CREIGHTON THREAD 2018-2019

[Husker Eponymous]

Thomas had the DNA and measurables to be an elite defender. McDermott is quite good at developing offensive in players though. I don’t love or hate McDermott, I just think he has peaked. No doubt he is better than Miles though.

Really wish 2 years ago Watson wouldn't have got hurt, Creighton might have been a top 4 seed

And last year krompel getting hurt through the season in a tailspin.

We will see how they finish this year, and next year virtually everyone is back, that will be the litmus test

 

[bilsker]

Cu played about ad well on defense last night as you can hope for. They need SO much more of that.

St John's and Xavier in omaha next. They really need to sweep this home stand. As crazy as the standings are (2 top teams and them all 8 had 4 losses going in to last night i think) they could be a solid 3rd by then.

Going in to the last weekend it's going to be nuts....there will teams that can finish 3rd or 9th going into their last 2 games. Cant give away any more home games.

 

[bilsker]

Haven't updated as much this year...I'm kinda b!tchy about the state of the Jays these days. I'm all for "let it fly" but Mac's recruiting has resulted in a lot of 6'3" guys and a handful of "tall" guys. that's not a recipe for post season success and I'm bored with the 1 and done routine.

That said...they put up a couple good wins in a row and have a chance to pick up 2 more here this week.

Tonight is DOLLAR BEER NIGHT! Yay. And yes, I will be seeing how many beers I can get in 90 minutes. Drinking beer at games isn't usually my thing but this event is kinda fun.

The Big East standings are almost hard to believe. Nova sits at 7-0. Marquette sits at 7-1. ALL EIGHT of the other teams have 3 wins. 3 of the 8 have 4 losses the other 5 have 5. The difference between playing on Wednesday in the conf. tourney and having a top 4 seed may end up being 1 game. If that happens to CU they will point to the Marquette game. That loss is going to sting right through the end of the season.

Honestly, up to now this is not a tournament team. They could get hot and play their way in. I think some of the projections still have them in that 4 in/out bubble. It would take some doing though to get a win in the dance though. Not optimistic on getting there much less than winning 1 or 2.

St. John's and the worst coach in college basketball visit tonight. I'm a die hard but I'm not going to lie....if the Hilton Garage is full I may keep driving. It's f----g cold!

 

[BubbaGene]

A bit of a humbling game for the Jays tonight..... johnnies on fire

 

[bilsker]

Well....the pre game beer were cheap.

Pathetic performance. 0-2 v st. John's is sorry.

 

[BubbaGene]

Well....the pre game beer were cheap.

Pathetic performance. 0-2 v st. John's is sorry.

It is sorry, but St. John’s has some players.... they just beat a damn good Marquette team on the road.

Z being out is (obviously) going to hurt CU.. jeez they can’t seem to avoid the injury bug. Who will step up? Nova should have their way, of course....but down the stretch there are winnable games for sure.

 

[bilsker]

Out of the country this week so didn't get to see the game. Alexander was hurt in practice tuesday apparently so he didn't play either. Given that fact it's somewhat amazing CU got that game to overtime.

CU simply cannot avoid the injury bug. Every damn year.

College basketball in the state lows this year. It might be UNO that saves our ncaa bacon this year. Who would have thought?

 

[BubbaGene]

Out of the country this week so didn't get to see the game. Alexander was hurt in practice tuesday apparently so he didn't play either. Given that fact it's somewhat amazing CU got that game to overtime.

CU simply cannot avoid the injury bug. Every damn year.

College basketball in the state lows this year. It might be UNO that saves our ncaa bacon this year. Who would have thought?

Frustrating end... CU had a chance... They really blew it. Mac had a good plan though.... SLOW played it and made it a defensive game. It almost worked.....just needed ONE more shot to fall. In overtime Nova knocked down a couple of quick three's (which they hadn't been doing all game for the most part) and that was it....

 

[bilsker]

cu finishes the 3 game road trip 0-3. Mac should probably donate his paycheck or something. I didn't get to see the "end game" of the previous two games but last night was an absolute disaster. Nearly Marquette level disaster.

Up 2 with 20 seconds to go and inbounding the ball. All you have to do is get it in and X has to foul. Make a free throw or two and you're in good shape? What does Ballock do? Throws a f----g outlet pass to an X player for an easy layup. Then, of course, Mac comes up with nothing for the final play other than Mintz heaving a prayer. OT was a forgone conclusion.

Mac NEEDS to move on but he won't. As long as Ras is there he is safe. He just isn't going to get Creighton over the hump (i.e. hang a banner or get to the second weekend). Sure, someone new may rive the bus off the cliff. I don't care. If you aren't trying to be the best you aren't trying. Settling for mediocrity is way worse than aiming high and missing badly IMO.

 

[BubbaGene]

cu finishes the 3 game road trip 0-3. Mac should probably donate his paycheck or something. I didn't get to see the "end game" of the previous two games but last night was an absolute disaster. Nearly Marquette level disaster.

Up 2 with 20 seconds to go and inbounding the ball. All you have to do is get it in and X has to foul. Make a free throw or two and you're in good shape? What does Ballock do? Throws a f----g outlet pass to an X player for an easy layup. Then, of course, Mac comes up with nothing for the final play other than Mintz heaving a prayer. OT was a forgone conclusion.

Mac NEEDS to move on but he won't. As long as Ras is there he is safe. He just isn't going to get Creighton over the hump (i.e. hang a banner or get to the second weekend). Sure, someone new may rive the bus off the cliff. I don't care. If you aren't trying to be the best you aren't trying. Settling for mediocrity is way worse than aiming high and missing badly IMO.

Honestly bils, I think you are being a little hard on Mac. I really think he does a lot with what he has. The end of the Xavier game was pure whack though.... not sure what the hell Ballock was doing, but he damn sure should have had a better option so that probably is Mac's fault. The guy does really need to re-think how he coaches the last 3 minutes of a game when he has a close lead....

 

[bilsker]

Honestly bils, I think you are being a little hard on Mac. I really think he does a lot with what he has. The end of the Xavier game was pure whack though.... not sure what the hell Ballock was doing, but he damn sure should have had a better option so that probably is Mac's fault. The guy does really need to re-think how he coaches the last 3 minutes of a game when he has a close lead....

He's entirely responsible for "what he has". Despite the solid recruiting (stars*) I think he has a screwed up roster. 1 point guard, a crap ton of skinny wings and some post players in various stages of development. And Bishop...who isn't a shooter and never will be a post player IMO.

He loses a hack wing that shouldn't play and adds a directional school transfer (supposedly testing up practices) wing and a small PG. I'll put on my blue shades and be optimistic next year but similar results won't shock me. Results will be at least a little better but coming from last place that's not saying much.

 

[BubbaGene]

He's entirely responsible for "what he has". Despite the solid recruiting (stars*) I think he has a screwed up roster. 1 point guard, a crap ton of skinny wings and some post players in various stages of development. And Bishop...who isn't a shooter and never will be a post player IMO.

He loses a hack wing that shouldn't play and adds a directional school transfer (supposedly testing up practices) wing and a small PG. I'll put on my blue shades and be optimistic next year but similar results won't shock me. Results will be at least a little better but coming from last place that's not saying much.

Mac may have hit his ceiling already but maybe not just his ceiling but Creighton's as well?

Yesterday was another horrible last few minutes of the game. Ballock shouldn't be allowed to touch the ball under 4 minutes. ..... but I think they are just waiting for things to crumble now. You can see them starting to grip. They've been good grabbing a 4 or 6 point lead with 5-7 minutes left and then suddenly they can't inbound the ball. That's ultimately on the coach. Yup, there's always next year. Go Mavs?

 

[bilsker]

Mac may have hit his ceiling already but maybe not just his ceiling but Creighton's as well?

Yesterday was another horrible last few minutes of the game. Ballock shouldn't be allowed to touch the ball under 4 minutes. ..... but I think they are just waiting for things to crumble now. You can see them starting to grip. They've been good grabbing a 4 or 6 point lead with 5-7 minutes left and then suddenly they can't inbound the ball. That's ultimately on the coach. Yup, there's always next year. Go Mavs?

I don't believe in ceilings for programs in particular conferences. Vanderbilt in the SEC? Sure, because they are a "which one of these is not like the other?" But CU in the Big East? What does Butler, Xavier, etc. have that CU does not? Granted, Villanova has a longer track record of national success than CU or anyone else in the BE but other than them there's no reason CU should take a back seat to anyone in the BE.

As for yesterday...same crap, different game. If these games were 35 minutes CU would be playing for a seed...not hoping to make the CBI. You are correct, at this point these guys are just waiting for the hammer to fall at the end of games at this point. No toughness, no leadership, etc. Watching the game you practically knew what was about to happen...you just weren't sure exactly how.

 

[bilsker]

Jays with a couple wins this week. At Depaul and G'Town at home. Nothing monumental as these are teams CU is fighting with to stay out of the wednesday games in NYC. Currently CU is 1 game out of last place and 1 game out of 4th place. Marquett (Road) and home games against Providence and Depaul. Marquette is a tall order but Prov and Depaul are #9 and #10 in the league. They SHOULD finish 2-1 (8-10 and 17-14). I predicted 9-9 and 18-13 so I wasn't too far off if that happens. That said...as the season started and progressed I felt this team should have been much better...and the opportunities were there to do so. Something like 5 losses that they led in the last 3 minutes. Take 3 of those as wins and you're talking about being in the tourney. Marquette at home and X on the road are games you win 100% of the time. Those simply should not and cannot happen.

I'm not sure if 8-10 will get them out of the wednesday games. It's going to come down to some obscure tie-breakers probably because below the top 2, the conference in a jumbled mess.

 

[bilsker]

The Jays go on the road and beat #10 Marquette. Honestly, I dont think Marquette is all that great...but they have the ranking. CU matches up pretty well with them so that helps.

Howard went off again but the Jay's held the rest of the team in check. Kramplj was big. The Jays had 15 steals...they played great defense (did I just say that) and dominated the boards in the 2nd half. Lots of hustle plays.

Not to belabor the point but jeezus h...if they would have just closed out Marquette at home and X on the road they be alone in 3rd olace and a virtual lock for the tourney. I'm still bear-ish on Mac and the make-up of the team but win those games and I'll feel better about both.

As it is cu has 2 games left at home against DePaul and providence. They must win those and 2 in NYC. If they do that they can sneak in the dance. With the match-up being what it is I'd like to see them on marquette's side of the bracket.

It will be nice to go to a couple games this week with something on the line.