Gameday Pick ‘em #8: Dayton (8-0)
The Pundits
“Bluejays seek to ground high-flying Flyers” (OWH)
“Little’s status uncertain; Thomas to miss game” (Flyer Connection)
Game preview from Dayton Daily News
“Flyers make up for Roberts’ graduation” (Dayton Daily News)
The Picks
A funny thing happened when I pulled up this blog on Monday morning. Some of you might have noticed the Creighton Basketball Stat of the Day we’ve implemented on the top right corner of this website. Well, the stat du jour Monday was titled “Most Free Throws in a Single Game.” How apropos, I thought: it has to be Nate Funk against Dayton.
Sure enough, Funk’s 15 made free throws against the Flyers in a 91-90 double overtime thriller in 2005 marks the highest number of made foul shots by one Jay in a game since 1996. And if you don’t remember that night (it is hard not to; one of the most exciting games played in the 5 years of hoops at the Qwest Center), I’m sure a Dayton fan can tell you all about.
You see, a lot of die-hard Dayton supporters are convinced that the officiating was, for lack of a better term, horrible. CU attempted 36 free throws to 15 foul shots for the Flyers. For those in attendance that night, the discrepancy is easily explained by Funk’s tenacity and aggressiveness taking the ball to the basket. For Dayton fans, only a conspiracy of Mel Gibson proportions can explain how one of the best scorers in CU history was able to pour in 38 points.
I have no idea who is officiating tonight’s game, but they can plan on being busy running up and down the floor. As Piv writes in this morning’s World-Herald preview, the busiest guy in the arena might be the official scorer tracking who is checking in and out of the game. Dayton, much like the Jays, does not have anyone who plays more than 30 minutes a night on average. In fact, they have 7 players who average more than 14 minutes per game; for Creighton, that number is 8.
Two of the faces Jays fans might become familiar with tonight include Chris Wright and Marcus Johnson. They are, in a word, explosive.
Meet Chris Wright:
Wright leads the Flyers in scoring (14 ppg) and rebounding (7 rpg). He is a phenomenal athlete. And I’m not sure we have anyone who can guard him straight up.
Meet Marcus Johnson:
Johnson is Dayton’s second leading scorer (11 ppg) and adds 3 rebounds per game. Although a bit heavier than P’Allen Stinnett, they are both 6-3 scorers who will see a lot of each other tonight.
Vegas likes CU in this one, as the Jays are favored by anywhere between 5 and 6 points. I don’t know how. This is by far the best team Creighton has played so far, and they clean up on the glass (46 rebounds per game, 18th best in the nation right now). But if the Jays can hold them to settling for long jump shots and even longer 3-point bombs, they’ve have a chance. Dayton is 293rd in the country in 3-point percentage (29% per game). They like to put the ball on the deck and drive. And it will be up to an entire team effort by CU to stop them.
Enough of this nonsense. To the picks!
(Dance Cam Guy, Panon, my wife, and I will pick ‘em each and every game on this site. We’ll keep track of the winner each game, and at the end of the year you’ll be able to find one of us three buying a round or two of expensive Scottrade Center brews at Arch Madness.)
Leading Scorer
Creighton Otter: Justin Carter (13)
Dance Cam Guy: Casey Harriman (19)
Panon: Cavel Witter (16)
Mrs. Creighton Otter: [UPDATED: finals over, Booker Woodfox the pick (16)]
Margin
Creighton Otter: Jays by 2
Dance Cam Guy: Jays by 3
Panon: Dayton by 11
Mrs. Creighton Otter: [UPDATED: Jays by 1]
(NOTE: For the second game in a row, Panon is picking the opponent to win. Revoke his season tickets!)
“Bluejays seek to ground high-flying Flyers” (OWH)
“Little’s status uncertain; Thomas to miss game” (Flyer Connection)
Game preview from Dayton Daily News
“Flyers make up for Roberts’ graduation” (Dayton Daily News)
The Picks
A funny thing happened when I pulled up this blog on Monday morning. Some of you might have noticed the Creighton Basketball Stat of the Day we’ve implemented on the top right corner of this website. Well, the stat du jour Monday was titled “Most Free Throws in a Single Game.” How apropos, I thought: it has to be Nate Funk against Dayton.
Sure enough, Funk’s 15 made free throws against the Flyers in a 91-90 double overtime thriller in 2005 marks the highest number of made foul shots by one Jay in a game since 1996. And if you don’t remember that night (it is hard not to; one of the most exciting games played in the 5 years of hoops at the Qwest Center), I’m sure a Dayton fan can tell you all about.
You see, a lot of die-hard Dayton supporters are convinced that the officiating was, for lack of a better term, horrible. CU attempted 36 free throws to 15 foul shots for the Flyers. For those in attendance that night, the discrepancy is easily explained by Funk’s tenacity and aggressiveness taking the ball to the basket. For Dayton fans, only a conspiracy of Mel Gibson proportions can explain how one of the best scorers in CU history was able to pour in 38 points.
I have no idea who is officiating tonight’s game, but they can plan on being busy running up and down the floor. As Piv writes in this morning’s World-Herald preview, the busiest guy in the arena might be the official scorer tracking who is checking in and out of the game. Dayton, much like the Jays, does not have anyone who plays more than 30 minutes a night on average. In fact, they have 7 players who average more than 14 minutes per game; for Creighton, that number is 8.
Two of the faces Jays fans might become familiar with tonight include Chris Wright and Marcus Johnson. They are, in a word, explosive.
Meet Chris Wright:
Wright leads the Flyers in scoring (14 ppg) and rebounding (7 rpg). He is a phenomenal athlete. And I’m not sure we have anyone who can guard him straight up.
Meet Marcus Johnson:
Johnson is Dayton’s second leading scorer (11 ppg) and adds 3 rebounds per game. Although a bit heavier than P’Allen Stinnett, they are both 6-3 scorers who will see a lot of each other tonight.
Vegas likes CU in this one, as the Jays are favored by anywhere between 5 and 6 points. I don’t know how. This is by far the best team Creighton has played so far, and they clean up on the glass (46 rebounds per game, 18th best in the nation right now). But if the Jays can hold them to settling for long jump shots and even longer 3-point bombs, they’ve have a chance. Dayton is 293rd in the country in 3-point percentage (29% per game). They like to put the ball on the deck and drive. And it will be up to an entire team effort by CU to stop them.
Enough of this nonsense. To the picks!
(Dance Cam Guy, Panon, my wife, and I will pick ‘em each and every game on this site. We’ll keep track of the winner each game, and at the end of the year you’ll be able to find one of us three buying a round or two of expensive Scottrade Center brews at Arch Madness.)
Leading Scorer
Creighton Otter: Justin Carter (13)
Dance Cam Guy: Casey Harriman (19)
Panon: Cavel Witter (16)
Mrs. Creighton Otter: [UPDATED: finals over, Booker Woodfox the pick (16)]
Margin
Creighton Otter: Jays by 2
Dance Cam Guy: Jays by 3
Panon: Dayton by 11
Mrs. Creighton Otter: [UPDATED: Jays by 1]
(NOTE: For the second game in a row, Panon is picking the opponent to win. Revoke his season tickets!)
posted by Creighton Otter at 8:52 AM
2 Comments:
Seriously Shulte? I can sit in your seat tonight if you your gonna chear on the Dayton bench.
-smithberg
The Jays are 4-2 when I pick them to win and 2-0 when I pick them to lose. Maybe it is extra motivation for them!
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