The Creighton men’s basketball team has one of the biggest games of the season coming up as the Jays take on the No. 1-ranked team in the country, the Villanova Wildcats.
The Bluejays (17-5, 7-3 Bwig East) have not beaten Villanova (20-1, 7-1 Big East) in four years, losing the past six games. Their last victory against the Wildcats came during the 2013-14 season—Doug McDermott’s senior season. Since then, Villanova captured the 2015-16 national championship, while the Jays haven’t won an NCAA Tournament game.
“Offensively they are so efficient,” Creighton coach Greg McDermott said. “They’ve got four guys out there than can score out there like Marcus Foster can, they can shoot the three, they’re decent off the dribble, they can get to the free-throw line and can post you up a little bit … They’re really talented defensively, they’re really connected, they can switch a lot of screen and while they don’t have a great shot blocking presence they put a lot of pressure on you on the perimeter.”
The Jays are led by senior Marcus Foster, who averages 19.9 points per game on 51 percent shooting and 45 percent from 3-point range. Junior Khyri Thomas is adding 14.6 points per game, while shooting 50 percent from the field and 38 percent from 3 and will be in contention for Big East all-defensive team. Senior forward Toby Hegner is hitting at a 44 percent clip from 3-point range, while putting up 10.1 points per game and junior Ronnie Harrell has emerged lately averaging 7.6 points per game and 6.6 rebounds.
“We just got to go play a possession at a time, do what we do and look at the scoreboard after 40 minutes and see who won,” McDermott said. “As close as to mistake free as you can play is the recipe to beat Villanova. If you’re going to make mistakes and give them easy ones, you’re going to get your wheels blown and obviously that has happened to a lot of good teams.”
The Wildcats are paced by junior Jalen Brunson, who is averaging 19.4 points per game on 56 percent shooting and 47 percent from 3. Redshirt junior Mikal Bridges is scoring 16.7 points a game while shooting 50 percent and 43 percent from 3, and redshirt sophomore Donte DiVincenzo is giving Villanova 13.7 points per game. The Wildcats have six guys who average double-digit totals and as a team they shoot 51 percent from the floor and 41 percent from 3. The Jays will have their hands full trying to slow down this offensive juggernaut.
Creighton will have to play one of its best games if it wants to knock off the Wildcats. Because of sophomore Martin Krampelj’s injury, the Jays will need younger players with smaller roles to have big games. Creighton currently sits third in the Big East standings, and if the Jays to catch Villanova, a win over the Wildcats would be a great way to catch up.