Creighton Defeats No. 4 Villanova by 28
The Creighton Bluejays have turned a few heads this season with their fine play on the court. However, Monday night’s 96-68 win over No. 4 ranked Villanova has put them on center stage in men’s college basketball.
Creighton’s offensive display against Villanova was a site to see especially if you love perfect jumps shots from anywhere on the court. The Bluejays have one of the best offenses in college basketball and one of the best individual offensive players at this level.
For most of the first half of the season, those familiar with Creighton’s offensive game, thought the team was only Doug McDermott. However, Monday night showed the team was much more than their talented scorer.
Ethan Wragge hit nine of the Bluejays 21 three-point shots Monday against Villanova. His six threes early in the first half gave Creighton a lead of 27-8. By the halfway point of the first half, Creighton was hitting on 73% of its shots from three-point territory and led 40-17.
However, Creighton’s hot shooting cooled and the Wildcats scored 11 straight points and were able to narrow the lead to just 13 at the half.
While Wragge exploded early giving the Bluejays their big cushion in the first half, the entire offense joined in, in the second half.
McDermott then took over and went on a 14-point scoring barrage that took the score to 84-47. Creighton did not make it to 100 points. However, that was the only offensive stat that was disappointing for the Bluejays on the night.
The team hit 60% of its shots from 3-point territory and set a record for Big East play with 21 three pointer.
McDermott scored 23 points on just 13 shots moving him past former Navy standout David Robinson into No. 22 all time in NCAA scoring. Creighton however won for just the third time in 28 games all time against teams ranked in the top five and it has been 51 years since the team last won against a team ranked so high.
The win must go down in Creighton history as the best of all time for the basketball program.
Wragge is not your everyday three-point shooter. He is a 6-foot-8 forward who is nailing down close to 50% of his shots from 3-point territory. Out of the 154 shots he has attempted this season, only six, yes SIX, have been from inside the 3-point line. He is by far the best shooter from beyond the arc in college basketball.
Creighton of course did not win anything other than one game last night and this will not put them into the NCAA tournament, however it was how they won the game that was son eye opening.
The team was blown out by Providence only two days earlier after hitting just 4 of its 19 shots from three-point territory. However, on Monday night the Bluejays showed how good coach McDermott has made the offense.
Creighton is now 16-3 overall and 6-1 in Big East play. McDermott is averaging over 24 points per game on 50% shooting from the field and over 90% from the charity stripe.
The Bluejays might not be considered a potential force in the NCAA tournament but they could give a number of top teams a run for their money.
