From now until Selection Sunday, WBR will provide you with a quick glance at everything you need to know about Creighton Bluejays men’s basketball.
Tonight, the Bluejays try to avoid their first losing streak since dropping consecutive games to close out The Wooden Legacy event in California during Thanksgiving weekend. Standing in their way are the Georgetown Hoyas, who host the Jays in snowy Washington, D.C.
Creighton, by the Computers
- #8 NCAA Official RPI (no update from 03/03)
- #8 Warren Nolan RPI (no change from 03/03)
- #7 KenPom (no change from 03/03)
- #11 ESPN BPI (no change from 03/03)
Bracketing the Bluejays
- #3 via Tim Krueger’s Bracket
- #2 (2.29 average; next update 3/4) via Bracket Matrix
The Race for the Prize
Creighton 13-3 Big East
Remaining games @ Georgetown (7-9), vs. Providence (9-7)
Villanova 14-2 Big East
Remaining games @ Xavier (10-6), vs. Georgetown (7-9)
The Bluejays must take care of what they can control and hope that the Musketeers and Hoyas can help out. But before they can hope for help from Georgetown, Creighton must beat them at the Verizon Center tonight. Tough duty, even if Georgetown is 7-9 entering the final week of the regular season.
CU Stat o’ the Day
1.79
That’s Creighton’s assist-to-turnover ratio, good for second-best nationally. The Bluejays trail Iowa State (1.81 ATo) for the national lead. Some of the most efficient and potent offenses in the country dot the leaderboard in this statistic, including the Cyclones, the Bluejays, and teams like UCLA (1.66 ATo), Duke (1.57 ATo), and Michigan (1.54 ATo).
What to Watch Today (Besides Creighton @ Georgetown)
Marquette @ Providence (8:00 p.m. CT, Fox Sports 1)
I’m getting tired of watching the Golden Eagles, frankly, especially after they laid a not-so-golden egg at Villanova Sunday. But Buzz Williams’ kids are going for the sweep against the Friars, a scenario that would leave them tied for fourth place in the Big East with one game to play (against St. John’s, the team they’d be tied with at 9-8 should MU win tonight). A Providence win would put the Friars in a 9-8 tie with the Red Storm, too; the two teams split their regular season meetings already.
Why’s this matter? Well, Providence is by and large squarely on the bubble for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. Ed Cooley’s guys need a win in the worst way. Plus, it’s senior night for Bryce Cotton and Kadeem Batts. They can’t afford to lose at home.
Bonus Choice: Championship “Week” has started! The Horizon League and Atlantic Sun tournaments begin today; the Patriot League tourney started last night. Click here to see the dates of all the D-I conference tournaments.
Today in Bluejays Basketball History
Two slugfests with the Salukis…
March 4, 2002 — Creighton 84, Southern Illinois 76
The Bluejays win the Missouri Valley Conference tournament championship. Having lost twice to the Salukis in the regular season and trailing 36-33 at halftime of the title game, the Bluejays turned to dynamic juniors Kyle Korver (18 points, 9 rebounds) and Terrell Taylor (20 points) to help outscore SIU 51-40 in the second half.
March 4, 2007 — Creighton 67, #11 Southern Illinois 61
Again, the Jays lost both games against SIU in the regular season. And again, Creighton mustered enough second-half magic to withstand the Salukis and earn an Arch Madness title. In front of a sold-out crowd of 22,612, tournament Most Outstanding Player Nate Funk (19 points) and Anthony Tolliver (15 points, 13 rebounds) paced the Jays to a win that sent the program back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2005.
Creighton Hoops Photo of the Day
Doug McDermott scores during Creighton’s overtime win against Illinois State in the 2012 MVC Tournament Championship game.
Doug McDermott scores against Illinois State’s John Wilkins (WBR/Mike Spomer)