There are few guarantees in life. Apparently, one of them is Indiana State losing to Creighton in Omaha. For the fourteenth consecutive time, the Sycamores came up short against the Bluejays at the Civic Auditorium Qwest Center CenturyLink Center. There have been some bad ISU teams during that streak, but this season’s version isn’t one. Greg Lansing has cobbled together a team that looks good on the computers (RPI of 26 after the loss Saturday), shows well on defense, and won’t be pushed over during league play.
Yet, the Bluejays posted another double-digit victory, this time outpacing the Sycamores 52-39 in the second half after entering the break tied at 27. With the win, CU starts Missouri Valley Conference play 3-0 for the first time since the still-frustrating 2003-2004 season, when a Tyler McKinney injury derailed a seemingly likely return trip to the NCAA Tournament. Creighton’s 14-1, poised to move up in both national polls, and boasts one of two top-20 RPIs in the Valley (along with Wichita State). The Bluejays last 14-1 start? Kyle Korver’s magical senior season in 2002-2003.
Three thoughts as I ponder whether this year will be different than that season, with Creighton able to claim an outright league championship — their first since 2000-2001.
Despite great performances from Gregory Echenique and Doug McDermott, the Bluejay backcourt was the difference against Indiana State. Ho hum, yet another 25-point, 9-rebound effort from McDermott. Horrible to think, right? Talk about outstanding expectations: you can bet each of the 17,000-plus CU fans in the CLink Saturday afternoon thoroughly expected the standout junior to post All-American numbers again. And yet he does, even fighting illness and constant double-team defense.
Austin Chatman had another outstanding game against Indiana State (Mike Spomer/WBR)
Echenique, McDermott’s frontcourt partner, is beginning to garner similar expectations. He scored in double-figures for the eighth straight game Saturday, putting 16 points on the Sycamores while pulling down 9 rebounds and swatting 4 shots. He altered numerous other ISU attempts, completely dominating the paint on defense.
I’d argue that the CU guards stood out more against Indiana State than McDermott and Echenique, though. Austin Chatman (13 points, 9 assists, 2 turnovers, 1 steal in 37 minutes) and Grant Gibbs (4 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 turnovers, 1 steal in 35 minutes) facilitated things beautifully for the Jays. They also frustrated ISU’s Jake Odum into a rather pedestrian effort. Gibbs is so controlled, so calm in his orchestration of Creighton’s offense that he serves the perfect complement to Chatman, whose quickness and scoring punch keeps opponents off guard.
Throw in a few three-point makes by Jahenns Manigat and a productive (and career-high) 26 minutes off the bench by Avery Dingman, and Creighton’s backcourt rotation is clear. Will Chatman, Gibbs, Manigat, and Dingman be enough to pace the Jays on a given evening when Echenique and/or McDermott aren’t on their games?
Speaking of the offense, there really isn’t any one way to guard Creighton.
We’ve read quotes about it from opposing coaches after games. We’ve seen it with our own eyes. There isn’t one surefire way to guard Greg McDermott’s Bluejays. Collapse on the post players and CU has plenty of patience and ability to work for decent (and makeable) looks from the perimeter. Play the Jays straight up, and the guards will more times than not put McDermott and Echenique into the proper place to convert a high-percentage shot.
Ethan Wragge hit a few more three-pointers off the bench for the Bluejays (Spomer/WBR)
Quick, name the only two teams in the country to hit 51% of better from the field, 40% or better from three-point range, and 75% or better from the free throw line. Creighton and Indiana. That’s it. You can argue until you’re blue in the face about how the Bluejays’ offense would translate against the type of defense the Hoosiers see nightly in the Big Ten (Creighton is currently tied for the lead in that conference, though, boasting a 2-0 record against Big Ten teams Wisconsin and Nebraska). But that type of matchup may only materialize in March.
The Jays continue to litter the national leader lists in plenty of offensive categories, including three-pointers made (143; 2nd), three-point shooting percentage (43.7%; 2nd), field goal percentage (51.2%, 5th), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.53; 6th), points per possession (1.18; 7th), assists (267; 7th), assists per game (17.8; 9th), points (1,192; 18th), points per game (79.5; 18th), and free throw percentage (75.7%; 20th).
Still, once MVC play begins, familiarity with opponents’ offensive and defensive sets breeds tighter margins for error. The Sycamores knew what Creighton wanted to do, yet could only contain the Jays for 30 minutes. Illinois State succumbed much the same way, as did the Purple Aces in the conference opener.
You can count on Northern Iowa keeping the Jays within their sights. Wichita State, too, due to their athleticism and consistently stout defensive pressure in the backcourt. Dyricus Simms-Edwards could cause Creighton’s guards some problems, but I’d put our frontcourt up against Bradley’s and any other in the Valley as the difference in a close game.
Barring a night when three-pointers aren’t falling and Echenique and McDermott are off the mark or in foul trouble, you’d have to figure that at least one of the two above average aspects of Creighton’s offense will be on track. As long as the defense can keep an opponent from going all Boise State on the Jays (grrrr), there isn’t a concrete reason why Creighton can’t keep their 14-1 start rolling along.
Through three games, the Valley championship is a two-team race. Wichita State survived a close road game Sunday at Bradley, pulling out a 6-point win against the upstart Braves. CU and the Shox are the league’s only 3-0 teams, and both host 0-3 squads in the midweek conference games this week (Drake visits Creighton, while Southern Illinois visits Wichita). The Jays and Shockers should be 4-0 entering the weekend.
Meanwhile this week marks a turning point for potential top-five teams Evansville and Northern Iowa. The Aces are one of four MVC teams entering the week 2-1, while the Panthers salvaged a win at Illinois State Saturday to avoid an 0-3 start to conference play.
Evansville visits Cedar Falls midweek; it is a game UNI needs desperately. The Panthers are at home over the weekend, too, against Bradley. A 2-0 week would pull Northern Iowa even at 3-2; losses in one or both of those games would leave Ben Jacobsen’s team in a tough spot about one-third of the way through league play.
The Aces need a win at the McLeod Center, because their other game this week comes against co-leader Wichita State.