Remember the last time the Bluejays returned from a road trip out west? They didn’t come prepared for a Boise State team intent on ruining their post-Vegas buzz. The Broncos shocked the Bluejays, handing CU its only loss of the season.
Since that frustrating loss, Creighton is playing some of its best basketball of the season. This is especially true on the defensive end. Even with a bad shooting night against California, the Bluejays were still able to leave Berkeley with a double-digit win due to their defense.
Tulsa comes into the game on Wednesday night having some troubles on the road. The Golden Hurricane are coming off of a loss at Arkansas-Little Rock. Depth is an issue for first year head coach Danny Manning.
To help set the stage for Wednesday night we talked with Bill Haisten from the Tulsa World. Here is what he had to tell us:
White & Blue Review: Tulsa made a head coaching change in the offseason. What was the biggest reason for the change? Is bringing in Danny Manning paying some dividends already and does it appear to be the right hire so far?
Bill Haisten: During a span of 22 seasons, Tulsa made 13 NCAA Tournament appearances and on three occasions surged to the Sweet Sixteen (and once to the Elite Eight). The Golden Hurricane has not been back to the NCAA since 2003, and the 2011-12 home attendance average was Tulsa’s lowest since the 1979-80 season. Since Danny Manning was hired, there has been a substantial spike in season-ticket sales. He became an immediately popular figure here and his team plays at a fast pace. So far, he appears to have an extremely high approval rating within the fan base.
WBR: How has the Tulsa style of play changed with Manning at the helm? Do they like to get out and run or do they try to slow things down?
BH: Manning’s team attempts to play at a fast tempo. When there is an opportunity for something in transition, Tulsa’s guys get from one end to the other in a hurry. With freshman guards like James Woodard, Shaq Harrison and Rashad Ray, Tulsa has more offensive creativity — the ability to dribble into a shot — than was the case in recent years.
WBR: Tulsa has suffered some injuries recently. How has that hurt them and are they deep enough to get through the injuries?
BH: Sophomore forward Rashad Smith, a 14.5-point scorer, has missed six games with a foot injury and is not expected to play at Creighton. Redshirt freshman forward Brandon Swannegan also is sidelined with a foot injury. Without them, Tulsa is a much smaller team with a much shorter bench
WBR: Last season Doug McDermott just tore apart the Tulsa defense and seemed to be able to score at will against them. How will Tulsa defend against him this year?
BH: Against Doug McDermott, Manning will try anything and everything. Harrison is an athletic 6-3 guard and has quick hands. He’ll get a chance to slow McDermott, as will Woodard and Ray. On most nights, Ray is the fastest man in the gym.
WBR: What players do Creighton fans need to be aware of from the Golden Hurricane that may make an impact on the game?
BH: A 6-4 lefty, Woodard has shown signs of being a dynamic scorer. He had 28 points against LSU-Shreveport and 27 against Jackson State. He struggled during recent victories over Missouri State and TCU, but bounced back with a 12-point, 10-rebound performance at Arkansas-Little Rock. When he enters the game, Ray usually is effective at the point. Scottie Haralson remains Tulsa’s best weapon from 3-point range. Forward D’Andre Wright, a 6-8 freshman, became a starter after Smith sustained the foot injury. Wright has responded with 54 percent shooting and a 9.1 scoring average.
WBR: This is the middle of a four game series between the two schools, and the third game this season against MVC schools. Does Tulsa have difficulties making their schedule up each year and does playing against the MVC schools help them?
BH: Tulsa faces the same scheduling challenges that any decent mid-major would encounter. Most major programs want no part of visiting Tulsa’s Reynolds Center. Scheduling Valley teams is perfect for Tulsa because the opponents are legitimate. Hurricane fans have fond memories of Tulsa’s years in the Missouri Valley.
WBR: With all of the conference realignment going on right now, how does Tulsa see itself as the dominos start to fall?
BH: Ultimately, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Tulsa wind up in the Mountain West. With the addition of new facilities and the renovation of others, along with the sustained success of the Hurricane football program, Tulsa has made itself viable for a switch to a more stable conference situation.
WBR: What is your final prediction? What does Tulsa need to do to get the upset in Omaha?
BH: Creighton may be the best team on Tulsa’s schedule. The Bluejays have too much firepower, along with the home court advantage. I can see Tulsa making it interesting, but the Bluejays will pop the Hurricane with a big run in each half. Creighton wins by 15.