Men's Basketball Heads To New York City For BIG EAST Tournament

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Game #32: Creighton vs. Providence • Thursday, March 9, 2017 • 8:30 p.m. CST
Madison Square Garden (19,979) • New York, N.Y.
Radio: KOZN 1620 AM; www.1620thezone.com
Television: FS1 (Gus Johnson, Bill Raftery, Lisa Byington)
Series History: Providence leads, 13-6
Last Meeting: Providence 68, #23 Creighton 66 on Feb. 22, 2017 in Omaha, Neb.

Next Game
Sixth-seeded Creighton (23-8, 10-8 BIG EAST) opens play at the BIG EAST Tournament, presented by Jeep, when it meets third-seeded Providence (20-11, 10-8 BIG EAST) to close out play in the quarterfinal round on Thursday evening.
   Tip-off at Madison Square Garden (19,979) in New York, N.Y., is set for 8:30 p.m. Central.
   The winner advances to Friday's 8 p.m. semifinal.

Radio Broadcast Information
KOZN (1620 AM) will broadcast all Creighton men's basketball games during the 2016-17 season, while KOOO (101.9 FM) also broadcasted all the home games. The audio is also webcast live at www.1620thezone.com.
   John Bishop and former Bluejay Nick Bahe will call the action.

Television Information
Thursday's game will be televised nationally on FS1, which can be found on Cox Cable in Omaha on channel 78 (or 1078 in high definition).
   Gus Johnson and Bill Raftery will announce, with Lisa Byington serving as sideline reporter.
Video Webcast Information
Live streaming video of Thursday'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 could also be followed by those who have mobile devices with internet capability at www.gocreightonstats.com.

Scouting Creighton
Creighton tied for third in the BIG EAST and is 23-8 overall and 10-8 in league play. The Bluejays own wins over No. 9 Wisconsin, No. 12 Butler, No. 16 Butler, No. 22 Xavier and have been ranked in the top-25 for all but two weeks this season.
   Kansas State transfer Marcus Foster (18.5 ppg.) is second in the BIG EAST in scoring, and is averaging the most points by a Bluejay newcomer since Cyril Baptiste in 1969-70. He's scored 10 points or more in all but two games so far, and has already been named Paradise Jam MVP and a unanimous First Team All-BIG EAST selection.
   Two Omaha products in the starting line-up are also doing big things. BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year Khyri Thomas averages 12.5 points per game, and is second on the team in blocks, assists and rebounding.
   Redshirt freshman big man Justin Patton averages 13.1 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. He's shooting 69.3 percent from the field (second nationally) and has 65 dunks already.

Scouting Providence
Providence is 20-11 on the season and was part of the four-way tie for third place with a 10-8 record in the league standings. PC won at Madison Square Garden last Saturday, extending its win streak to a league-best six in a row.
   Rodney Bullock (16.1 ppg., 6.4 rpg.) leads PC in both scoring and rebounding, while former Indiana recruit Emmitt Holt (12.3 ppg., 5.2 rpg.), Jalen Lindsey (10.6 ppg.) and Kyron Cartwright (11.3 ppg., 6.8 apg.) also average in double-figures.
   No other player averages more than 5.9 points per game.
   The Friars average 70.6 points per game and yield 66.5 points per contest.

The Coaches
Greg McDermott (Northern Iowa, 1988) is in his seventh season as head coach at Creighton. He is 164-80 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 444-275 in his 23rd season and is 313-211 in his 16th Division I campaign. McDermott is assisted by Darian DeVries, Steve Lutz and Preston Murphy.
   Ed Cooley (Stonehill, 1994) is 215-147 in his 11th year as a head coach, including a 123-78 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 13-6 lead in a series that dates back to 1961.
   The teams are 1-1 all-time on neutral floors, with CU winning in Kansas City in 2000, and the Friars returning the favor in the 2014 BIG EAST Tournament final.
   Providence has won seven of the nine meetings since the two became BIG EAST foes, with the road team winning each meeting this winter.
   Greg McDermott is 2-7 against Providence and Ed Cooley. Cooley is 7-3 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.

Previously This Year vs. Providence
Creighton and Providence split two meetings this season, with the road team winning both contests.
   The Bluejays scored the game's first 10 points and posted a wire-to-wire 78-64 win in Friartown on January 7th. Justin Patton led CU with 20 points and six rebounds, adding three blocked shots.
   In the rematch in Omaha on Feb. 22, PC's Kyron Cartwright hit a game-winning three-pointer with 2.2 seconds left to help the Friars to a 68-66 victory. It was Providence's only lead in the last 16 minutes. Marcus Foster led CU with 18 points.

Conference Tournament History
Creighton is 3-3 all-time entering its fourth appearance at the BIG EAST Tournament, where it went 2-1 in 2014 and lost in the finals to Providence in 2014, and went 1-1 in 2015 and fell in the quarterfinals to Georgetown, and lost to Seton Hall in the quarterfinals last season.
   Since joining the BIG EAST, Creighton is 1-0 in the opening round, 1-2 in the quarterfinals, 1-0 in the semifinals and 0-1 in championship games.
   Creighton has won at least one conference tournament game in five of the last six seasons, the only current BIG EAST school that can say that.
   Creighton enjoyed a highly-successful run at the MVC Tournament in the previous three decades.
   Creighton owned a 43-20 all-time record in MVC Tournament play. Creighton's 12 MVC Tournament titles were seven more than any other school, while its 43 wins and .683 winning percentage in league tourney action also remain tops in event history.
   Creighton was 19-12 in the quarterfinals, 12-7 in the semifinals and 12-1 in the championship games as a Valley member. Creighton won the MVC Tournament nine of the last 13 times it won its first game in the event.
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 (entering 2016-17) were Gonzaga (14), Duke (10), Winthrop (9), Creighton (8), Kansas (8) and Kentucky (8).
   Since March of 2002 Creighton owns six tournament titles (all in the MVC), while the other nine schools in the current BIG EAST have won a combined nine league tournament titles. Georgetown (2007 BIG EAST), Providence (2014 BIG EAST), Seton Hall (2016 BIG EAST), Butler (2008, 2010, 2011 Horizon), Villanova (2015 BIG EAST) and Xavier (2002, 2004, 2006 Atlantic-10).

Ring Bearers
Creighton's current coaching staff and players have combined for 15 postseason championship titles.
   Isaiah Zierden won a Missouri Valley Conference Tournament title as a redshirt on Creighton's 2012-13 team. Darian DeVries has been a part of eight conference tournament championship squads as a Bluejay assistant coach, assistant coach Steve Lutz owns two MVC Tournament titles, while Greg McDermott owns three MVC Tourney titles under his belt. Preston Murphy also won the 1999 Atlantic 10 Tournament while a student-athlete at Rhode Island.
   Here's a breakdown of how many conference tournament titles each person has been a part of:
Name      Titles Won Years With A Title
Darian DeVries   8   1999, '00, '02, '03, '05, '07, '12, '13
Greg McDermott   3   2004, 2012, 2013
Steve Lutz   2   2012, 2013
Isaiah Zierden   1   2013#
Preston Murphy   1   1999!
# won a MVC Tourney title as a redshirt at CU
! won a Atlantic-10 title at Rhode Island

Random League Tournament Facts
-Creighton has won its last 11 conference tournament games decided by four points or less.
-Creighton is 9-4 in its last 13 conference tournament games when playing an opponent with a better seed than the Bluejays.
-Creighton is 4-0 all-time in conference tournament play against teams defending a conference tournament title. Seton Hall won last year's tournament title.
-The top two seeds haven't met in a BIG EAST final since 2004.

Famous Moment, Famous Coach, Famous Arena
Madison Square Garden is often referred to as the "World's Most Famous Arena", and a former Creighton coach is involved in what a 2013 Bleacher Report poll named the greatest moment in Madison Square Garden history.
   After missing Game 6 with a severe thigh injury, NBA MVP Willis Reed limped out of the tunnel prior to Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals to raucous applause. He would start and make the New York Knicks' first two baskets. Though he wouldn't score again, the tone was set and he was named Finals MVP.
   Reed would later serve as head coach at Creighton from 1981-85, winning 52 games.

Sixth Seed History
Creighton is the sixth seed in this week's BIG EAST Tournament.
   The No. 6 seed has played a BIG EAST Tournament game decided by nine or less points every season since the end of Divisional seedings in 2003.
   The No. 6 seed is 14-11 at the BIG EAST Tournament in the last 11 years.
   The only No. 6 seed to win the BIG EAST Tournament was Syracuse in 1981, which won the event while playing at home in the Carrier Dome.
   Creighton is 0-4 all-time as a sixth seed, going 0-1 in the 1986, 1992 and 1997 Missouri Valley Conference Tournaments, as well as the 2016 BIG EAST Tournament.
   Nine of the last 11 teams to be the sixth seed in the BIG EAST Tournament would play in the NCAA Tournament, with Marquette in 2013-14 and Creighton in 2015-16 being the only exception.
Year   No. 6 Seeds   BET W-L   NCAA's
2016   Creighton   0-1   --
2015   Xavier   2-1   Sweet 16
2014   Marquette   0-1   --
2013   Notre Dame   2-1   Round of 64
2012   USF   1-1   Round of 32
2011   West Virginia   0-1   Round of 32
2010   Louisville   0-1   Round of 64
2009   Syracuse   3-1   Sweet 16
2008   Marquette   2-1   Round of 64
2007   Marquette   1-1   Round of 64
2006   Pittsburgh   3-1   Round of 64

With A Win...
With a win on Thursday, Creighton would...
- Improve to 24-8, tied for the sixth-most wins in program history for a single-season.
- Improve to 4-3 all-time in BIG EAST Tournament play, including a 2-2 mark in the quarterfinals.
- Advance Creighton into the semifinals of the BIG EAST Tournament for the first time since 2014.
- Improve Creighton to 1-1 all-time against Providence in the BIG EAST Tournament.
- Improve Greg McDermott to 165-80 at Creighton, tying him with Arthur A. Schabinger (165-66 from 1922-35) for second on Creighton's all-time wins list.
- Improve Creighton to 14-0 this season in non-conference games, including a 4-0 mark on neutral floors.

McDermott Could Earn Milestone Win
Greg McDermott currently has 164 victories at Creighton, good for third place on CU's all-time wins list. He's one win shy of tying Arthur A. Schabinger (1922-35) for second place on Creighton's all-time list.
   McDermott's .672 winning percentage is Creighton's best since Schabinger's .714 win rate.
   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.   164-80   Greg McDermott    2010-Pres.
4.   138-118   John J. "Red" McManus    1959-69
5.   130-64   Tom Apke   1974-81

All-Conference Honors Roll In
Creighton had several student-athletes honored by the BIG EAST when league honors were announced a few days ago.
   Junior guard Marcus Foster was a unanimous selection to the All-BIG EAST First Team. He is the program's second man ever named First Team All-BIG EAST, joining Doug McDermott (2013-14). Foster ranked second in the league in scoring and leads the BIG EAST in field goals made.
   Freshman center Justin Patton was named Second Team All-BIG EAST. He was also a unanimous pick on the BIG EAST's All-Freshman Team. Patton leads the league in field goal percentage and also tops Creighton in rebounding and blocked shots. He is the first Bluejay to be named to an All-Freshman Team since McDermott and Jahenns Manigat both were recognized by the MVC in 2010-11.
   Last but not least, sophomore guard Khyri Thomas was recognized as the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year, an award he shared with Villanova's Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges. Thomas ranks among the league leaders in both steals and defensive rebounds, and is also second on the Bluejay team in blocked shots. He is Creighton's second man ever to win a league Defensive Player of the Year honor joining Gregory Echenique's Missouri Valley Conference honor in 2011-12.

Neutral Site Cole Huff Is The Best Cole Huff
No player shines more on neutral floors than Cole Huff, and it's never been on display more than last year's 35 point outburst at Madison Square Garden in the BIG EAST Tournament quarterfinals.
   Since becoming active for Creighton in 2015-16, Huff has played in six games on neutral floors. He's averaged 19.7 points and 6.0 rebounds in those games while shooting 35-for-63 from the floor (.556), 24-of-41 from three-point range (.585) and 24-of-26 at the line (.923).
   Huff was named MVP of the Men Who Speak Up Main Event in November of 2015 in Las Vegas, helping Creighton to a title. He then scored 35 points last year vs. Seton Hall in the BIG EAST Tournament. Earlier this season, Huff averaged 15.0 points and drained 10-of-15 three-pointers as Creighton went 3-0 en route to winning the Paradise Jam in the Virgin Islands.

Jays Are #1 on FS1
All but one of Creighton's games this season have been televised, with Creighton posting a 22-8 mark in those games.
   Put the Blujeays on FS1, as they'll be on Thursday, and CU becomes nearly untouchable.
   Creighton is 10-1 this season on FS1, and 45-22 all-time on the network.

Previous All-Tourney Picks
This week marks Creighton's fourth trip to the BIG EAST Tournament.
   In the previous three trips, the only men to earn All-Tournament Team honors has been Doug McDermott and Austin Chatman, who helped take CU to the finals in 2014.
   McDermott scored 94 points in those three games, making 34-of-63 shots from the field, 14-of-28 three-point shots and 12-of-14 attempts from the line. He set a BIG EAST Tournament record for points in a half when he scored 27 in the first half vs. DePaul.
   Chatman averaged 8.7 points, 6.7 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game while directing the Bluejay offense. He made 9-of-16 shots from the floor.

The Dunking Slovenian
Martin Krampelj has provided a nice lift off the bench in Creighton's last two games, posting identical lines of eight points and five rebounds while playing a total of 20 minutes in that span.
   Krampelj has six dunks in that span, including three tip dunks against St. John's.
   For the season, Krampelj owns 11 dunks on 30 made field goals.

23 Wins Entering The League Tourney
Creighton enters the BIG EAST Tournament with a 23-8 record. In 99 seasons of Bluejay Basketball, this is the 14th team to earn 23 or more wins. This is just the eighth team to reach 23+ wins before the league tourney.
   A victory on Thursday would be Creighton's 24th of the season, tied for sixth-most in program history for one campaign.
   Since the start of postseason play,
Most Creighton MBB Wins, Season
       Pre   Pre-Post   Postseason
Year   Final W-L   Tourney   Season   Tournament
2002-03   29-5   26-4   29-4   NCAA
2011-12   29-6   25-5   28-5   NCAA
2012-13   28-8   24-7   27-7   NCAA
2008-09   27-8   25-6   26-7   NIT
2013-14   27-8   24-6   26-7   NCAA
1990-91   24-8   20-7   23-7   NCAA
2000-01   24-8   23-6   24-7   NCAA
1921-22   23-5   23-5   23-5   didn't exist
1973-74   23-7   21-7   21-7   NCAA
2016-17   23-8 so far   23-8   TBD   TBD
2001-02   23-9   19-8   22-8   NCAA
1999-00   23-10   20-9   23-9   NCAA
2004-05   23-11   20-10   23-10   NCAA
2010-11   23-16   18-14   19-15   CBI

Foster Reaches 500
Marcus Foster has scored a team-high 574 points this season, including a career-high 35 points on Feb. 19 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) had been the only previous players to score 500 points or more in their first season on the court for Creighton.
   Foster can tie McDermott with seven points and pass him with eight or more points on Thursday. Foster owns seven or more points in all 31 games to date this season.

Non-Conference Unbeatens
Only six teams in the country went unbeaten in non-conference play this year. That list includes Creighton (13-0), Villanova (13-0), Baylor (13-0), Gonzaga (12-0), UCLA (13-0) and USC (13-0).

Record Watch
Creighton is chasing numerous records this season, many of which can be found on pages 46-48 of this notes packet. Among those that may be within reach...
   Marcus Foster set a CenturyLink Center Omaha record with 109 three-pointers attempted in a season, three more than the previous mark shared by Booker Woodfox and Doug McDermott.
   Justin Patton has made 69.3 percent of his overall field goal attempts , trailing only Geoffrey Groselle's .702 (146-208) in 2015-16, among CU players with 200 or more attempts in a single-season.
   Cole Huff has made 46.9 percent of his three-point attempts this season. That ranks eighth-best in school history, but is still within reach of Doug McDermott's 49.0 percent in 2012-13.

A Special Winter
Creighton men's basketball (23) and Creighton women's basketball (23 through Sunday) 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). This is the fourth time that both teams have won 23 games or more (also 2001-02, 2002-03, 2012-13).
   Creighton was one of 11 schools with 23 or more wins in both men's and women's basketball this season, through games of March 5. That elite group includes Baylor, Bucknell, Creighton, Duke, FGCU, Florida State, Gonzaga, Louisville, Maryland, Notre Dame and UCLA.
   The 46 combined wins (through Sunday) between the Creighton MBB and WBB programs is tied for the seventh-most in school history for one winter. That record is 53, set during the winters of 2002-03 and 2012-13.
   Additionally, Creighton's .767 combined winning percentage (46-14) ranks as the third-best combined mark for one winter in program history, trailing only the .791 mark set in 2002-03 (42-11) and the .768 mark set in 2012-13 (53-16).
   Each of the previous three times that both Creighton MBB and WBB had 23+ wins in the same season, Creighton won the league tournament in men's basketball that season.

Senior Success
Creighton honored three senior players following its Feb. 28 game vs. St. John's, as Zach Hanson, Cole Huff and Isaiah Zierden were recognized. Hanson is in his fourth year with the program, Huff in his third, and Zierden his fifth campaign.
   During the past five years, Creighton has gone 112-58. The team has been to the NCAA Tournament two times, winning a game each trip, in addition to last year's run to the NIT quarterfinals. The 112 victories trail only Villanova among current BIG EAST schools.
   Creighton is 5-0 with five double-digit victories against in-state rival Nebraska since Zierden arrived on campus and 6-3 in conference tournament play. The trio have combined for 1,945 points, 775 rebounds and 204 assists in a collective 281 games and 106 starts in a Bluejay uniform.

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

Foster Chases BIG EAST Scoring Lead
Creighton guard Marcus Foster has scored in double-figures each of the last 14 games and ranks second in the BIG EAST Conference with 18.5 points per game.
   That puts him just behind Villanova's Josh Hart (18.7 ppg.) and just ahead of Georgetown's Rodney Pryor (18.1 ppg.) in the race for the league lead.
   In conference-only action, Foster's 18.0 ppg. ranked second, trailing only Hart (18.2 ppg.) by three points over the course of 18 games.
   Should Foster finish on top of the ledger, it'd be the fourth time in the last six seasons that a Creighton player has led his league in points per game (all games), as Doug McDermott did so in 2011-12 (MVC), 2012-13 (MVC) and 2013-14 (BIG EAST).

McDermott Earns 100th Home Win
Creighton's Feb. 28 win over St. John's marked Greg McDermott's 100th home victory at Creighton, as he moved to 100-24. 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) had 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.

Road Warriors
Creighton is 10-4 away from home this winter (7-4 road, 3-0 neutral), outscoring foes by an average of 7.5 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 43.2 percent from three-point range in road/neutral games this season while holding foes to 31.2 percent marksmanship from deep. In these games, Creighton's senior class is shooting a combined 51.0 percent (74-145) from three-point territory in those games.

Going Streaking, Part 1
Isaiah Zierden has made 23 straight free throws, a streak that started on Jan. 4 at St. John's. For the season, Zierden is 31-of-33 (93.9 percent) from the charity stripe overall on the year, and a career 87.0 (134-154) percent shooter at the line.
   Below is a list of Creighton's longest streaks on record for consecutive free throws made:
Consecutive Free Throws Made, Since 1980
   FT   Name   Dates of Streak
   45   Doug McDermott   Dec. 1, 2013 - Jan. 4, 2014
   36   Booker Woodfox   Dec. 6, 2008-Jan. 6, 2009
   35   Bob Portman   1967-68
   32   Michael Lindeman   Jan. 23-Nov. 29, 2003
   28   Kyle Korver   Jan. 27-March 15, 2001
   28   Doug McDermott   March 10 - Nov. 8, 2013
   27   Matt West   Nov. 27, 1999-Jan. 15, 2000
   27   Kyle Korver   Jan. 29-Nov. 20, 2000
   27   Nate Funk   Dec. 30, 2006-Jan. 12, 2007
   24   Rick Apke   Jan. 22-Feb. 5, 1977
   24   Rod Mason   Jan. 28-Feb. 4, 1988
   24   Kyle Korver   Mar. 15-Dec. 4, 2001
   24   Ethan Wragge   Feb. 3, 2010 - Feb. 1, 2012
   23   Jahenns Manigat   Feb. 9, 2013 - Jan. 7, 2014
   23   Isaiah Zierden   Jan. 7, 2017 - Present
   22   Matt Petty   Jan. 4-Feb. 4, 1993
   22   Ryan Sears   Feb. 22-Nov. 22, 1999
   22   Nate Funk   Feb. 26-Mar. 17, 2005
   22   Cavel Witter   Nov. 9-Dec. 5, 2007

Going Streaking, Part 2
Marcus Foster has scored at least 10 points in each of his last 14 games. Other players in the BIG EAST with double-figure scoring streaks of 12 or longer include Villanova's Josh Hart (36), Georgetown's Rodney Pryor (15) and Seton Hall's Angel Delgado (12).

Shooting Stars
Creighton ranks third in the nation in field goal percentage, connecting at a 51.2 percent clip. Only UCLA (52.6 percent) and Gonzaga (51.7 percent) were also over 51 percent through Sunday, March 5.
   Creighton also shot the ball well in league play, draining BIG EAST best 49.4 percent of its attempts, the best mark in league play since Creighton shot 49.9 percent in 2013-14, and the best mark by a non-Creighton team since Georgetown (.505) in 2006-07.

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 March 5, 2017
Category   Stat   NCAA Rank
3FG Percentage   .388   4th
FG Percentage   .481   4th
3FG Made   2,049   5th
Assists   3,942   6th
FG Made   6,510   12th
Wins   164   28th
Winning Percentage   .672   38th

Foster Distributes, Too
Marcus Foster had a season-high eight assists in the Feb. 25 game at Villanova. He has now distributed 41 helpers in his last 11 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.

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 seven games, draining 90-of-207 three-point shots (43.5 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 13 contests.

Patton Chasing History
Justin Patton has made 69.3 percent of his field goal attempts this season, good enough to lead the BIG EAST and rank second 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, Big Ten, 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 one other man who is also on pace to challenge the NCAA record for field goal percentage, as UNCW sophomore Devontae Cacok is at 79.4 percent this season.
   The chart below lists the top-25 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. Carolina   1999-00   191-274   .697
16.   Kenny George, UNC Asheville   2007-08   151-217   .696
17.   Mike Atkinson, Long Beach St.   1993-94   141-203   .695
18.   Taylor Smith, Stephen F. Austin   2012-13   211-304   .694
19.   Ricardo Ratliffe, Missouri   2011-12   210-303   .693
20.   Lester James, St. Francis NY   1990-91   149-215   .693
21.   Michael Bradley, Villanova   2000-01   254-367   .692
22.   Murray Brown, Florida State   1978-79   237-343   .691
23.   Evan Bradds, Belmont   2014-15   185-269   .688
24.   Joe Senser, West Chester   1977-78   135-197   .685
25.   Charles Outlaw, Houston   1991-92   156-228   .684

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.

No Doubting This Thomas
Khyri Thomas has been on quite a roll of late. In the last 10 games, the sophomore from Omaha has averaged 14.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game, doing all that with a 47/24 assist/turnover ratio.
   For the season, Thomas leads Creighton in steals and is second on the team in rebounds, assists, and blocks.

Jays Were Ranked In 16th Straight Polls
The Creighton men's basketball team fell out of the top-25 for the first time all season when the Feb. 27 poll was released.
   That snapped a 16-week stretch of rankings that had been one shy of the school-record.
   The 16 weeks the Bluejays have been ranked this year tie a school-record for one season, first done in 2012-13.
   Earlier this year on Jan. 16 Creighton was ranked as high as seventh in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches poll
   Creighton has now been ranked in 84 weeks in program history, with 56 of those under the direction of seventh-year head coach Greg McDermott.
   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 - Feb. 20, 2017
   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   23-8 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 March 5th.
20+ Wins - Each of Last 18 Seasons (entering 2016-17)
Team   2016-17 W-L   Next Game
Gonzaga   30-1   3/6
Kansas   28-3   3/9
Duke   23-8   3/8

20+ Wins - 17 of Last 18 Seasons (entering 2016-17)
Team   2016-17 W-L   Next Game
Kentucky   26-5   3/10
Florida   24-7   3/10
Syracuse   18-13   3/8
Texas   10-21   3/8

20+ Wins - 16 of Last 18 Seasons (entering 2016-17)
Team   2016-17 W-L   Next Game
Arizona   27-4   3/9
Creighton   23-8   3/9
Xavier   19-12   3/8
Connecticut   14-16   3/9

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 1.5 points, 1.4 assists and 1.0 rebounds in 8.8 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 the BIG EAST'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 15-3 this year, and 24-8 in his career, when he drains a trifecta.
   Since arriving on campus, Thomas has made 43-of-94 (45.7 percent) three-pointers in Creighton wins compared to 20-of-64 (31.3 percent) marksmanship from deep in Bluejay losses.
   Thomas scored in double-figures in 13-of-18 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.

Foster A Naismith Trophy Candidate
Creighton guard Marcus Foster was one of the final 30 players in consideration for the 2017 Naismith Men's College Player of the Year, though he did not advance to the final 10.
   Foster is second in the BIG EAST in scoring at 18.5 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 28-of-30 games to date, including a season-high 30 vs. Marquette on Jan. 21. Foster owns 574 points so far at Creighton after scoring 875 points in his first two years at Kansas State.
   Foster has started all 31 games this season for the Bluejays, who are off to a 23-8 start. He is one of three BIG EAST players on the list, joining the Villanova duo of Josh Hart and Jalen Brunson.
   Foster had been 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 1.5 blocked shots per game, while ranking second with 13.1 points per contest. The electrifying 7-footer ranks second nationally in field goal percentage (.692), including 63 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 second nationally with 69.3 percent shooting from the field this year.
   Incredibly, the freshman has shot better than 54 percent from the field in every game but one (Xavier) this season.
   Patton's 30 games shooting 50.1 percent or better from the field leads the nation, one more than UNCW's Devontae Cacock (29).
   Patton (29), UCLA's TJ Leaf (24), Akron's Isaiah Johnson and USC Upstate's Michael Buchanan (24) are the only men to exceed 50 percent from the field with at least four field goals made in more than 23 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 31 career games:
Through 31 Career Games
Player, Year   PPG   RPG   BPG   APG   FG%
Justin Patton, 2017   13.1   6.3   1.5   1.3   .693
Henry Ellenson, 2016   16.8   9.8   1.5   1.8   .444
Karl-Anthony Towns, 2015   9.7   6.6   2.4   1.2   .558
Myles Turner, 2015   10.8   6.6   2.8   0.6   .459
Jahlil Okafor, 2015   17.4   9.0   1.4   1.5   .667
Joel Embiid#, 2014   11.2   8.1   2.6   1.4   .626
Jabari Parker, 2014   19.2   9.0   1.4   1.3   .487
Steven Adams, 2013   7.0   6.2   2.0   0.6   .565
Nerlens Noel*, 2013   10.5   9.5   4.4   1.6   .590
Anthony Davis, 2012   14.4   9.8   4.7   0.8   .663
Tristan Thompson, 2011   13.5   7.7   2.3   1.3   .540
Doug McDermott, 2011   14.3   7.6   0.1   1.1   .509
*Noel got hurt and only played 24 games as a freshman
#Embiid got hurt and only played 28 games as a freshman

We're Jamming!
Justin Patton has 65 of CU's 134 dunks this season, with Marcus Foster (23), Khyri Thomas (19), Martin Krampelj (11), Zach Hanson (6), Ronnie Harrell Jr. (3), Toby Hegner (2), Cole Huff (3), Davion Mintz (1) and Kobe Paras (1) accounting for the others. Of Patton's dunks, 30 have been on lobs.
   The 134 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
65   Justin Patton   2016-17
36   Gregory Echenique   2012-13
30   Gregory Echenique   2011-12
24   Gregory Echenique   2010-11
23   Marcus Foster   2016-17
22   Kenny Lawson Jr.   2010-11

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

Most Creighton Dunks, Team, Season, Since 2010-11
Dunks   Year   Team W-L
134   2016-17   23-8 so far
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

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 21 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   4-5
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)   126-72 (.636)

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 27-of-43 shots since he's returned, contributing 60 points and 22 rebounds in 110 minutes of work.
   A Pierre, S.D., native, Hanson is averaging 6.3 points and 2.4 rebounds per game while shooting 64.7 percent from the field in 11.0 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 79.41 points per home game (9,847 points in 124 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 March 4th:
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).

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 1,186-940 in the paint this year, the program's best margin in that category since the school started tracking the stat in 2003-04.
   Only five 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 five games overall (Marquette; at Georgetown; at Seton Hall, at Villanova, at Marquette) 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
St. John's   11-0   15:35

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 296,013 fans this season in 17 home games.

Three-Point Options
Toby Hegner's fourth and final trey at Arizona State was the 100th trifecta of his career. He now owns 118, and is the fourth active Bluejay with 100 or more three-pointers, joining Marcus Foster (204, with 66 at CU), Isaiah Zierden (168) and Cole Huff (183, with 116 at CU).
   Zierden stands in 10th place in Creighton history with 167 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
   168   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   ? ? ?

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

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 all but one of its games so far, as Patton came off the bench on Senior Day when Zach Hanson got the start.
   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 (Oklahoma City Thunder) are all in the league.
   Including 2016-17, Creighton has now had an NBA player in 33 of the last 34 years.
   Korver ranks fifth in NBA history with 2,026 three-pointers and is also seventh in league history with 43.1 percent marksmanship from three-point range (through March 5th). 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 10.3 points per game while making 45.4 percent (first in the NBA) of his three-point attempts this year.
   Tolliver is averaging 7.0 points and 4.0 rebounds per game this season for the Kings, his 11th NBA organization.
   McDermott was traded by the Chicago Bulls to Oklahoma City in late February. He is averaging 9.9 points per game and shooting 43.5 percent from the field and 35.9 percent from three-point range.

Full House
Creighton is averaging 17,413 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 (3/6)
   Rk.   School   Average   Next Home
   1.   Kentucky   23,462   TBD
   2.   Syracuse   22,682   TBD
   3.   Louisville   20,846   TBD
   4.   North Carolina   18,067   TBD
   5.   Creighton   17,413   TBD
   6.   Wisconsin   17,286   TBD
   7.   Maryland   16,628   TBD
   8.   Kansas   16,395   TBD
   9.   Indiana   16,364   TBD
   10.   North Carolina State   15,907   TBD

Highest Average Attendance, Creighton History
   Avg. Att.   School   Year
   17,896   Creighton   2013-14
   17,413   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, and its 296,013 fans rank fourth-most in program history. 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.   2016-17   17   296,013   17,413
5.   2012-13   17   291,643   17,155

Release, Rotation, Splash, Repeat
Creighton has made at least one three-pointer in 779 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 March 5th.
   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 (3/5)
   Rk.   Streak   School   Next Game
   1.   1,006   Kentucky   3/10
   2.   1,005   UNLV   3/8
   3.   995   Vanderbilt   3/9
   4.   978   Duke   3/8
   5.   936   Western Kentucky   TBD
   6.   932   Arkansas   3/10
   7.   925   East Tennessee State   3/6
   8.   917   Pacific   TBD
   9.   898   Oakland   TBD
   10.   891   Texas   3/8
   11.   871   Princeton   3/11
   12.   839   La Salle   3/9
       839   Marshall   3/8
   14.   831   Baylor   3/9
   15.   808   LIU-Brooklyn   TBD
   16.   804   Gonzaga   3/6
   17.   801   Cornell   Done
   18.   789   Mount St. Mary's   3/7
   19.   785   Tennessee State   TBD
   20.   780   East Carolina   3/9
   21.   779   Creighton   3/9

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 9.0 ppg.

Très Bien
Since 2011-12, Creighton is 61-49 (.554) when shooting 40.00 percent or worse from three-point range. While respectable, that pales in comparison to CU's 79-14 (.849) 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 122-35 in the last six years when shooting 30 percent or better from deep, compared to 18-29 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 143-12 under McDermott when putting together double-digit leads, including wins 131 of the last 139 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 7-7 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.)   L 53-52   G. Diaz FT   :2.6
01/20/07   Southern Illinois   L 58-57   B. Mullins FG   :4.1
01/10/15   #19 Seton Hall   L 68-67   S. Gibbs 3FG   :2.2
02/16/15   #19 Butler   L 58-56   R. Jones FG   :1.9
03/07/15   Xavier   L 74-73   D. Davis FT's   :6.3
01/12/16   #12 Providence   L 50-48   K. Dunn FG   :0.0
02/22/17   Providence   L 68-66   K. Cartwright 3FG   :2.4

What A Start!
Greg McDermott is 164-80 on the Creighton sideline in his seventh year at the helm. The 164 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.   164-80 so far
Tom Apke   1974-80   130-64
Dana Altman   1994-00   123-86
Red McManus   1959-65   105-75

CenturyLink Center Omaha Success
Creighton has played 239 regular and postseason contests at CenturyLink Center Omaha all-time in the 14-year-old facility.
   The Bluejays own a 197-42 (.824) 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 18,341-15,477 in games at CenturyLink Center Omaha, an average margin of 11.98 points per game. Creighton has led wire-to-wire 67 different times, including 15 of its last 36 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 100-24 (.806) 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 83.45 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.

Men's Basketball Heads To New York City For BIG EAST Tournament

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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

Khyri Thomas

Maurice Watson Jr.

Isaiah Zierden