Reporting on Creighton, October 27, 2018

Approximately 30 games populate my list of college basketball games to cover this season. This past Saturday, while being only the second of the year, may just be the biggest.

The Creighton men's basketball program ranked 5th nationally in attendance last season, behind Kentucky, Syracuse, North Carolina, and Wisconsin. For that reason I never even considered requesting media credentials last year, but seeing as my personal schedule was open for the evening, I decided to give this exhibition a shot.

I've covered local teams plenty now: Creighton women's basketball, Omaha Mavericks men's and women's basketball, Omaha volleyball, and NAIA College of Saint Mary women's basketball. I hoped that having covered Creighton before may help.

On game day, I had to sprint from a basketball game I was coaching to get to the arena in time for the game. I've been to the CHI Health Center a hundred times, but never underneath, so I had no clue where I was going. I had to ask staff every hundred feet or so if my pass was supposed to let me go this direction.

I found my way to the media room and grabbed a few slices of pizza and a soda and got to work on the Live Blog on Reddit.

I also walked out to the arena floor, trying to look casual while seeing if I was given a spot at the media table. Fortunately they gave me one.

The atmosphere on the floor is just something else. I'm used to sitting a decent distance up and looking down on the players in the CHI Health Center, but looking up at the crowd (listed favorably as 15,804) was quite spectacular.

The location of the post-game press conference is in a different location, down a different hallway from the media room.

After the conference I had to walk out through the crowd of Winona State parents and fans greeting their players, which offered me an opportunity to say hi to a player I know personally who is from Omaha.

Also, here is an additional picture of me and my dad with Coach Greg McDermott on their trip to North Texas while I was a graduate manager there. UNT won 62-58 to start a nine game losing streak for the Blue Jays.

Cold Shooting, Sydney Mortensen Conspire to Sink Flames

A hot start by Kansas Wesleyan deflated the College of Saint Mary Flames early, and the Coyotes cruised to a 79-63 win at the Lied Fitness Center Friday afternoon.

A stifling press and an effective inside-out game caught the Flames off guard early and put them in a whole from which they could not recover. KWU senior Sydney Mortensen shot a red hot 4 of 6 from long range in the first half as the Coyotes built a commanding 42-22 lead, despite committing more turnovers in the half (11 to CSM's 8).

Freshman Veronica Kobza was the lone bright spot in the first half for the Flames, leading the team at the break with 10 points and providing respite from free throw woes, hitting all 3 of her freebies.

The tide turned a bit coming out of half time, with the Flames pushing tempo, and junior Lynsey Curran igniting her offense with 9 points in a span of just a few minutes. Curran finished the day leading the Flames in points with 14, all of which came in the second half. At several points throughout the 3rd period, the lead was cut to just twelve, breathing life into the bench and the crowd, but KWU's Sydney Mortensen was there to kill runs every step of the way.

CSM's Lynsey Curran scored all 14 of her points in the 2nd half

Mortensen finished the day with 23 points thanks to 7-for-11 shooting from long range.

I See You

Flames Freshman Veronica Kobza provided some much needed depth, recording 26 minutes off the bench for a team that is almost exclusively run by the senior class.

Sydney Mortensen was left open most of the day, contributing to her 23 point effort.

KWU's Sydney Mortensen led all scorers with 23 points

Injury Report

Flames junior Alleigh Gates fell hard in the 3rd quarter, landing on her head. She did not return to the game after that.


Up Next

CSM takes a short road trip to face Bellevue University just a few miles south of campus on Monday.

KWU will have their first home game of the season on Tuesday as they host #13 Hasting College.

College of Saint Mary to host Kansas Wesleyan Friday Afternoon

Game Info

Where: Lied Fitness Center, Omaha, NE
When: 2 PM CT, Friday, October 26
Watch: Live Stream available at tip-off

The College of Saint Mary Flames hit the ground running to start their NAIA season, the first under new head coach Kirk Walker. Friday's game against Kansas Wesleyan will be the Flames' second game in as many days, having dropped their season opener to Bethany College Thursday evening.

The Flames have four games scheduled in the first 7 days of the season as the get themselves prepared for a long year in the GPAC. Twelve games scheduled this year are against GPAC opponents ranked in the top 16 nationally at the NAIA Division 2 level, with four contests total against the top two: Concordia (NE) and Dakota Wesleyan. The 22-game conference slate begins November 7 at #11 Morningside.

Thursday's game was a tough battle that ended in a 64-59 loss to Bethany.

Scouting CSM

The Flames are absolutely loaded with experience. Nine seniors, four juniors, and a single freshman make up the CSM roster. There is certainly hope that CSM can capitalize on that experience this season and see more success than their 5-25 2017-18 campaign.

It was a team effort that kept the game close against (Received Votes) Bethany College; Ashley Nelson led the team with 4 steals, Corryne Millet led the team with 15 points, and the Flames forced 27 total turnovers on the day to make up for being out-rebounded 37-23.

Scouting KWU

The Coyotes dropped a 67-55 decision to perennial GPAC cellar-dweller Doane Thursday night in Crete, NE. The victory for Doane snapped a seven game losing streak dating back to last season. The Coyotes sport a 25-player roster, and it is too early to tell how many make the trip to Omaha.

Accepting the Challenge

College of Saint Mary has an absolutely brutal schedule this year. Along with 12 conference games against ranked foes, the Flames will play (RV) Bethany College, (RV) Bellevue University, NCAA Division 2 Northwest Missouri State, NCAA Division 1 South Dakota, and NCAA Division 2 Nebraska Wesleyan.

Seventeen of the 31 games on their schedule are against either ranked, receiving votes, or NCAA programs, with the only true respite coming on Halloween against NCCAA foe Nebraska Christian, whom the Flames crushed 78-41 last season.

Mavericks Use 4th Set Rally to Defeat North Dakota 3-1

In a game of new versus old, the freshmen on the Omaha Mavericks squad outlasted the powerful senior hitter Jordan Vail to defeat the Fighting Hawks 3-1 at Baxter Arena Friday night in front of the largest crowd of the season.

"[Vail] jumps high and it was hard to time the block, but by the end of the game we shut her down pretty well" said freshman Sadie Limback after the game.

"Early North Dakota set her high, and she clearly has the better jump," said Omaha head coach Rose Shires, "We did a good job of serving to [get North Dakota] serving lower. She is a phenomenal athlete, we can only jump as high as we can jump against her, but our serving was the key."

North Dakota senior Jordan Vail challenged Omaha all night, with 16 kills on .333 hitting

Omaha freshman Sadie Limback was the favorite target for freshman setter Sydney Case, registering a team high 16 kills on 44 swings. Case did her part in spreading the ball out; four Mavericks finished the evening with 12+ kills. "We like to have Sadie involved in the offense, I think it's a very good connection that Sydney and Sadie have," said Shires. 

Omaha overcame a sloppy 2nd set in which they dropped a 25-20 decision. Both teams failed to build momentum throughout the set, with 14 ties and 9 lead changes. North Dakota capitalized on errors down the stretch in a 6-1 run to end the set.

Freshman Sadie Limback led the Mavs in kills (16) and service errors (5)

Omaha responded by coming out of the break on fire, jumping out to an early 5-0 lead and cruising to a 25-11 victory in the 3rd set. 

The Mavericks jumped out to an early lead once again in the 4th set, leading 15-9 before getting outscored 16-5 and facing three set points down 24-21. North Dakota failed to convert on five set-points, allowing Omaha to claw back one last time and win the match with a 28-26 win.

The listed attendance of 731 is the largest home crowd of the season, and the third largest crowd to watch Omaha play this season. Omaha Head Coach Rose Shires was very proud of the crowd and the noise they brought in big moments. "The players feed off of it and responded well to the crowd tonight," said Shires after the game.

Omaha's Rose Shires recently picked up her 500th career victory

Omaha improves to 10-7, 5-0 Summit. North Dakota falls to 12-9, 4-2. Omaha also remains unbeaten at 6-0 in home games this season.

Quick Hits

North Dakota freshman libero Taliyah Flores returned home to a loud ovation. The Omaha native graduated from Papillion-La Vista South High School.

Omaha freshman Kenzie Michalek is from rival high school Papillion-La Vista, and it may just have been part of the system, but I noticed Flores serving at Michalek every chance she got.

UND Freshman Taliyah Flores was one of seven Omaha-area natives between the two teams 

Omaha's Sydney Case recorded 50+ assists for the 7th time this season. Her 55 assists tonight were good for a 13.75 assists per set average.

Omaha will next visit South Dakota on Friday, October 12. North Dakota's next match will be a home game against Summit League favorite Denver on Sunday.