sr.   1986-87
   10   Chad Gallagher, Sr.   1990-91
   9   Rodney Buford, So.   1996-97
   8   Benoit Benjamin, Fr.   1982-83
   8   Gregory Brandon, Sr.    1983-84
   8   Doug McDermott, Fr.   2010-11
   7   Jim Honz, Jr.   1979-80
   6   Chad Gallagher, So.   1988-89
   6   Randall Crutcher, So.   1994-95
   6   Tad Ackerman, Jr.   1994-95
   6   Doug McDermott, Sr.   2013-14
   5   Bob Harstad, Jr.   1989-90
   5   Chad Gallagher, Fr.   1987-88
   5   Matt Petty, Sr.   1992-93
   5   Maurice Watson Jr., Jr.   2015-16
   5   Marcus Foster, Jr.   2016-17
   5   Justin Patton, Fr.   2016-17
High Five
Junior Marcus Foster's 90 points so far are the most by any Bluejay newcomer through five games since at least 1979-80.
   For comparison, Doug McDermott had 72 points through five games and 86 points after his sixth career game of his freshman season. He would finish his career with 3,150 in 145 career games to rank fifth in NCAA history.
Most Points, Newcomers First 5 Games Since 1994-95
   Pts.   Name, Class   Year   After 6
   90   Marcus Foster, Jr.   2016-17   ? ? ?
   72   Doug McDermott, Fr.    2010-11   86
   71   Cole Huff, Jr.   2015-16   78
   70   Maurice Watson Jr., Jr.   2015-16   77
   69   Edward St. Fleur, Jr.   1995-96   71
   61   Darryl Ashford, Jr.   2009-10   66
   61   P'Allen Stinnett, Fr.   2007-08   73
   63   Ryan Sears, Fr.   1997-98   69
   57   Ethan Wragge, Fr.   2009-10   63
   55   Tad Ackerman, Jr.   1994-95   76
   53   Justin Patton, Fr.   2016-17   ? ? ?
   51   Brody Deren, So.   2001-02   62
   50   Gregory Echenique, So.   2010-11   58
5-0 Start, Again
Creighton has started the season 5-0 for the fifth time in the last six years under Greg McDermott.
   No Bluejay team has started 6-0 since the 2012-13 team that finished 28-8 lost its seventh game to Boise State. That club went on to win the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season and tournament titles, then reached the Third Round of the NCAA Tournament.
   Each of the last 10 Creighton teams to start 6-0 played in the postseason. The last team that didn't was in 1946-47.
   No Bluejay team has started 7-0 since the 2011-12 squad opened 7-0 to begin a season that finished with a record-tying 29 wins in 35 games.
Shooting Stars
Creighton has shot 54.5 percent from the field this season, and an equally impressive 50.8 percent from three-point range.
   No team has shot better than 47 percent from three-point territory for an entire season since Indiana (47.6) in 1988-89. When Creighton led the nation in three-point shooting percentage in 2013-14, it finished the year at 41.4 percent.
   Big man Justin Patton is shooting 71.9 percent from the field, with 14 dunks among his 23 made field goals.
   Fellow Omaha native Khyri Thomas is shooting 70.3 percent from the field.
   Of CU's long-range marksmen, Thomas (.625), Isaiah Zierden (.615), Maurice Watson Jr. (.556), Cole Huff (.550) and Marcus Foster (.514) are also shooting above 50 percent.
   Foster ranks 46th nationally in three-point percentage among men who have made at least 2.5 treys per game played. However, Foster would skyrocket to second place among those men who have made 18 or more trifectas this season.
   Creighton has nine men who have made a three-pointer this season. Eight of those men are shooting 50 percent or better from downtown, while the other one shoots a very respectable 43.8 percent.
Unbeaten No More
Creighton is off to a 5-0 start. Impressively, all five victories are by teams that were unbeaten coming in to the match. UMKC was 0-0, Wisconsin was 1-0, Washington State was 2-0, NC State was 3-0 and Ole Miss was 4-0 before meeting the Bluejays.
BIG EAST in the Paradise Jam
Creighton's participation in the Paradise Jam marked the 11th straight year at BIG EAST has participated in the event, which began in 2001.
   Creighton's title was the sixth by a team that was a BIG EAST member at the time it won the title, joining Seton Hall (2014), Marquette (2011), Connecticut (2008), Boston College (2003) and Miami (2001).
Hanson Hurt
Senior center Zach Hanson is expected to miss 8-12 weeks after tearing a tendon and the ligaments in his left ankle during Creighton's win over Ole Miss on Nov. 21st.
   Hanson underwent tests on Nov. 23rd after the team returned to Omaha, and Greg McDermott made the announcement that afternoon to the local media.
   Hanson is scheduled to undergo surgery on Monday, Nov. 28th.
   A Pierre, S.D., native, Hanson was averaging 8.0 points and 3.2 rebounds per game while shooting 68.0 percent from the field in 13.2 minutes per game.
   Though he will not be on the court, look for Hanson to maintain a strong leadership role on the team as he mentors freshmen centers Justin Patton and Martin Krampelj.
All-Around Excellence
Creighton is ranked on the hardwood, but also excels in several other sports as well.
   In fact, Creighton, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Michigan State and Kentucky are the nation's only five schools that currently have a ranked team in men's basketball (AP poll), men's soccer (NSCAA poll) and women's volleyball (AVCA poll).
   All three ranked Creighton teams won last Sunday. No. 21 Volleyball closed out a perfect 18-0 BIG EAST slate with a win vs. Villanova, No. 23 men's soccer advanced to the Sweet 16 with an NCAA Tournament road win at Kentucky, and No. 22 (at the time...they're now #12) men's basketball whipped North Carolina State, 112-94.
   All three teams could be in action again on Saturday. The volleyball team could play for a BIG EAST Tournament title at 1:30 pm Central on FS2, followed by men's basketball at 3:30 pm. The men's soccer team meets Providence in the Sweet 16 in Omaha at 6 pm.
Watson Dishes Baker's Dozen
Maurice Watson Jr. dished 13 assists in last Friday's win over Washington State, with those helpers accounting for 34 Bluejay points.
   Making his showing all the more impressive is that Watson did not play in the final 15:18 of the contest, and logged just 21 minutes of clock overall.
   Watson's 13 assists are tied for fifth-most in Creighton history for one game, and one shy of his Creighton high set last season in a road win at Seton Hall.
   Watson now owns two career games with 13 assists, while no other Bluejay has done it in the past 20 years.
   Creighton's school record for assists in a game is 17, done twice by Ralph Bobik (1971-74).
   Watson is just the third Bluejay since 1990 to have consecutive games of 10 or more assists, joining Grant Gibbs (Dec. 19 & 22, 2011) and Duan Cole (Jan. 27 & 30, 1990).
Omaha's Team
Creighton has started Omaha natives Justin Patton and Khyri Thomas in each of its first five games.
   It's the first time Creighton has started two Omaha products in the same game since March 16, 2000 vs. Auburn, when Matt West (Omaha Westside) and Donnie Johnson (Omaha Central) earning a nod.
   Johnson, coincidentally, coached Thomas at Omaha Benson High School.
November Reign
Creighton is a perfect 53-0 all-time in regular-season home games that take place on or before Nov. 26th.
   Creighton has won 55 of its 56 regular-season November home games since 1990, falling only to Boise State in 2012.
   Overall, Creighton is 76-15 in regular-season November games at all sites since the start of the 1998-99 campaign.
   Creighton has also won 66 of its last 69 regular-season non-conference home games against unranked foes since falling to Drexel on Feb. 17, 2007.
Preseason BIG EAST Poll
Creighton was picked to finish third in its fourth 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 Xavier and Creighton round out the top three. Seton Hall and Georgetown tied for fourth place, while Butler, Marquette, St. John's, Providence and DePaul rounded out the bottom half.
   Creighton guard Maurice Watson Jr. was named Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team, while Marcus Foster was picked to be a Preseason All-BIG EAST Honorable-Mention choice.
Who Are These Guys?
Creighton returns four regular starters (Maurice Watson Jr., Isaiah Zierden, Khyri Thomas and Cole Huff) from last year's team that finished 20-15. Creighton's roster contains players who made 130 starts a year ago (35 by Watson, 31 by Zierden, 28 by Thomas, 23 by Huff, 12 by Toby Hegner, 1 by Zach Hanson), and a combined 173 career starts as Bluejays. That doesn't factor in the 57 starts for Marcus Foster at Kansas State or the 30 starts at Syracuse for Kaleb Joseph.
   Each of Creighton's five teams since 1980-81 to return 130 or more starts from the previous season won 20 or more games and went on to reach the postseason.
   Returning   Returning Starts    Final
Year   Starters   From Previous Year   W-L
2016-17Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 130Â Â Â ? ? ?
2015-16Â Â Â 1Â Â Â 64Â Â Â 20-15
2014-15Â Â Â 1Â Â Â 49Â Â Â 14-19
2013-14Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 144Â Â Â 27-8
2012-13Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 140Â Â Â 28-8
2011-12Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 101Â Â Â 29-6
2010-11Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 123Â Â Â 23-16
2009-10Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 106Â Â Â 18-16
2008-09Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 83Â Â Â 27-8
2007-08Â Â Â 1Â Â Â 44Â Â Â 22-11
2006-07Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 120Â Â Â 22-11
2005-06Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 134Â Â Â 20-10
2004-05Â Â Â 2Â Â Â 58Â Â Â 23-11
2003-04Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 101Â Â Â 20-9
2002-03Â Â Â 5Â Â Â 159Â Â Â 29-5
2001-02Â Â Â 2Â Â Â 65Â Â Â 23-9
2000-01Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 90Â Â Â 24-8
1999-00Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 84Â Â Â 23-10
1998-99Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 84Â Â Â 22-9
1997-98Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 72Â Â Â 18-10
1996-97Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 126Â Â Â 15-15
1995-96Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 100Â Â Â 14-15
1994-95Â Â Â 2Â Â Â 52Â Â Â 7-19
1993-94Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 73Â Â Â 7-22
1992-93Â Â Â 2Â Â Â 64Â Â Â 8-18
1991-92Â Â Â 2Â Â Â 51Â Â Â 9-19
1990-91Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 132Â Â Â 24-8
1989-90Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 127Â Â Â 21-12
1988-89Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 123Â Â Â 20-11
1987-88Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 83Â Â Â 16-16
1986-87Â Â Â 2Â Â Â 65Â Â Â 9-19
1985-86Â Â Â 1Â Â Â 48Â Â Â 12-16
1984-85Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 124Â Â Â 20-12
1983-84Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 72Â Â Â 17-14
1982-83Â Â Â 3Â Â Â 77Â Â Â 8-19
1981-82Â Â Â 2Â Â Â 78Â Â Â 7-20
1980-81Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 112Â Â Â 21-9
Times, They Are A Changin'
Creighton made two changes to its schedule in late October.
   Creighton's home game vs. Longwood, originally set for Dec. 10th, was moved to 6:30 pm on December 9th. It will now air on FS1.
   Creighton's home game on January 21st vs. Marquette was moved up two hours to a 1:30 pm start. It will now air nationally on FOX.
NBA Representation
This year marks the third straight season that Creighton has three NBA players at the same time, as Kyle Korver (Atlanta Hawks), Anthony Tolliver (Sacramento Kings) and Doug McDermott (Chicago Bulls) are all in the league.
   Including 2016-17, Creighton has now had an NBA player in 33 of the last 34 years.
   Korver ranks eighth in NBA history with 1,914 three-pointers and is also eighth in league history with 43.0 percent marksmanship from three-point range (through November 23). He set a single-season NBA mark that still stands with his 53.6 percent shooting from three-point range in 2009-10, and is the only player in league history to lead the NBA in three-point percentage three times. He's currently averaging 9.9 points per game while making 44.3 percent of his three-point attempts this year.
   Tolliver is averaging 2.8 points and 2.0 rebounds per game this season for the Kings, his 11th NBA organization.
   McDermott is in his third season with the Chicago Bulls, where he's averaging 10.6 points per game and shooting 51.4 percent from the field and 36.4 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.
Among The Nation's Best
Below is where Creighton ranks nationally in the since Greg McDermott took over in 2010-11, per Basketball-Reference.com:
2010-11 to 2015-16
Category   Stat   NCAA Rank  Â
FG Percentage   .476   4th
3FG Made   1,775   4th
3FG Percentage   .386   5th  Â
Assists   3392   7th
FG Made   5,534   18th
Wins   141   31st
Winning Percentage   .662   47th
Going For 20, Again
Creighton has won 20 or more games in 16 of the last 18 seasons (including 2015-16), 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 18 years: Duke, Gonzaga and Kansas.
   Kentucky , Florida, Texas and Syracuse have each done it in 17 of the last 18 seasons.
   Along with Arizona, Xavier and Connecticut, Creighton is one of four schools with 20 or more wins in exactly 16 of the past 18 years.
Eight Out Of 18 Tourney Titles
Creighton owns eight league tournament titles in the last 18 years. On a national basis, the only schools that can claim this are Gonzaga (14), Duke (10), Winthrop (9), Creighton (8), Kansas (8) and Kentucky (8).
Full House
Creighton is averaging 17,283 fans per home game this season, tied for fourth-best nationally. That figure would rank 17th best in the NBA, ahead of 14 franchises.
   Last year was the 11th straight season that CU has been among the nation's top 25 in average home attendance, and the fifth straight season in the top-10 nationally in attendance, as well.
2016-17 Attendance Leaders
   Rk.   School   Average   Next Home
   1.   Syracuse   21,240   12/3
   2.   Kentucky   22,115   11/25
   3.   Louisville   18,260   11/30
   4.   Wisconsin   17,283   11/27
   5.   Creighton   17,283   11/26
   6.   Kansas   16,300   11/25
   6.   Maryland   15,922   11/29
Highest Average Attendance, Creighton History
   Avg. Att.   School   Year
   17,896   Creighton   2013-14
   17,283   Creighton   2016-17
   17,155   Creighton   2012-13
   17,048   Creighton   2014-15
   16,665   Creighton   2011-12
   15,941   Creighton   2015-16
Some Loyal Fans
Creighton attracted 302,887 fans at home in 2015-16, surpassing 200,000 fans for the 11th straight season. The 302,887 home fans this season ranked as the most in school history.
   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 the previous 13 seasons.
   Creighton has led its conference in home attendance every year since moving into CenturyLink Center Omaha, which is opening its 14th season.
Creighton's Most Home Fans, Season
Rk.   Year   G   Attendance   Average
1.   2015-16   19   302,887   15,941
2.   2008-09   19   302,676   15,930
3.   2010-11   22   297,161   13,507
4.   2012-13   17   291,643   17,155
5.   2014-15   17   289,808   17,048
Release, Rotation, Splash, Repeat
Creighton has made at least one three-pointer in 753 straight games since a 59-53 loss at Illinois State on Feb. 20, 1993. The streak was the nation's 22nd-longest active streak as of Nov. 16th.
   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 (11/16)
   Rk.   Streak   School   Next Game
   1.   977   Kentucky   11/20
   2.   975   UNLV   11/19
   3.   966   Vanderbilt   11/18
   4.   950   Duke   11/19
   5.   907   Western Kentucky   11/19
   6.   903   Arkansas   11/18
   7.   894   East Tennessee State   11/20
   8.   887   Pacific   11/19
   9.   869   Oakland   11/18
   10.   861   Texas   11/21
   11.   845   Princeton   11/20
   12.   836   Florida   11/21
   13.   812   La Salle   11/19
   14.   810   Marshall   11/19
   15.   802   Baylor   11/18
   16.   778   LIU-Brooklyn   11/19
   17.   775   Gonzaga   11/18
      775   Cornell   11/20
   19.   758   Tennessee State   11/19
   20.   759   Mount St. Mary's   11/18
   21.   751   East Carolina   11/20
   22.   750   Creighton   11/18
Making A Jump
Creighton went from 14-19 in 2014-15 to 20-15 last season. In the last 50 seasons of Creighton basketball, there has been only six seasons where the team has grown its win total by six or more victories from one year to the next, with two of those gains under the direction of Greg McDermott:
Biggest Win Improvements, Last 50 Years
Jump   Year   W-L   Year   W-L
8Â Â Â 1972-73Â Â Â 15-11Â Â Â 1973-74Â Â Â 23-7
7Â Â Â 1986-87Â Â Â 9-19Â Â Â 1987-88Â Â Â 16-16
7Â Â Â 1994-95Â Â Â 7-19Â Â Â 1995-96Â Â Â 14-15
6Â Â Â 2001-02Â Â Â 23-9Â Â Â 2002-03Â Â Â 29-5
6Â Â Â 2010-11Â Â Â 23-16Â Â Â 2011-12Â Â Â 29-6
6Â Â Â 2014-15Â Â Â 14-19Â Â Â 2015-16Â Â Â 20-15
Multiple Choices
Creighton had four men average in double-figures in 2015-16, Maurice Watson Jr. (14.1), Cole Huff (11.3), Geoffrey Groselle (11.2) and Isaiah Zierden (10.2).
   Creighton had not previously had four men finish the year scoring in double-figures since 1979-80, when Kevin McKenna, Jim Honz, George Morrow and Daryl Stovall did so.
Top-20 Crowds
Here's a look at Creighton's top-20 home crowds all-time. Â
    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.   17,924   Seton Hall   01/30/16
   19.   17,766   Nebraska   12/09/15
   20.   17,740   Alcorn State   11/08/13
Très Bien
Since 2011-12, Creighton is 49-45 (.521) when shooting 40.00 percent or worse from three-point range. While respectable, that pales in comparison to CU's 74-10 (.881) mark the last six years when shooting better than 40.00 percent from downtown.
   Lower the standards to 30%, and it's still impressive. Creighton is 108-30 in the last six years when shooting 30 percent or better from deep, compared to 15-25 when shooting 29.99 percent or less.
Big Deficits, No Big Deal
Creighton owns 16 victories under Greg McDermott after trailing by double-figures at some point. Nine of those comebacks came away from home, including the win over Ole Miss in the Virgin Islands on Nov. 21st.
   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), and the second-biggest in the history of CenturyLink Center Omaha (see chart, left column on page four).
   On the other hand, CU is 128-9 under McDermott when putting together double-digit leads, including wins 116 of the last 121 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
11   vs. Ole Miss   11/21/16
10Â Â Â UABÂ Â Â 11/14/12
10   vs. Drake   03/02/12
10   at Nebraska   12/07/14
10   South Dakota   12/09/14
CenturyLink Center Omaha Dramatics
Providence's Kris Dunn hit a game-winning shot as time expired to beat Creighton last 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 in 2014-15.
   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.
   Creighton is 7-6 in games with a game-winning go-ahead score in the final 10 seconds in the 14-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
03/20/06Â Â Â Miami (Fla.)Â Â Â 53-52Â Â Â G. Diaz FTÂ Â Â :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
McDermott Passes McManus On CU Wins List
Greg McDermott currently has 146 victories at Creighton, good for third place on CU's all-time wins list.
   McDermott's .670 winning percentage is Creighton's best since Arthur A. Schabinger's .714 win rate more 80 years ago.
   Below is a list of the most victorious Creighton coaches in program history.
Most Coaching Wins, Creighton History
Rk.   W-L   Name   Years
1.   327-176   Dana Altman   1994-2010
2.   165-66   Arthur A. Schabinger    1922-35
3.   146-72   Greg McDermott    2010-Pres.
4.   138-118   John J. "Red" McManus    1959-69
5.   130-64   Tom Apke   1974-81
Watson Dishes and Scores
Maurice Watson Jr. led the team lead in both scoring and assists last season. In fact, Watson had owned or shared the team lead in assists in 23 straight games before that streak was snapped in the NIT vs. Alabama on March 15th.
   Watson became 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, 1979-80Â Â Â 16.5Â Â Â 3.7
Matt Petty, 1992-93Â Â Â 17.2Â Â Â 3.1
Kyle Korver, 2001-02Â Â Â 15.1Â Â Â 3.3
Nate Funk, 2003-04Â Â Â 11.1Â Â Â 2.7
Nate Funk, 2006-07Â Â Â 17.7Â Â Â 3.0
Austin Chatman, 2014-15Â Â Â 11.5Â Â Â 3.7
Maurice Watson Jr., 2015-16Â Â Â 14.1Â Â Â 6.5
CenturyLink Center Omaha Success
Creighton has played 224 regular and postseason contests at CenturyLink Center Omaha all-time in the 14-year-old facility.
   The Bluejays own a 186-38 (.830) record all-time at the facility, and have never lost there on a Thursday (7-0) or Friday (11-0).
   Creighton has outscored its opponents 17,078-14,416 in games at CenturyLink Center Omaha, an average margin of 11.88 points per game. Creighton has led wire-to-wire 62 different times, including 10 of its last 21 home games.
   Creighton is also 25-22 all-time in the 47 games at CLCO in which it's fallen behind by double-figures at any point, 7-8 when down by 10 points at halftime at The Link, and 31-20 when trailing at halftime at CenturyLink Center Omaha.
   Creighton is 89-20 (.817) at CenturyLink Center Omaha under Greg McDermott, including a 51-4 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 206-38 (.844) at home since the start of the 2002-03 campaign.
What A Start!
Greg McDermott is 146-72 on the Creighton sideline in his seventh year at the helm. The 146 wins are easily the most in Creighton history in the first seven seasons, way more than Tom Apke's 109.
Most Wins at CU, First Seven Seasons
Coach   Years   W-L After 7 Yrs
Greg McDermott   2010-Pres.   146-72 so far
Tom Apke   1974-80   130-64
Dana Altman   1994-00   123-86
Red McManus   1959-65   105-75
On Your Mark, Get Set, Go
Creighton averaged 79.63 points per game in 2015-16.
   Greg McDermott is 39-1 as a Division I head coach when his teams score 90 or more points, including a 33-1 mark on the Creighton sideline.
   In fact, McDermott's team scored 90 or more points 10 times (in 35 games) last season, compared to six total times in 280 games on the sideline in nine years at Northern Iowa and Iowa State.
   Creighton had won 75 straight games when scoring 90 or more points at all sites since a Jan. 11, 1988 loss to Southern Illinois, before a March 5th 98-93 loss at Xavier.
   Creighton is 55-2 all-time when scoring 100 points or more, including 27 straight wins since a 1977 loss to North Texas.
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 98-1 when scoring 75 points or more at CenturyLink Center Omaha. In other words, Creighton is 109-1 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 78.75 points per home game (8,584 points in 109 home games).
   Since a 92-83 loss to Southern Illinois on Feb. 19, 2000, Creighton is 121-0 at home (92-0 at CenturyLink Center Omaha) when scoring 78 points or more, and 101-0 at home (74-0 at CenturyLink Center Omaha) when scoring 80 points or more at home dating to that same setback.
Last Season Recap
Creighton went 20-15 last season and reached the quarterfinals of the National Invitation Tournament before being eliminated at BYU. Maurice Watson Jr. (14.1 ppg., 6.5 apg.) led the Bluejays in both scoring and assists, while senior Geoffrey Groselle (6.1 rpg.) led the team in rebounding and set a Creighton record by shooting 70.2 percent from the field.
   Creighton's best victories last season included a 70-56 win over No. 5 Xavier, and a pair of wins to claim the title at the Men Who Speak Up Main Event in Las Vegas.
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 Harper Dining Center (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 2016-17 season went on sale on October 24th.
   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.
Players Mentioned
Meet the Jays - MBB Blake Harper
Friday, August 15
Meet the Jays - MBB Austin Swartz
Friday, August 15
Meet the Jays - MBB Jasen Green
Friday, August 15
Meet the Jays - MBB Ty Davis
Friday, August 15