At the risk of overreacting, Tuesday’s win could be a season-defining one on so many levels. First, the negative ways. We know that Grant Gibbs will be out at least a few weeks because of a dislocated kneecap. Gibbs’ injury was more serious than the one Doug McDermott (sprained shoulder) suffered, to be sure. But based on what Bluejay Nation saw on Fox Sports 1, a collapsed Gibbs writhing on the court in agony and unable to place any weight on his leg, you could say that Creighton fans are probably thankful that things aren’t worse than a dislocated kneecap (which, to this writer, sounds pretty damn terrible).
Gibbs averages 26.3 minutes per game this season. He played 30.8 minutes per game last season, and 29.9 minutes per game the season before that. He started every game during that span, a streak that will snap Sunday against Xavier. For all of the stats next to his name in the box score, though, the minutes are really the only ones that night in and night out tell the true story of what can oftentimes only be measured in a qualitative way. His impact on this team goes far beyond numbers on a page. We all know that. The team knows that. What everyone doesn’t know, though, is how the Bluejays will respond as a team while their consummate glue guy is absent from the court.
Unfortunately, Creighton fans will be used to the sight of Grant Gibbs on the bench for the next few weeks (WBR/Mike Spomer) CLICK TO BUY
Oh, yeah. As I mentioned, Creighton’s All-American McDermott suffered an injury that, while not as severe as Gibbs’, still leaves the team’s best player riddled with physical pain. McDermott hurt his shoulder in a collision with Peter Ryckbosch near the paint. The nation’s second-leading scorer immediately recoiled and spent the rest of the night trying to fight through discomfort. He did well, leading a pack of five Jays in double-figures with 19 points on 6-16 shooting. To his credit, although clearly not 100%, McDermott actually was more productive offensively after sustaining the injury. And, certainly, things could have been worse.
Even the most optimistic Bluejays fans, thought, have to wonder how McDermott’s body will react even after a couple of days off from practice. CU has no letdown, as fellow Big East newcomer Xavier — like Creighton unblemished in its inaugural conference slate thus far — comes to town this weekend. The Musketeers, like the Jays, have adjusted extremely well to the early rigors of their new conference. No reprieve for McDermott and the Bluejays, who no doubt will try to get the best player in the Big East going early and often, to knock off any rust and instill confidence that his sprained shoulder is merely a small bump in the road toward another All-American campaign.
Enough of the doom and gloom. You know why the win at DePaul could be a season-defining one for positive reasons? Because with Gibbs out and McDermott not at full strength, the Bluejays still blasted the Blue Demons by 19 points. Led by steady seniors McDermott, Jahenns Manigat (7 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 turnover, and 3 steals) and Ethan Wragge (12 points on 4-8 shooting from three-point range, with 7 rebounds) and calm junior Austin Chatman (10 points, 6 assists, 1 turnover), the Jays stuck to the game plan. Creighton continued unselfish distribution and kept knocking down the shots they’ve shown they’re comfortable taking and accustomed to hitting at an efficient rate. And with Manigat individually pacing yet another solid defensive effort, CU as a team constructed a 26-point turnaround, erasing a 5-point margin to post a 19-point victory.
The Bluejays Bench Mob had plenty of impact on the final outcome, too. A few days ago, Devin Brooks spelled a foul-plagued Austin Chatman in a win against Seton Hall. Tuesday, with Gibbs out after just 12 minutes of play, it was Avery Dingman who answered the bell from the bench.
Avery Dingman scored a season-high 16 points against DePaul (WBR/Mike Spomer) CLICK TO BUY
Dingman scored a season-high 16 points against DePaul. He hit a couple of triples, but it was his ability to slash to the basket on offense and hit the glass that had his teammates and coaches giddy about his play toward the end of the game and after the buzzer sounded.
Dingman wasn’t the only role player to leave his mark. Will Artino was active, scoring 10 points and grabbing 7 rebounds in 12 energetic minutes of play. He didn’t score against Seton Hall and combined for just 9 points and 4 rebounds in 23 minutes against Marquette and Chicago State. Zach Hanson even saw the court, playing for the first time in Creighton’s Big East portion of its schedule.
The grind is just beginning. The league portion of the Bluejays’ schedule was always going to be challenging. With Gibbs out and McDermott fighting a shoulder issue, the degree of difficulty increases a bit. As I type this, DePaul — blown out by the Jays Tuesday — is moments away from beating Butler at Hinkle Fieldhouse for a league road win. Last night Providence, at the time winless in the Big East, drubbed Georgetown, previously perfect in league play.
Simply, no one would be surprised if at the end of the regular season, just two or three wins separated the top seed at Madison Square Garden from a team playing in the #4-seed vs. #5-seed quarterfinal game. There’s no night for a letdown. The margin for error is minimal. From an improved bench to the senior starters, the Jays need to brace for more tests to what has become a 3-0 start to their first Big East season.