[dropcap]After[/dropcap] wrapping up the D1 portion of their non-conference slate a perfect 12-0, Creighton opens Big East play with the one-two whammy of defending Big East Tournament champ Seton Hall and defending Big East regular season champ (and top-ranked defending NATIONAL CHAMPION) Villanova. We’ll know one helluva lot more about this team by Sunday, and if they can manage to win both games, there will be little left for doubters to cling to.
It’s so, so tempting to look ahead to that game with top-ranked Villanova — if the Jays win Wednesday, it’d be a matchup of two of the six remaining undefeated teams in all of Division 1, both of whom are ranked in the Top 10, and likely dislodge the 1978 MVC Title Game against Larry Bird’s Indiana State Sycamores as biggest home game in school history.
Looking ahead would be a grave error in judgment, because Seton Hall is perhaps the toughest matchup in the Big East for Creighton because of how they’re built. At 10-2, they’re one marquee win away from being ranked, and you can bet they’ve got Creighton circled as that potential marquee win.
Luckily, while some CU fans are looking past The Hall, their players should have no shortage of motivation heading into the game — the Pirates beat them in two out of three games a year ago, and ended their slim NCAA tourney hopes with a win in the Big East Tourney quarterfinals.
In the first of those three meetings, Maurice Watson scored 13 points and had 14 assists in an 82-67 Bluejay win in New Jersey. He was able to get into the lane and create offense, both for himself and for his teammates, and the result was what Bluejay fans have seen so often — their offense became almost unstoppable. Combined with a good defensive effort and staying even on the glass, CU coasted to an 82-67 win that wasn’t as close as the score indicated. Of note, slightly less than a third of their shot attempts came from three-point range (19 of 64), and they made 42% — 8-19.
In games two and three, Seton Hall adjusted. They sagged off of Watson and plugged up the lane to keep him from getting to the rim — either to shoot his patented acrobatic jumpers, or to create for teammates. They turned him into a jump-shooter and perimeter-passer, which is easier said than done, though Seton Hall’s superior length and athleticism gives them the arsenal to pull it off where other teams cannot. And it worked: without Watson penetrating into the teeth of the defense, Creighton’s offense bogged down. They didn’t have the shooters to make Seton Hall pay for leaving the perimeter relatively open, nor did they have other players with the ability to create shots off the dribble. In both games, 42% of their shots came from three-point range, and while they made roughly the same number (6 in Omaha, 8 in NYC), they took way more to get there.
In that first game, Watson didn’t even attempt a three-pointer; he was 0-4 in the rematch and 0-3 from outside in NYC. His teammates fared no better. CU shot 6-23 from three-point range in the rematch in Omaha, with James Milliken going 4-9 from outside and the rest of the team shooting 2-14. In NYC, it was a similar story. Cole Huff was 7-11 from three-point range while the rest of the team was 1-13. In both games, they dared Creighton’s wings to beat them from the perimeter, and it worked — one player in each game got hot, but they couldn’t beat the Pirates alone.
Will Seton Hall opt for a similar tact Wednesday night? Greg McDermott thinks so. “It will be interesting to see the first time through,” the coach told the media on Monday. “We anticipate they will be sitting on what they did last year. But with Justin being able to put pressure on the rim and Maurice shooting it better, you got one more shooter standing over there in Marcus, I think that changes things a bit. They have to make some decisions on those high ball screens, and it’s Maurice’s job to see what decision they made, make them pay for it, because somebody’s always open in those situations.”
And if they do dare Watson to shoot?
“His 3-point percentage is better, his ability to take that 12-, 17-footer off the ball screen is better than a year ago,” McDermott noted. “You have to be careful if you go under those screens now.”
Watson, ever-confident, agreed. “Last year they tended to back off and let me shoot off those ball screens. It worked for them. It’s not going to work this year.”
Their point is well taken. Last year, Creighton was much more one-dimensional, and rarely had more than one shooter hot at the same time. This year, they have Marcus Foster off the dribble and from outside. Khyri Thomas is vastly improved from the perimeter and has also shown the ability to create off the dribble. Cole Huff and Toby Hegner are capable shooters. Justin Patton can draw a bigger defender outside to open up space, as well as score in the post. It’s a different offense than Big East teams saw a year ago, and seeing how teams defend CU the first time through will be fascinating.
Creighton’s difficulties against Seton Hall are more than just offensive, of course. The Pirates are a big, physical team that cleans the offensive glass as well as any team on CU’s schedule; often times, the defensive battle begins once a missed shot hits the rim, because the Pirates best offense comes off of mismatches created in the scrum for a rebound, or in quick put-backs off a missed shot before the defense can reset.
Seton Hall had double-digit offensive rebounds in all three games a year ago — 12 in the first game, 17 (!%&@%) in the second, and 14 in NYC. That middle game in Omaha is the most maddening; almost a quarter of Seton Hall’s points came on second chances, which is absurd. You want a key to the game Wednesday, that’s it: clear the glass. If Seton Hall gets 15 offensive boards, that not only means tons of chances for second opportunities, it means Creighton can’t run in transition.
That’s easier said than done. They’re outscoring opponents 460-298 and averaging 13.5 more points in the paint per game than opponents. SHU outscored Fairleigh Dickinson 52-18 and Iowa 50-24 in the paint, which are scary numbers. Additionally, they’ve out-rebounded their opponent in 10 of 12 games this year and lead the Big East with 40.2 boards per game. Their rebounding margin of +6.3 is second in the league, while they lead the league with 13.0 offensive rebounds per game. They average 13.6 second chance points per game, 4.8 more than their opponents. In other words, they’re exceedingly great at something Creighton really struggles with, which is unsettling.
Individually, Angel Delgado averages 14.7 points and 11.8 rebounds a game, has recorded six straight double-doubles coming into Wednesday night, and averages the 10th most offensive boards per game in the entire country — 4.2 per game. In their last outing against Rutgers (yeah, yeah, Rutgers is terrible, but remember that’s an in-state battle) he had 19 points and 16 rebounds. Of note: Seton Hall has won 21 straight games when Delgado has a double-double, and they’re 27-4 during his career when he double-dips.
Joining him in the frontcourt are Ismael Sanogo and Desi Rodriguez, who like Delgado were starters on their NCAA Tourney team a year ago. Sanogo averages 3.5 points and 7.1 rebounds a game this year, and had big games against the Jays a year ago, recording eight rebounds (four offensive) and six points in NYC and 12 points and eight boards (again, four offensive) in Omaha. He didn’t score much in the game in South Orange, but did have nine boards, three of them offensive. Rodriguez averages 14.3 points and 5.8 boards a game this year, and had a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds in last year’s game in Omaha. A versatile swingman, Rodriguez is not only an accomplished scorer and rebounder, he’s also second on the team with 18 steals and third with 20 assists.
The backcourt is led by Khadeen Carrington, who has emerged as their leading scorer in the absence of the departed Isaiah Whitehead. Carrington averages 19.3 points and is a lethal shooter, making 48.6% overall (84-173) and 50.0% from three-point range (28-56). He has six 20-point games this year, and has poured in 17 or more points in 10 of 12 games.
Rounding out the starting five is Madison Jones, a senior guard who takes over for Whitehead, at least in terms of starting spot, though he obviously doesn’t replace Whitehead’s numbers. He’s a solid distributor, and leads the team with 41 assists (3.4 per game) while rarely turning it over. Freshman Myles Powell has been a good sixth-man in the backcourt, averaging 11.4 points and 2.2 rebounds per game in his first collegiate campaign. He had a season-and-career high 26 points at Iowa, going 9-for-14 from the field and 5-for-7 from beyond the arc.
Ultimately, this is a game that will be decided on the boards. If Creighton can keep the rebounding battle relatively close, they’ll win by something close to the 9.5 margin that Vegas favors them by. By contrast, if this looks like last year’s game in Omaha where two Pirates get double-doubles and a third is close, Creighton’s not likely going to like the outcome.
Quick Notes on the Pirates:
- The Pirates have won their last five games against nationally ranked opponents, dating back to February 25 of last season, including three consecutive victories against AP Top Five teams (#3 Villanova and #5 Xavier in last year’s Big East tourney and #5 Xavier on 2/28)
- SHU has seen consistent scoring from Carrington, Rodriguez, Powell and Delgado. The quartet has combined to post 77.4% of the total scoring output for the Pirates. Additionally, SHU is 8-1 this season when the junior trio of Carrington, Rodriguez and Delgado score in double figures.
- The Pirates are 4-0 when trailing at halftime and are shooting 50.1 percent (174-of-347) in the second half overall, and 54.2 percent (155-of-286) during the 10 games they have won. Additionally, SHU is outscoring opponents by 6.1 in the final frame while scoring 41.6 points. Meanwhile, Seton Hall and its strong defense have also proven to be well equipped at holding leads. The Pirates are 34-1 in their last 35 games (dating back to the start of the 2015-16 season) when holding at least a seven-point lead at any point in the contest.
Bluejay Bytes:
- Creighton has reeled off 12 straight wins to start the 2016-17 season. It’s Creighton’s longest win streak under Greg McDermott, and the program’s best stretch since Dana Altman’s club won its first 12 games to open the 2003-04 season from November 22 – January 11 before a loss to McDermott’s Northern Iowa team. A victory vs. Seton Hall would mark Creighton’s longest winning streak since Tom Apke’s 1974-75 club won 14 straight.
- Creighton owns a 13-5 record in its last 18 conference openers, including a 67-49 win over Marquette on New Year’s Eve in 2013 in its first Big East game in program history. That’s also the last time that Creighton was home to start league play. Greg McDermott is 8-7 all-time in conference openers as a Division I head coach, including a 4-2 mark at Creighton (2-1 in the Big East). He is 3-3 in CU’s first conference home game of the season. Seton Hall has won its last four league openers, and is 5-1 under Kevin Willard.
- Maurice Watson Jr. leads the nation with 9.0 assists per game and is tied for first with 108 overall assists. Watson’s 108 assists this year have been spread among nine different players, and have led to 53 three-pointers, 25 dunks, 23 lay-ups and seven other two-point jump shots. Including five converted “and-1” free throw opportunities, Watson’s 108 assists have led to 274 points, an average of 22.8 points per game.
The Series:
Seton Hall leads the all-time series 10-4, including a 4-3 edge since Creighton joined the Big East in 2013. Seton Hall has won two of three meetings in Omaha during that span.
Greg McDermott is 3-4 vs Seton Hall, with all seven meetings coming at Creighton.
The Last Time They Played:
The Pirates won 83-71 in the quarterfinals of last year’s Big East Tournament. SHU annihilated the Jays on the glass, 45-25 (!) and doubled them up on the offensive glass 14-7. If it wasn’t for Cole Huff, who knows how badly the Jays might have lost? He was 11-16 from the field while the rest of the team was 12-40; he was 7-11 from three-point range and everyone else was 1-13. From the Morning After:
“Cole Freaking Huff. What more can you say?
He had a game for the ages, scoring 35 points while missing only five shots, in an offensive show that drew admirers from all angles — Fox Sports’ Gus Johnson, Seton Hall’s players and coaches, opposing fans — and had the Garden buzzing. It tied the most points ever scored by a Bluejay in a conference tourney game, equalling Doug McDermott’s 35 in a 2014 Big East Quarterfinal win over DePaul. Next best in the record book is Nate Funk, who scored 33 in a 2007 MVC Semifinal win over Missouri State, a mark McDermott tied in 2012 with 33 against Illinois State.
Something the other three games in that list all have in common? The Jays won all three, and advanced to the title game all three years (winning it all in ’07 and ’12). The shame of Huff’s huge night is that it was wasted in a losing effort, because his teammates were collectively ineffective.”
The game was tied four times in the final four minutes. The last came with 1:10 to go, when Geoff Groselle backed down his defender and made a jumper to tie the game at 73. After Khadeen Carrington put SHU back in front 75-73, the Bluejays turned it over on an inbounds pass with 26 seconds left, as Watson attempted to thread the needle and get the ball to James Milliken under the basket. He didn’t, Carrington came up the steal, and got the ball upcourt to Derrick Gordon who was fouled. The Morning After picks it up from here:
“Instead of icing the game, Gordon missed both free throws, giving CU the final possession and a chance to tie or win it without having to defend again.
What’s that? They didn’t get the rebound? Whitehead, positioned in the second slot beside the lane, zoomed around and above Groselle in the low block to grab the rebound before Groselle even got off his feet, you say? And was fouled, made both free throws, and clinched the game? There’s no way that’s true.
Of course, it is.
Seton Hall ended the game on an 8-0 run after it was tied at 73, and that’s tough to stomach.”
Gratuitous Linkage:
Matt Norlander of CBS Sports wonders in a new column, “Why is no one talking about the Big East and it’s four legit Final Four teams?” He talks a lot about it, and it’s a great primer for league play.
What the Other Side is Saying:
“I didn’t have a very Merry Christmas,” joked Willard about game-planning for a dynamic Creighton.
“Greg [McDermott] and I are good friends, I texted him on Christmas and I told him ‘the best way for someone to ruin Christmas is to watch your team and try to prepare for your team.’”
–“Tough road test for Seton Hall in Big East opener at No. 10 Creighton” – SHUHoops.com
This Date in Creighton Hoops History:
On December 28, 2008, Creighton opened MVC play with a 68-56 win over Wichita State in Omaha. The largest crowd to see a basketball game in the state of Nebraska at that time — 17,954 — saw the Bluejays win their 16th straight win over the Shockers in Omaha.
Trailing by two with just under two minutes to play in the first half, sophomore Kenton Walker scored at the rim to tie the game. Then the Jays’ defense forced turnovers on three consecutive possessions, leading to a transition three from Booker Woodfox and a fast break layup from Josh Dotzler for a five-point CU lead.
“They made three plays, and we didn’t; we kind of helped them make them with freshman mistakes,” Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall said after the game. “All of a sudden it’s a five-point game, and they methodically built it (the lead) after that. They have a lot of weapons. They got guys that can beat you on the bounce and kick to open shooters. They have a ton of shooters, and their young post players are coming along. They have Woodfox, who’s been on fire, and Stinnett, the guy everyone was talking about going into the season. They just have a lot of weapons that they can hurt you with.”
CU rode that momentum into the second half, where they held the Shox to 36.7 percent shooting, won the rebounding battle 19-17 after getting out rebounded by eight in the first, and finally got hot from outside. The Bluejays made 5 of 10 three-point shots in the second half after going 1 of 6 in the first half.
Completely Random, Totally Rad Music Video of the Day:
The Bottom Line:
I don’t have much confidence in the Bluejays keeping Delgado, Sanogo and Rodriguez off the glass, so they’re going to need to shoot well to win. They will, but this game will be decided late.
Creighton 79, Seton Hall 75