Creighton's Greg McDermott sends warning to top teams after stunning Kansas upset
12/05/2024 01:03 AM
On the surface, an inconsistent Creighton basketball team defeating No. 1 Kansas (7-1) is the type of unpredictability that defines the college game. Wednesday’s big victory in Omaha, Nebraska carries more weight than the run-of-the-mill regular season upset, however. When healthy and at their best, the Blue Jays (6-3) can arguably beat anyone in the country.
That statement is doubly true when they are playing on their home floor. Creighton’s 76-63 win over Kansas comes more than nine months after it toppled top-ranked UConn in the CHI Health Center. Head coach Greg McDermott is fully confident in the frenzied atmosphere the Blue Jays community regularly creates and is warning all present and prospective powerhouses.
“This is a building where No. 1 teams go to die, evidently,” he said after the game, per John Fanta of Fox College Hoops. Despite enduring a three-game skid in November, Creighton is talking and acting like a dangerous program. It has weathered some injury issues early in the 2024-25 campaign, along with shooting struggles, but it is ascending into peak form before the start of Big East play.
Creighton basketball is looking like what fans envisioned before the season
Texas Tech transfer Pop Isaacs, who has been contributing to the aforementioned offensive volatility, formally acclimated himself to his new home with a terrific outing. He lit up the Jayhawks for 27 points on 10-of-15 shooting while adding seven rebounds and four assists. The junior guard flashed his craftiness and long-range prowess (6-of-9 from 3-point range), doing his part to thwart an early second-half surge by Kansas (pulled within one point). He had some help, though.
Star center Ryan Kalkbrenner returned after missing last Saturday’s win versus Notre Dame with a lower-body injury, coming out on top in his much-anticipated big-man battle with fellow 7-footer Hunter Dickinson. He recorded a double-double of 17 points and 10 boards and prevented Dickinson from becoming a focal point of the offense (2-of-4 from the field).
Steven Ashworth also made his presence known for the Blue Jays, posting a balanced stat line that consisted of 17 points, eight rebounds and six assists…. and six turnovers. He made sure to flash his renown marksmanship, draining a 3-pointer from near the logo. If both Ashworth and Pop Isaacs can be a tad less streaky on offense, they can form one of the most lethal backcourts in the nation.
A versatile squad with an experienced head coach, fervent fan base and a good track record against upper echelon programs has the makings of a March Madness menace. Greg McDermott and Creighton basketball host UNLV (4-3) this Saturday.
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