Jahenns Manigat dunks during last year's Bluejay Madness. Photo: Adam Streur/WBR
It’s been 196 days since the Jays dropped a close game to Oregon in the CBI Finals. Since that April 1 game, Jays fans have watched Doug McDermott make a star turn on the U.S. U19 team, Gregory Echenique play in Olympic Qualifying for Venezuela, and the balance of the roster play both in summer league and in the Bahamas. That’s a lot of hoops. But Friday night will be the first time the entire team has been assembled on the floor since that CBI game in Eugene.
The second annual Bluejay Madness should be an awesome night of both hoops and volleyball. There’s been a lot of questions asked on the Bluejay Underground about the event, so we decided to compile a primer of what’s on tap, in a Q&A format answering those questions.
Q: What time does the event start?
A: The night kicks off with an MVC battle on the volleyball court, as the Jays take on Bradley starting at 6:30. Most volleyball games last around 90 minutes, so given the half-hour turnaround time to tear down the volleyball nets and court, install the basketball hoops, etc., the basketball portion of the evening will not start until 8:30 at the earliest.
All of that is a long-winded way of saying, “There is no set start time.” Basketball will begin 30 minutes after the conclusion of volleyball, whenever that is.
Q: If I have a ticket for the volleyball game, can I stay for the basketball event?
A: Yes. Fans in attendance for the volleyball game are welcome to stay in their seats during the conversion of the arena from volleyball to basketball. However, once volleyball ends, all seats are general admission, so if fans leave and get up to walk around, there’s no guarantee their seat(s) will be open upon their return.
Q: Will there be entertainment during the time between volleyball and basketball?
A: Absolutely. Final details are yet to be announced, but sources tell us there will be entertainment and speakers to keep you occupied during the down time.
Q: What if I don’t have a ticket to the volleyball game?
A: Doors to D.J. Sokol Arena will open at 5:30 pm on Friday and require a volleyball ticket to enter. A line for “basketball-only” fans will be formed outside the South side of D.J. Sokol Arena near the ticket office, and those fans will be permitted to enter (as space allows) following the intermission of the volleyball match for no charge.
It’s worth noting here that while there is a basketball-only line, there’s a chance not everyone in that line will get in. A lot of tickets have been sold to the volleyball game, and in September a postcard was sent out to all Men’s Basketball season ticket holders with a coupon for two free tickets to Friday’s volleyball game. That coupon must be redeemed day of the game, so depending on how many people redeem those, the arena could be close to full before anyone from the line gets in.
Q: If I’m a student, how do I get in?
Throughout the night, Creighton students with a valid ID can enter through the entrance in the northwest corner (as space allows).
Q: Where can I park?
A: There’s a decent amount of street parking in and around the arena, and the parking lot at Morrison Stadium will be open. However, Mystery Manor is nearby, and since this Friday is two weeks before Halloween, you can bet the popular haunted house will be very busy once the sun sets. Given it’s proximity to Creighton’s campus, lots of parking spaces that otherwise might be available will likely be occupied.
Q: If I live out of town or can’t make it to the event, what options are there to watch it from home?
A: ESPNU has a four-hour “Midnight Madness” show running live from 8pm – Midnight, with whiparound coverage from 12 sites: Creighton, Connecticut, Duke, Kentucky, North Carolina, Syracuse, Michigan State, Louisville, Kansas, Baylor and Texas A&M. ESPN’s Stephen Bardo will be the correspondent at Sokol Arena reporting back to the studio crew of Dari Nowkhah, Hubert Davis, Doug Gottlieb and Andy Katz. Dick Vitale and Jay Bilas will also contribute to the show from the Bristol studio.
For those fans wanting to watch just Bluejay Madness, a free webcast will be provided via GoCreighton.com.
Q: What should I wear to make Creighton look awesome for ESPNU?
A: It’s officially being billed as a Blue Out event, so pick out your favorite blue shirt from your closet! Anything beyond that is up to your creativity and imagination. ESPN’s cameras love creative signs and shirts, so go nuts.
Q: What will the basketball event entail?
A: It will be very similar to the event from a year ago: scrimmages from both the men’s and women’s teams, followed by a slam dunk contest and a three-point shootout. Coaches Greg McDermott and Jim Flanery will both address the crowd, as well.
Q: Who’s participating in the slam dunk competition?
A: Five Bluejays, including four freshmen:
Antoine Young
Will Artino
Austin Chatman
Avery Dingman
Nevin Johnson
Antoine Young is the defending champion, and Will Artino put on an impressive display in last year’s competition as well as in summer league.
Young asked his Twitter followers for dunk ideas on Wednesday, so it will be fun to see what he comes up with. Ex-Jay Wayne Runnels tweeted that he’s backing newcomer Nevin Johnson, and based on what I saw in summer league, I’m inclined to agree. It should be an awesome show, regardless of who wins.
Q: Who’s participating in the three-point shootout?
A: Eight teams, comprised of one men’s basketball and one women’s basketball player each:
Jasmin Corbin & Avery Dingman
McKenzie Fujan & Taylor Stormberg
Jordan Garrison & Grant Gibbs
Ally Jensen & Doug McDermott
Sammy Jensen & Ross Ferrarini
Taylor Johnson & Ethan Wragge
DaNae Moore & Josh Jones
Sarah Nelson & Jahenns Manigat
The early favorite has to be Ally Jensen and Doug McDermott, doesn’t it? Jensen is a tremendous shooter, and as everyone saw a year ago, it’s foolish to count out Dougie Fresh.
Q: Will any recruits be in attendance?
A: Deontae “Teddy” Hawkins, a Rivals Top 150 recruit for 2012, will be making a visit to Creighton this weekend for Bluejay Madness. WBR will have much more on this visit leading up to the weekend.
Q: What else will be happening?
A: Players will be available for autographs following the event. Last year, schedule posters were NOT available yet, so roster cards were provided for youngsters to collect signatures from their favorite Jays. You can bring your own memorabilia from home, too, if you prefer. We’ve not heard whether 2011-12 schedule posters will be available at the event.
Check out the thread on the Bluejay Underground discussing Bluejay Madness