News and Notes from around Creighton and the Big East this week:
- Jon Rothstein reported that Yale has been added to the Creighton Men’s Basketball schedule for next season. The Bulldogs finished 18-11 a year ago (9-5 in the Ivy League) and return four of their top seven players next year. It should be a solid addition to the slate.
- Michigan graduate transfer Mark Donnal, a 6’9″ center who averaged 5.1 points and 2.6 rebounds during his career as a Wolverine, is being recruiting heavily by Creighton. Donnal is one of the best immediately eligible big men and would be a huge addition to a Bluejay frontline that has lots of minutes available after the departure of Justin Patton. He’ll visit Creighton either this weekend or next depending on which source you hear from.
- Kobe Paras tweeted out a video of him hurdling an apparatus and throw down a dunk:
https://twitter.com/_kokoparas/status/851283377902637056
- Paras also shared some photos from a visit to the Micah House homeless shelter in Council Bluffs.
https://twitter.com/_kokoparas/status/852678993165905921
- Ronnie Harrell became the older brother of twins, sharing this photo of his mom after giving birth to the pair:
https://twitter.com/sniper4_/status/852537033146937346
- Nick Bahe was off last week when the decision came down, and when he returned to his radio show this week, he discussed Justin Patton’s decision to head to the NBA:
https://soundcloud.com/game-time-with-nick-bahe/april-11-seg-9-justin-patton?in=game-time-with-nick-bahe/sets/game-time-tuesday-4-11-17
- Bahe also had a conversation with Coach Greg McDermott later in that same show:
https://soundcloud.com/game-time-with-nick-bahe/april-11-seg-11-greg-mcdermott?in=game-time-with-nick-bahe/sets/game-time-tuesday-4-11-17
- Speaking of discussions with Coach Mac, WBR’s Bluejay Bytes podcast included an in-depth 25-minute interview with him.
- The Omaha-World Herald’s new podcast, “Where I Come From with Dirk Chatelain” had Bruce Rasmussen as a guest this week, and the freewheeling 80 minute (!!) conversation touches on topics ranging from growing up in Iowa, coaching track with Bruce Jenner, Dana Altman’s short-lived departure to Arkansas, and a lot more.
- Two Bluejay volleyball standouts were chosen to play for the United States internationally. Jaali Winters and Brittany Witt were both picked to train and play for the U.S. Women’s Collegiate National team during a European tour in July. Later in the week, Witt was added to the U.S. roster for their trip to Thailand in May, and will compete there instead of in Europe with Winters.
- The World-Herald’s Jon Nyatawa was a guest on The Bottom Line and discussed Creighton baseball’s hot streak.
- Fox Sports’ Tim Brando re-upped with the network, keeping him with FOX and FS1 for what looks to be the rest of his broadcasting career. The legendary Brando worked several Creighton games last year, including the big win over Wisconsin, where he shared this photo pregame:
https://www.facebook.com/timbrandoshow/photos/a.278842898792878.79468.278838405459994/1409338372409986/?type=3&theater
- Assistant Coach Steve Lutz, part of McDermott’s original staff at Creighton, left for a similar position at Purdue this week as he seeks to build a resume for a future head coaching gig.
- Creighton had the fourth-most dunks in the country in 2016-17, according to research from Florida State’s sports information:
- And finally this week: Kyle Korver was the NBA’s best three-point shooter for the fourth time in his career, making 162 threes at a 45.1% clip. He’s now scored over 10,000 points in the NBA, and has led the league in three-point shooting three of the last four seasons. His four overall seasons as the league’s top three-point shooter are the most in NBA history — Steve Kerr, Craig Hodges, and Jason Kapono have each done it twice, 28 players have done it once…and Korver’s done it four times. Wow.