Creighton has won 7 of 8...on a roll

[Uncle Rico]

They definitely aren't there, but over the past month they grade out as the 5th best team in the country on Torvik. That stretch includes 3 road wins, including beating Villanova and Seton Hall. My expectation is a high-scoring affair that gets into the 80s or 90s. I do think this is the toughest game left on the schedule.

Very good offensive team, mediocre at best defensive team

[Shooter McGavin]

I knew Creighton was solid but had no idea they were the reincarnation of the 1976 Indiana Hoosiers until I read this thread. Maybe we'll catch them looking ahead to the National Championship game they're on course to reach.

Point taken.  If MU is good (like we all want them to be good) we should have no major concerns about this game.  However,  Creighton does look like the team that is playing better at this time and the jury is still out on whether MU can take it to the next level.  Let's get the win tomorrow and try to be on the other side of the bracket from them in the Big East tournament for match up reasons (not because they are 1976 Indiana).

[NickelDimer]

Ripe for the picking. No excuses.

[MU82]

I knew Creighton was solid but had no idea they were the reincarnation of the 1976 Indiana Hoosiers until I read this thread. Maybe we'll catch them looking ahead to the National Championship game they're on course to reach.

I chuckled.

It seems Scoop is about evenly divided between "Creighton is too good for us and we have little chance to win" and "It's at home. If we lose, Wojo sucks and so does the team he's built."

I guess I'm among the few outliers saying, "Tough game between two top-20 teams that, combined, have lost only 3 of their last 16 games. I think we'll find a way to win a close one."

[Cheeks]

I knew Creighton was solid but had no idea they were the reincarnation of the 1976 Indiana Hoosiers until I read this thread. Maybe we'll catch them looking ahead to the National Championship game they're on course to reach.

Said no one.....but they are rated 9th at the moment by one service and MU isn't the '76 version either.

[Jamo]

Would like to see some Bailey & Cain lineups in this one.

Denzel Mahoney getting back after sitting out the first semester has been huge for this run they're on. He reminds me a bit of Deonte Burton, bruising & thick but very athletic and great touch around the rim.

[MUfan12]

They were too passive, too reactive in Omaha. Really hope to see a different mindset at home.

Should be a really entertaining game. I think MU wins a tight one.

[MUBBau]

Wonder if the eye test says we should win this one.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Creighton is the #4 KPom offense, MU #16.  Should be a dandy.

The Blue Jays pulverized MU to start conference play, getting Koby in early foul trouble and then posting Markus up all game.  Greg is back. Sy has had some run.

Last meeting, only Bailey showed up. I hope the team, coaches included, are looking to make amends.  I am betting all the Warriors show up this time. Gut check time.

[Elonsmusk]

Should be a great game.  Both teams playing very well.  KenPom has us favored by 3.  Creighton has been exceeding his game score projections of late - I've won 5 of last 6 Creighton games, betting on them. 

Would like to forecast a win on home court, but this is a toss up.  Or, shall we say, a crap shoot? I can accept a loss here, but if CU were to win by 10+ - that would be very disappointing.

[muguru]

For those of you that think/say MU has to make up for the PC loss at home(even though you can't really make that up)...tomorrow night would be as close as you can get to that. Even though...MU is at home...and...

[oldwarrior81]

Would like to see some Bailey & Cain lineups in this one.

Denzel Mahoney getting back after sitting out the first semester has been huge for this run they're on. He reminds me a bit of Deonte Burton, bruising & thick but very athletic and great touch around the rim.

Creighton is a fairly small team.  Outside of Jones playing about 10 minutes a game, Bishop, at 6-7, is the only regular in the lineup that is taller than 6-5.

[Jamo]

Creighton is a fairly small team.  Outside of Jones playing about 10 minutes a game, Bishop, at 6-7, is the only regular in the lineup that is taller than 6-5.

That's why I would like to see the Cain/Bailey lineup at the 4&5. IMO as good as he's been Jayce has been exposed by smaller/stretch 5s on defense. Getting Jayce spread out to the 3pt line or elbow seemed to be Novas gameplan, especially in the first half. I think we could still maintain a rebounding advantage over Creighton with Cain and Bailey without having that defensive liability on D.

[BM1090]

That's why I would like to see the Cain/Bailey lineup at the 4&5. IMO as good as he's been Jayce has been exposed by smaller/stretch 5s on defense. Getting Jayce spread out to the 3pt line or elbow seemed to be Novas gameplan, especially in the first half. I think we could still maintain a rebounding advantage over Creighton with Cain and Bailey without having that defensive liability on D.

I think Jayce can play except when Creighton goes extra small with Mahoney at the 5. MU's guards did a nice job at Nova in the 2nd half fighting over screens while Theo/Jayce dropped into the paint a bit. It forced Nova's guards into pullup 3s or long 2s.

Hoping for a similar proactive defensive gameplan. Can't hard hedge or help off too much against Creighton since they spread you out so much.

[Cheeks]

That's why I would like to see the Cain/Bailey lineup at the 4&5. IMO as good as he's been Jayce has been exposed by smaller/stretch 5s on defense. Getting Jayce spread out to the 3pt line or elbow seemed to be Novas gameplan, especially in the first half. I think we could still maintain a rebounding advantage over Creighton with Cain and Bailey without having that defensive liability on D.

Jayce unlikely to be effective in this game

[willie warrior]

Excuses already coming out. Tough matchup? Why isnt MU a tough matchup for them.

[Galway Eagle]

Excuses already coming out. Tough matchup? Why isnt MU a tough matchup for them.

Because we're the ones with the slow lumbering center while they play 5 out.

[war1980rior]

Jayce unlikely to be effective in this game

I'm being lazy here and not looking it up, but we have Jayce for the first meeting?  If so, I think he was still limping along.  Understand what you are saying, but without him going against them the first time, we'll probably see a good amount of Jayce.

Unless they are running a big that can shoot the three, he could get some great time.

Of course, I've been wrong before!

[Uncle Rico]

Excuses already coming out. Tough matchup? Why isnt MU a tough matchup for them.

You're the walking Price is Right losing horn

[BrewCity83]

Creighton is only 5-5 on the road this year.  They lost by 17 at Providence (just 12 days ago), by 14 at Butler, by 10 at Michigan, by 3 at Georgetown, and by 31 at San Diego State.

I ain't 'fraid o' no Bluejays.  Not at our place.

[BrewCity83]

I'm being lazy here and not looking it up, but we have Jayce for the first meeting?  If so, I think he was still limping along.  Understand what you are saying, but without him going against them the first time, we'll probably see a good amount of Jayce.

Unless they are running a big that can shoot the three, he could get some great time.

Of course, I've been wrong before!

Jayce played 4 minutes in the first game.  Theo played only 8, Ed 19.

[war1980rior]

Jayce played 4 minutes in the first game.  Theo played only 8, Ed 19.

Thx!  I think if our crowd shows up rowdy, MU plays some stiff defense, it's a big night for Marquette.  I think Jayce was just still on the sore side of things when we played before.  Lower score is a win for MU and a high score is a crapshoot.

Should be a fun game to watch!

[BM1090]

Excuses already coming out. Tough matchup? Why isnt MU a tough matchup for them.

Because that's not how that works at all?

MU is a tougher matchup for other teams in conference. Georgetown comes to mind immediately. Xavier.

In the top half I'd say we match up well with Nova and Butler. Not quite as much of an advantage against Nova without Ed.

I think we matchup with Providence and SHU way better now with Jayce healthier and Ed gone.

[Lennys Tap]

I chuckled.

It seems Scoop is about evenly divided between "Creighton is too good for us and we have little chance to win" and "It's at home. If we lose, Wojo sucks and so does the team he's built."

I guess I'm among the few outliers saying, "Tough game between two top-20 teams that, combined, have lost only 3 of their last 16 games. I think we'll find a way to win a close one."

There you go with all those facts and logic. Very much frowned upon.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I see three approaches to winning this game.

1. Conform to Creighton and go small and long. Sit Theo/Jayce and run a lineup with three guards, Cain, and Bailey. This may be the only approach that has a chance of slowing Creighton's offense down but it requires that players besides Markus step up offensively. Wojo uses the bigs to give Markus space to create and I don't think Bailey/Cain will have the same space clearing ability. For us to score it will require crisp ball movement and the Kobys, Sacars, Gregs, Jamals, and Baileys to take and make the open shot.

2. Make Creighton pay for going small. Unfortunately, our forwards are not bruisers and our bigs are offensively challenged.  So if we are going to take this approach, we need to be aggressive on the offensive glass and get second chance points while limiting them to one attempt on the other end, cause they won't miss often. In addition, I would try to attack Christian Bishop right away. If we can get him in foul trouble and force them to play Kelvin Jones for big minutes, that will slow down their offense. They have a completely different offensive identity when he is in the game. Mahoney will play spot minutes at the 5 if Bishop is in foul trouble but McDremott doesn't roll out that look for many minutes a game.

3. Play zone and hope they have an off shooting night. This is a huge risk but may be worth it if things aren't working. If we play the bigs and allow the Jays to pull them to the perimeter like they did in the first game, our goose will be cooked.

Typically, I don't like letting the opponent decide the type of game this is going to be. I'd rather bend them to our will and make them adjust to us then start the game by adjusting to them and letting them dictate our style of play. That being said, we simply don't have the players to punish them for going small. The games against Creighton last year drove me crazy because the Hausers should have been able to abuse them inside the arc but we settled for a three point shooting competition in both games. I'd like to see Bailey/Cain and Johnson/John have big offensive games because they will have the advantage but I'm not sure if it is in them or not.