ED NOTE: Check out all the WBR coverage of Creighton’s wins against Xavier (here) and Butler (here)
In year’s past, home games against Xavier and Butler would have been the Creighton Bluejays’ best non-conference contests. The consistent success of both programs has the Musketeers and Bulldogs on the college hoops radar year in and year out. Repeated postseason runs on the hardwood helped position both schools — like Creighton — to be swept up by a reconfigured Big East Conference in 2013.
Xavier joined the Atlantic 10 Conference in 1995; the Musketeers won or shared the league championship eight times. They’ve spent the past two decades doing what Creighton hasn’t been able to do repeatedly — win in the NCAA Tournament. Butler, which spent only one season in the A-10, played in consecutive national championships as a member of the Horizon League before joining XU in their league and then ultimately leaving for greener pastures in the Big East.
Doug McDermott’s 35 points led Creighton to a win over Xavier (WBR/Mike Spomer) CLICK TO BUY
The sold-out crowds at the CLink treated the XU and BU games accordingly, fueled by Creighton’s high-powered offense of course. There was a buzz in the arena due in part to the notoriety of both opposing programs. But only a handful of folks in the CenturyLink Center were there to watch Xavier and Butler. Creighton diehards are there in droves, like usual. And casual basketball fans are either in their seats or at home tuned in because these Bluejays are fun to watch.
According to advanced stat guru Ken Pomeroy’s ratings, the Bluejays tout the nation’s best offense. In addition to the quantitative evidence, the two-game sweep of Xavier and Butler offered plenty of qualitative proof. Creighton routinely goes on runs that leaves the CLink in shreds. Led by Doug McDermott, who scored a sensational 63 points in 60 minutes against Xavier and Butler, the Bluejays made 65 of 118 attempts from the field in the two games (55%). The Jays made 14 of 28 shots from behind the arc — way, way behind the arc, actually — against the Musketeers, then followed that up by making 7 of 12 first-half three-pointers against Butler. The Jays shot made just one fewer free throw than Xavier attempted (21 to 22) and made two more than Butler shot from the charity stripe (11 to 9). Plus: neither Xavier (64th in AdjD) nor Butler (Butler 92nd in AdjD) are slouches on defense, really.
Ethan Wragge scorched the Xavier defense with unlimited range (WBR/Mike Spomer) CLICK TO BUY
Defensively, you could say Creighton had a down game against Xavier. Chris Mack’s team posted the best shooting percentages from the floor (49%) and from long range (46%) by a CU opponent all season. Technically, the Jays lost the rebounding to XU (-1), the first time in 9 games that’d happened. And Creighton committed 14 turnovers, just one off their season high.
Still, thanks to ripping some nylon and a raucous crowd, Greg McDermott’s team came away with a 6-point win. The CLink was as loud as I’ve heard it during key stretches of that game. Shortly after halftime, with the Jays up 4, Ethan Wragge hit three consecutive triples #WRAGGEBOMBS to nearly blow the roof off the 10-year-old building.
But the Bluejays rebounded defensively against Butler, in a big way. In a lot of ways, the first half of Tuesday night’s game against the Bulldogs was Creighton’s best all season. The Jays limited BU to just 28% shooting from the field and 29% from deep. Even better, 7 of Butler’s 10 made field goals during the first half came within approximately the first 10 minutes. Then came the crush.
Austin Chatman and the Jays again displayed good defense against Butler (WBR/Adam Streur) CLICK TO BUY
The Bluejays’ final 9:33 of the first half against Butler was a thing of beauty. It started innocently enough, with McDermott getting fouled on a three-pointer and making all three shots. Then, for the next 6 minutes, the Bluejays scored on every possession. Every. Single. One. It was only until Jahenns Manigat missed a three-pointer and Butler secured the defensive rebound that CU’s scoring streak came to an end. But when the buzzer sounded at the end of the half, the Bluejays had mounted a 32-6 run that left their opponents visibly demoralized heading to their locker room.
Seven different Bluejays scored during the run. CU dished 10 assists while committing just 1 turnover. And at the break, McDermott and the entire Butler roster were tied with 24 points apiece. After halftime, the Jays would push the 29-point margin to as high as 34 while opening up some playing time for the Bluejays Bench Mob.
Despite the new league, McDermott continues to shine (WBR/Adam Streur) CLICK TO BUY
And to think this all happened without Grant Gibbs on the court and Dougie Fresh coming off an injured shoulder. One cannot begin to overstate how well McDermott played in the two games. You can look at the stats, but they only tell a bit of the story. Sure, there’s plenty of experienced guys on the court most of the time for Coach Mac. But with Gibbs, the ultimate “glue” guy, on the bench, McDermott was noticeably more vocal on both ends of the court. Gone were the occasional complaints to the officials as he continues to not get the benefit of the doubt when he’s trying to score down low. Instead, McDermott replaced that feedback with a focus that seemed intense even for a guy who almost always looks completely locked in to the game.
Maybe it’s the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel, McDermott with only a handful of games left in Omaha before he takes his talents to New York and then the NCAA Tournament and then the NBA. Maybe he’s in a comfort zone offensively that, while he’s always Creighton’s best player and a repeat All-American, may be new to McDermott. Or maybe he’s getting up for these new opponents, these new challenges, night in and night out just like the Creighton fans who cheer him on.
Whatever it is, I hope it doesn’t stop soon. McDermott and his teammates are treating fans to one of the finest seasons in CU hoops history (again).