[dropcap]Friday[/dropcap] night, Creighton fans starved for basketball have an opportunity to quench their thirst at Bluejay Madness, the annual tipoff event at Sokol Arena featuring scrimmages, three-point shootouts, and more. As it was in 2011, it’s preceded by a volleyball match — the Jays take on St. John’s in a pivotal Big East clash.
Coach Booth’s squad begins the longest homestand in program history when they open a five-match stretch at home tonight at 6:00pm. At 13-7 and 6-1 in the Big East, the Jays need a win over the middling Johnnies (3-4 in the league, 14-8 overall) to keep pace with Seton Hall, who is undefeated at 7-0 in the league. Sunday, winless Providence comes to town, followed by Marquette next Friday, DePaul on Sunday, and Georgetown the following Saturday. Their next road game doesn’t come until November 7 at Xavier.
After what is hopefully a win for the volleyball team, there will a 30-minute break to convert the arena to its’ basketball setup, and the Madness will begin around 8:00pm. Doors open at 5:00pm if you have a volleyball ticket, and fans attending the volleyball match get to stick around for hoops so the best way to ensure a good seat for the basketball action is to come early and support the volleyball team. Otherwise, the doors will open to the public at 6:45, and whatever seats are left will be general admission.
Here’s the schedule, courtesy of Rob Anderson:
- 5:00pm | Sokol Arena opens (VB ticket required)
- 6:00pm | Volleyball vs St. John’s
- 6:45pm | Sokol Arena open to all
- 8:00pm (or so) | Bluejay Madness
There will be a free video webcast of Bluejay Madness using the arena’s HD webcast setup, so Jays fans around the country can join in the fun. Here’s what to look for tonight:
Three-point shootout: A year ago, the team of James Milliken/Lauren Works won the shootout over Doug McDermott/MC McGrory. The bizarre final initially had Milliken/Works initially winning, but a scoring malfunction led to a shoot-off. McGrory and Works both missed their first attempts, and after McGrory missed her second, Works connected to (belatedly) give her and Milliken the crown.
Those two are back to defend their title, and McGrory is matched up with newcomer Cole Huff. Here’s the rest of the field:
Isaiah Zierden and Sammy Jensen: Zierden shot 32% (16-49) from three-point range a year ago, while Jensen was a 28.4% shooter (27-95) from long range. At the 2013 event, they combined to make 13 threes in the shootout, just missing the cut and were eliminated in the first round. The duo fared much better in 2012, making 19 threes in the first round, 17 in the semifinals, and 18 in the final round to win the shootout.
Avery Dingman and Taylor Johnson: Dingman struggled from deep last year, making 25% (11-43), while Johnson is coming off ACL tears in each of the past two seasons and hasn’t played since 2011-12. Her freshman year, she was third on the team with 32 three-pointers, and competed in the shootout with Ethan Wragge but didn’t advance. Dingman shot with McKenzie Fujan last year and finished near the bottom with just eight 3’s, and in 2012, he shot with Tessa Leytem and also failed to advance with just 12 three’s.
Ronnie Harrell and Myah Mellman: A pair of newcomers are teamed up as freshmen Ronnie Harrell and Myah Mellman compete together in the shootout. Mellman is a sharpshooter who made 49% (53-108) from three-point range as a high school sophomore, 47% (45-95) as a junior and 39% (55-140) as a senior. Harrell is also a solid shooter, making 40% during three varsity campaigns (154-389).
Toby Hegner and Tessa Leytem: Jays fans got a taste of Hegner’s abilities when he scored nine points in last year’s exhibition game, including a pretty three-pointer from the corner. He’s paired up with junior Tessa Leytem, who combined with Dingman to make 12 threes a year ago in the contest.
Cole Huff and MC McGrory: A year ago, McGrory was teamed with Doug McDermott in this contest, and advanced all the way to the final on the strength of 16 threes in the first round and 18 in the semifinals, then lost in a playoff after making 19 in the final to tie James Milliken/Lauren Works’ effort. Huff played for Nevada a year ago, making 40% from three-point range (56-139).
Devin Brooks and Sydney Lamberty: Brooks and Lamberty are newcomers to the three-point contest. Brooks made just 9-32 (28%) from deep a year ago, but has reportedly improved his shooting stroke over the summer. Meanwhile, Lamberty is a proficient scorer, though not necessarily from long range. This is an interesting duo to keep an eye on.
Rick Kreklow and Marissa Janning: Fifth-year senior (and newcomer) Rick Kreklow is a career 31% shooter from three-point range, but he’s paired with one of the best scorers in Creighton women’s hoops history in Janning so this could be a darkhorse pick to win it. Janning made 35% (80-228) a year ago, and paired with Jahenns Manigat in the contest each of the past two years, had varying levels of success. In 2012, the duo combined for nine 3’s and were eliminated in the first round; last year, they combined for 21 three’s in the first round, and 16 in the semifinals to barely miss the finals.
James Milliken and Lauren Works: The defending champs, Milliken and Works made 14 threes in the first round a year ago, 18 in the semifinals, and 19 in the finals. Here’s how we described the bizarre final round a year ago:
The semifinals resulted in a tie, as McDermott/McGrory and Milliken/Works both ended with 18 points. Then, thanks to Fox’s “Big East Tipoff Party” conducting a live interview with the McDermott’s, there was a long delay between the semifinals and the finals. Luckily, James Milliken was able to entertain the crowd by showing off his dancing skills. A bizarre final round had Milliken/Works initially winning, but a scoring malfunction led to a shoot-off. McGrory and Works both missed their first attempts, but after McGrory missed her second, Works connected to (belatedly) give her and Milliken the crown.
Who wins this year? My guess is Milliken and Works defend their title, with Zierden/Jensen in second.
White and Blue Scrimmage: As in past years, both the men and women will play 15-minute scrimmages. In previous years, the “White” team has consisted mostly of the starting five, and the “Blue” team has been the second unit, though that’s not always 100% true, and it definitely won’t be tonight with Austin Chatman still rehabbing his knee injury.
It’s always fun to get a look at the returning players and see a glimpse into how they’ve improved their bodies over the offseason — it’s usually hard to get a read on improvements to their games — though last year McDermott had a driving dunk in the scrimmage that was unlike anything he’d done his first three years, and was a preview of what was to come, so it’s not unheard of.
To that end, Avery Dingman has reportedly shot the ball much better in practice than he did a year ago, particularly from three-point range, and we’ll have a chance to see that in action both in the scrimmage and in the three-point shootout.
Redshirt freshman Toby Hegner has had a good start to practice, and on Tuesday, had an eye-opening sequence. As reported by WBR’s Matt DeMarinis, he took Will Artino off the dribble, drew contact from both Artino and Zach Hanson, and scored off the glass, then drilled a three-pointer on the next possession. A couple of possessions later, he took a charge late in the shot clock.
Nevada transfer Cole Huff has reportedly been a handful at practice, proving difficult to defend, and Boston U transfer Mo Watson has adjusted well to his new teammates, using his speed to make plays. With the exception of summer league, this will be the first time many fans will see them in person, and the only time they’ll see them in uniform until next fall.
Of the newcomers eligible to play this year, Leon Gilmore and Ronnie Harrell should see plenty of action, and both have had impressive moments during the first two weeks of practice — WBR’s Matt DeMarinis reported yesterday that they’re often the first players on the floor after a loose ball, while Harrell has shown off a dizzying array of offensive moves.
On the women’s side, there’s a lot of changes from the 2013-14 squad. Three starters have departed, and five freshmen join the fold. What hasn’t changed? Marissa Janning, the Big East Player of the Year and Creighton’s first-ever All-American in women’s hoops, is still a superstar. DeMarinis reported that she was in top form at practice earlier this week, hitting shots with ease, while Sammy Jensen hit some long threes reminiscent of her 5-11 performance at Xavier last February…and of a certain Lumberjack.
That’s why Bluejay Madness is so much fun — the men’s team is undoubtably the headlining act, but the rest of the show is pretty damn entertaining, too.