Following consecutive losses at Wichita State University and Drake University, the No. 17 Creighton men’s basketball team dominated the Southern Illinois University Salukis with an 81-51 victory on the road. With the win, the Jays improved to 18-3 on the season and 7-2 in the Missouri Valley Conference.
The Bluejays started out hot on Sunday night, making eight of their first 10 shots. The Salukis were able to stay within striking distance for a while, despite poor shooting. With 8:25 remaining in the first half, the Jays started a 12-2 run that would help them go into the half with a 43-25 lead. Junior forward Doug McDermott shot seven of eight from the field in the half, finishing with 16 points and four rebounds. Senior center Gregory Echenique recorded eight points, eight rebounds and one block. The Jays shot 73.9 percent from the field, including 5-7 from 3-point range, compared to the 39.3 percent of the Salukis. Creighton also had a 17-5 rebounding advantage over SIU, a battle that they had lost against both Wichita State and Drake. After scoring the first four points of the game, the Salukis did not have a lead after 17:54 remaining in the first half.
“I thought in the first half we did a good job of throwing it over the top of them and letting our big men go up and get it and letting them score,” head coach Greg McDermott said. “But certainly they were pesky, and that peskiness forced us into some turnovers that we don’t normally have.”
The Jays continued their roll at the beginning of the second half, starting out with an 11-2 run. The Salukis, aside from a 14-4 run late in the second half, were unable to keep pace with the Jays, who cruised to victory. For the first time this season, five players scored in double figures for the Jays. Doug McDermott finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Gregory Echenique added 12 points, 11 rebounds and one block. Senior guard Grant Gibbs made all of his five shots from the field, finishing with 13 points, 6 assists and three rebounds. Junior guard Jahenns Manigat shot 4-4 from 3-point range to finish with 12 points, four rebounds and two assists. Finally, junior forward Ethan Wragge had four 3-pointers to chip in with 12 points. The Bluejays finished the game shooting 73.3 percent from the field (60 percent on 3-pointers) and outrebounded the Salukis 37-17.
“It’s big,” Doug McDermott said. “Especially with the kind of attention that Gregory and I draw inside for Jahenns and Ethan to be ready like they were tonight, because it gives us so much more confidence. You can’t double team off of Ethan or Jahenns because they are great shooters. We’ve got to continue having that kind of that kind of production from them.”
The Bluejays will return home to the CenturyLink Center to face the Missouri State University Bears on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. The Bears are 5-15 overall and 3-5 in the MVC this season. Doug McDermott scored 39 points on the road against the Bears in a 74-52 win earlier this season.