Gameday Pick ‘em #28: Evansville (15-10; 7-8, t-5th in MVC)
The Pundits
“Improved inside play propels Jays” (OWH)
“Bluejays' focus on 'dangerous' Aces” (OWH)
“Aces face uphill battle tonight” (Courier Press)
The Picks
Creighton hasn’t lost to Evansville in Omaha since the 1998-1999 season, when the Purple Aces won the MVC and got an at-large bid (and a #11 seed) to the NCAA Tournament. That’s 9 consecutive years of entertaining Evansville without suffering a loss at either the Civic or the Qwest.
I’m not about to go back and revisit each of those 9 straight home wins versus the Aces, but I’ll venture out on a limb to sound the following warning: this is the most important home game against Evansville the Jays have played in the past decade.
I’m not speaking in hyperbolic tones. Ask Dana Altman. Ask the players. Heck, ask whomever you’re watching the game with tonight. It is as simple as this: to have a realistic chance to win the conference title in the regular season, the Jays simply cannot lose during the next 11 days.
Sounds easy enough, right? It’s Evansville … how hard could it be?
Well, the Aces boast a starting lineup that contains exactly what you need to pull off a late-season upset on the road: experienced playmakers and guards who have seen everything the Valley has to offer during their years in the conference. Oh, and one of those seniors is Shy Ely, arguably the best player in the MVC (and the conference’s leading scorer).
Sure, they have only won two MVC road games (against a listless Indiana State team before the Sycs turned on the jets toward the end of the season and on a last-second 3-pointer from half court at Drake). And sure, the Jays completely shut them down in Evansville a few weeks ago. But do not sleep on the Aces.
(This entire pep talk is invalid if Creighton comes out playing like they have the past 6 games. If that happens, this will be another typical CU slaughter against the Aces.)
Leading Scorer
Creighton Otter: P’Allen Stinnett (14)
Dance Cam Guy: Booker Woodfox (19)
Panon: Woodfox (16)
Mrs. Creighton Otter: Kenton Walker (18)
Mrs. Dance Cam Guy: Kenny Lawson (16)
Margin
Creighton Otter: Jays by 13
Dance Cam Guy: Jays by 15
Panon: Jays by 17
Mrs. Creighton Otter: Jays by 17
Mrs. Dance Cam Guy: Jays by 25
“Improved inside play propels Jays” (OWH)
“Bluejays' focus on 'dangerous' Aces” (OWH)
“Aces face uphill battle tonight” (Courier Press)
The Picks
Creighton hasn’t lost to Evansville in Omaha since the 1998-1999 season, when the Purple Aces won the MVC and got an at-large bid (and a #11 seed) to the NCAA Tournament. That’s 9 consecutive years of entertaining Evansville without suffering a loss at either the Civic or the Qwest.
I’m not about to go back and revisit each of those 9 straight home wins versus the Aces, but I’ll venture out on a limb to sound the following warning: this is the most important home game against Evansville the Jays have played in the past decade.
I’m not speaking in hyperbolic tones. Ask Dana Altman. Ask the players. Heck, ask whomever you’re watching the game with tonight. It is as simple as this: to have a realistic chance to win the conference title in the regular season, the Jays simply cannot lose during the next 11 days.
Sounds easy enough, right? It’s Evansville … how hard could it be?
Well, the Aces boast a starting lineup that contains exactly what you need to pull off a late-season upset on the road: experienced playmakers and guards who have seen everything the Valley has to offer during their years in the conference. Oh, and one of those seniors is Shy Ely, arguably the best player in the MVC (and the conference’s leading scorer).
Sure, they have only won two MVC road games (against a listless Indiana State team before the Sycs turned on the jets toward the end of the season and on a last-second 3-pointer from half court at Drake). And sure, the Jays completely shut them down in Evansville a few weeks ago. But do not sleep on the Aces.
(This entire pep talk is invalid if Creighton comes out playing like they have the past 6 games. If that happens, this will be another typical CU slaughter against the Aces.)
Leading Scorer
Creighton Otter: P’Allen Stinnett (14)
Dance Cam Guy: Booker Woodfox (19)
Panon: Woodfox (16)
Mrs. Creighton Otter: Kenton Walker (18)
Mrs. Dance Cam Guy: Kenny Lawson (16)
Margin
Creighton Otter: Jays by 13
Dance Cam Guy: Jays by 15
Panon: Jays by 17
Mrs. Creighton Otter: Jays by 17
Mrs. Dance Cam Guy: Jays by 25
posted by Creighton Otter at 6:58 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home