Mitch Ballock
Photo by: Joe Willman
Men's Basketball Returns to National Rankings as Ballock Named BIG EAST Freshman of the Week
11/27/2017 1:04:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Creighton is ranked 23rd in the USA Today Coaches Poll and 25th in the Associated Press poll
OMAHA, Neb. -- A 5-1 start featuring two wins away from home over ranked teams has vaulted the Creighton men's basketball team into the national rankings of this week's Associated Press and USA Today Coaches polls. The Bluejays are 25th in the AP poll and 23rd in the coaches poll.
In addition, Creighton guard Mitch Ballock was named BIG EAST Freshman of the Week, the second straight week a Bluejay freshman has been honored after Ty-Shon Alexander's recognition on Nov. 20th. Ballock averaged 11.0 points, 3.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds as Creighton went 2-1 last week.
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Playing 35 minutes from his hometown, Ballock electrified Sprint Center with 22 points in 30 minutes off the bench as Creighton defeated No. 23 UCLA on Monday. He had a personal 7-0 run to end the first half to give CU the lead for good, then later went on 10-2 run in the second half to help CU pull away. Ballock made 7-of-14 shots and added three assists, three rebounds and a steal. One night later, Ballock had five points, two rebounds and a steal in 14 minutes vs. No. 22 Baylor. He closed his week with six points, and a team-high six assists in 21 minutes vs. SIU Edwardsville, adding four rebounds.
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Creighton is one of three teams with multiple top-25 victories this season, joining Duke and Texas A&M. Creighton beat No. 23 UCLA last Monday after topping No. 20 Northwestern on Nov. 15th in what remains one of two true road wins nationally over any top-25 team this winter.
Creighton returns to the court on Friday with a 9:15 p.m. Central road game at Gonzaga with a chance to pick up another top-25 victory. The Bulldogs are ranked 15th in the AP poll and 14th in the coaches poll. The game will air on KOZN (1620 AM) and be televised nationally on ESPN2.
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In addition, Creighton guard Mitch Ballock was named BIG EAST Freshman of the Week, the second straight week a Bluejay freshman has been honored after Ty-Shon Alexander's recognition on Nov. 20th. Ballock averaged 11.0 points, 3.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds as Creighton went 2-1 last week.
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Playing 35 minutes from his hometown, Ballock electrified Sprint Center with 22 points in 30 minutes off the bench as Creighton defeated No. 23 UCLA on Monday. He had a personal 7-0 run to end the first half to give CU the lead for good, then later went on 10-2 run in the second half to help CU pull away. Ballock made 7-of-14 shots and added three assists, three rebounds and a steal. One night later, Ballock had five points, two rebounds and a steal in 14 minutes vs. No. 22 Baylor. He closed his week with six points, and a team-high six assists in 21 minutes vs. SIU Edwardsville, adding four rebounds.
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Creighton is one of three teams with multiple top-25 victories this season, joining Duke and Texas A&M. Creighton beat No. 23 UCLA last Monday after topping No. 20 Northwestern on Nov. 15th in what remains one of two true road wins nationally over any top-25 team this winter.
Creighton returns to the court on Friday with a 9:15 p.m. Central road game at Gonzaga with a chance to pick up another top-25 victory. The Bulldogs are ranked 15th in the AP poll and 14th in the coaches poll. The game will air on KOZN (1620 AM) and be televised nationally on ESPN2.
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| AP Top 25 | |||
| RK | TEAM | RECORD | PTS |
| 1 | Duke (65) | 8-0 | 1,625 |
| 2 | Kansas | 5-0 | 1,531 |
| 3 | Michigan State | 5-1 | 1,481 |
| 4 | Villanova | 6-0 | 1,435 |
| 5 | Notre Dame | 6-0 | 1,297 |
| 6 | Florida | 5-1 | 1,272 |
| 7 | Kentucky | 6-1 | 1,179 |
| 8 | Wichita State | 4-1 | 1,134 |
| 9 | Texas A&M | 6-0 | 1,130 |
| 10 | Miami | 5-0 | 1,001 |
| 11 | Cincinnati | 6-0 | 972 |
| 12 | Minnesota | 7-0 | 929 |
| 13 | North Carolina | 5-1 | 922 |
| 14 | USC | 4-1 | 681 |
| 15 | Gonzaga | 5-1 | 666 |
| 16 | Baylor | 5-0 | 576 |
| 17 | Louisville | 4-0 | 568 |
| 18 | Virginia | 6-0 | 510 |
| 19 | West Virginia | 6-1 | 418 |
| 20 | Arizona State | 6-0 | 383 |
| 21 | Xavier | 5-1 | 370 |
| 22 | Texas Tech | 6-0 | 247 |
| 23 | TCU | 6-0 | 133 |
| 24 | Alabama | 5-1 | 128 |
| 25 | Creighton | 5-1 | 124 |
| USA Today Coaches Poll | |||
| RK | TEAM | RECORD | PTS |
| 1 | Duke (30) | 8-0 | 773 |
| 2 | Kansas (1) | 5-0 | 736 |
| 3 | Michigan State | 5-1 | 692 |
| 4 | Villanova | 6-0 | 691 |
| 5 | Notre Dame | 6-0 | 617 |
| 6 | Florida | 5-1 | 605 |
| 7 | Kentucky | 6-1 | 543 |
| 8 | Wichita State | 4-1 | 487 |
| 9 | Cincinnati | 6-0 | 467 |
| 10 | Texas A&M | 6-0 | 447 |
| 11 | North Carolina | 5-1 | 443 |
| 12 | Minnesota | 7-0 | 420 |
| 13 | Miami | 5-0 | 416 |
| 14 | Gonzaga | 5-1 | 332 |
| 15 | Virginia | 6-0 | 290 |
| 16 | Baylor | 5-0 | 265 |
| 17 | Louisville | 4-0 | 250 |
| 18 | USC | 4-1 | 245 |
| 19 | West Virginia | 6-1 | 213 |
| 20 | Xavier | 5-1 | 209 |
| 21 | Arizona State | 6-0 | 152 |
| 22 | Texas Tech | 6-0 | 123 |
| 23 | Creighton | 5-1 | 96 |
| 24 | Seton Hall | 5-1 | 83 |
| 25 | UCLA | 5-1 | 72 |
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