Creighton 79, Drake 68
Everything in its right place
Finally. After last season’s overtime loss at home, a hard-fought but ultimately unsuccessful road trip, a stomach-gnawing loss in Arch Madness, and this year’s complete stink bomb at the Qwest Center a few weeks ago, Creighton picked itself up off the ground and revisited its winning ways in Des Moines.
A couple quick thoughts following the game last night…
10 to 2
The first half found Creighton offering Drake plenty of opportunities to get the home crowd in the game, as well as convert on some CU mistakes. In 20 minutes the Jays turned the basketball over 10 times, mistakes that Mark Phelps’ team was able to turn into 12 first-half points.
Dana Altman and the coaching staff no doubt imparted some strongly worded wisdom at halftime about caring for the basketball, and the Jays responded. CU committed just 2 turnovers in the second half, forced 8 by the Bulldogs, and outscored DU 10-2 off of those errors.
Take a look at Josh Dotzler’s numbers as a point guard last night and it makes you shake your head. In 26 minutes (and in between 5 personal fouls), Dotzler dished 6 assists, swiped 4 steals, and committed ZERO turnovers.
11-1
Justin Carter, who led the Jays with 7 rebounds against the Bulldogs, mentioned in postgame interviews how he and his teammates and the coaches had talked about the fact that going into last night’s game CU was 10-1 when they outrebounded their opposition. Make that 11-1. CU won the battle on the glass 36-26.
The Jays are plus-15 on the boards during the past three games, and they outrebounded their opponents in three consecutive games. That hasn’t happened since outboarding Nebraska, Mississippi Valley State, Saint Joseph’s, and Dayton earlier this season.
Additionally, these past three games mark the first time since last February that CU has won the rebounding battle in back-to-back-to-back MVC contests.
Double-digit road win
Coming into last night, CU hadn’t won consecutive MVC road games by 10 points or more since the sensational 2002-2003 season. Thanks in part to a 51-point second half and increased defensive pressure in the second stanza, the Jays outscored DU by 12 in the final 20 minutes and won by 11 points.
And aside from Booker Woodfox’s 23-point outburst (his first 20-point game since going for 20 in the loss at Wichita State) and P’Allen Stinnett’s 17 points (15 in the second half), all but one Jay who played (Dustin Sitzmann) contributed points to the cause.
Carter added 9 hard-fought points to go with his team-high 7 boards. Antoine Young spelled Dotzler for 14 minutes and scored 7 points, including some clutch free throws down the stretch. Kenny Lawson added 6 points in only 10 minutes (due to foul trouble). Kaleb Korver hit his first shot in two weeks. Cavel Witter also hit a 3-pointer, his first since the last Drake game. Casey Harriman and Kenton Walker played hard on defense and hit the boards, and each scored right at their season averages.
Woodfox back on?
Booker’s battle with some nagging injuries has been well documented this season. Since missing the Bradley game on January 10, he has been shooting 42% from the field. Before he sat out against the Braves, Booker was firing at a nearly 51% clip from the floor. Woodfox’s effort is always evident, but last night the results matched for the first time what Jays fans had become accustom to seeing from the senior sharpshooter during the first half of the season.
Booker was 9-17 from the field, including 5-8 from 3-point range. It was the first time in his 11 MVC games that he made 5 or more long-range shots. He did it 4 times in non-conference play. He is currently 6th in the nation in 3-point shooting percentage (48.5%), 25th in 3-pointers made (65), and 96th in total points (374; 16.3 ppg).
When Booker is on point, it is imperative that the Jays get him the ball. Last night they did just that, with Stinnett and Dotzler combining for 5 of their shared 9 assists off of Woodfox’s shots.
Mr. 300 (not to be confused with Mr. 3,000, played by the late, great Bernie Mac)
I can’t forget a tip of the cap to Altman, who last night won his 300th game at Creighton. That’s 383 total wins in his head coaching career, during which he has averaged more than 19 wins per season for 20 years. He is just the second coach in MVC history to bowl a perfect game at a Valley school; Henry Iba was the first to accomplish the feat (at Oklahoma State).
While the ultimate goal of any fan is to have his or her team make the NCAA Tournament, Altman’s 300th win got this season’s squad closer to continuing a couple of impressive streaks. Currently sitting at 18-6, just 2 more conference wins will extend the 10-plus conference win streak as well as the 20-win season streak. And the Jays seem well on their way to postseason play, another familiar feat Altman has brought to the Hilltop.
Still, he has just 4 weeks to get this team ready for the 3-day grind that is Arch Madness, likely to be Creighton’s only chance at going back to the Big Dance this season.
Finally. After last season’s overtime loss at home, a hard-fought but ultimately unsuccessful road trip, a stomach-gnawing loss in Arch Madness, and this year’s complete stink bomb at the Qwest Center a few weeks ago, Creighton picked itself up off the ground and revisited its winning ways in Des Moines.
A couple quick thoughts following the game last night…
10 to 2
The first half found Creighton offering Drake plenty of opportunities to get the home crowd in the game, as well as convert on some CU mistakes. In 20 minutes the Jays turned the basketball over 10 times, mistakes that Mark Phelps’ team was able to turn into 12 first-half points.
Dana Altman and the coaching staff no doubt imparted some strongly worded wisdom at halftime about caring for the basketball, and the Jays responded. CU committed just 2 turnovers in the second half, forced 8 by the Bulldogs, and outscored DU 10-2 off of those errors.
Take a look at Josh Dotzler’s numbers as a point guard last night and it makes you shake your head. In 26 minutes (and in between 5 personal fouls), Dotzler dished 6 assists, swiped 4 steals, and committed ZERO turnovers.
11-1
Justin Carter, who led the Jays with 7 rebounds against the Bulldogs, mentioned in postgame interviews how he and his teammates and the coaches had talked about the fact that going into last night’s game CU was 10-1 when they outrebounded their opposition. Make that 11-1. CU won the battle on the glass 36-26.
The Jays are plus-15 on the boards during the past three games, and they outrebounded their opponents in three consecutive games. That hasn’t happened since outboarding Nebraska, Mississippi Valley State, Saint Joseph’s, and Dayton earlier this season.
Additionally, these past three games mark the first time since last February that CU has won the rebounding battle in back-to-back-to-back MVC contests.
Double-digit road win
Coming into last night, CU hadn’t won consecutive MVC road games by 10 points or more since the sensational 2002-2003 season. Thanks in part to a 51-point second half and increased defensive pressure in the second stanza, the Jays outscored DU by 12 in the final 20 minutes and won by 11 points.
And aside from Booker Woodfox’s 23-point outburst (his first 20-point game since going for 20 in the loss at Wichita State) and P’Allen Stinnett’s 17 points (15 in the second half), all but one Jay who played (Dustin Sitzmann) contributed points to the cause.
Carter added 9 hard-fought points to go with his team-high 7 boards. Antoine Young spelled Dotzler for 14 minutes and scored 7 points, including some clutch free throws down the stretch. Kenny Lawson added 6 points in only 10 minutes (due to foul trouble). Kaleb Korver hit his first shot in two weeks. Cavel Witter also hit a 3-pointer, his first since the last Drake game. Casey Harriman and Kenton Walker played hard on defense and hit the boards, and each scored right at their season averages.
Woodfox back on?
Booker’s battle with some nagging injuries has been well documented this season. Since missing the Bradley game on January 10, he has been shooting 42% from the field. Before he sat out against the Braves, Booker was firing at a nearly 51% clip from the floor. Woodfox’s effort is always evident, but last night the results matched for the first time what Jays fans had become accustom to seeing from the senior sharpshooter during the first half of the season.
Booker was 9-17 from the field, including 5-8 from 3-point range. It was the first time in his 11 MVC games that he made 5 or more long-range shots. He did it 4 times in non-conference play. He is currently 6th in the nation in 3-point shooting percentage (48.5%), 25th in 3-pointers made (65), and 96th in total points (374; 16.3 ppg).
When Booker is on point, it is imperative that the Jays get him the ball. Last night they did just that, with Stinnett and Dotzler combining for 5 of their shared 9 assists off of Woodfox’s shots.
Mr. 300 (not to be confused with Mr. 3,000, played by the late, great Bernie Mac)
I can’t forget a tip of the cap to Altman, who last night won his 300th game at Creighton. That’s 383 total wins in his head coaching career, during which he has averaged more than 19 wins per season for 20 years. He is just the second coach in MVC history to bowl a perfect game at a Valley school; Henry Iba was the first to accomplish the feat (at Oklahoma State).
While the ultimate goal of any fan is to have his or her team make the NCAA Tournament, Altman’s 300th win got this season’s squad closer to continuing a couple of impressive streaks. Currently sitting at 18-6, just 2 more conference wins will extend the 10-plus conference win streak as well as the 20-win season streak. And the Jays seem well on their way to postseason play, another familiar feat Altman has brought to the Hilltop.
Still, he has just 4 weeks to get this team ready for the 3-day grind that is Arch Madness, likely to be Creighton’s only chance at going back to the Big Dance this season.
posted by Creighton Otter at 7:25 AM
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