Omaha, NE (Sports Network) - The 11th-ranked Creighton Bluejays seek quick
turnaround, as the welcome the Saint Joseph's Hawks to Omaha for a non-
conference clash at the CenturyLink Center.
Greg McDermott's Bluejays opened the season red hot, winning their first six
games, all by double digits. The win streak came to a close on Wednesday
however, with an 83-70 loss to Boise State.
Phil Martelli's Hawks have jumped out to a strong start as well, with wins in
four of their first five games. The lone loss came against Florida State in
Brooklyn as part of the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic. Saint Joseph's has bounced
back with a pair of lopsided wins at home over Harvard (75-56) and most
recently, American (74-55).
Saint Joseph's holds a 5-4 advantage in the all-time series, thanks to an
80-71 win last year in Philadelphia.
Langston Galloway led four Hawks in double figures with 18 points, reaching
the 1,000-point plateau for his career. C.J. Aiken and Carl Jones both poured
in 16 points, while Chris Wilson netted 15 points, while dishing out a career-
high eight assists. Saint Joseph's shot a sterling .543 from the floor
overall, bolstered by a hefty 14-of-28 showing from behind the arc.
The Hawks aren't putting up huge offensive numbers this season at a modest
71.0 ppg, but they are enjoying a +13.2 scoring margin. The scoring pool is
deep, with six players currently averaging double figures. Jones leads the way
with 17.7 ppg, shooting an even .500 from 3-point range (11-of-22). Galloway
is second on the team at 13.4 ppg. Ronald Roberts (11.6 ppg) has been a force
inside with a team-high 10.8 rpg. Aiken (11.6 ppg), Halil Kanacevic (10.3 ppg)
and Wilson (10.0 ppg) provide more than enough support.
Creighton lost its first November home game since 1989, as the Bluejays had no
answer for Boise's Derrick Marks, who netted 35 points, including 28 in the
second half. All-American Doug McDermott led Creighton in the loss with 21
points. Grant Gibbs was the only other Bluejay to finish in double figures
with 17 points.
Offensive proficiency has been a real strength for Creighton this season, with
the team shooting an impressive .526 from the floor and .403 from 3-point
range, en route to 83.0 ppg. McDermott, the top returning scorer in the
nation, is at it again, shooting a healthy .533 from the field, putting up
21.0 ppg. Ethan Wragge is a distant second in the scoring column at 11.4 ppg,
followed by Greg Echenique and Austin Chatman, who net 9.6 and 9.4 ppg,
respectively.
The Sports Network