Creighton Sweep Villanova to Claim Big East Regular Season Championship

The Bluejays are the 2019 Big East Regular Season Champions, defeating Villanova 8-2 Saturday afternoon in Omaha.

Creighton capitalized early on a series of miscues by Villanova to win 8-2. Two wild pitches in the first inning led to a two-run double by Jack Strunc, who picked up a 3rd RBI later in the game on a sac fly. Strunc now has 26 RBI on the year.

Forced to go to their bullpen, Creighton then took advantage of Villanova's weak pitching staff, which has a team ERA of 6.52 this year. The Jays drew a walk, hit three singles, a double, and a triple in the 7th inning to push the game out of reach for the Wildcats, who finish the year 13-38.

Defensive Struggles

Villanova's year-long fielding woes reared their ugly head one last time. The Wildcats committed 4 fielding errors, bringing their season total to 72. Going into the day, Villanova ranked next-to-last in the Big East in fielding, and 211th nationally.

Compounding those fielding issues were 3 wild pitches in the first two innings, and a play in which a Creighton runner was caught dead in no-mans-land but squirted free thanks to back-to-back errant throws by the Villanova infield.

Bats Wake Up

Despite the sluggish play by the Villanova defense, the Wildcats stayed within range until the bottom of the 7th, trailing just 4-1. Creighton was finally able to string hits together in the 7th, where the Jays recorded a single, single, reached on fielder's choice, doubled, tripled, walked, and recorded one last single, dinging the Wildcat staff with 4 runs to put the game away.

Top Players

Creighton's Jake Holton reached base four times, recording two hits and walking twice, scoring two runs and pushing his batting average up to .409.

The Jays' Evan Johnson pitched 6 innings, allowing zero runs on 3 hits, striking out 7.

Up Next

Villanova failed to qualify for the postseason. Creighton will head to Mason, Ohio for the Big East Tournament May 23-26.

Creighton Runs Away Late to Keep Championship Hopes Alive

Despite struggles early and often for Villanova, Creighton could not capitalize on many mistakes made by the Wildcats.

Creighton (33-11, 12-4 Big East) maneuvered their way to a 10-1 victory Thursday night at TD Ameritrade, eventually taking advantage of walks, errors, and various other issues afflicting the last-placed Villanova Wildcats (13-36, 4-11).

Wildcat starter Jimmy Kingsbury struggled with control for the entire evening, throwing 113 pitches, only 59 of which were strikes. Despite his struggles, Kingsbury kept the Bluejays scoreless into the 5th inning. Twice the Bluejays left the bases loaded, in the 3rd and 4th inning, but could not capitalize. In the 5th, errors, command issues and timely hitting finally broke open the scoreless tie.

Creighton starter Mitch Ragan pitched a gem into the 8th inning, going 7.1 innings, striking out 9 and giving up just 1 earned run, coming from a monster home run by Villanova freshman Nick Lorusso.

Creighton's 5th inning scoring came thanks to chain hitting from Parker Upton, Jake Holton, Will Robertson, and Jordan Hovey.

After giving up the bomb in the top of the 7th, Creighton answered by once again loading the bases in the bottom of the 7th, and taking advantage by drawing a walk, and scoring a 2-RBI single off the bat of Will Hanafan.

Bats exploded once again in the 8th inning, as the Bluejays tacked 4 more runs in the inning thanks in part to Jake Holton's 13th home run of the season, as well as David Vilches' 2nd of the year.

Top Players

Creighton's Mitch Ragan showed why he's the Jays' top starter with his 101-pitch gem.

Catcher David Vilches went 2-for-4 with 2 RBI and a home run. Vilches is batting 7-for-11 in his last 3 games.

Inside the Box Score

Villanova struggled in every facet of their defense all night, committing two errors and countless other miscues leading to extra opportunities and advanced runners for Creighton. There is a reason this team has only won 13 games all year.

Villanova threw 194 pitches on the night, recording just 99 total strikes. Compare that to Creighton's far more efficient 80 strikes in just 116 total pitches.

Up Next

Weather permitting, Creighton wants to get at least one final game in in this series, as severe weather is in the forecast all weekend. The Bluejays sit just a half-game back of Xavier atop the Big East standings, and a sweep of Villanova will mean Creighton wins outright ownership of the Big East regular season championship.

Tomorrow's first pitch is currently set for 6:30 PM local time at TD Ameritrade Park.

Bats, Gloves Come Alive as Creighton Cruises Past Omaha

Offense was on display for Creighton as the Bluejays coasted to a comfortable 13-2 win over Dodge Street Rival Omaha Tuesday afternoon.

The game started in typical small-ball, classic Creighton fashion. The Jays worked a walk, stole a base, and scored on a passed ball to take a 1-0 lead in the first.

Then the bats broke loose.

A 3rd inning leadoff double by junior Jason Allbery was followed by back-to-back walks, which set up a loaded opportunity for junior Will Robertson.

Robertson came into the game with 10 home runs and a team-high 49 RBI. He connected on the first pitch he saw and planted the no-doubter deep into section 124 out in right-center field. The bomb brought Robertson to a tie with Jake Holton at 11 home runs on the year. Not to be outdone, Jake Holton took advantage of a situation presented to him, and hit a grand slam of his own in the bottom of the 8th, retaking the team home run lead.

Creighton hammered the ball all game long, testing the range of the Maverick outfielder. Omaha's #2 defense nationally stepped up when possible, punctuated by an amazing diving catch by right fielder Ben Palensky.

Isaac Collins, who hit the ball hard in every at-bat, was able to find a gap in the 4th inning for a two-out, two RBI double to left center. A run-scoring single off the bat by pinch hitter Will Hanafan tacked on the 8th run of the game, and

Omaha struggled against Creighton's effective pitching all game, striking out eight times against CU's first two pitchers Dylan Tebrake and Ben Dotzler. Before the game, Ed Servais said he only planned on Tebrake pitching into the 3rd inning, but Tebrake took a perfect game into the 5th, retiring the first 13 batters he faced.

Top Performers

Full credit Creighton combo to Dylan Tebrake and Ben Dotzler, who combined for 8 innings, giving up 3 hits and striking out 9.

Shoutout to the bottom of the lineup, Jason Allbery and David Vilches each reached base 3 times, combining for 3-for-5 with two walks and a HBP between them.

Omaha's Ben Palensky was a shining beacon for Omaha, hitting a 2-run double in the 9th inning to end the shutout bid, on top of his spectacular diving catch.

Up Next

Creighton hosts Villanova with a chance to win the Big East regular season championship on the line.

Omaha is set to host Oral Roberts, with their own opportunity to win the Summit League regular season championship.

Creighton and Omaha in Final Non-Conference Battle for Both Teams

The Omaha Mavericks will make a short trip down Dodge Street to take on Creighton one final time. It will be the final non-conference game for both teams entering a pivotal point in their respective seasons.

Who: Creighton Bluejays vs Omaha Mavericks

When: 11 AM Tuesday, May 14

Where: TD Ameritrade Park, Omaha, NE

Watch: Jays Video

For Omaha (27-18-1)

Omaha has dropped 4 of its last 5 series, and 8 of its last 11 games as they limp into their final weekend. A 12-game conference winning streak had given the Mavericks a huge cushion early in the season, but their lead over 2nd-place South Dakota State has shrunk to just 1.5 games.

A lot rides on the line for the Mavs this weekend, from a Number 1 seed in the Summit League Tournament, to the possibility of hosting the Summit League tournament for the 2020 season. After Tuesday, the Mavericks will host preseason Summit League favorite Oral Roberts to finish out the year.

For Creighton (31-11)

Creighton is in equally important territory, sitting just a half-game back of 1st Place Xavier in the Big East standings. However, Xavier's conference season is over, and Creighton has 3 home games left against the last-place Villanova Wildcats.

Omaha will finish the season with seven home games, with the midweek Omaha matchup sandwiched between St. John's and Villanova.

Kids Day

The game is set for an 11 AM first pitch to accommodate Kids Day at TD Ameritrade.

By the Numbers

.410 Creighton's Jake Holton is batting a white-hot .410 in 42 games, with 11 home runs.

.350 Omaha is led by Parker Smejkal, batting .350 with 5 home runs.

46 to 21 As a team, Creighton has hit 46 home runs, compared to Omaha's 21.

.982 Omaha ranks 2nd nationally in fielding percentage, behind only Xavier (.984). Creighton ranks 11th nationally with a .981 fielding percentage.

Husker victory over Mavs goes exactly as both teams needed it to

Nebraska made the mid-week trip up to Omaha and livened up their bats, coming off a 5-0 home loss to Kansas State the night before.

Nebraska finished the night with 8 runs on 11 hits, controlling everything but their own strike zone from start to finish. The Huskers threw a handful of pitchers at the Mavericks early and often, rolling through 3 pitchers in the first 3 innings.

Nebraska was able to find the offensive rhythm they need as the head back into conference play this weekend, and hopefully helped some of their pitching staff shake off some rust as well. Two pitchers for Nebraska, freshmen Kyle Perry and Bo Blessie, walked 4 batters each and were tagged with four of Omaha's 5 runs thanks in large part to those walks.

What Nebraska Gained

Nebraska was able to find themselves once again offensively, collecting 11 hits including a home run from Spencer Schwellenbach after recording just 5 hits in their loss yesterday.

Ideally, the Husker pitching staff also was able to clean up some of their own struggles and get their pitchers some more innings under their belts.

What Omaha Gained

Despite a loss, and some mostly-inactive bats, Omaha showed some defensive prowess and genuine plate discipline. Omaha's patience drew 8 walks in the first 3 innings and kept the Huskers sweating most of the night.

Their ability to keep up with one of the top teams in the Big Ten this year should really help their confidence as they continue through Summit League action. Omaha sits comfortable in 1st place in the conference, four games ahead of South Dakota State.

Without a home, Mavs blazing a trail and making history.

Somewhere around Omaha, the Omaha Mavericks baseball team are making due with what they have. Cold and snow altered a big chunk of the start to the year.

Now, after six home games, the Mavs have played in three different ballparks around town, none of which are their usual Seymour Smith Park. They have made a home of Millard North High School, Creighton Prep High School, and Skutt Catholic High School.

But it has not stopped Omaha from rolling. The Mavericks have won ten straight, their longest winning streak since moving up to division 1, and highlighted it with a record-setting 26-0 victory over Purdue Fort Wayne. The Mavs potent offense has outscored their opponents 72-18 in that stretch.

The offense is highlighted by Parker Smejkal, who is batting .412 and recorded Omaha's first grand slam in over a year as part of the rout over Purdue Fort Wayne.

The starting rotation has been equally impressive, with multiple Mavs hurlers garnering Summit League Pitcher of the Week honors, but none has been more impressive than senior Payton Kinney. Kinney (5-0) has recorded a blistering ERA of 0.69 in 39 innings of work.

Omaha will hit the road after their much-needed home stretch, visiting Wichita State Tuesday. They will then return home for another 4-game home stand: a three game series against Western Illinois before a midweek game against Creighton. The games will be at another two venues; Seymour Smith and Werner Park, bringing the total number of home fields for Omaha to 5.

State of Nebraska Postpones Baseball's Opening Day

Today was supposed to be the Home Openers for Nebraska and Creighton, but with the forecasted weather, their games against Omaha and Northern Colorado were canceled over a week ago.

Today's high temperature in Omaha is 19 degrees. There is still more than 6 inches of snow covering all grass, with a forecast of 3-6 inches of snow between Wednesday and Thursday this week.

Here's how home games are faring in the Northern Midwest:


Kansas: Feb 20 vs Omaha (Canceled)
Kansas State: March 1 vs. San Francisco (Relocated to Fort Worth, TX)
Creighton: March 5 vs. Northern Colorado (Canceled)
Nebraska: March 5 vs. Omaha (Postponed)
Iowa: March 6 vs. Simpson College (Canceled)
Kansas State: March 8 vs. Old Dominion (As Scheduled)
Omaha: March 15 vs. North Dakota State (As Scheduled)
Michigan: March 15 vs. Manhattan (As Scheduled)


Other Notes:

• South Dakota State will play their first home game against Dakota State on April 3rd.

• North Dakota State will play their first home game against Purdue Fort Wayne on April 5th.

• Minnesota will play their first home game against Nebraska on March 29th

• After canceling their home opener against Omaha, Kansas will play their first home game against Baylor on March 29th.

• Michigan State will play their first home game against Central Michigan on March 20th.

End of Regular Season for Jays is Historic, Bittersweet

Creighton Coach Jim Flanery hugs senior Audrey Faber after their game Sunday

Creighton Stuns, Hangs On to Upset #13 Marquette

The Creighton Bluejays could not have asked for a better start to their weekend. Entering Friday, Creighton was sitting at 7-9 in conference, and on the wrong side of their postseason hopes. In front of them was Marquette, who had just clinched a share of the Big East championship, and was looking for their first outright championship since 2000.

That didn't stop Creighton from exploding to the tune of a 20-0 run across the 1st and 2nd quarters against the #13 team in the nation, on their way to a 71-65 victory in DJ Sokol Arena. The run was highlighted by a stretch in which the Jays hit their first 8 shots in the paint to offset the hot start that Marquette had, hitting their first 3 shots from long range.

"[Marquette] didn't help as much on the dribble, we were able to finish without that help coming," said Jim Flanery after the game.

That large cushion softened the impact of 16 second-half turnovers for Creighton, which allowed Marquette to fight back, bringing the final score to a 6-point victory for the Bluejays.

Marquette would end up playing without two key players: Erika Davenport is out for the season after suffering an injury against Butler, and Danielle King fell hard and awkward early in the 4th quarter, and was carried back to the locker room by a trainer.

Turnovers, DePaul Spoil Senior Day

The turnover troubles continued for Creighton into Sunday, when they committed another 21 turnovers and allowed DePaul to come back, despite holding a lead for the first 33 minutes, and leading by as many as 13 points in the 3rd quarter.

Creighton found creative ways to keep DePaul in the game, including traveling, carry, over and back, 3-seconds, and 5-seconds (twice).

Audrey Faber scored 20 points and recorded 5 assists in what will likely be her final game in Omaha. Temi Carda provided fire off the bench with 15 points and 7 rebounds.


Noteworthy

• Friday's victory was the first in Creighton's history over a top-15 team. Creighton was 0-18 against top-15 opponents going into the game.
• The team has come a long way since their 5-game losing streak, and the coach and players have displayed a noticeably different attitude recently.
• The attendance for Senior Day (1,148) was the highest since their game against in-state rival Nebraska (1,533), which was also a sibling rivalry between Brook and Taylor Kissinger.
• Creighton locked in the 6-seed for the Big East tournament, winning the tiebreaker over Providence.

Path to Summit Tournament Easier, Not Easy, Down the Stretch for Omaha

After a brutal start to conference play, which included a 9-game conference losing streak, a victory over Purdue Fort Wayne on Senior Day has reenergized the Mavericks going into their final stretch.

Behind them now are South Dakota, South Dakota State, and Western Illinois. The last three games are winnable against North Dakota State (6-19, 3-10 Summit), Oral Roberts (15-12, 8-6), and Denver (14-11, 7-5).

"We needed to [beat Fort Wayne] at home, it keeps the season alive as far as what we are playing for" said Omaha coach Brittany Lange after the game. The victory moved Omaha into a tie for the final spot in the Summit League Tournament. The last-placed team in the standings will not qualify for the 8-team postseason. North Dakota's addition to the Summit League created a 9-member conference this season.

"It was a must win."

Looking ahead, there are 3 teams fighting for the last two spots in the conference.



Omaha (8-18, 2-11)
The Mavericks have a tough but winnable stretch in front of them, but the biggest disadvantage when trying to qualify for the postseason is that all games are on the road.

Games Remaining:
@ North Dakota State (6-19, 3-10)

• The most winnable game remaining, and the best shot the Mavs have at moving up from 8th to 7th in league play, which is not nothing, but still a steep battle over either South Dakota or South Dakota State come conference play. A win would guarantee that Omaha owns the tiebreak over NDSU, all but securing a spot in the postseason.

@ Oral Roberts (15-12, 8-6)

• Oral Roberts has won 5 of their past 7, and will be coming off a 4-game road swing before hosting Omaha to end the regular season. Oral Roberts will be jockeying for position from 3-5 in the Conference Tournament over their final 2 games.

@ Denver (14-11, 7-5)

• In a similar boat with Oral Roberts, Denver is fighting to move up as high as #3 in the standings, with a home game against Western Illinois ahead of them. It's possible they leave it all on the floor against WIU and will be gassed against Omaha two days later.

Purdue Fort Wayne (6-19, 2-11)
Purdue Fort Wayne enters the back stretch with the easiest schedule of the bottom three, but may be running out of energy sitting on a 5 game losing streak under interim Head Coach Marcie Alberts while Niecee Nelson is on administrative leave.

Games Remaining:
@ South Dakota State (20-6, 12-1)

• A throwaway game in which Purdue Fort Wayne just hopes they can stay healthy enough to compete in the last two.

VS. North Dakota (10-16, 5-8)
VS. North Dakota State (6-19, 3-10)

• Two very winnable home games close out their season, but Fort Wayne will still need a tie-breaker to land in their favor, as they lost to North Dakota State by 16 to start conference play back in December. Fort Wayne is also catching North Dakota on a favorable date, a Thursday afternoon after an extended stay at home for UND, it will be the Fighting Hawks' first road game in 19 days.

North Dakota State
A win for North Dakota State against either Omaha OR Purdue Fort Wayne will gain invaluable separation from the bottom of the conference. As long as the team stays healthy through the South Dakota wood chipper, the Bison have to be satisfied with their spot; a 1-game lead and in complete control of their own destiny.

Games Remaining:
VS. Omaha (8-18, 2-11)
@ South Dakota (23-3, 11-1)
@ Purdue Fort Wayne (6-19, 2-11)

Record Crowd Highlights #EveryoneForOmaha

Omaha, NE - The buzz was noticeably different around Baxter Arena last night. Pulling up to the arena 45 minutes early, there was a line of cars never seen before for a basketball game at Baxter. Multiple police cruisers directed traffic to specific parking lots, where in other games it was simply first come, first serve no matter the direction you came in.

The concourse was loud, with fans mulling about in palpable anticipation for the game about to be put on display. This was not your everyday Mavericks game, and a far cry from their home opener in November; a glorified practice against Buena Vista due to road conditions preventing thousands of school children from making the trip.

The announced crowd of 4,228 made their voices hear early and often, but the 2nd half reached another level of support.

South Dakota State got an early jump on the Mavs and ran out to an early lead thanks to 20 first half points from Mike Daum, whose ability to score from anywhere on the floor made defending him a challenge for Matt Pile and backup Brett Barney.

"Daum in the first half got the ball in all the sweet spots we talked about for the past 3 days," said Coach Derrin Hansen after the game. "The second half he got the ball a little bit farther away."

With the defense more focused on Daum in the 2nd half, South Dakota Stayed keyed on sophomore shooter David Jenkins to keep the Mavs at bay. Jenkins scored 25 of his game-high 34 points in the second half, and finished the day shooting 10-for-15 from long range.

But it was a full team effort that brought Omaha back in it. Four Mavericks scored in double figures in the 2nd half alone, led by Matt Pile and KJ Robinson, who each netted 13 points. An 18-0 run erased a 16-point deficit, and the Mavericks and Jackrabbits traded blows for the final 14 minutes of the game, seeing all of the game's 13 lead changes after that run.

Mike Daum drove and drew a foul with 5 seconds left, sinking both free throws to take an 84-83 lead before Mitch Hahn made his game winning drive.

"My first thought was to shoot a pull-up 3, then Matt [Pile] said 'we need to get to the rim.' Against South Dakota State in the championship game [2 years ago] we shot a deep three...we can't do the same thing twice. [Alex] Arians did a good job of cutting me off, the only thing he gave me was the shot I had to take."

After the game, students rushed the floor to congratulate the Mavs, who were all more than happy to high-five every last fan on their way to the locker room.

The Young and the Hopeless: Winless Teams in NCAAW

We are now two months deep into basketball season, and the non-conference chapter has all but closed. Sitting pretty at the moment are 3 undefeated teams: Louisville, NC State, and Ohio.

But we're not here to talk about them. Scroll down the list for a while and you will come to the other side of Division 1.

In the Division 1 basement are four winless teams: Coppin State (0-13), Tennessee State (0-14), Chicago State (0-14), and Seattle (0-15).

The dishonorable mentions are teams with wins ONLY over non-D1 opponents: Southern (3-9), Alabama State (1-11), Eastern Kentucky (2-11), Arkansas-Pine Bluff (2-5), Delaware State (2-10), McNeese (2-11), and Charleston Southern (3-9).

We will get an opportunity to look at all these teams in the Division 1 Basement.

Coppin State (0-13)

HBCU: Yes
Last Winning Season: 2013-14
Last D1 Win: January 29, 2018 vs. Maryland Eastern Shore
Current D1 Losing Streak: 22 Games

Coppin State is an HBCU that is part of the University System of Maryland, which includes UMBC and Maryland, College Park. Nine of the Eagles' first 10 games were on the road, including Maryland, West Virginia, Mississippi State, and Minnesota.

Winnable Games Remaining:

January 7 @ Delaware State (2-10)
January 26 vs. Florida A&M (2-11)
February 2 vs. Morgan State (2-13)
February 25 vs. Delaware State (2-10)

Tennessee State (0-14)

HBCU: Yes
Last Winning Season: 2014-15
Last D1 Win: February 17, 2018 vs. Eastern Kentucky
Current D1 Losing Streak: 16 Games

Tennessee State has played moderately respectable considering their record, including scoring 73 points on the road against DePaul. Unfortunately, the Ohio Valley Conference looks to be halfway decent top to bottom, so wins will still be a struggle.

Winnable Games Remaining:
January 10 vs. Eastern Kentucky (2-11)
February 9 @ Eastern Kentucky

Chicago State (0-14)

HBCU: No
Last Winning Season: 2010-11
Last D1 Win: February 8 @ Utah Valley
Current D1 Losing Streak: 20 Games

Chicago State may not have the longest active losing streak, but they are about as low as Division 1 can possibly get. The Cougars have won just 1 game in their last 80 tries stretching back to the end of the 2015-16 season, which includes a 59-game losing streak from 2016 to 2018.

Winnable Games Remaining:

January 24 @ Seattle (0-15)
February 7 vs Cal Baptist (6-8)
February 23 vs Seattle

Seattle (0-15)

HBCU: No
Last Winning Season: 2017-18
Last D1 Win: March 10 vs. CSU Bakersfield
Current D1 Losing Streak: 16 Games

Seattle has fallen hard since their NCAA Tournament appearance last season, which was quite an upset in its own right. The Redhawks were forced to replace four of their top 6 players from last season, including their best two. A challenging slate including Arizona and Washington hasn't helped, either.

Winnable Games Remaining:
January 24 vs. Chicago State (0-14)
January 26 vs. UMKC (7-7)
February 23 @ Chicago State
February 28 vs. Cal Baptist (6-8)


Winless Honorable Mention

Southern (3-9)
HBCU: Yes
Last Winning Season: 2017-18
Last D1 Win: March 9, 2018 vs. Prairie View A&M
Current D1 Losing Streak: 10 Games
Quick Note: Also lost to NAIA Dillard

Alabama State (1-11)
HBCU: Yes
Last Winning Season: 2015-16
Last D1 Win: February 17, 2018 vs. Southern
Current D1 Losing Streak: 17 Games

Eastern Kentucky (2-11)
HBCU: No
Last Winning Season: 2015-16
Last D1 Win: February 10, 2018 vs. Morehead State
Current D1 Losing Streak: 15 Games

Arkansas-Pine Bluff (2-5)
HBCU: Yes
Last Winning Season: Unknown, ESPN only goes back to 2002, UAPB website to 2011.
Last D1 Win: March 3, 2018 vs. Mississippi Valley State
Current D1 Losing Streak: 5 Games
Note: Also lost to NAIA Philander Smith

Delaware State (2-10)
HBCU: Yes
Last Winning Season: 2007-08
Last D1 Win: March 1, 2018 vs. Morgan State
Current D1 Losing Streak: 11 Games

McNeese (2-11)
HBCU: No
Last Winning Season: 2015-16
Last D1 Win: February 28, 2018 vs. Texas A&M-CC
Current D1 Losing Streak: 12 Games
Note: Also lost to NAIA LSU-Alexandria

Charleston Southern (3-9)
HBCU: No
Last Winning Season: 2016-17
Last D1 Win: March 8, 2018 vs. Longwood
Current D1 Losing Streak: 10 Games

Villanova Wins Slugfest over Creighton, 54-52

If this was a boxing match, it would be a split decision. The low-scoring battle meant points were at a premium for Villanova (10-3, 2-1 Big East) and Creighton (7-7, 1-2).

 Creighton opened up the game outscoring the Wildcats 18-11 on the back of Audrey Faber’s 12 points. Creighton was also the aggressor off the dribble, getting to the paint 12 times with 9 shots in the paint, compared to Villanova’s 8 and 4, respectively. That ability to attack the rim worked in tandem with the Bluejays’ outside shooting, as Creighton connected on 4 of 8 three-point attempts in the first period, hitting 3 of 5 when the shots came within their system. Villanova played flat for the entire first period, hitting just 1 of 8 from long range.

In the second round (quarter), Villanova and Creighton switched roles, with Villanova hitting their threes (3 of 5 in the 2^nd quarter) and doing a better job of getting to the paint (12 paint touches to CU’s 9, 9 shots in the paint to CU’s 4). With that effort, the Wildcats took a 30-29 lead into the break.

The 3^rd round saw Creighton come out of the locker room all out of sorts, with multiple bad passes early as the team failed to click. The Jays resettled and battled to a 13-12 lead in the quarter, tying the game up at 42 apiece heading into the decisive final round. Creighton left their hands down when Villanova guard Raven James had the ball, encouraging her to shoot from long range. James was able to connect once in the 2^nd, and once in the 3^rd to help keep Villanova in it.

The 4^th quarter was another back-and-forth round, with multiple errors from both teams coming in the last few minutes as Creighton tried to claw back, and Villanova tried to hold on. The ability for Villanova to score down low keyed the victory in the decisive 4^th. Creighton was held the just 3 baskets on 10 shots, while Villanova hit 5 shots and was able to kill clock with three offensive rebounds. A last second shot never transpired for Creighton as the buzzer sounded while they were still bringing the ball up the floor.

In the first half, Creighton was able to find the shots they were looking for, shooting 9 total three pointers that came in-system. In the second half, the shots they were looking for were much harder to come by, as they attempted just 4 three-pointers that came in system in the second half.

Creighton was led by Audrey Faber (20 points, 4 assists) and Temi Carda (10 points, 10 rebounds). Carda recorded her 2^nd career double-double, and first of the 2018-19 season.

Villanova saw three players reach double figures, and benefitted from solid bench play, as two starters finished the game with zero points. The Wildcats were led by Mary Gedaka (14 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists) and Adrianna Hahn (11 points, 6 rebounds).

Creighton returns to action on Sunday when they host Georgetown. Villanova will continue their road swing with a trip to Providence on Sunday.

Omaha Downs North Dakota State, 90-77

North Dakota State was hot in the 2nd half during a late run, but it was far too little, far too late as the Omaha Mavericks (8-8, 2-1 Summit) coasted to a 90-77 win over the Bison (6-10, 1-2).

“That was a good old-fashioned butt-whooping” said NDSU Head Coach David Richman after the game, as Omaha reached out to a 26 point lead at one point in the second half. “We have some youth going through their first road experience, and we played like that.” NDSU junior forward Deng Geu came off the bench and had a big offensive impact, scoring 14 points in 16 minutes and collecting three offensive rebounds. “[Deng] was good from a scoring standpoint, but too many turnovers. When you turn the ball over against a team like Omaha, that really compounds itself since they’re so electric on the open floor.”

“I’m very proud of our guys from their bounce back [from a close loss to Oral Roberts]…I really thought our guys refocused tonight,” said Omaha Head Coach Derrin Hansen. The Mavericks struggled against Oral Roberts on the glass, recording just 5 first-half rebounds in their last game.

One-Two Punch

Omaha’s Mitch Hahn exploded out of the gate, netting 10 points in the first four minutes of action, to the delight of a sizeable section of Fremont High School students in the crowd supporting one of their former stars. The senior finished the day with 20 points.

Silenced over the first 18 minutes action, sophomore Matt Pile scored all 19 of his points in his final 17 minutes on the floor, owning the offensive glass (7 total offensive rebounds) on the way to his 5th double-double of the season. Hahn and Pile are tied atop the list of active Mavs players with 6 career double-doubles each.

Ball Control

Omaha’s 7 turnovers matches their season-low, and marks 7 of their past 8 games with fewer than 10 turnovers.

Coaching Stats

Here are the stats that I kept track of that don’t show up in a box score.

* Settled 3s: Three Point attempts not in-system. Settled Looks
* Rhythm 3s: Three Point Attempts in-system, either from a pass or a good pull-up.

In the 2nd half, Omaha extended their lead by getting to the paint, finishing at the rim, and drawing fouls. Omaha shot 14 free throws in the 2nd half, compared to NDSU's 4. The Mavs drew 11 fouls in the 2nd half, and finished with 30 points in the paint. This made the difference when North Dakota State really started to heat up from long range, giving Omaha a big cushion to survive easily.

Preview: Omaha hosts Bradley on Kids Day at Sapp Fieldhouse

Game time: 12 PM CT

Location: Sapp Fieldhouse, Omaha, NE

Watch: Live Stream

HuskerGeek Rankings:
Omaha: 312
Bradley: 121

Scouting Omaha

Omaha comes into the game with a 5-4 record, with most wins coming over the bottom of the Division 1 pool. Their defense, and ability to slow the game down, look to be their strong suits.

Omaha ranks 42nd nationally allowing just 55.8 PPG. Conversely, they rank 264th nationally averaging just 59.9 PPG themselves. Omaha is led in scoring by junior guard Rayanna Carter (10.2 PPG), but look for sophomore guard Claire Killian to try to find as many open looks from long distance as possible. Killian is shooting a team-low 20% from beyond the arc, but is leading the team in attempts from long range.

Freshmen power duo Elena Pilakouta and Josie Filer lead the team in rebounding, but a total team effort in attacking the glass contributes to Omaha's +5.4 rebounding margin. Seven players on the roster average 2.9+ rebounds per game.

Omaha is a point-by-committee roster, with six players recording more than 10 assists so far this season, led by forward Elena Pilakouta's 22. Additionally, everyone is contributing in the paint, with four players recording 5+ blocks so far this season.

Look for Omaha to hope this game stays in the 50's in order to come out on top.

Scouting Bradley

Bradley enters today's game as one of 18 remaining unbeaten teams in NCAA Division 1. The Braves find their success at a much faster pace than Omaha, ranking 59th nationally at 75.6 PPG.

They are led by an impressive duo of freshman Lasha Petree (16.7 PPG) and sophomore Gabi Haack (16.4 PPG). The two account for 36 of Bradley's 42 made 3-pointers this season. The Braves will try to play up tempo and get Omaha's bigs either in foul trouble, or off the floor for a breather.

Bradley's strength of schedule has been weak so far, and Omaha is not exactly an exception.

How to Win

Omaha MUST slow the game down. They do not have the transition speed to keep up with Bradley. Extended possessions, offensive rebounds, and limiting the damage from long range will keep Omaha in this game. Second chance points are a must.

Bradley will win if they get to 65 points. Any pace will prevent Omaha's young players from getting settled into defense, creating open looks from long range as well as lanes to the basket. In two fewer games, Bradley has attempted 27 more free throws, and is shooting significantly better from the field.

Prediction: Bradley 72-58

Mavericks Sweep Jackrabbits, prepare for Coyotes

A balanced attack helped lead the Omaha Mavericks past the South Dakota State Jackrabbits 25-21, 25-18, 25-21 Friday night at the Sapp Fieldhouse.

"It's been a trademark of ours this entire year to have multiple hitters that are doing well and we try to spread the love as much as possible," said Coach Shires after the game. "I think that needs to continue for us to be successful."

Sophomores Isabella Sade and Anna Blaschko hit an identical .571 with 9 kills on 14 swings. Freshman Sadie Limback led the Mavericks with 13 kills hitting .524 on 21 swings. Freshman setter Sydney Case had her hand in 42 total points, recording two assisted blocks and a kill to go along with her game-high 39 assists.

Freshman Sadie Limback paced the Mavs with 13 kills.

South Dakota State (4-21, 1-11) never let Omaha pull away, and had a three point lead late in the third set. The Jacks were led by junior Makenzie Hennen, who recorded a game-high 14 kills on 31 swings, troubling Omaha all night.

"[South Dakota State] hasn't won a lot of games, but they're a team that comes at you and comes at you. I don't think that there was one time where I felt that they were giving in. We just had to stay mentally tough."

Makenzie Hennen led both teams with 14 kills.

Due to the Mavericks hockey game being played at the usual home, Baxter Arena, the volleyball match was moved to the much more intimate Sapp Fieldhouse. Despite a below-average attendance of 355, the packed-in crowd was on top of the game all evening.

"It is tremendous home court advantage playing at the Sapp." -Omaha Head Coach Rose Shires

"I love playing at the Sapp. Baxter is a phenomenal facility, but the crowd is so involved, right on top of the court, and it is a tremendous home court advantage playing at the Sapp."


Freshmen are Key

The Freshmen duo of setter Sydney Case and OH Sadie Limback are absolutely dynamic. In the front row they connected with each other about 20 times, and their serving styles complement each other perfectly. Case prefers methodical location to potentially pull a setter out of system; Limback prefers to hammer the ball as hard as physically possible and force serve-receive to react appropriately.

A for Effort

South Dakota State brought a very small bench to the game. While Omaha has 17 total players on their roster, SDSU brought just 16 people to Omaha in total, including 12 players and 4 coaches. Three of the six players on the SDSU bench were assigned to holding clipboards.

Despite the numbers, SDSU fought hard all match, and Omaha was never able to completely pull away in any set.

Looking Ahead

The Mavericks are set to host the South Dakota Coyotes Sunday afternoon, in a match up that will have important seeding implications for the Summit League tournament in Denver. Both teams are tied at 10-3 overall in the conference with just 3 games remaining.

"South Dakota is really playing well. [Second place in the standings] is very important to us, and we're going to have to block very well."

The match for Omaha's senior day Sunday afternoon is set for 1 PM Central Time in Baxter Arena.

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.

When NAIA meets NCAA: XULA set to host North Texas and Auburn

It's not all too uncommon to see NCAA Division 1 schools host NAIA opponents in exhibitions, early season tune-ups, or even to fill the Winter Break Gap between the non-conference season and the start of conference play.

Rare though, is an NAIA team hosting an NCAA Division 1 opponent, but it happens. Rarer still, hosting a P5 opponent.

Enter Xavier University of Louisiana. 

XULA is an NAIA Division 1 school participating in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference

A 3-mile walk from the French Quarter, XULA boasts 3,000 students. Compare that to two NCAA Division 1 teams they are hosting this year: Auburn (30,000) and North Texas (38,000).

A few years ago, Grambling State men's basketball visited USCAA Mid-Atlantic Christian University in a chin-scratching matchup, an 85-36 breeze in an exception that proved the rule: NCAA Division 1 rarely ventures into smaller ponds. So what made the XULA women's basketball program special? The Gold Nuggets will face four total Division 1 opponents: UNT and Auburn at home, and Southeastern Louisiana and Louisiana-Lafayette on the road.

I reached out for comment from XULA's Head Coach Bo Browder, as well as UNT's Sports Information Director Luke Della and Associate Head Coach Bobby Brasel. 

XULA Coach Bo Browder on scheduling 4 NCAA Division 1 teams this year: 

"We love taking on quality teams. We love competing against some of the best teams in the country. We were blessed to get four games against DIs this season. One year we won at Tulane, UNO and Nicholls (2004-05), and after that our chances to get DIs dried up pretty good for a while."

That 2004-05 season, the Gold Nuggets finished with a 29-5 record and lost to Cumberland in the opening round of the NAIA National Tournament.

Bo Browder is entering his 20th season leading the Gold Nuggets

So how did they land Auburn and North Texas this year?

XULA assistant Tarniesha Scott has known Auburn assistant Adrian Walters, which helped when Auburn was looking to fill a hole in their 2017-18 schedule.

"[Auburn] needed to fill a spot," said Coach Browder, "We helped them out and they promised to play a second game at our place this season."

At North Texas, guard Terriell Bradley is entering her Redshirt Senior season. Bradley is from New Orleans, and Head Coach Jalie Mitchell was looking for an opportunity to find a game for Bradley in her home town, according to UNT's Luke Della.

"Every year coach Mitchell likes playing road games in cities where some of our out of state student athletes come from. For example, last year we went to Chicago where Tosin Mabodu was from and then to Eastern Illinois, which is kind of close to where another player was from. They talked to all the schools in the New Orleans area and XULA was the one that worked best for scheduling."

"They checked all the DIs in the area, but no one was interested," said Browder, "Then they called us. We were happy to help. We'll play a second game at North Texas next season."

"Remember what Southern Miss used to say about their football program? Anyone, anywhere, any time. That's us, too, because we love good competition."

XULA begins their season with four home games, and host the Xavier Classic on November 2nd and 3rd.