Creighton Bluejays: 21-11, 10-8 in the Big East Conference
Head coach: Greg McDermott (8th season)
Players to watch: Marcus Foster (20.3 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 42.2 3PT%); Khyri Thomas (15.3 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 54.1 FG%)
Season recap: Creighton had an up-and-down season featuring thrilling wins and painful losses to end up in the middle of the Big East.
The Bluejays started the year strong notching wins over then-ranked opponents Northwestern and UCLA and went into conference play with a solid nonconference record. They then struggled against the class of the Big East, though, losing to Xavier twice and Butler and Villanova once. Creighton did grab a home win against the No. 3 Wildcats to claim their highest-ever ranked victory in February It now enters the NCAA tournament on a bit of a slide having lost its regular-season finale to Marquette and Big East tournament opener to Providence.
The Bluejays’ offense is powered by star senior guard Marcus Foster. Foster is the clear go-to option on the offensive end and his shooting ability, combined with dynamic driving and playmaking, opens up opportunities for others. The senior’s backcourt partner, junior Khyri Thomas, can also space the floor with his shooting. And combined, the two form one of the most potent backcourts in the conference and pace Creighton to average 84.3 points per game.
The Bluejays have trouble on the other side of the ball due to their fast-paced style often leading to easy offensive opportunities for opponents. Most of their losses came because they simply could not stop the other team from scoring, as seen in their 90-84 loss to Seton Hall. Staying locked in defensively will be a major key to Creighton’s success—if it hopes to make a run in the NCAA tournament.
How they make a run: The offense stays humming and Foster takes his game up to another level, refusing to let the Bluejays lose. The defense steps it up just enough for Creighton to outscore opponents.
How they falter: The heavy load that Foster has borne all year finally becomes too much and he goes cold. Without his shooting, the offense struggles and defensive issues rear their ugly head again, leading to a first-round exit.
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