Less than a week ago, the Creighton Bluejays handed Illinois State its second double-digit defeat in as many matchups between the teams this season. The Bluejays shot 63% from the field, 56% from 3-point range (10 makes), dished 17 assists on 27 made field goals, and led by as many as 19 late in the game.
Saturday night, in a game that counted for nothing more than the ability to get better, against an unfamiliar foe, the Bluejays travelled to Akron and dropped an ugly game to the Zips. The Jays shot just 38% (second-worst percentage this season), committed 17 turnovers (the second-highest total this season), and Antoine Young attempted just 5 fewer field goals (18) than the team made (23).
Is it as simple as saying the Bluejays are OK at home, but can’t get the job done away from Omaha? Maybe. Despite playing close games, the Bluejays haven’t won away from Omaha since the weekend of January 7 and 9, when they moved to 3-0 in Valley road games to start the conference season. Since then, though, CU is 0-6 in roadies, and the Jays now stare at a visit to Koch Arena in Wichita this Wednesday, where, amazingly, the league-leading Shockers have been vulnerable. In the past month’s worth of home games (5), the Jays have gone undefeated and won by an average of 13.6 points per game.
The home win against the Redbirds features a few positive developments, including:
- Doug McDermott continuing his outstanding play (18 points, 6 rebounds in 28 minutes)
- Josh Jones coming off the bench and not missing a shot en route to a career night (15 points on perfect 6-6 shooting from the field)
- The ball movement on offense reaching an effectiveness that allowed for continued open looks on the perimeter and in the paint.
Still, perhaps the warm shooting helped distract from the fact that the defense allowed Austin Hill to score 27 points, including 16 straight Illinois State points during one stretch of the game. Sure, the Jays didn’t miss many attempts, comparatively, but they still finished even on the glass with the Redbirds. There’s not much to nit-pick after a 16-point home win late in the conference schedule.
But what about another road loss, albeit one to a non-conference opponent during BracketBusters weekend? I wouldn’t say it is picking at nits to complain about 17 turnovers, especially when 12 of the miscues were charged to Creighton frontcourt players. What else went wrong on the trip to Akron?
- The Bluejays couldn’t hit from the field, shooting just 38% from the floor.
- The Jays continued to leave points at the charity stripe, and made just 15 of 23 attempts.
- Antoine Young attempted 18 shots for the third time this season, and for the third time CU lost. His 4-18 night mirrored similar evenings against Wichita State and Drake, when the junior point guard took it upon himself to score.
- The defense allowed 36 points in the paint, and Akron’s bench outscored the Bluejays’ subs 39-17. A lot of that came from giving up another career night to a bench player, as Akron’s Brett McKnight scored a season-high 21 points.
And yet, once again, the Bluejays were within a few possessions of the lead late in the game. Perhaps that’s what is most frustrating: not that the Jays aren’t winning games on the road, but rather they are dropping close, winnable contests. I’m not suggesting a college basketball team should win all of its roadies, regardless of opponent or talent or effort. But it shouldn’t take perfect conditions to win away from home, and you’ve got to think that one of these times, the close road game is going to break in Creighton’s favor.
Except, of course, that there is only one true road game left, and that’s this week at Wichita State. Everyone talked before the BracketBusters game about the event, and the participation in it, not being important. No one will say the same this Wednesday, when the Bluejays face the Shockers. Instead, outside of the locker room, everyone will chalk the game up to the Shox; heck, most people probably did that back in November when they were making predictions before the season. WSU has been vulnerable at home, having lost 3 Valley games and a BracketBuster game to VCU. Maybe Dr. Jekyll can pay a visit to Koch Arena, and Mr. Hyde can run and hide.