#10 Men's Basketball Opens BIG EAST Play Wednesday vs. Seton Hall

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Game #13: Seton Hall at No. 10 Creighton • Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2016 • 7:00 p.m.
CenturyLink Center Omaha (17,390) • Omaha, Neb.
Radio: KOZN 1620 AM; KOOO 101.9 FM; www.1620thezone.com
Television: FS2 (Steve Physioc, Nick Bahe)
Series History: Seton Hall leads, 10-4
Last Meeting: Seton Hall 81, Creighton 73 on March 10, 2016 in New York, N.Y.

Next Game
One of six remaining unbeaten teams, No. 10 Creighton (12-0) opens BIG EAST play on Wednesday, Dec. 28th, when Seton Hall (10-2) comes to Omaha, Neb.
   Tip-off at CenturyLink Center Omaha (17,390) is scheduled for 7 pm Central.

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 Brody Deren will call the action.

Television Information
Wednesday's game will be televised live 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 Wednesday'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. 10 Creighton
Creighton ranks 10th 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, Ole Miss, Loyola (Md.), Buffalo, Akron, Nebraska, Longwood, Oral Roberts and Arizona State.
   The 12-0 start matches the program's best since the 2003-04 club also opened the year 12-0.
   The Bluejays are putting up 89.8 points per game (eighth nationally) while shooting 53.8 percent from the field (second nationally) and 45.3 percent from three-point territory (first nationally).
   Kansas State transfer Marcus Foster (19.1 ppg.) has lived up to lofty preseason expectations on the offensive end, leading the Bluejays in scoring. He's scored 15 points or more in 11-of-12 games so far, and has already been named Paradise Jam MVP and BIG EAST Player of the Week in this young season.
    Maurice Watson Jr. (12.8 ppg., 9.0 apg.) was a preseason All-BIG EAST selection. He's the nation's active leader in career assists (747), and his 9.0 assists per game this year rank lead in the country.
   Two Omaha products in the starting line-up are also doing big things. Khyri Thomas averages 12.6 points per game, as the sophomore wing shoots 59.8 percent from the field and 54.5 percent from deep. Redshirt freshman big man Justin Patton averages 12.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. He's shooting 76.2 percent from the field (third nationally) and has 29 dunks already.

Scouting Seton Hall
Seton Hall is 10-2 on the season, and won its only previous road game at Iowa. That start includes wins over California, South Carolina and Rutgers, as well as losses to Florida and Stanford.
   Four starters return from the 2016 BIG EAST Tournament champs, a group led by guard Khadeen Carrington (19.3 ppg., 50% from 3FG).
   Desi Rodriguez (14.3 ppg., 5.8 rpg.) and BIG EAST rebounding leader Angel Delgado (14.7 ppg., 11.8 rpg.) give The Hall a strong front line, while Myles Powell (11.4 ppg.) ranks among the league's top freshmen.
   Seton Hall averages 77.1 points per game and allows just 67.9 per contest. The Pirates outrebound foes by 6.7 caroms per game and shoot 34.9 percent from three-point range.

The Coaches
Greg McDermott (Northern Iowa, 1988) is in his seventh season as head coach at Creighton. He is 153-72 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 433-267 in his 23rd season and is 302-203 in his 16th Division I campaign. McDermott is assisted by Darian DeVries, Steve Lutz and Preston Murphy.
   Kevin Willard (Pittsburgh, 1997) owns a 117-102 record in his seventh season at Seton Hall, which moves his career mark to 162-141 in 10 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 10-4, including a 2-1 mark in Omaha. The teams traded double-digit road wins last year before The Hall eliminated Creighton in the BIG EAST Tournament quarterfinals.
   Three of the last six meetings at all sites have been one-point contests.
   Greg McDermott is 3-4 against Seton Hall and coach Kevin Willard. Willard is 5-3 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.

Foster Named BIG EAST Player of the Week
Marcus Foster was named BIG EAST Player of the Week for the second time this season on Dec. 26th.
   The honor comes after Foster had a season-high 29 points in Creighton's 96-85 win at Arizona State on Dec. 20th. Foster made 10-of-18 shots from the floor and 6-of-8 shots at the line while adding four rebounds, three assists and two steals.
   Foster had 17 points after the break, including the team's final four points from the free throw line to hold off ASU's upset bid.
   He was previously honored on Nov. 28th.

Jays Remain in Top 10 of AP Poll
The Creighton men's basketball team is ranked 10th in the country in this week's Associated Press poll.
   It's the seventh time in program history CU has been tabbed a top-10 team in the AP poll, which started in 1949, and is one spot shy of the program's best mark ever. The Bluejays were previously ranked ninth on February 24, 2014 after a 23-4 start, as well as last week, for the program's previous best mark.
   CU has now been ranked 76 weeks in program history, with 48 of those under the direction of seventh-year head coach Greg McDermott.
   The Bluejays are one of four BIG EAST teams in the top-17, as Villanova ranks first, Xavier is 17th and Butler is 13th.
   Creighton is ranked ninth in this week's USA Today Coaches Poll, tying the best previous mark done on Jan. 20, 2003, as well as last week.
   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
9th - 12/19/16
10th - 1/20/03
10th - 11/28/16
10th - 12/5/16
10th - 12/12/16
10th - 12/26/16

A Dozen And A Donut
Creighton is off to a 12-0 start for the first time since the 2003-04 team started 12-0. That team's first loss came to a Northern Iowa club coached by...Greg McDermott.
   This is Creighton's fourth different 12-0 start or better in school history, but just the second in the last 74 years.
   Below is a list of Creighton's most successful starts all-time:
Best Starts, Creighton History
Start   Year       Final W-L   First Loss
16-0   1942-43   *   16-1   Washington & Jefferson
13-0   1916-17   !   18-2   Dubuque
12-0   2003-04   #   20-9   Northern Iowa
12-0   2016-17       ? ? ?   ? ? ?
*Reached NCAA Tournament; #Reached NIT
!No postseason tournaments existed yet

Playing With The Lead
With the exception of the Ole Miss game on November 21st, Creighton has played with the lead on a consistent basis this season.
   Creighton had not trailed in the final eight minutes of any game prior to Oral Roberts, then overcame a 65-60 deficit in the final five minutes to stay unbeaten.
   On the season, Creighton has trailed for just 64:19 of 480 possible minutes of action (13.3%), a figure that ranks fourth-lowest nationally among the six remaining unbeaten teams, as seen below:
Team, W-L   Time Trailing   Next Game
Gonzaga, 12-0   33:29   12/29
Villanova, 12-0   50:52   12/28
UCLA, 13-0   56:02   12/28
Creighton, 12-0   64:19   12/28
Baylor, 12-0   94:04   12/30
Southern California, 13-0   154:16   12/28

#Winning
Creighton has reeled off 12 straight wins to start the 2016-17 season.
   It's Creighton's longest win streak under Greg McDermott, and the program's best stretch since Dana Altman's club won its first 12 games to open the 2003-04 season from Nov. 22 -Jan. 11 before a loss to McDermott's Northern Iowa team.

Longest Win Streaks Under Greg McDermott at CU
   W's   Dates   Snapped By
   12   Nov. 11, 2016 - Present   ? ? ?
   11   Dec. 1, 2012 - Jan. 15, 2013   at Wichita State
   11   Dec. 31, 2011 - Feb. 1, 2012   at Northern Iowa
   10   Dec. 3, 2013 - Jan. 14, 2014   at Providence

Double-Digit Win Streaks
Creighton's 12-0 start is its eighth streak of 12 straight wins or more all-time.
   A victory vs. Seton Hall would mark Creighton's longest winning streak since Tom Apke's 1974-75 club won 14 straight.
   The school-record streak is 38 straight wins, set over the course of CU's first four seasons of organized basketball nearly 100 years ago.
Creighton's Longest Win Streaks, All-Time
   W's   Dates   Coach   NCAA/NIT
   38   Feb. 22, 1917 - Feb. 11, 1920   Mills   Didn't exist
   17   Mar. 25, 1942 - Mar. 4, 1943   Hickey   NIT
   16   Jan. 31, 1928 - Jan. 23, 1929   Schabinger   Didn't exist
   14   Jan. 3 - Feb. 25, 1925   Schabinger   Didn't exist
   14   Jan. 2 - Feb. 22, 1975   Apke   NCAA
   12   Jan. 21 - March 1, 1922   Kearney   Didn't exist
   12   Nov. 22, 2003 - Jan. 11, 2004   Altman   NIT
   12   Nov. 11, 2016 - Present   McDermott   ? ? ?

Comparing 12-0 Starts
Here's a look at how Creighton's 2003-04 team that started 12-0 compares to this year's 12-0 start.
Category   2003-04   2016-17
W-L   12-0   12-0
Scoring Offense   71.2   89.8
Scoring Defense   56.0   71.8
Scoring Margin   +15.3   +18.1
Rebound Margin   +4.0   +1.0
FG%   .467   .538
3FG%   .399   .453
FT%   .705   .658
Assists/Game   14.3   19.0
Turnovers/Game   14.0   12.0
Turnover Margin   +3.0   +2.8
Steals/Game   7.7   6.7
Top Scorer   Deren 11.1   Foster 19.1
Top Rebounder/Game   Deren 7.1   Patton 6.0
Top Assists/Game   McKinney 3.9   Watson 9.0
Top Blocks/Game   Dabbert 1.5   Patton 1.6
Top Steals/Game   Mathies 1.7   Watson/Thomas 1.6

Conference Openers Have Gone Well
Creighton owns a 13-5 record in its last 18 conference openers, including a 67-49 win over Marquette on New Year's Eve in 2013 in its first BIG EAST game in program history. That's also the last time that Creighton was home to start league play.
   Greg McDermott is 8-7 all-time in conference openers as a Division I head coach, including a 4-2 mark at Creighton (2-1 in the BIG EAST). He is 3-3 in CU's first conference home game of the season.
   Seton Hall has won its last four league openers.

Making An Entrance
Marcus Foster, Davion Mintz, Kobe Paras, Justin Patton and Jordan Scurry could each play in their first career BIG EAST game on Wednesday.
   Below is a listing of the only 15 men in league history to debut in the BIG EAST with a game of 25 or more points. The most points by a Bluejay in their BIG EAST debut is 19 by Doug McDermott vs. Marquette on Dec. 31, 2013.
MOST POINTS - FIRST BIG EAST GAME
41   Steve Novak, Marquette vs. UConn, 1-3-06
32   Moe Harkless, St. John's vs. PC, 12-27-11
30   Troy Murphy, Notre Dame vs. PC, 12-8-98
   Allen Iverson, Georgetown vs. PC, 12-7-94
29   Caron Butler, Connecticut vs. BC, 1-3-01
   Khalid El-Amin, Connecticut vs. WVU, 12-3-97
   Tim Thomas, Villanova vs. PC, 12-4-96
28   Troy Bell, Boston College vs. PC, 1-8-00
   Jeremy Hazell, Seton Hall vs. UConn, 1-3-08
26   Seldon Jefferson, WVU vs. Georgetown, 12-2-95
   Lawrence Moten, Syracuse vs. BC, 1-2-92
25   Rodney Bullock, Providence at Butler, 12-31-15
   Craig Smith, Boston College vs. PC, 1-2-03
   Jerome Coleman, Rutgers vs. Syracuse, 1-2-02
   Steve Rich, Miami vs. Syracuse, 12-22-93

Holiday Milestones
Creighton entered Christmas Day with 12 wins this season, the most it has ever had by December 25th. That exceeds the previous high of 11 wins by the 2012-13 team that swept the MVC regular-season and tournament titles.
   Creighton has never entered New Year's Day with 13 wins. This year's dozen victories match the previous high done in 2012-13 as well as the 2008-09 campaign.

Huff Put Some "Cole" In Pirates' Stocking
Cole Huff put 35 points on Seton Hall the last time he faced the Pirates at Madison Square Garden in the BIG EAST Tournament.
   Huff's big night saw him drain five three-pointers in the first half, and 20 more points on 6-of-8 shooting after the break.

Double-Double Duel?
Seton Hall's Angel Delgado (8) and Creighton's Maurice Watson Jr. (4) rank 1-2 in the BIG EAST in double-doubles, but both men do it in very different ways.
   Delgado's eight double-doubles are all of the point/rebound variety, as the big man leads the league and ranks sixth nationally with 11.8 rebounds per game.
   All of Watson's double-dips are point/assist double-doubles, as he leads the nation with 9.1 assists per game.
   Watson's five games with 10+ assists this season are tied with UCLA's Lonzo Ball for the national lead, and one more than the four such games by Kentucky's De'Aaron Fox, Syracuse's Franklin Howard and Arkansas State's Donte Thomas.

Watson's Dimes
Maurice Watson Jr. owns 747 career assists to date, most among the nation's active players.
   Watson also leads the nation with 9.0 assists per game and is tied for first with 108 overall helpers.
   Watson's 108 assists this year have been spread among nine different players, and have led to 53 three-pointers, 25 dunks, 23 lay-ups and seven other two-point jump shots (see chart, bottom of page).
   Including five converted "and-1" free throw opportunities, Watson's 108 assists have led to 274 points, an average of 22.8 points per game.

Bench Bonus
Isaiah Zierden (38) and Toby Hegner (40) have combined for 78 career starts, but this year have spent their time coming off the bench for the Bluejays.
   Last Tuesday at Arizona State, they helped Creighton shake off an early 13-6 deficit with some prolific long-range shooting. Hegner and Zierden combined to shoot 5-for-5 from three-point range during a 17-9 run as Creighton took a 23-22 lead.
   CU would trail for just 53 seconds the rest of the game.
   Both Zierden and Hegner drained four three-point shots in the game to finish with 12 points a piece as CU's bench outscored the ASU reserves by a 25-4 margin.

Three-Point Options
Toby Hegner's fourth and final trey at Arizona State was the 100th trifecta of his career. He is the fourth active Bluejay with 100 or more three-pointers, joining Marcus Foster (170, with 32 at CU), Isaiah Zierden (145) and Cole Huff (152, with 85 at CU).
   Zierden currently is just two made three-pointers s behind 2009 MVC Player of the Year Booker Woodfox's 147 for 10th place in Creighton history

Going For 100
Creighton is 99-33 all-time when ranked in the Associated Press poll, and will seek its 100th win as a top-25 team on Wednesday when it hosts Seton Hall.
   That includes a 65-21 mark under Greg McDermott when ranked.
   Creighton has won each of its last 13 games when ranked in the AP poll.

Standard Five
Creighton has used the same starting line-up in every game this season, and they're not the only BIG EAST team that can say so.
   Joining the Bluejays with a familiar starting five every game has been DePaul.

Patton Commands Attention
Justin Patton scored 18 points at Arizona State adding a career-high four assists to go with a career-high tying three blocked shots.
   How rare is it for a Bluejay to have 18 points, four assists and three blocks in a game?
   You'd have to go back to Anthony Tolliver, who did it versus Drake on January 9, 2007 when he had 18 points, six assists and five blocked shots against the Bulldogs.

Defense Pitches A Late Shutout
Creighton's offense gets all the attention, but the defense stepped up when it was needed most on Dec. 17 against Oral Roberts.
   Creighton found itself trailing 65-60 with 6:08 left after ORU's Albert Owens banked in a three-pointer to stun the crowd. The Golden Eagles would go scoreless in their final 10 possessions the rest of the way.
   Creighton would steadily come back, getting two hoops from Justin Patton before a Marcus Foster drive with 3:21 to play gave CU a 66-65 lead.
   Neither team would score in the final 3:21 of the contest.
   That contest marked the first time since December 22, 2010, that Creighton held an opponent scoreless over the final 6:08 of regulation. That came when CU held Samford scoreless in the final 6:48 of a 58-40 victory.
   Those are the only two contests in the 424 games since the start of 2004-05 campaign that the Bluejays have held an opponent scoreless in the final 6:08 of any game.

Watson Dishes To History
Maurice Watson Jr. had 10 assists on Dec. 17th against Oral Roberts after dishing 11 helpers on Dec. 9 vs. Longwood.
   Watson joined Grant Gibbs (in 2011-12) as the only Bluejays in the last 25 years with back-to-back games of 10+ assists, with Watson also having accomplished the feat earlier this season in November.
   Watson was the first Bluejay with a point/assist double-double in consecutive games since at least 1978-79.

Road Warriors
Creighton is a perfect 5-0 away from home this winter, with those wins coming by an average of 15.8 points per game.
   Creighton has scored 94.8 points per game in those road/neutral contests this season, shooting 55.1 percent from the floor and 52.1 percent from three-point range. CU has averaged 12.6 three-pointers per game away from home this season.
   Cole Huff has been especially lethal in those games, shooting 15-of-23 from three-point range and ranking third on the team in both scoring (12.2 ppg.) and second in rebounding (4.6).
   Creighton has won its first five games away from home for just the third time since World War II, having also done it in 1999-2000 and 2012-13. Both of those seasons culminated with an appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

McDermott Joins The 700 Club
Last Tuesday's game at Arizona State marked Greg McDermott's 700th contest as a head coach. He brings a 433-267 career record into the Seton Hall game.
   McDermott has won his 100th, 200th, 300th, 400th, 500th, 600th and 700th game as a head coach, as seen below:
Game #   Opponent/Result   Career W-L   100   Wayne State 88, Northern State 75   60-40
200   UNI 74, Texas-Pan American 66   135-65
300   UNI 62, Missouri State 53   190-110
400   Iowa State 57, Colorado 41   249-151
500   Creighton 75, Evansville 69   295-205
600   Creighton 81, DePaul 62   373-227
700   Creighton 96, Arizona State 85   432-267

Won by One
Creighton got three defensive stands in the final 10 seconds to preserve its Dec. 17th 66-65 win over Oral Roberts.
   It was Creighton's first victory by exactly one point since a 72-71 win over Seton Hall on February 23, 2014.
   Creighton improved to 6-6 in one-point games under Greg McDermott and 79-73 in program history in one-point games.
   The victory snapped a five-game losing streak in one-point games, matching a program record first done between 1947-52.

BIG EAST > "Football 5" So Far
Creighton has knocked off teams from the Big Ten (Wisconsin and Nebraska), Pac-12 (Arizona State and Washington State), ACC (North Carolina State) and SEC (Ole Miss) this year, all by nine or more points.
   Those six wins over the "Football 5" leagues are the most of any other team in the nation.
   The BIG EAST owns 27 wins over "Football 5" leagues, second-most of any conference in the nation.
   Both figures are through games of Dec. 26.
MBB Wins Over "Football 5" Leagues, By Team
   6   Creighton
   5   Butler
   5   Gonzaga
   5   UCLA
   4   Seton Hall
   4   Kansas
   4   Xavier
   4   Clemson

MBB Wins Over "Football 5" Leagues, By Conference
   30   Atlantic Coast
   27   BIG EAST
   17   Big Ten
   16   Big 12
   13   Southeastern
   12   Pac-12

Foster's Finest
For the fourth time in seven seasons under Greg McDermott, Creighton has a player with at least 11 games of 15+ points during the team's first 12 games of a season.
   Marcus Foster has done it this year, joining Doug McDermott in 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14. McDermott led all three teams to the NCAA Tournament, and was named a First Team All-American after each campaign, as well.
   Prior to the arrival of the McDermott's, no Bluejay had opened a season in more than 25 years with 15+ points in 11 of the first 12 games.

Scoring In Bunches
Creighton has scored 1,078 points through 12 games, to rank eighth nationally with 89.8 points per contest.
   The 1,078 points are 44 more points than Creighton has EVER scored in its first 12 games of any season, as seen below:
Most Points Through 12 Games, Creighton History
   Points   Year   Final W-L (Postseason)
   1,078   2016-17   ? ? ?
   1,034   1964-65   13-10
   1,034   2015-16   20-15 (NIT)
   1,016   1965-66   14-12
   1,012   2011-12   29-6 (NCAA)
   1,006   2002-03   29-5 (NCAA)

A Good Start
Here's a look at how Creighton has done statistically after 12 games in recent seasons.
   Of note, Creighton has started 8-4 or better after 12 games in 18 of the past 20 seasons.
   This year's team, with four double-figure scorers, is only the second time since 2001-02 that Creighton has had more than three players scoring in double-figures after 12 games. Last year's team also had four men in double-figures at this point.
   Creighton's 89.8 points per game clip is the team's highest mark after 12 games in program history.
   Creighton's 53.8 percent field goal percentage through 12 games is the best mark in the last 23 years, a good trend since the next three spots are owned by the three winningest teams in program history.
   Creighton's 120 three-pointers through 12 games are second-most in the last 23 years, as well.
Creighton Stats Through 12 Games, Since 1994-95
Year   W-L   PPG   FG%   3FG   10+ PPG guys
2016-17   12-0   89.8   .538   120   4
2015-16   8-4   86.2   .497   109   4
2014-15   9-3   73.3   .441   106   2
2013-14   10-2   82.9   .492   136   2
2012-13   11-1   78.9   .509   107   2
2011-12   10-2   84.3   .506   111   2
2010-11   8-4   67.3   .426   85   3
2009-10   5-7   70.8   .447   98   1
2008-09   10-2   76.9   .445   106   3
2007-08   9-3   77.4   .468   100   2
2006-07   8-4   68.0   .433   69   2
2005-06   8-4   69.4   .414   86   3
2004-05   9-3   68.7   .434   93   2
2003-04   12-0   71.2   .467   75   1
2002-03   11-1   83.8   .520   116   1
2001-02   7-5   76.2   .451   71   3
2000-01   10-2   75.8   .446   95   4
1999-00   9-3   73.3   .459   96   2
1998-99   10-2   76.2   .466   90   2
1997-98   8-4   77.4   .473   88   2
1996-97   5-7   65.4   .407   66   2
1995-96   6-6   65.8   .389   69   2
1994-95   5-7   65.0   .396   81   4

Give Me 10
Creighton has won 10 straight home games dating to last season.
   Creighton now owns six home win streaks of 10 or longer at CenturyLink Center Omaha, as seen below:
Streak   Dates   Snapped by
   24   Feb. 19, 2013 - Dec. 9, 2014   Saint Mary's
   16   Feb. 9, 2005 - Jan. 31, 2006   Southern Illinois
   16   Jan. 19, 2011 - Dec. 22, 2011   Missouri State
   14   Feb. 2, 2008 - Dec. 28, 2008   Northern Iowa
   11   Nov. 22, 2003 - Feb. 4, 2004   Southern Illinois
   10   Feb. 28, 2016 - Present   ???

We're Jamming!
Justin Patton has 29 of CU's 55 dunks this season, with Marcus Foster (9), Khyri Thomas (6), Martin Krampelj (4), Toby Hegner (2), Zach Hanson (2), Cole Huff (1), Davion Mintz (1) and Kobe Paras (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 27 dunks after 12 games.
   Here's a look at the Creighton student-athletes with 20 or more dunks in a season, and 19 or more dunks in a career, under McDermott:
Most Creighton Dunks, Season, Since 2010-11
Dunks   Name   Year
36   Gregory Echenique   2012-13
30   Gregory Echenique   2011-12
29   Justin Patton   2016-17
24   Gregory Echenique   2010-11
22   Kenny Lawson Jr.   2010-11

Most Creighton Dunks, Career, Since 2010-11
Dunks   Name   Years
90   Gregory Echenique   2010-13
38   Will Artino   2011-15
29   Zach Hanson   2013-Pres.
29   Justin Patton   2016-Pres.
25   Geoffrey Groselle   2012-16
22   Kenny Lawson Jr.   2010-11
19   Doug McDermott   2010-14

Most Creighton Dunks, Team, Season, Since 2010-11
Dunks   Year   Team W-L
58   2015-16   20-15 (NIT)
56   2010-11   23-16 (CBI)
55   2016-17   12-0 so far
54   2012-13   28-8 (NCAA)
42   2011-12   29-6 (NCAA)
35   2013-14   27-8 (NCAA)
29   2014-15   14-19

Keeping It 100
Creighton cracked the century mark in its 103-77 win over Washington State on Nov. 18, then did it again two days later in a 112-94 win over North Carolina State. Creighton also scored 113 points against Longwood on Dec. 9th.
   Creighton is 56-2 all-time when scoring 100 or more points, with 28 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.
   Creighton's 113 points on December 9th vs. Longwood were its fifth-most in school history for a game, and the most since 115 vs. Indiana State on Jan. 19, 1985.
   Below is a list of the most points in a game in Creighton history:
Score   Opponent   Date
124-94   at Miami (Fla.)   02/10/1964
120-76   Nevada   12/21/1962
115-80   Indiana State   01/19/1985
115-82   Memphis   02/02/1966
113-58   Longwood   12/09/2016
112-94   vs. North Carolina St.   11/20/2016
111-110 (2ot)   Bradley   03/11/2008

Double-Doubles In Limited Minutes
Maurice Watson Jr. needed just 23 minutes of playing time to earn a double-double (10 points, 11 assists) against Longwood on December 9th
   In the seven-year era under Greg McDermott, only Will Artino (3x) and Gregory Echenique (2x) have produced double-doubles in less than 23 minutes, but all of those were of the point/rebound variety.
   The only previous Bluejay with a point/assist double-double in less than 30 minutes under McDermott had been Austin Chatman, who had 14 points and 10 assists in 28 minutes vs. Missouri State on Jan. 30, 2013.

Have A Half
Creighton opened up a 62-25 halftime lead over Longwood on December 9th, the program's largest lead at intermission since a 56-19 lead over IUPUI on Nov. 25, 2002 in a game played in Kansas City, Mo.
   Longwood is one of two schools that Creighton has had multiple halftime leads of more than 25 points against since 1990-91, joining Nebraska.
   Below is a list of Creighton's largest halftime margins since 1990-91.
Largest Halftime Leads, Since 1990-91
   Margin   Score   Opponent   Date
   38   54-16   Grambling State   12/06/99
   37   56-19   IUPUI   11/25/02
   37   62-25   Longwood   12/09/16
   29   48-19   Towson   11/14/98
   29   53-24   Longwood   11/20/12
   29   53-24   Butler   01/14/14
   29   53-24   St. John's   02/28/16
   28   54-26   Western Illinois   11/20/00
   28   39-11   Alcorn State   11/15/04
   27   49-22   Texas-San Antonio   11/30/90
   27   47-20   Nebraska   11/24/07
   27   47-20   Saint Joseph's   12/01/12
   26   52-26   Southern   12/20/97
   26   42-16   Southern Illinois   03/10/03
   26   43-17   Presbyterian   11/18/12
   26   51-25   Nebraska   12/08/13
   25   57-32   Grambling State   11/29/01
   25   49-24   Bradley   01/19/11

Most Lopsided Wins
Creighton's 113-58 win over Longwood is tied for the third-largest margin of victory in school history, just two behind a record set 91 years ago.
Most Lopsided Wins
Opponent   Margin   Score   Date
Midland   57   63-6   12/12/25
Texas-Arlington   56   106-50   11/17/02
Regis   55   93-38   11/30/73
Longwood   55   113-58   12/09/16
Morningside   54   105-51   02/17/61
Drake   53   79-26   02/14/33
Northern Colorado   51   105-54   12/02/59
South Dakota State   51   67-16   01/11/27
Nebraska-Omaha   50   90-40   03/01/52
Washburn   50   66-16   03/06/37
Yankton   50   70-20   01/07/22

Toby Steps Up
Toby Hegner grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds in just 17 minutes during Creighton's Dec. 7 win at Nebraska.
   Making the achievement all the more impressive is that he played just two minutes before half thanks to two quick fouls.
   Hegner's previous high for rebounds in a game was eight vs. Georgetown during his freshman season.
   Hegner also established a career-high in dunks vs. Nebraska, when he had back-to-back throwdowns in a span of 38 seconds. Prior to that, the 6-foot-10 perimeter-based big man had one career dunk at Creighton in 74 career games.
   Hegner continued his prowess with 10 points and nine rebounds in 14 minutes vs. Longwood.

McDermott Earns 150th Win At Creighton
With a win at Nebraska on Dec. 7th, Greg McDermott became the third coach in CU history to record 150 wins on the Bluejay sideline, as only Arthur A. Schabinger (165) and Dana Altman (327) had previously reached that milestone.
   McDermott needed 71 games at Creighton to win his 50th contest and 134 games to earn his 100th win.
   The Nebraska win marked McDermott's 222nd game on the Bluejay sideline.
   McDermott is now 153-72 with the Bluejays when you include his Longwood, Oral Roberts and Arizona State victories. That Longwood win was the 300th Division I victory of McDermott's career.

1,000 x 3
Cole Huff became the third member of the current Creighton team to surpass 1,000 career points when he reached the mark at Nebraska on Dec. 7. Huff entered the game with 999 points (including 527) at Nevada, then added 13 points in the win on 4-of-5 shooting from long-range.
   Marcus Foster surpassed the 1,000 point mark during the Nov. 29 win over Buffalo. Foster owns 229 points this season, and scored 875 points during his first two seasons at Kansas State. It took Foster 69 games total to reach the mark.
   Last year Maurice Watson Jr. surpassed 1,000 career points (including Boston), and he now owns 1,446 career points.
   Creighton has never previously had three players with 1,000 career points on the roster at the same time.

Double-Digits x 8
Marcus Foster and Justin Patton each scored in double-figures during each of Creighton's first eight games this season.
   They joined Doug McDermott as the only Bluejays to open their career in double-figures during CU's first eight games in the last 35 years. McDermott opened his 2010-11 campaign with eight straight games in double-figures before being held scoreless in his ninth contest (against Saint Joseph's) for the only time in his college career.
   Before Foster this year, Rod Mason was the last Bluejay with seven straight games of 15+ points to start any season, having done so in 1987-88.
   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
   8   Marcus Foster, Jr.   2016-17
   8   Justin Patton, Fr.   2016-17

Terrific Start
Junior Marcus Foster's 229 points so far are the most by any Bluejay newcomer through 12 games since at least 1979-80.
   For comparison, Doug McDermott had 151 points through 12 games and 157 points after the 13th 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 12 Games Since 1995-96
   Pts.   Name, Class   Year   After 13
   229   Marcus Foster, Jr.   2016-17   ???
   152   Maurice Watson Jr., Jr.   2015-16   162
   151   Doug McDermott, Fr.    2010-11   157
   148   Justin Patton, Fr.   2016-17   ? ? ?
   138   Gregory Echenique, So.   2010-11   145
   135   Cole Huff, Jr.   2015-16   149
   130   P'Allen Stinnett, Fr.   2007-08   148
   134   Brody Deren, So.   2001-02   142
   128   Rodney Buford, Fr.   1995-96   145
   121   Darryl Ashford, Jr.   2009-10   128
   120   Ryan Sears, Fr.   1997-98   131
   118   Khyri Thomas, Fr.   2015-16   128
   115   Edward St. Fleur, Jr.   1995-96   117
   109   Doug Swenson, Jr.   1997-98   128

Opposites Attract
UCF's 7-foot-6 center Tacko Fall leads the nation in field goal percentage at 83.8 percent, making 83-of-99 field goal attempts.
   UNCW's Devontae Cacok is second, having made 81.2 percent of his shots.
   That puts Fall and Cacok just ahead of Creighton center Justin Patton, who is at 78.4 percent while shooting 58-for-74 to rank second.
   Making Patton's figures all the more impressive is that he's also 4-for-6 from three-point range this fall.
   Despite their marksmanship while being guarded, both men have struggled at the charity stripe. Fall is 25-for-58 (43.1 percent) at the free throw line this year, Cacock is 20-for-35 (57.1 percent), and Patton is 16-for-34 (47.1 percent).

Patton Wins Second BIG EAST Freshman Honor
Creighton basketball center Justin Patton won BIG EAST Freshman of the Week accolades for the second straight week on December 5th.
   Patton averaged 16.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 2.0 blocked shots per game on 82.4 percent shooting from the field as Creighton posted a pair of double-digit wins over the defending champions from the Mid-American Conference Tournament (Buffalo) and regular-season (Akron).
   Patton started his week by becoming just the third Creighton freshman in the last 25 years to post a double-double, as he had 21 points, 10 rebounds, two blocks and a steal in a win vs. Buffalo. Patton made 9-of-10 shots from the field, becoming the first 7-footer in program history to sink a three-pointer.
   He then had 11 points, seven rebounds, three steals and two blocks in a win vs. Akron. Patton had eight of his points and five of his rebounds after halftime, including a pair of slams that give him 21 dunks in eight games the season.

Baker's Dozen For Watson
Maurice Watson Jr. had a CenturyLink Center Omaha 13 assists in a Dec. 3 win over Akron. That's one more than the previous record held by Creighton's Grant Gibbs vs. Northwestern on December 22, 2011.
   The contest was the third of Watson's Creighton career with 13 or more helpers, and fifth overall as a collegian.
   Per Sports-Reference.com, Watson is one of nine men with five games of 13+ assists since 2010-11, and the only active player. He's joined on that list by players such as Kris Dunn, Kendall Marshall and Michael Carter-Williams. The list is topped by Marshall and LIU-Brooklyn's Jason Brickman, with 10 each.
   Watson now owns three of Creighton's eight games all-time of 13+ assists, with Ralph Bobik (3), Latrell Wrightsell (1) and Jason Bey (1) owning the others.

Foster & Patton Honored By BIG EAST
Creighton picked up a pair of weekly awards from the BIG EAST Conference on Nov. 28th. Marcus Foster was named BIG EAST Player of the Week, while Justin Patton was named BIG EAST Freshman of the Week. It was the first weekly league honor for both as Bluejays.
   Foster averaged 20.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game in a pair of Bluejay victories, shooting 60 percent from the floor (15-25), 50 percent from downtown (6-12) and 83.3 percent at the line (5-6).
   Foster's week began with a season-high 25 points against Ole Miss in the title game of the Paradise Jam. He scored 17 points in the first half to help keep Creighton within six at the break, and would take home Tournament MVP honors on the All-Tournament Team after leading CU back from a 11-point deficit.
   On Saturday, Foster had 16 points and two assists in an 82-52 win over Loyola (Md.). With Creighton off to a sluggish start, Foster scored the first nine points in an 11-2 Bluejay run as Creighton overcame a 20-18 deficit to take the lead for good.
   Patton averaged 14.0 points and 5.5 rebounds in two games while shooting 86.7 percent from the field. He added two assists, two blocked shots and a steal to help Creighton improve to 6-0. Twenty-two of his 28 points came after halftime, as Creighton outscored foes 98-58 (the Jays were outscored 71-70 in the first half).
   Patton's week began on Monday in a win over Ole Miss in the title game of the Paradise Jam. Patton had 11 points and five rebounds in 28 minutes, making 5-of-7 field goal attempts.
   He then had 15 of his season-high 17 points after halftime in Saturday's 82-52 win over Loyola (Md.). Patton was a perfect 8-for-8 from the field and also led CU with six rebounds.

It Do Run, Run
Creighton ranks ninth in the KenPom.com's Adjusted Offensive rankings this year and 61st in tempo through Monday morning.
   Per figures from StatBroadcast.com, Creighton has scored on more than half its possessions in all but two games this season, despite averaging just 13 seconds per possession.
Creighton Offense
Opponent   Poss.   Scores   Pts/Poss.   Sec/Poss.
UMKC   80   40   1.113   :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
Loyola (Md.)   71   40   1.155   :14
Buffalo   79   43   1.177   :13
Akron   70   37   1.171   :12
Nebraska   78   37   .987   :12
Longwood   82   54   1.378   :13
Oral Roberts   71   30   .930   :13
Arizona State   78   41   1.231   :14
TOTALS   911   480   1.183   :13

BIG EAST Playing Big
Though the BIG EAST may not be considered of the traditional "Football 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:   1st (per WarrenNolan.com)
2015-16:   4th
2014-15:   3rd
2013-14:   4th
2012-13:   2nd
2011-12:   2nd
2010-11:   1st
2009-10:   3rd
2008-19:   4th
2007-08:   5th
2006-07:   5th
2005-06:   3rd
2004-05:   2nd
2003-04:   4th
2002-03:   5th
2001-02:   3rd
2000-01:   3rd

Top Five RPI
According to WarrenNolan.com on Monday morning, Creighton ranked No. 7 nationally in the RPI.
   Villanova was first, Xavier was fourth and Butler 11th, which has helped the BIG EAST to No. 1 in the conference RPI rankings.

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, in its only three previous games outside Omaha.
   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 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
.600   vs. IUPUI   15-25   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

Virgin Territory
Creighton rewrote the Paradise Jam record books during its week in the Virgin Islands in late November.
   On Nov. 18 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. Two days later vs. North Carolina State, Creighton set a tournament record with 112 points in a game.
   On Nov. 21, 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

Not 1, Not 2, Not 3, Not 4, Not 5, Not 6...
Creighton placed seven men in double-figures on Nov. 20 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.

First Half Blitz
Creighton led 62-25 at halftime on Dec. 9 vs. Longwood. The 62 points were a CenturyLink Center Omaha record for points in a half, and the most by the Bluejays in any half since scoring 63 in the second half of a 106-50 win over Texas-Arlington on Nov. 17, 2002.
   Creighton's 55-point win was also its largest since that same 106-50 win over Texas-Arlington on Nov. 17, 2002.
   Creighton has won 68 straight games in which it has scored 42 or more points in the first half, and 53 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 747, but he's also fourth in steals (178), 10th in assist/turnover ratio (2.10) and 13th in field goals made (553).
   Watson is the nation's only active Division I player with at least 500 field goals and 600 assists.
   Below is a look at the national active leaders in assists and steals, through Dec. 26th.
Active Leaders in Career Assists
1.   Maurice Watson Jr., Creighton   747
2.   Monte Morris, Iowa State   614
3.   Alec Wintering, Portland   540
4.   Marquis Wright, Siena   507
5.   Siyani Chambers, Harvard   506

Active Leaders in Career Steals
1.   Paris Lee, Illinois State   210
2.   Monte Morris, Iowa State   183
3.   Justin Robinson, Monmouth   182
4.   Maurice Watson Jr., Creighton   178
   Damon Lynn, NJIT   178

Shooting Stars
Creighton has shot 53.8 percent from the field this season, and an equally impressive 45.3 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 76.2 percent from the field (third nationally), with 29 dunks among his 64 made field goals.
   Each of Creighton's nine players with multiple made three-pointers have connected on 37.5 percent or better of their shots from downtown.

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 was 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 surgery on 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, North Carolina and Kentucky are the nation's only three schools that currently have a ranked team in men's basketball (AP poll), men's soccer (NSCAA poll) and women's volleyball (AVCA poll).

Omaha's Team
Creighton has started Omaha natives Justin Patton and Khyri Thomas in each of its first 12 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) earned a nod.
   Johnson, coincidentally, coached Thomas at Omaha Benson High School.

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.

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 1,940 three-pointers and is also eighth in league history with 42.9 percent marksmanship from three-point range (through December 24). 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 9.2 points per game while making 41.1 percent of his three-point attempts this year.
   Tolliver is averaging 5.2 points and 3.2 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 10.0 points per game and shooting 45.8 percent from the field and 34.0 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.

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
2016-17   4   130   ? ? ?
2015-16   1   64   20-15
2014-15   1   49   14-19
2013-14   4   144   27-8
2012-13   4   140   28-8
2011-12   3   101   29-6
2010-11   4   123   23-16
2009-10   3   106   18-16
2008-09   3   83   27-8
2007-08   1   44   22-11
2006-07   4   120   22-11
2005-06   4   134   20-10
2004-05   2   58   23-11
2003-04   3   101   20-9
2002-03   5   159   29-5
2001-02   2   65   23-9
2000-01   3   90   24-8
1999-00   3   84   23-10
1998-99   3   84   22-9
1997-98   4   72   18-10
1996-97   4   126   15-15
1995-96   4   100   14-15
1994-95   2   52   7-19
1993-94   3   73   7-22
1992-93   2   64   8-18
1991-92   2   51   9-19
1990-91   4   132   24-8
1989-90   4   127   21-12
1988-89   4   123   20-11
1987-88   3   83   16-16
1986-87   2   65   9-19
1985-86   1   48   12-16
1984-85   4   124   20-12
1983-84   3   72   17-14
1982-83   3   77   8-19
1981-82   2   78   7-20
1980-81   4   112   21-9

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
FG Percentage   .476   4th
3FG Made   1,775   4th
3FG Percentage   .386   5th
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 16,849 fans per home game this season, fifth-best nationally. That figure would rank 18th best in the NBA, ahead of 13 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 (12/26)
   Rk.   School   Average   Next Home
   1.   Kentucky   22,509   1/3
   2.   Syracuse   21,164   12/27
   3.   Louisville   19,667   12/28
   4.   Wisconsin   17,285   12/27
   5.   Creighton   16,849   12/28
   6.   Kansas   16,300   1/3
   7.   Indiana   15,985   12/28
   8.   Maryland   15,812   12/27

Highest Average Attendance, Creighton History
   Avg. Att.   School   Year
   17,896   Creighton   2013-14
   17,155   Creighton   2012-13
   17,048   Creighton   2014-15
   16,849 so far   Creighton   2016-17
   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 760 straight games since a 59-53 loss at Illinois State on Feb. 20, 1993. The streak is the nation's 22nd-longest active streak as of Dec. 26th.
   Creighton's last win without making a three-point basket came on March 3, 1991 when the Jays went 0-for-2 from three-point range in a 71-66 win over Southern Illinois in the championship game of the MVC Tournament.
   Below is a list of the nation's longest active three-point streaks.
Longest Active 3-Point Streaks (12/26)
   Rk.   Streak   School   Next Game
   1.   986   Kentucky   12/29
   2.   986   UNLV   12/28
   3.   976   Vanderbilt   12/29
   4.   960   Duke   12/31
   5.   917   Western Kentucky   12/28
   6.   913   Arkansas   12/29
   7.   904   East Tennessee State   12/29
   8.   897   Pacific   12/29
   9.   880   Oakland   12/29
   10.   871   Texas   12/27
   11.   855   Princeton   12/28
   12.   845   Florida   12/29
   13.   820   La Salle   12/30
       820   Marshall   12/28
   15.   812   Baylor   12/30
   16.   789   LIU-Brooklyn   12/29
   17.   785   Gonzaga   12/29
   18.   783   Cornell   12/27
   19.   769   Mount St. Mary's   12/29
   20.   766   Tennessee State   12/27
   21.   762   East Carolina   12/28
   22.   760   Creighton   12/28

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
+8   1972-73   15-11   1973-74   23-7
+7   1986-87   9-19   1987-88   16-16
+7   1994-95   7-19   1995-96   14-15
+6   2001-02   23-9   2002-03   29-5
+6   2010-11   23-16   2011-12   29-6
+6   2014-15   14-19   2015-16   20-15

Top-20 Crowds
Here's a look at Creighton's top-20 home crowds all-time.
      Rank   Att.   Opponent   Date
   1.   18,868   Providence   03/08/14
   2.   18,859   Georgetown   01/25/14
   3.   18,797   #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

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.
   This year's team also has four men scoring at a double-figure clip, with Huff not far behind at 9.3 ppg.

Très Bien
Since 2011-12, Creighton is 54-45 (.545) when shooting 40.00 percent or worse from three-point range. While respectable, that pales in comparison to CU's 75-10 (.882) 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 113-30 in the last six years when shooting 30 percent or better from deep, compared to 16-25 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 132-9 under McDermott when putting together double-digit leads, including wins 120 of the last 125 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
10   UAB   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
03/20/06   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

What A Start!
Greg McDermott is 153-72 on the Creighton sideline in his seventh year at the helm. The 153 wins are easily the most in Creighton history in the first seven seasons, way more than Tom Apke's 130.
Most Wins at CU, First Seven Seasons
Coach   Years   W-L After 7 Yrs
Greg McDermott   2010-Pres.   153-72 so far
Tom Apke   1974-80   130-64
Dana Altman   1994-00   123-86
Red McManus   1959-65   105-75

McDermott Passes McManus On CU Wins List
Greg McDermott currently has 153 victories at Creighton, good for third place on CU's all-time wins list.
   McDermott's .680 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.   153-72   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 has also led Creighton in assists every game this season, which means he's led or tied for the team lead in assists in all but three of his 47 games since becoming eligible at Creighton.
   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, 1979-80   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

CenturyLink Center Omaha Success
Creighton has played 229 regular and postseason contests at CenturyLink Center Omaha all-time in the 14-year-old facility.
   The Bluejays own a 191-38 (.834) record all-time at the facility, and have never lost there on a Thursday (7-0) or Friday (12-0).
   Creighton has outscored its opponents 17,514-14,733 in games at CenturyLink Center Omaha, an average margin of 12.14 points per game. Creighton has led wire-to-wire 63 different times, including 11 of its last 26 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 94-20 (.825) at CenturyLink Center Omaha under Greg McDermott, including a 56-4 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 211-38 (.847) at home since the start of the 2002-03 campaign.

On Your Mark, Get Set, Go
Creighton averaged 79.63 points per game in 2015-16, and is scoring 89.83 points per game in 2016-17.
   Greg McDermott is 42-1 as a Division I head coach when his teams score 90 or more points, including a 36-1 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 56-2 all-time when scoring 100 points or more, including 28 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 102-1 when scoring 75 points or more at CenturyLink Center Omaha. In other words, Creighton is 114-1 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 79.12 points per home game (9,020 points in 114 home games).
   Since a 92-83 loss to Southern Illinois on Feb. 19, 2000, Creighton is 125-0 at home (95-0 at CenturyLink Center Omaha) when scoring 78 points or more, and 105-0 at home (78-0 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.

#10 Men's Basketball Opens BIG EAST Play Wednesday vs. Seton Hall

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Players Mentioned

Marcus Foster

Geoffrey Groselle

Zach Hanson

Toby Hegner

Cole Huff

Kaleb Joseph

Martin Krampelj

Davion Mintz

Kobe Paras

Justin Patton

Jordan Scurry

Khyri Thomas

Maurice Watson Jr.

Isaiah Zierden