This is the seventh of our “Meet the Jays” segments featuring the 2009-2010 Creighton Bluejays men’s basketball players. Join us as we profile different scholarship players each day leading up to the season opener at Dayton on November 14.
Kenny Lawson starts the fourth season in his Creighton career, one that has been a constant growing process for the center from Oceanside, California. Lawson started all 35 games last season as a redshirt sophomore, but battled consistency issues in the rebounding and scoring areas of his game. His defense was solid enough to earn him All-MVC Defensive Team honors last season.
This season will likely be different for Lawson. Last season, Kenton Walker played the minutes that Kenny did not. Unfortunately during the offseason, Walker decided to transfer to Saint Mary’s leaving Lawson as the only true post player for the Bluejays. As a sophomore Lawson averaged almost 20 minute per game, but he will likely need to play closer to 25-30 minutes per contest this year for the Bluejays to achieve what they want on offense and defense. Jays fans likely hope Lawson can leave behind some of the foul problems and fatigue Lawson suffered last season, as the Bluejays have a much different look when the 6-9, 250 pound center is on the bench — forwards Ethan Wragge and Chad Millard are expected to fill in for those minutes Lawson cannot play.
The foul trouble is due in part to Lawson’s aggressive shot blocking efforts. He led the league in blocks last season with 1.6 blocks per game, including at least one blocked shot in all but four games. In Creighton’s two exhibitions last week, Lawson committed eight fouls in 33 minutes of action. Still, with Creighton’s depleted frontcourt rotation, it is vital to the Bluejays’ fortunes that Lawson assert himself as the dominant center in the Missouri Valley Conference.
A lot of this dominance can be achieved on the backboards. Lawson’s career average is 4.5 rebounds per game in his first two seasons. Can he increase that average this season and take control of the paint? Lawson had 11 rebounds in a game twice last season, with the last being toward the end of the season against Bradley. Here is an example of how dominant he can be.
With the status of Justin Carter (injury) and Casey Harriman (illness) in question, Lawson will receive a big test in the opening game against Dayton Saturday afternoon.