DISCLAIMER: This entire preview is based on what I can find via Google.

Creighton Bluejays vs. Oleggio

Friday, August 7, 1 p.m. CDT

Meet Oleggio Magic Basket, a roster with only one player taller than 6-8 … who just signed with the team a few days ago. Interestingly, according to Eurobasket.com, Oleggio’s roster features a 41-year-old (Paolo Remonti) and a 40-year-old (Federico Ferrari). No word from the Hilltop as to whether Justin Patton and some of they younger Bluejays scheduled lunchtime pick-up games at the Kiewit Fitness Center against the over-40 crowd in the past weeks.

Oleggio has hosted a number of college basketball programs for August exhibitions in previous years.

Back in 2011, Fred Hoiberg took the Iowa State Cyclones to Italy and drubbed Oleggio 96-55.

In 2012, Oleggio played George Washington and lost 93-58.

In 2013, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi beat Oleggio 93-53.

What’s it all mean? The Jays better score in the 90s.

UPDATE:  The Bluejays won 119-47. Here’s our recap!  

Creighton Bluejays vs. All Star Rome

Tuesday, August 11, 2:15 p.m. CDT

I could not find anything about this team, or this game, anywhere on the internets. Neither Marquette nor Georgetown are playing this squad while in Italy this month, either.

Maury Hanks might be pulling guys off the cobblestone to play for All Start Rome for all I know.

Meanwhile, in Foligno…

Creighton Bluejays vs. Foligno Basket

Wednesday, August 12, 11 a.m. CDT

I present to you, unedited (but translated from Italian to English via Google Translate), the pregame preview from folignosport.it

“Great event for fans of basketball: Wednesday, August 12 at 17.30 at the indoor stadium of Foligno a representative of Basketball Academy will challenge anything unless Creighton University, College of the first division in the American NCAA Big East Conference. Town’s experience, this with the University USA, which is now becoming a fixture of summer umbra – in past years were Temple, Vanderbilt, Notre Dame, Michigan, Providence to come to Italy – and that he received at every opportunity moments great show.
As Creighton said this year will be to visit the Umbrian team, a college certainly well organized and with specific objectives as may be inferred from the school motto that reads “Willing to Lead.”
Creighton is a college based primarily on two points: the Jesuit religion and basketball. So much so that has 19 appearances in the post-season and 12 titles of Conference, although it has never managed to win two consecutive games in March Madness. The team colors are white and blue, and their home games are played at Morrison Stadium and the indoor CenturyLink Center Omaha (in photo).
The Bluejays until the 2012-2013 season belonged to the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC or simply known as ” The Valley “). Later it was one of three schools to be invited to participate in the Big East Conference.
The big names come out of Creighton there are plenty of them, just to make certain we could cite Paul Silas (former NBA player, champion in 1974 and 1976 with Boston Celtics and in 1979 with the Seattle SuperSonics, two-time All-star), Benoit Benjamin, Rodney Buford (who in the hearts of fans of Rimini does not enjoy high esteem), Kyle Korver, and the son of coach Greg, Doug McDermott, unstoppable machine from baskets.
Always among the former there are also two “discrete” as Eddie Sutton and Willis Reed, both coach Bluejays between the 70s and 80s. All these names are vintage but at least it does not mean that in recent years Creighton has been a bad team, by contrast has always been able to say his thanks to groups of non-exceptional level of talent but well-trained and motivated by coach Greg McDermott, for 5 years as coach of the Jays. Coach McDermott, in his first year at the helm of the “Jays” (2010-2011) ended the season with a record of 23-16, reaching the final College Basketball Invitational where Creighton was defeated by Oregon. The following years is where Doug McDermott, became the star of the program and the entire NCAA, being named All-American and MVC Player of the Year both in 2012 and in 2013. In 2012. In those years, the program won the tournament of the MVC. In the NCAA tournament in 2012 they reached the second round by defeating Alabama but were defeated by the much quoted North Carolina. In 2013 Creighton repeated the feat of winning the MVC with a record of 28-7, but were defeated by Duke in the tournament.
In the first season of the new Big East, Creighton finished in second place in both the regular season (behind Villanova) that the tournament (behind Providence). Doug McDermott was named Big East Player of the Year, and national player of the year. In addition, McDermott became the eighth player in the history of Division I to score 3,000 career points, finishing fifth in all time. Creighton earned the third seed in the NCAA tournament in 2013, the highest ever. They defeated Louisiana-Lafayette in the second round, but lost to Baylor in the next game.
Last year with the departure of Doug McDermott and Ethan Wragge (seen in Bilbao), the program has experienced a year of transition ending a difficult season with defeat the quarter-finals of the Big East from Georgetown.
This year the expectations are much higher, and coach McDermott optimistic about the possibility that Creighton has to get up to the tournament. The team is very young, seniors are in fact only two, and by the names of James Milliken, true go-to-guy team and Geoffrey Groselle, the center of 211 cm. Creighton also will have to deal with the departures Austin Chatman, Devin Brooks, Rick Kreklow (first, fourth and fifth scorer of the team) as well as Will Artino (starting center).
Situation is not so easy if we consider the seven freshman coming from high schools, where they seem to be the most talented Justin Patton, Marlon Stewart, Khyri Thomas and Slovenian Martin Krampelj.
A challenge American teens a representative that will be made ​​thanks to the availability of several companies of Umbria. We remind everyone that the entrance is free: we are counting on the presence and cheering of all the fans.”

So, a few things:

• This program has hosted Temple, Vanderbilt, Notre Dame, Michigan, and Providence in recent seasons.
• “Creighton is a college based primarily on two points: the Jesuit religion and basketball.” OK!
• We can travel halfway across the world, but not escape Creighton’s inability to make a Sweet 16. Yeesh.
• Apparently Creighton’s Rodzilla, Rodney Buford, upset the good fans of Rimini. Maybe because he left the Basket Rimini Crabs for the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers in 2000. Also, Crabs!
• “The team colors are white and blue”. You’re damn right they are!
• The nickname for Doug is amazing — unstoppable machine from baskets.
• The preview manages to say that perennially, Creighton isn’t very talented but is well-trained and motivated by Coach Mac. Must mean they’ve read all the stories about the Championship Center, I suppose. Also, they must be big fans of St. John’s.
• Admission is free; so, if you’re near Foligno, Jays fans, make sure you stop by.

Make sure to check back at WBR for postgame recaps.