Game Day Essentials: Game #7 vs Creighton

Creighton Info

Head Coach: Greg McDermott

Location: Omaha, NE

Conference: Big East

Nickname: Bluejays

Last time out: Lost to Tulsa

Typical Rotation Depth: 9-10 players

Tempo: Medium Pace

Offensive Style: Take 3s and fouls

Defensive Style: Flops and junk sets

Opening Line: Nebraska by 5.5

Lawsuits: Toronto Bluejays

Coaching Changes: Mike Riley was hired on Thursday

Shirt not to wear: Blue, reversible, "Only ranked show in the state"

Other Previews

Huskers.com - http://www.huskers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=100&ATCLID=209794830

Journal Star - http://journalstar.com/sports/huskers/huskers-aiming-to-do-their-part-in-rivalry-game/article_238cd4c0-f278-51e2-a627-e2a0f1842a6d.html

Omaha World Herald - http://www.omaha.com/creighton/bluejays-face-dual-challenge-in-road-crowd-tough-wings/article_38e77adc-d153-5013-97f7-37518cca0baf.html

Possible Starters

Huskers

3 Benny Parker 5-9 172 Jr

5 Terran Petteway 6-6 215 Jr

31 Shavon Shields 6-7 221 Jr

2 David Rivers 6-7 200 Sr

35 Walter Pitchford 6-10 237 Jr

Bluejays

1 Austin Chatman 6-0 175 Sr

5 Devin Brooks 6-2 175 Sr

22 Avery Dingman 6-6 215 Sr

32 Toby Hegner 6-10 225 Fr

31 Will Artino 6-11 230 Sr

Player to Watch

Austin Chatman: One of 5 Seniors on the team, 6 ft PG Chatman is the only returning starter from last year's NCAA team. Without Doug McDermott to draw attention away from 3 pt shooters, the job falls to Chatman and SG Devin Brooks. Creighton is probably at their best when a big man is able to touch the ball. If Chatman can't deliver, it's going to be a long day for the Jays.

The Skinny

There are two things Tim Miles hasn't done during his first two years at Nebraska: Win a NCAA tournament game or beat Creighton. Miles picked the wrong first two years to beat the Jays as his outgunned team lost at home two years ago and the senior heavy McBuckets squad demolished the Huskers last year. Regardless, he's been very vocal about a desire for this to be a rivalry game. The media eats up his occasional jabs at the Jays, which lets the guys in Omaha get the message loud and clear.

Year 3 of the Tim Miles era has the Huskers favored for the first time vs. the Jays. While a highly touted Husker squad has gotten off to a slow start, Greg McDermott brings the worst shooting squad of his time at Creighton for their first look at a hostile Pinnacle Bank Arena. The Huskers will have at least the two best players on the court and it's a game Nebraska should win.

The Jays are a team still trying to find themselves. They're not shooting quite as much from long range and instead are attacking the rim and sometimes working the ball inside. Creighton has more big bodies than the Huskers but none of them are elite and certainly not better than the front court of the Seminoles. It's certainly possible that the Jays get hot from outside for the first time all year but more than likely they need to win the FT battle, Nebrasketball-style to pull this out.

The Huskers win by being patient as the Jays will once again pack the paint and dare the Nebraska to shoot from outside. Expect a lower scoring game as the Husker will want to play their game and Creighton isn't willing to dictate style. Nebraska almost certainly wins this game and will look to start it's own winning streak in the series.

Prediction: Nebraska 68 - Creighton 58 with a 65% chance of Runzas.