With everyone starving for some Creighton Basketball we decided to go back to 2016 for this episode of Creighton Commentary. Former Bluejay teammates Toby Hegner and Jordan Scurry dig through the memory bank while rewatching Creighton’s 79-67 win over a top-ten Wisconsin team that brought back every key contributor from a team that was eight months removed from reaching the Sweet 16.
The Jays had just one tune-up game — an 89-82 win over Kansas City — before facing off against the Badgers on a Tuesday night in Omaha, so this was a big litmus test. Creighton entered the season ranked 22nd due in large part to Kansas State transfer guard Marcus Foster becoming eligible and bolstering a back court led by All-Big East second team point guard Maurice Watson, Jr.
Foster lit the fuse early with two step-back threes from the right wing to help the Jays open up an 8-0 lead to start the game. That prompted an early timeout by Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard. Watson and Foster combined for 32 points, 12 assists, four steals, and won the back court battle against Wisconsin seniors Bronson Koenig and Zak Showalter. The underlying part of this game was Khyri Thomas and Justin Patton and the way their play, especially at the end of this particular game, had an impact on the energy in the building. They weren’t a secret to the city of Omaha, but there was something about seeing the two hometown boys doing their thing in Creighton uniforms that took the atmosphere in the arena to a different level.
This was a fun one to relive.