WBR Season Archives (2021-22)

Replacing all five starters from its 2020-21 team that reached the Sweet 16, Creighton exceeded all expectations in 2021-22 en route to a 23-12 record and a return to the NCAA Tournament. Picked to finish eighth in the preseason poll of Big East coaches, they ended the season fourth in the league standings and reached the finals of the Big East Tournament for the fourth time in the past eight completed tournaments.

CU started three newcomers for much of the season along with senior guard Alex O’Connell and sophomore center Ryan Kalkbrenner. That group included Northwest Missouri State transfer Ryan Hawkins, freshman forward Arthur Kaluma and freshman guard Ryan Nembhard, who joined freshman Alexander to form one of the top-10 recruiting classes in the country.

Trailing by nine points with 2:30 to play in the first round of the NCAA Tourney, they staged a 9-0 run to end regulation to force overtime. In OT, Alexander scored five points in 40 seconds to give CU a 71-69 lead with 1:08 left. The Jays got three defensive stops down the stretch to earn a three-point victory despite losing Kalkbrenner midway through overtime with a knee injury.

With a rotation of just six players, Creighton tried valiantly to take down top-seeded Kansas in the next round. The Bluejays battled and had possession of the ball with a minute left and down by one, but back-to-back turnovers led to a 79-72 loss. Kansas would later knock off Big East foes Providence and Villanova en route to the national title.