Men's Basketball Hosts Providence on Wednesday Night

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Game #28: Providence at #23 Creighton • Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2017 • 8:01 p.m.
CenturyLink Center Omaha (17,390) • Omaha, Neb.
Radio: KOZN 1620 AM; KOOO 101.9 FM; www.1620thezone.com
Television: FOX Sports Midwest and many other stations (Steve Physioc, Nick Bahe)
Series History: Providence leads, 12-6
Last Meeting: #10 Creighton 78, Providence 64 on January 7, 2017 in Providence, R.I.

Next Game
No. 23 Creighton (22-5, 9-5 BIG EAST) closes a two-game homestand on Wednesday, Feb. 22 when it welcomes Providence (16-11, 6-8 BIG EAST) to CenturyLink Center Omaha (17,390).
   Tip-off is scheduled for 8:01 pm.
   Around 300 tickets remained as of Monday night as Creighton seeks a ninth straight sellout.

Special Promotions On Wednesday
As part of this year's Pass The Bucket event, fans are encouraged to wear Abide's "Better Together" blue t-shirts to participate in the "Better Together Blue Out" game when Creighton hosts Providence on Wednesday.
   The first 10,000 fans entering the venue will receive a complimentary 'Better Together Blue Out' t-shirt (gates will open at 6:30 p.m., and t-shirt-distribution locations will be at the venue's main entrance on 10th Street at the top of the escalators, the entrance near the Mutual of Omaha display as well as the upper level bridge entrance).
   Bluejay players will wear Blue and White warm-up shirts for the game and over $30,000 has been raised in the five-year total of Pass the Bucket events for Abide.
   For just a $1 per-person donation, Creighton fans can further Abide's mission to transform the inner city one neighborhood at a time.
   At halftime, the academic achievements of Creighton's student-athletes from the Spring, 2016 and Fall, 2016 semesters will be recognized.

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 on FOX Sports Midwest, which can be found on Cox Cable in Omaha on channel 47 (or 1047 in high definition), as well as many other stations.
   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. 23 Creighton
Creighton is ranked 23rd in this week's Associated Press poll after a 22-5 start to the season that includes wins over No. 9 Wisconsin, No. 12 Butler, No. 16 Butler, No. 22 Xavier, North Carolina State, Ole Miss, Buffalo, Akron, Nebraska, Arizona State, Seton Hall, St. John's, Providence, DePaul and Georgetown.
   Kansas State transfer Marcus Foster (18.6 ppg.) leads the Bluejays in scoring, and is averaging the most points by a Bluejay newcomer since Cyril Baptiste in 1969-70. He's scored 12 points or more in all but two games so far, and has already been named Paradise Jam MVP and a two-time BIG EAST Player of the Week in this young season. Foster scored a career-high 35 points in Sunday's victory over Georgetown.
   Two Omaha products in the starting line-up are also doing big things. Vastly improved Khyri Thomas averages 11.9 points per game, and is second on the team in blocks, assists and rebounding, in addition to being a defensive stopper. Redshirt freshman big man Justin Patton averages 13.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. He's shooting 70.0 percent from the field (third nationally) and has 62 dunks already.

Scouting Providence
Providence is 16-11 on the season and 6-8 in the BIG EAST after consecutive home wins over Butler and Xavier in the last 11 days. The Friars did not play last weekend.
   Rodney Bullock (16.7 ppg., 6.1 rpg.) leads PC in both scoring and rebounding, while former Indiana recruit Emmitt Holt (11.1 ppg., 5.5 rpg.), Jalen Lindsey (10.4 ppg.) and Kyron Cartwright (11.1 ppg., 6.7 apg.) also average in double-figures.
   No other player averages more than 5.2 points per game.
   The Friars average 70.0 points per game and yield 66.2 points per contest.

The Coaches
Greg McDermott (Northern Iowa, 1988) is in his seventh season as head coach at Creighton. He is 163-77 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 443-272 in his 23rd season and is 312-208 in his 16th Division I campaign. McDermott is assisted by Darian DeVries, Steve Lutz and Preston Murphy.
   Ed Cooley (Stonehill, 1994) is 211-147 in his 11th year as a head coach, including a 119-78 mark in his sixth year at Providence. He was previously coach at Fairfield before heading to Friartown. Cooley is assisted by Ivan Thomas, Brian Blaney and Jeff Battle.

The Series With Providence
Providence owns a 12-6 lead in a series that dates back to 1961, including a 4-3 lead in Omaha.
   Providence has won six of the eight meetings since the two became BIG EAST foes, but Creighton picked up a 78-64 road victory in early January.
   Greg McDermott is 2-6 against Providence and Ed Cooley. Cooley is 6-3 against the Bluejays, as his Fairfield team fell on March 22, 2010 in a CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament game that was the last Bluejay game ever played at the Omaha Civic Auditorium.

McDermott Chases 100 Home Wins
Greg McDermott enters Wednesday night with a 99-23 home record as Creighton head coach, one shy of the century mark. All of those home games have come at CenturyLink Center Omaha.
   In Creighton history, only Dana Altman (199-46 at home) and Arthur A. Schabinger (108-30) at home) have previously reached 100 home wins.
   Schabinger coached at Creighton from 1922-35, when Creighton played its games at the Vinardi Center's "Old Gym" on campus.
   Altman was 102-28 at the Omaha Civic Auditorium and 97-18 at CenturyLink Center Omaha as CU head coach. Altman's Oregon team went 1-1 at CenturyLink Center Omaha in the 2015 NCAA Tournament was 0-1 in the 2011 CBI at CenturyLink Center Omaha.

Shooting Stars
Creighton ranks second in the nation in field goal percentage, connecting at a 52.2 percent clip. Only UCLA (53.3 percent) and unbeaten Gonzaga (51.4 percent) are over 51 percent through games of Sunday.
   Creighton is also shooting the ball well in league play, draining 50.8 percent of its attempts. That would rank as the BIG EAST's best league mark since Syracuse (51.3 percent) in 1988-89.

A Special Winter
Creighton men's basketball (22) and Creighton women's basketball (20) each have surpassed 20 wins this season, the 11th time in school history that both teams have 20 or more wins in the same winter (also 1984-85. 1990-91, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14).
   Creighton is one of 12 schools with 20 or more wins in both men's and women's basketball this season, through games of Feb. 19. That elite group includes Baylor, Bucknell, Creighton, Duke, FGCU, Florida State, Gonzaga, Louisville, Maryland, Notre Dame, South Carolina and UCLA.
   The 42 combined wins between the Creighton MBB and WBB programs is tied for 10th in school history for one winter. That record is 53, set during the winters of 2002-03 and 2012-13.
   Additionally, Creighton's .792 combined winning percentage (42-11) ranks as the best combined mark for one winter in program history, narrowly ahead of the .791 mark set in 2002-03 (42-11).

Among The Nation's Best Under McDermott
Below is where Creighton ranks nationally in the since Greg McDermott took over in 2010-11, per Basketball-Reference.com:
2010-11 to Feb. 19, 2017
Category   Stat   NCAA Rank
3FG Percentage   .389   3rd
FG Percentage   .481   4th
3FG Made   2,018   5th
Assists   3,872   6th
FG Made   6,399   14th
Wins   163   T-27th
Winning Percentage   .679   34th

Foster Distributes, Too
Marcus Foster had a season-high six assists in Wednesday's game at Seton Hall, then added five more helpers against Georgetown He has now distributed 27 helpers in his last seven games after dishing just 32 dimes in the first 20 games of the year.
   Against Seton Hall, Foster became the first Bluejay since 2000 to have at least 23 points, six rebounds and six assists in the same game. On that occasion, Ryan Sears had 25 points, eight rebounds and assists at Southern Illinois on January 8, 2000.
   The only other BIG EAST players with a game of at least 23 points, six rebounds and six assists this year have been Xavier's Edmond Sumner and St. John's Shamorie Ponds.
   Foster's game against Georgetown of 35 points, five rebounds and five assists. He's Creighton's first player with a 35/5/5 line since Benoit Benjamin had 45 points, 16 rebounds and five assists vs. Indiana State on January 19, 1985.

Foster Reaches 500
Marcus Foster has scored a team-high 503 points this season after a career-high 35 points on Sunday vs. Georgetown.
   Doug McDermott (581 as a freshman in 2010-11) and Paul Silas (551 in 1961-62 as a sophomore, back when freshmen were ineligible) are the only previous players to score 500 points or more in their first season on the court for Creighton.

Holding Steady Without Watson
Numerous members of the national media were quick to write off Creighton's hopes after losing point guard Maurice Watson Jr. to a season-ending injury in the first half of a win at Xavier on January 16th.
   Since January 15th (the day before the injury), Creighton's 5-4 record is the third-best mark in the BIG EAST Conference, as seen below:
Team   W-L   Road W-L   Home W-L
Butler   6-3   3-1   3-2
Creighton   5-4   3-2   2-2
DePaul   0-9   0-4   0-5
Georgetown   4-5   2-3   2-2
Marquette   4-5   2-3   2-2
Providence   4-4   2-2   2-2
Seton Hall   4-5   1-3   3-2
St. John's   4-4   1-3   3-1
Villanova   9-1   4-1   5-0
Xavier   5-5   2-3   3-2

Sellout Streak Could Reach Nine
As of Monday night, approximately 300 tickets remained for Wednesday's home vs. Providence. The Bluejays have sold out each of their last eight home games.
   The longest home sellout streak in program history is 12, which stretched from Dec. 22, 2013 to Nov. 14, 2014.

3-Ball Returns
Creighton was leading the nation in three-point percentage (45.3 percent) when it took the floor to open BIG EAST play vs. Seton Hall on December 28th.
   Creighton struggled in the first half of BIG EAST play, making just 54-of-180 (30.0 percent) of its attempts in the first nine league games.
   The Bluejays have regained their shooting stroke in the last five games, draining 59-of-117 three-point shots (50.4 percent). That stretch started not long after a dreadful 1-for-18 showing from long-range at Georgetown on January 25th.
   Creighton has made 13 or more trifectas seven times this winter, and 10 or more in 12 contests.
   Here's a look at the three-point shooting statistics of the 11 Bluejays who have attempted a trey in CU's last five games:
Name   3FG-FGA   3FG%
Justin Patton   1-1   1.000
Martin Krampelj   1-1   1.000
Davion Mintz   6-9   .667
Khyri Thomas   10-18   .556
Isaiah Zierden   9-17   .529
Cole Huff   12-23   .522
Toby Hegner   7-14   .500
Tyler Clement   2-4   .500
Marcus Foster   11-28   .393
Jordan Scurry   0-1   .000
Ronnie Harrell Jr.   0-1   .000
Team Totals   59-117   .504

On Pace For History?
Justin Patton has made 70.0 percent of his field goal attempts this season, good enough to lead the BIG EAST and rank third nationally in 2016-17.
   The best season-ending mark in NCAA history, with a minimum of 5 FG/game, is 74.6 percent in 1980-81 by Oregon State's Steve Johnson, while the best mark by a freshman in NCAA history is currently 67.8 percent by Hampton's Michael Freeman (162-239) in 2006-07.
   The top two field goal percentage marks in history by a "major conference" freshman (ACC, BIG EAST, B1G, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC) are 66.5 percent by Arkansas' Sidney Moncrief in 1975-76 and 66.4 percent by Duke's Jahlil Okafor in 2014-15.
   That being said, Patton's marksmanship this season trails two other men (both sophomores) who are also on pace to challenge the NCAA record for field goal percentage, as UNCW's Devontae Cacok is at 78.7 percent and UCF's Tacko Fall not far behind at 73.9 percent this season.
   The chart below lists the top-15 single-season marks for field goal percentage in NCAA history entering 2016-17:
Best FG %, NCAA History
(minimum 5 FG/game)
Rk. Name, School   Year   FG-FGA   Pct.
1.   Steve Johnson, Oregon State   1980-81   235-315   .746
2.   Dwayne Davis, Florida   1988-89   179-248   .722
3.   Evan Bradds, Belmont   2015-16   210-294   .714
4.   Keith Walker, Utica   1984-85   154-216   .713
5.   Steve Johnson, Oregon State   1979-80   211-297   .710
6.   Adam Mark, Belmont   2001-02   150-212   .708
7.   Oliver Miller, Arkansas   1990-91   254-361   .704
8.   Alan Williams, Princeton   1986-87   163-232   .703
9.   Mark McNamara, California   1981-82   231-329   .702
10.   Warren Kidd, Middle Tenn.   1990-91   173-247   .700
11.   Pete Freeman, Akron   1990-91   175-250   .700
12.   Joe Senser, West Chester   1976-77   130-186   .699
13.   Lee Campbell, Missouri St.   1989-90   192-275   .698
14.   Stephen Scheffler, Purdue   1989-90   173-248   .698
15.   Brendan Haywood, N.C.   1999-00   191-274   .697

Double-Double Fun
Justin Patton had 11 points and a season-high 11 rebounds in a Feb. 11th at DePaul, the third double-double of the season for the Omaha native.
   Patton is just the third Creighton freshman since 1988-89 to post a double-double, joining Ronnie Harrell Jr. (1 in 2015-16) and Doug McDermott (9 in 2010-11).
   Patton (1) and McDermott (5) are the only two freshmen in that time to have a double-double in a league game, as well.

Best 26 Game Starts
Now in its 99th season of basketball, Creighton's 22-5 record ranks among the top starts to a year in school history. In fact, this is just the sixth time that Creighton has been 22-5 or better after 27 games.
   Three of those 22-5 starts or better have been in the last six years under Greg McDermott.
   Creighton's 1921-22 team started 22-5 and won its final game to finish 23-5.
   Creighton's 1963-64 team started 22-5, and lost its final two games to finish 22-7.
   Creighton's 2002-03 club started 24-3 before finishing 29-5. That team won its 28th game to improve to 25-3.
   Creighton's 2011-12 squad opened 22-5 before finishing 29-6. That team won its 28th game.
   Creighton's 2013-14 group started 23-4 and finished 27-8. That team lost its 28th game.
   A win on Wednesday would mark just the fifth time in program history that Creighton has won at least 23 of its first 28 games.

Going Streaking
Creighton has two seniors working on some long individual streaks.
   Cole Huff has made at least one three-pointer in each of Creighton's last 12 games, a streak that started Jan. 7 at Providence. He's 22-for-46 (47.8 percent) from downtown during this stretch.
   Isaiah Zierden has made 17 straight free throws, a streak that started on Jan. 4 at St. John's. For the season, Zierden is 25-of-27 (92.6 percent) from the charity stripe.

No Doubting This Thomas
Khyri Thomas has been on quite a roll of late. In the last six games, the sophomore from Omaha has averaged 13.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game, doing all that with a 28/9 assist/turnover ratio.
   Thomas stuffed the stat sheet in Sunday's win over Georgetown, finishing with six points, six rebounds, six assists, three steals and two blocked shots.
   For the season, Thomas leads Creighton in steals and is second on the team in rebounds, assists, and blocks.

Making The Extra Pass
Creighton has adjusted to life without the nation's assist leader by spreading the ball around at an even higher clip.
   In Creighton's first 19 games (with Maurice Watson Jr.), the Bluejays distributed 337 assists on 628 field goals, as 53.7 percent of its baskets were assisted.
   In the eight full games since then, Creighton owns 142 assists on 237 baskets, good for 59.9 percent.
   Creighton is a perfect 8-0 this season, and 15-1 in the past two seasons, in games when assisting on 61 percent of its made field goals.

Jays Ranked In 16th Straight Poll
The Creighton men's basketball team is ranked 23rd in the country in this week's Associated Press poll. That's down from the No. 7 spot that was in the best in program history on Jan. 16th.
   Creighton has now been ranked in all 16 AP polls this year and been ranked 84 weeks in program history, with 56 of those under the direction of seventh-year head coach Greg McDermott.
   Creighton has now been ranked in 16 polls this year, matching the 2012-13 campaign for the program's most weeks as a ranked team in one season.
   The Bluejays are one of three BIG EAST teams in the top-25, as Villanova ranks second, Butler is 22nd.
   Creighton is ranked 23rd in this week's USA Today Coaches Poll. On January 16th, the team was ranked seventh to mark the program's best in that poll, as well.
   Below is a list of the best weekly rankings in the AP poll in program history:
Best Weekly AP Rankings, Creighton History
7th - 1/16/17
8th - 1/9/17
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
10th - 1/2/17

Most Consecutive Weeks in AP Poll, Creighton History
   Weeks   Dates
   17   Feb. 27, 2012 - Feb. 4, 2013
   16   Nov. 11, 2016 - Present
   15   Dec. 14, 2002 - March 20, 2003
   8   Jan. 27, 2014 - March 17, 2014
   5   Feb. 12, 1974 - March 12, 1974
   5   Feb. 4, 1975 - March 4, 1975
   5   Jan. 9, 2012 - Feb. 6, 2012

Most Weeks in AP Poll, Same Season, Creighton History
   Weeks   Season   Final W-L   Postseason
   16   2012-13   28-8   NCAA (1-1)
   16   2016-17   22-5 so far   TBD
   15   2002-03   29-5   NCAA (0-1)
   12   2011-12   29-6   NCAA (1-1)
   11   2013-14   27-8   NCAA (1-1)

20 Wins, Again
Creighton has won 20 or more games in 17 of the last 19 seasons (including 2016-17), a feat that puts the Jays among an exclusive group, nationally.
   Just three schools nationally have had 20 or more wins each of the previous 18 years (entering 2016-17): Duke, Gonzaga and Kansas.
   Kentucky , Florida, Texas and Syracuse have each done it in 17 of the previous 18 seasons (entering 2016-17).
   Along with Arizona, Xavier and Connecticut, Creighton was one of four schools with 20 or more wins in exactly 16 of the previous 18 years (entering 2016-17).
   This is the 28th time in program history that Creighton has won 20 or more games in a season.
   The win also matched Creighton's victory total (20) from all of last season in 35 games.
   Below is a list of the teams with at least 16 seasons (entering 2016-17) of 20 or more wins since 1998-99, with records through games of Feb. 20th.
20+ Wins - Each of Last 18 Seasons (entering 2016-17)
Team   2016-17 W-L   Next Game
Duke   22-5   2/22
Gonzaga   28-0   2/23
Kansas   24-3   2/22

20+ Wins - 17 of Last 18 Seasons (entering 2016-17)
Team   2016-17 W-L   Next Game
Florida   22-5   2/21
Kentucky   22-5   2/21
Syracuse   16-12   2/22
Texas   10-18   2/25

20+ Wins - 16 of Last 18 Seasons (entering 2016-17)
Team   2016-17 W-L   Next Game
Arizona   25-3   2/23
Connecticut   14-12   2/22
Creighton   22-5   2/22
Xavier   18-9   2/22

20 Wins Reached, Again
Creighton picked up its 20th win of the season on Tuesday, Jan. 31, with a victory at Butler.
   It's the second time in program history that Creighton has reached the 20-win milestone before the end of January.
   The 2011-12 team that tied a school-record with 29 victories improved to 20-2 with a win on January 28, 2012.

Clement Honored By CoSIDA
Creighton men's basketball guard Tyler Clement has been named to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District 7 First Team. A junior from Shawnee, Kan., Clement owns a perfect 4.00 GPA in Creighton's Heider College of Business as a Financial Analysis and Marketing major.
   Clement is Creighton's first men's basketball student-athlete to receive Academic All-District acclaim since Anthony Tolliver in 2006-07. Tolliver would go on to earn CoSIDA Academic All-America Second Team honors.
   Clement averages 1.7 points, 1.6 assists and 1.0 rebounds in 9.5 minutes per game.
   Clement is a three-time selection to the BIG EAST All-Academic Team and has also been named to the Creighton Dean's List after all seven semesters that he's been enrolled. Last season Clement was also named to the NABC Honors Court.

Talented Thomas
Best Defensive Player? Most Improved? Most Underrated? There's a lot of titles you could bestow on Khyri Thomas, who continues to fly under the radar as one of Creighton's top players.
   The sophomore from Omaha leads the team in steals and is second on the squad in rebounding, assists and blocked shots.
   Thomas tied a career-high by sinking 4-of-5 three-point shots in Creighton's Jan. 31 win at Butler. Creighton is 15-2 this year, and 24-7 in his career, when he drains a trifecta.
   Since arriving on campus, Thomas has made 42-of-91 (46.2 percent) three-pointers in Creighton wins compared to 13-of-46 (28.3 percent) marksmanship from deep in Bluejay losses.
   Thomas has scored in double-figures in 9-of-14 BIG EAST games this winter after never doing that as a freshman.
   Thomas entered that Butler game 9-for-55 (16.4 percent) in his career against BIG EAST foes from three-point range, compared to 36-of-64 (56.3 percent) shooting from deep in games against all other clubs.

Road Warriors
Creighton is 10-2 away from home this winter (7-2 road, 3-0 neutral), outscoring foes by an average of 10.8 points per game. Creighton's victims in that time include Washington State, North Carolina State, Ole Miss, Nebraska, Arizona State, St. John's, Providence, No. 22 Xavier, No. 16 Butler and DePaul.
   Prior to a Jan. 25 loss at Georgetown, Creighton had last won its first eight games away from home in 1942-43.
   This year also marked the first time that Creighton has won its first five true road games since the 1942-43 club won its first eight.
   Each of Creighton's last 11 NCAA Tournament teams have won 10 or more games away from home, and 10 of those teams had a winning record in true road contests.
   Creighton is shooting 45.0 percent from three-point range in road/neutral games this season while holding foes to 29.9 percent marksmanship from deep. In these games, Creighton's senior class is shooting a combined 53.1 percent (69-130) from three-point territory in those games.

Foster A Naismith Trophy Candidate
Creighton guard Marcus Foster is one of 30 players in consideration for the 2017 Naismith Men's College Player of the Year, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced on Thursday.
   Foster ranks second in the BIG EAST in scoring at 18.6 points per game, which puts him on pace for the highest scoring average by a Bluejay newcomer since 1969-70. He's been a two-time BIG EAST Player of the Week (Nov. 28, Dec. 26), and was also named MVP of the Paradise Jam in November. The Wichita Falls, Texas, native, has scored 12 points or more in 25-of-27 games to date, including a season-high 30 vs. Marquette on Jan. 21. Foster owns 503 points so far at Creighton after scoring 875 points in his first two years at Kansas State.
   Foster has started all 27 games this season for the No. 23 Bluejays, who are off to a 22-5 start. He is one of three BIG EAST players on the list, joining the Villanova duo of Josh Hart and Jalen Brunson.
   The 10 semifinalists will be announced March 1, 2017. Foster is looking to become Creighton's second Naismith Men's College Player of the Year winner in the last four years, as Doug McDermott hauled in the honor following the 2013-14 season.

Foster Up For Jerry West Award
Creighton men's basketball guard Marcus Foster is one of 10 finalists for the 2017 Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
   Named after Hall of Famer and 1959 NCAA Final Four Most Valuable Player Jerry West, the annual honor in its third year recognizes the top shooting guards in Division I men's college basketball.
   The winner of the 2017 Jerry West Award will be presented at the ESPN College Basketball Awards Show live from The Novo by Microsoft in downtown Los Angeles on Friday, April 7, 2017. Broadcast information will be released at a later date.
   Previous winners of the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award include Buddy Hield, Oklahoma (2016) and D'Angelo Russell, Ohio State (2015).

Patton Up For Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award
Creighton's Justin Patton is one of 10 finalists for the 2017 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today.
   Named after Hall of Famer and three-time NCAA Champion Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the annual honor in its third year recognizes the top centers in men's college basketball.
    Patton has burst onto the scene in a big way, leading the team with 6.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocked shots per game, while ranking second with 13.5 points per contest. The electrifying 7-footer ranks third nationally in field goal percentage (.700), including 62 dunks.
   Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played for legendary coach John Wooden at the University of California, Los Angeles from 1966-1969. He is a three-time NCAA Champion who earned numerous accolades including three-time Final Four Most Outstanding Player, three-time National College Player of the Year and three-time Consensus First-Team All-American (1967-1969). Abdul-Jabbar is a six-time NBA Champion and a 1995 inductee of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
   The winner of the 2017 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award will be presented at ESPN's College Basketball Awards, presented by Wendy's, live from The Novo by Microsoft in downtown Los Angeles on Friday, April 7, 2017.
   Previous winners of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award include Jakob Poeltl, Utah (2016) and Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin (2015).

Patton Up For Wayman Tisdale Award
Creighton center Justin Patton has been named to the U.S. Basketball Writers Association's midseason watch list for the Wayman Tisdale Award, given to the National Freshman of the Year.
   Balloting for the USBWA's All-America Team, All-District Teams and the association's individual awards will take place in March.

More Patton, Please
Justin Patton ranks third nationally with 70.0 percent shooting from the field this year.
   Incredibly, the freshman has shot better than 55 percent from the field in every game but one (Xavier) this season.
   Patton's 26 games shooting 50.1 percent or better from the field leads the nation, one more than UNCW's Devontae Cacock (25).
   Patton (26), USC Upstate's Michael Buchanan (23) and UCLA's T.J. Leaf (22) are the only men to exceed 50 percent from the field with at least four field goals made in more than 21 contests this season.

Patton vs. Other Freshman Years
How does Justin Patton's freshman season compare to those of some other notable freshmen post players in recent seasons?
   Quite favorably, if you ask us, through 27 career games:
Through 27 Career Games
Player, Year   PPG   RPG   BPG   APG   FG%
Justin Patton, 2017   13.5   6.3   1.7   1.3   .700
Henry Ellenson, 2016   16.5   10.0   1.6   1.7   .435
Karl-Anthony Towns, 2015   9.2   6.4   2.4   1.1   .545
Myles Turner, 2015   11.3   6.7   2.7   0.6   .470
Jahlil Okafor, 2015   18.4   9.4   1.4   1.4   .665
Joel Embiid, 2014   11.1   7.9   2.6   1.4   .624
Jabari Parker, 2014   19.1   8.8   1.3   1.2   .479
Steven Adams, 2013   7.1   6.4   2.0   0.6   .587
Nerlens Noel*, 2013   10.5   9.5   4.4   1.6   .590
Anthony Davis, 2012   13.9   9.7   4.9   0.9   .655
Tristan Thompson, 2011   12.6   7.2   2.2   1.2   .524
Doug McDermott, 2011   14.3   7.7   0.1   1.1   .503
*Noel got hurt and only played 24 games as a freshman

Patton On The Point Total
Freshman Justin Patton had a streak of 13 straight games in double-figures snapped by Xavier, when the center was held to a season-low seven points.
   Patton's streak of 13 straight double-figure games was the longest by any Bluejay since Doug McDermott closed his career in 2014 with 28 consecutive games of 14 points or more.
   Patton's double-figure scoring streak of 13 was the longest by any Creighton freshman since Rodney Buford's stretch of 17 straight games from Jan. 3 - Feb. 21, 1996.

We're Jamming!
Justin Patton has 62 of CU's 120 dunks this season, with Marcus Foster (22), Khyri Thomas (16), Martin Krampelj (5), Ronnie Harrell Jr. (3), Toby Hegner (2), Zach Hanson (5), Cole Huff (3), Davion Mintz (1) and Kobe Paras (1) accounting for the others. Of Patton's dunks, 29 have been on lobs.
   The 120 dunks are far more than any previous season under Greg McDermott, easily eclipsing the mark of 58 dunks in 35 games last year, and exceeding the 87 dunks in 68 games over the previous two seasons combined.
   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
62   Justin Patton   2016-17
36   Gregory Echenique   2012-13
30   Gregory Echenique   2011-12
24   Gregory Echenique   2010-11
22   Kenny Lawson Jr.   2010-11
22   Marcus Foster   2016-17

Most Creighton Dunks, Career, Since 2010-11
Dunks   Name   Years
90   Gregory Echenique   2010-13
62   Justin Patton   2016-Pres.
38   Will Artino   2011-15
32   Zach Hanson   2013-Pres.
28   Khyri Thomas   2015-Pres.
25   Geoffrey Groselle   2012-16
22   Kenny Lawson Jr.   2010-11
22   Marcus Foster   2016-Pres.
19   Doug McDermott   2010-14

Most Creighton Dunks, Team, Season, Since 2010-11
Dunks   Year   Team W-L
120   2016-17   ? ? ?
58   2015-16   20-15 (NIT)
56   2010-11   23-16 (CBI)
54   2012-13   28-8 (NCAA)
42   2011-12   29-6 (NCAA)
35   2013-14   27-8 (NCAA)
29   2014-15   14-19

Top 25 Success
Creighton has four wins over top-25 teams this season, more than any campaign in program history. Five previous teams had two top-25 victories in the same season.
Most Top-25 Wins, Season
   Wins   Season   Top-25 Victims
   4   2016-17   #9 Wisconsin, #12 Butler,
           #16 Butler, #22 Xavier
   2   1973-74   #6 Marquette, #16 Louisville
   2   2001-02   #15 Florida, #17 Western Kentucky
   2   2006-07   #11 Southern Illinois, #24 Xavier
   2   2013-14   #4 Villanova, #6 Villanova
   2   2015-16   #5 Xavier, #18 Butler

Point Taken
The absence of Maurice Watson Jr. has changed the rotation around a little bit, but Creighton still boasts an offense with multiple weapons.
   Including the Xavier game, when Watson went out in the 14th minute, Creighton has used three other men at point guard over the past seven games. Creighton is 5-4 in those contests.
   Here's how those figures break down since Watson left the game for the final time.
Player   PTS   REB   AST   TO   MIN
Zierden   60   14   8   7   186
Mintz   56   13   20   16   143
Clement   14   14   23   10   122

Over .500, Again
Creighton has been better than .500 at the midway point in league play in 20 of the last 21 seasons, including this year.
   Creighton has also gone 5-4 or better in the second half of league action in 18 of the last 20 seasons.
   Creighton has made the postseason each of the previous 18 times it's been 5-4 or better at the midway point, and missed it the only time they weren't in that span.
   Here's how Creighton's teams have fared in the various halves of the MVC/BIG EAST season since 1995-96.
Year   1st Half   2nd Half
2016-17   6-3   3-2 so far
2015-16   5-4   4-5
2014-15   1-8   3-6
2013-14   8-1   6-3
2012-13   7-2   6-3
2011-12   8-1   6-3
2010-11   5-4   5-4
2009-10   5-4   5-4
2008-09   5-4   9-0
2007-08   5-4   5-4
2006-07   6-3   7-2
2005-06   7-2   5-4
2004-05   5-4   6-3
2003-04   7-2   5-4
2002-03   8-1   7-2
2001-02   8-1   6-3
2000-01   5-4   9-0
1999-00   5-4   6-3
1998-99   6-3   5-4
1997-98   5-4   7-2
1996-97   5-4   5-4
1995-96   4-5   5-4
Total   126-72 (.636)   125-69 (.644)

Quest For 18,000 A Success
Creighton has scored 18,193 points all-time at CenturyLink Center Omaha, surpassing 18,000 points on January 28 vs. DePaul on a Zach Hanson lay-up.
    Creighton has currently outscored the opposition 18,193 to 15,341 at the 14-year old facility in 237 all-time games in the building that count.
    Creighton is 17-1 all-time in games where it moves over any 1,000 point milestone at CenturyLink Center Omaha, as seen below:
Date   Pts-Opp (CLCO Game #)   Who/How vs. Opp.
02/18/04   1,000-787 (14)   Lindeman FG vs. Indiana State
02/05/05   2,000-1,696 (28)   Funk FG vs. Missouri St.
01/18/06   3,000-2,504 (41)   Watts FT vs. Bradley
01/09/07   4,000-3,359 (56)   Tolliver FG vs. Drake
12/17/07   5,000-4,174 (69)   Ka. Korver 3FG vs. Hou. Baptist
11/16/08   6,000-5,048 (82)   Dotzler FG vs. New Mexico
02/11/09   7,000-5,870 (95)   Witter 3FG vs. Bradley
01/16/10   8,000-6,750 (109)   Young FG vs. Wichita State
12/20/10   9,000-7,645 (123)   Wragge FG vs. W. Illinois
03/23/11   10,000-8,500 (136)   Lawson FG vs. UCF
01/21/12   11,000-9,310 (148)   McDermott FG vs. Ind. St.
12/19/12   12,000-10,136 (161)   Echenique FG vs. Tulsa
11/23/13   13,000-10,922 (173)   Artino FG vs. Tulsa
02/23/14   14,000-11,711 (185)   Gibbs FG vs. Seton Hall
01/28/15   15,000-12,612 (198)   Hanson FT vs. St. John's
12/28/15   16,000-13,498 (211)   Huff FG vs. Coppin State
11/15/16   17,000-14,349 (224)   Patton FG vs. #9 Wisconsin
01/28/17   18,000-15,166 (235)   Hanson FG vs. DePaul

Hanson Hurt, But Heals
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, and the senior played five minutes at Georgetown on Jan. 28 in his first action in nearly two months.
   Hanson has made 16-of-24 shots since he returned, contributing 36 points and 13 rebounds in 65 minutes of work.
   A Pierre, S.D., native, Hanson is averaging 6.3 points and 2.4 rebounds per game while shooting 67.3 percent from the field in 10.9 minutes per game.
   Even though he wasn't on the court while injured, Hanson maintained a strong leadership role on the team as he mentored freshmen centers Justin Patton and Martin Krampelj.

Home Run
Since Greg McDermott took over in 2010, Creighton is averaging 79.50 points per home game (9,699 points in 122 home games).
   Since a 92-83 loss to Southern Illinois on Feb. 19, 2000, Creighton had been 127-0 at home (97-0 at CenturyLink Center Omaha) when scoring 78 points or more, and 107-0 at home (80-0 at CenturyLink Center Omaha) when scoring 80 points or more at home dating to that same setback, before a January 21st, 102-94 loss to Marquette. Creighton also lost on Feb. 4 vs. Xavier, 82-80.

BIG EAST > "Football 5" ???
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 non-conference wins over the "Football 5" leagues are the most of any other team in the nation.
   The BIG EAST owns 27 non-conference wins over "Football 5" leagues, second-most of any league in the nation.
   Both figures are through games of February 20.
MBB Non-Conference Wins Over
"Football 5" Leagues, By Team
   6   Creighton
   5   Butler
   5   Gonzaga
   5   UCLA
   5   Kansas
   4   Xavier
   4   Seton Hall
   4   Clemson
   4   Baylor

MBB Wins Over "Football 5" Leagues, By Conference
   31   Atlantic Coast
   27   BIG EAST
   21   Big 12
   18   Southeastern
   17   Big Ten
   12   Pac-12

Mintz Shows His Stuff
Freshman Davion Mintz showed what he was capable of on January 21 vs. Marquette in his first extensive playing time with the regular rotation.
   Mintz came off the bench and established or tied season-highs in virtually every category, including minutes (26), points (17), assists (8), rebounds (3), field goals (4), free throws (7) and blocks (1). Creighton outscored Marquette 69-63 with him on the floor.
   Mintz is one of seven BIG EAST players in the last seven years with a game of at least 17 points and eight assists against Marquette, joining star guards such as Ryan Arcidiacono, Bryce Cotton, Sterling Gibbs, Isaiah Whitehead, Trevon Bluiett and Maurice Watson Jr. Of that group, Mintz was the only one to do it in a reserve role.
   Among Creighton players, Mintz joins Austin Chatman (twice), Grant Gibbs (once), Maurice Watson Jr. (six times) and Antoine Young (once) as the only players with a game of 17 points and eight assists in the seven-year era of Greg McDermott.
   No other Bluejay has had a game of 17 points and eight assists off the bench in the last 35 seasons (going back to 1981-82).

Standard Five
Creighton used the same starting line-up in each of its first 19 games before finally making a change on Jan. 21 (in game 20) when Isaiah Zierden replaced Maurice Watson Jr. in the first five. The starting five changed has again, as Davion Mintz has started for Isaiah Zierden the last six games.
   Last year Creighton used the same starting line-up in each of its first 18 games this season before finally making a change on Jan. 17 (in game 19) when Toby Hegner replaced Cole Huff. The Bluejays ended up using six different combinations a year ago.
   In 2014-15, Creighton used 10 different starting line-up combinations, its most in any season since using 11 pairings in 1994-95.
   Creighton used the same starting five combination for every game in 2011-12, and then again in 2012-13.

Against The BIG EAST
Since joining the BIG EAST in 2014, Creighton is unbeaten at home against St. John's, the only team it can say that for.
   Georgetown remains the only place it hasn't won a visiting game in BIG EAST play, while DePaul is the only school where Creighton has not lost a road game.
Team   CU Home Games   CU Road Games
Butler   3-1   2-2
DePaul   3-1   4-0
Georgetown   3-1   0-4
Marquette   2-2   2-1
Providence   1-2   1-3
Seton Hall   2-2   2-2
St. John's   3-0   2-2
Villanova   1-3   1-2
Xavier   2-2   2-2
Total   20-14   16-18

Watson Out With Torn ACL
Creighton University senior guard Maurice Watson Jr. tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during Creighton's 72-67 win at No. 22 Xavier on Jan. 16, head coach Greg McDermott confirmed the following day.
   Watson was leading the nation with 162 overall assists and 8.5 assists per game at the time of his injury, also leads the nation's active players with 801 career assists. He is ranked ninth in Creighton history with 391 assists. The Philadelphia, Pa., native spent the first two years of his college career at Boston University.
   Watson was a Preseason All-BIG EAST selection and was one of 25 men on the Wooden Award Midseason List, as well as one of 30 men up for the Senior CLASS Award. Sites such as CBSSports.com and NBCSports.com had him among their top-10 in the National Player of the Year standings.
   "We are sorry to learn of the severity of Maurice's injury, but are thankful for his contributions since joining the Bluejay program three years ago," said McDermott. "Our team will regroup, and we have a lot of young men who are capable of stepping up to fill the void in Maurice's absence. Maurice's leadership role on our team will continue to be huge part of our success."
    "I'm going to fight to get back," said Watson. "And my teammates need to keep fighting through the year. The fact that these guys battled through yesterday's game gives me confidence and security that they'll be able to go on and do great things. I intend to finish my college career and have a great impact, even if it's not on the court."
   Watson underwent successful surgery on February 6 in his hometown of Philadelphia.

Paint It Blue
Creighton's offense is known for its proficiency from three-point range, but don't overlook the work done inside the paint, as well.
   Creighton has outscored opponents 1,052-820 in the paint this year, the program's best margin in that category since the school started tracking the stat in 2003-04.
   Only four opponents all year have outscored CU in the paint this season over the course of a game.

Quick Out Of The Gates
Creighton continues to race to the lead in the opening minutes on a regular basis this season.
   In fact, Creighton owned a double-digit lead at some point in each of its first 19 games this year, and all but three games overall (Marquette; at Georgetown; at Seton Hall) this season.
   Below is a list of some of Creighton's runs to start the game this season:
Opponent   Score   Time Left in 1st Half
UMKC   15-2   14:25
#9 Wisconsin   8-0   18:39
Washington State   12-4   17:27
Buffalo   15-6   13:18
Akron   12-3   15:20
Nebraska   14-2   15:17
Longwood   11-2   16:42
Oral Roberts   6-0   19:10
#1 Villanova   19-9   14:30
St. John's   7-0   16:25
Providence   10-0   16:31
#12 Butler   19-9   12:12
Truman State   17-3   13:56
#22 Xavier   11-4   15:16
DePaul   15-2   13:15
Georgetown   11-4   16:34

Follow The Leader
Creighton trailed for just 86:10 of a possible 733:05 minutes before Maurice Watson Jr. suffered his final knee injury (11.8 percent of the time).
   In the 346:55 of court time since then, the Bluejays have trailed for 109:31 (31.6 percent).
   The two Xavier games are the only contests this season in which Creighton has had a lead change in the final three minutes of any game. There was two such lead changes down the stretch in the first Xavier game in Cincinnati, and one more when the teams met again in Omaha three weeks later.

It's Been 100 Years
January 12th marked the 100th anniversary of the first recorded game in Creighton men's basketball history, as Creighton topped Peru State 30-17 on January 12, 1917 in Omaha.
   Creighton went 17-3 in that first season despite never scoring more than 40 points in any game.
   Thomas E. Mills was the coach of that team.
   Omaha's population in 1920 was 191,601, while Creighton has hosted 261,625 fans this season in 15 home games.

Terrific Start
Junior Marcus Foster's 503 points so far are the most by any Bluejay newcomer through 27 games since at least 1979-80. No Bluejay newcomer has finished a season averaging more than Foster's current mark of 18.6 points per game since Cyril Baptiste's 18.9 points per game in 1969-70.
   For comparison, Doug McDermott had 385 points through 27 games and 403 points after the 28th 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, CU Newcomers First 27 Games Since 1995-96
   Pts.   Name, Class   Year   After 28
   503   Marcus Foster, Jr.   2016-17   ? ? ?
   410   Maurice Watson Jr., Jr.   2015-16   424
   392   Rodney Buford, Fr.   1995-96   412
   385   Doug McDermott, Fr.    2010-11   403
   365   Justin Patton, Fr.   2016-17   ? ? ?
   331   P'Allen Stinnett, Fr.   2007-08   340
   297   Doug Swenson, Jr.   1997-98   317
   284   Ryan Sears, Fr.   1997-98   295
   279   Gregory Echenique, So.   2010-11   294
   276   Cole Huff, Jr.   2015-16   288
   273   Brody Deren, So.   2001-02   290

Patton Wins Third Freshman of the Week Honor
Creighton's Justin Patton was named BIG EAST Freshman of the Week for the third time this season on January 9th. This week's recognition comes after the 7-footer led Creighton to a 2-0 week on the road with team-high averages of 22.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game.
   The Omaha native made 20-of-27 shots from the field (74.1%), including his only three-point attempt, and also drained 4-of-7 free throw attempts (57.1%).
    Patton's week started with a season-high 25 points to go with nine rebounds, a season-high four assists, a block and a steal in a road win at St. John's. Patton sank 11-of-14 shot attempts, including five dunks, as Creighton never trailed.
    On Saturday at Providence, Patton delivered 20 points and six rebounds while matching his career-high with three blocked shots. Patton converted 9-of-13 shots from the floor, including three more dunks, and was 2-of-3 at the charity stripe.

Wire-To-Wire Road Wins
Creighton never trailed in its Jan. 4th win at St. John's, throwing a lob to Marcus Foster in the opening seconds en route to a 7-0 lead out of the gates of a 85-72 victory.
   The Bluejays also didn't trail in its 78-64 win at Providence on Saturday, Jan. 7th.
   It was just the second and third times in Creighton's 29 all-time BIG EAST road games that the Bluejays never trailed.
   The first time came on January 20, 2014, in a 96-68 win at No. 4 Villanova. In that contest, Creighton made a three-pointer on its first nine possessions and finished with a league-record 21 trifectas overall.

Three-Point Options
Toby Hegner's fourth and final trey at Arizona State was the 100th trifecta of his career. He now owns 114, and is the fourth active Bluejay with 100 or more three-pointers, joining Marcus Foster (192, with 56 at CU), Isaiah Zierden (165) and Cole Huff (178, with 111 at CU).
   Zierden stands in 10th place in Creighton history with 165 career three-pointers.
   3FG   Name   Years
   371   Kyle Korver   1999-03
   334   Ethan Wragge   2009-14
   274   Doug McDermott   2010-14
   245   Ryan Sears   1997-01
   212   Rodney Buford   1995-99
   206   Jahenns Manigat   2010-14
   200   Nate Funk   2002-07
   185   Matt Roggenburk   1986-90
   177   Duan Cole   1987-92
   165   Isaiah Zierden   2013-17
   147   Booker Woodfox   2007-09

About That 13-0 Start
Creighton started this season 13-0 for the first time since the 1942-43 team started 16-0. Below is a list of Creighton's most successful starts without a loss, all-time:
Best Starts Without A Loss, Creighton History
Start   Year       Final W-L   First Loss
16-0   1942-43   *   16-1   Washington & Jefferson
13-0   2016-17       ? ? ?   #1 Villanova
12-0   2003-04   #   20-9   Northern Iowa
*Reached NCAA Tournament; #Reached NIT
!No postseason tournaments existed yet

#Winning
Creighton reeled off 13 straight wins to start the 2016-17 season. It was Creighton's longest win streak under Greg McDermott, as seen below.
Longest Win Streaks Under Greg McDermott at CU
   W's   Dates   Snapped By
   13   Nov. 11, 2016 - Present   #1 Villanova
   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

Win Streak History
Creighton's 13-0 start was its sixth streak of 13 straight wins or more all-time, and 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. 21, 1925   Schabinger   Didn't exist
   14   Jan. 2 - Feb. 22, 1975   Apke   NCAA
   13   Nov. 11 - Dec. 28, 2016    McDermott   ? ? ?

Scoring In Bunches
Creighton has scored 2,293 points through 27 games, to rank 13th nationally with 84.9 points per contest.
   The 2,293 points are the third-most points than Creighton has ever scored in its first 27 games of any season, as seen below:
Most Points Through 27 Games, Creighton History
   Points   Year   Final W-L (Postseason)
   2,321   1963-64   22-7 (NCAA)
   2,294*   1965-66   14-12
   2,293   2016-17   ? ? ?
*season ended after 26 games

100!
Creighton is 109-38 all-time when ranked in the Associated Press poll, picking up its 100th win as a top-25 team on Dec. 28th when it hosted and beat Seton Hall.
   That includes a 75-26 mark under Greg McDermott when ranked.

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 439 games since the start of 2004-05 campaign that the Bluejays have held an opponent scoreless in the final 6:08 of any game.

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:   3rd (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 25 RPI
According to WarrenNolan.com on Monday morning, Creighton ranked No. 22 nationally in the RPI.
   Villanova was second, Xavier was 13th and Butler 18th, which has helped the BIG EAST to No. 3 in WarrenNolan.com's conference RPI rankings.
   Creighton owns a 4-2 mark against top-25 RPI teams and a 6-3 record against top-50 RPI clubs this season.

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

Omaha's Team
Creighton has started Omaha natives Justin Patton and Khyri Thomas in each of its games so far.
   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 (Cleveland Cavaliers), 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 seventh in NBA history with 2,004 three-pointers and is also seventh in league history with 43.0 percent marksmanship from three-point range (through February 20). 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 10.1 points per game while making 45.0 percent of his three-point attempts this year.
   Tolliver is averaging 7.2 points and 3.8 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 10.2 points per game and shooting 44.5 percent from the field and 37.6 percent from three-point range for fellow Ames High alum Fred Hoiberg. Hoiberg, ironically, is the same man who replaced Greg McDermott as Iowa State's head coach in 2010.

Full House
Creighton is averaging 17,442 fans per home game this season, fifth-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 (2/21)
   Rk.   School   Average   Next Home
   1.   Kentucky   23,359   2/25
   2.   Syracuse   21,776   2/22
   3.   Louisville   20,708   2/26
   4.   North Carolina   17,575   2/22
   5.   Creighton   17,442   2/22
   6.   Wisconsin   17,286   3/2
   7.   Maryland   16,426   2/22
   8.   Kansas   16,409   2/22
   9.   Indiana   16,313   2/25
   10.   North Carolina State   15,813   2/25

Highest Average Attendance, Creighton History
   Avg. Att.   School   Year
   17,896   Creighton   2013-14
   17,442 so far   Creighton   2016-17
   17,155   Creighton   2012-13
   17,048   Creighton   2014-15
   16,665   Creighton   2011-12

Some Loyal Fans
Creighton has surpassed 200,000 home fans for the 12th straight season in 2016-17. The 302,887 home fans last 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 last 14 seasons (including this year).
   Creighton has led its conference in home attendance every year since moving into CenturyLink Center Omaha, which is in 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 775 straight games since a 59-53 loss at Illinois State on Feb. 20, 1993. The streak is the nation's 21st-longest active streak through games of February 20.
   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 (2/20)
   Rk.   Streak   School   Next Game
   1.   1,002   Kentucky   2/21
   2.   1,001   UNLV   2/22
   3.   991   Vanderbilt   2/22
   4.   974   Duke   2/22
   5.   932   Western Kentucky   2/23
   6.   928   Arkansas   2/22
   7.   920   East Tennessee State   2/22
   8.   913   Pacific   2/23
   9.   894   Oakland   2/21
   10.   888   Texas   2/25
   11.   867   Princeton   2/24
   12.   835   La Salle   2/21
       835   Marshall   2/23
   14.   827   Baylor   2/21
   15.   805   LIU-Brooklyn   2/23
   16.   801   Gonzaga   2/23
   17.   797   Cornell   2/24
   18.   785   Mount St. Mary's   2/23
   19.   783   Tennessee State   2/25
   20.   776   East Carolina   2/21
   21.   775   Creighton   2/22

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

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).

Top-20 Crowds
Here's a look at Creighton's top-20 home crowds all-time. The Villanova crowd of 18,831 Dec. 31 was third-most in school history.
      Rank   Att.   Opponent   Date
   1.   18,868   Providence   03/08/14
   2.   18,859   Georgetown   01/25/14
   3.   18,831   #1 Villanova   12/31/16
   4.   18,797   #6 Villanova   02/16/14
   5.   18,742   Seton Hall   02/23/14
   6.   18,735   Wichita State   02/11/12
   7.   18,613   Wichita State   03/02/13
   8.   18,525   Marquette   12/31/13
   9.   18,494   Illinois State   02/09/13
   10.   18,458   Evansville   12/29/12
   11.   18,436   Bradley   01/28/12
   12.   18,323   DePaul   02/07/14
   13.   18,160   Central Arkansas   11/14/14
   14.   18,145   Marquette   01/21/17
   15.   18,111   Bradley   02/02/13
   16.   18,084   Seton Hall   12/28/16
   17.   18,078   Tulsa   11/23/13
   18.   18,073   Drake   01/08/13
   19.   18,032   #12 Butler   01/11/17
   20.   17,971   #19 Butler   02/16/15

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.
   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 60-47 (.561) when shooting 40.00 percent or worse from three-point range. While respectable, that pales in comparison to CU's 79-13 (.859) 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 121-33 in the last six years when shooting 30 percent or better from deep, compared to 18-28 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 142-11 under McDermott when putting together double-digit leads, including wins 130 of the last 137 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 163-77 on the Creighton sideline in his seventh year at the helm. The 163 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.   163-77 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 163 victories at Creighton, good for third place on CU's all-time wins list.
   McDermott's .679 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.   163-77   Greg McDermott    2010-Pres.
4.   138-118   John J. "Red" McManus    1959-69
5.   130-64   Tom Apke   1974-81

CenturyLink Center Omaha Success
Creighton has played 237 regular and postseason contests at CenturyLink Center Omaha all-time in the 14-year-old facility.
   The Bluejays own a 196-41 (.827) 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 18,193-15,341 in games at CenturyLink Center Omaha, an average margin of 12.03 points per game. Creighton has led wire-to-wire 66 different times, including 14 of its last 34 home games.
   Creighton is also 25-24 all-time in the 47 games at CLCO in which it's fallen behind by double-figures at any point, 7-9 when down by 10+ points at halftime at The Link, and 31-22 when trailing at halftime at CenturyLink Center Omaha.
   Creighton is 99-22 (.818) at CenturyLink Center Omaha under Greg McDermott, including a 57-4 record vs. non-conference teams.

On Your Mark, Get Set, Go
Creighton averaged 79.63 points per game in 2015-16, and is scoring 85.00 points per game in 2016-17.
   Greg McDermott is 44-2 as a Division I head coach when his teams score 90 or more points, including a 38-2 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 5, 2016 loss at Xavier by a 98-93 score.
   Creighton is 57-2 all-time when scoring 100 points or more, including 29 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 106-3 when scoring 75 points or more at CenturyLink Center Omaha. In other words, Creighton is 118-3 in CenturyLink Center Omaha since Feb. 6, 2005 when scoring enough points to earn its fans some free pizza. A 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.

Men's Basketball Hosts Providence on Wednesday Night

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Players Mentioned

Tyler Clement

Marcus Foster

Geoffrey Groselle

Zach Hanson

Ronnie Harrell Jr.

Toby Hegner

Cole Huff

Martin Krampelj

Davion Mintz

Kobe Paras

Justin Patton

Jordan Scurry

Khyri Thomas

Maurice Watson Jr.

Isaiah Zierden