The First Semester and Finals have concluded; Back to College Basketball for Creighton and Iowa

The first semester of the 2011-12 College Basketball season has concluded for Creighton University and the University of Iowa. Both teams have opened 2011-12 in opposite directions. Both teams are lead by second year coaches, in Omaha and Iowa City, respectively. Greg McDermott has the Bluejays headed in a positive direction. Fran McCaffery has a Top 25 recruiting class signed for next season, but year two on the court has been ugly, so far.

The Creighton Bluejays opened the 2011-12 season with seven straight wins and a Top 25 ranking. However, last weekend was a rough weekend for Creighton sports. The men's soccer team lost a semi-final game in the College Cup, while the Bluejays' men's basketball team fell for the first time at St. Joseph's, 80-71.

On the flip side, the Iowa Hawkeyes are off to a rough start in 2011-12, with a 5-5 record. Two key players have opened the season out of sync. Sophomore forward Melsahn Basabe started the season out very slow. He has played better of late, but not to the level he played as true freshman last season. Senior point guard Bryce Cartwright's woes appear to be fueled by a groin injury. Cartwright has missed time on the court lately and his health is extremely important, as Iowa's only true point guard.

Creighton returns home to CenturyLink Center Omaha on Saturday night, when they host Houston Baptist (4-6) for a 7 p.m. tip-off. The Jays have won 14 straight at home, since last season. The Bluejays need to improve on the little things, especially defense and rebounding, as they get ready for two big games next week, at Tulsa on Monday night, followed by a rematch (last year's game, in Evanston) vs. Northwestern on Thursday night; before opening Missouri Valley Conference play, after Christmas.

Creighton forward Doug McDermott has lived up to the preseason expectations of all-MVC and All-America hype. He leads the MVC in scoring (24.0) and rebounding (9.1) this year, and is the first Bluejay since Rodney Buford (in 1997) with seven straight games of 20 or more points.

Senior guard Antoine Young (11.1 ppg., 4.5 apg.) and junior center Gregory Echenique (8.1 ppg., 5.3 rpg., 1.1 bpg.), are honorable-mention preseason all-Valley selections as well. The Bluejays are expected to be a strong program in The Valley, as well as a team to watch in the Field of 68 for the 2012 NCAA Tournament.

Like Creighton, the University of Iowa returns to action, after finals week on Saturday night. The Hawkeyes tip-off on the Big Ten Network at 8 p.m., with a game vs. in-state Drake (6-3).

Iowa is coming off back to back road losses at UNI and at Iowa State, before finals week.

Two of Iowa's underclassmen -- sophomores Roy Devyn Marble and Melsahn Basabe -- had their best games of the season at Iowa State on December 9Th. Marble had career highs in points (21) and assists (five), while Basabe made 7-of-12 shot attempts en route to 18 points to go along with nine rebounds.

"We want to try to get better. Defensively, we haven't been as good as
we need to be. We want to execute a little better, we had been executing better,
but it's not good enough." - Iowa coach Fran McCaffery

Like the Bluejays, the Hawkeyes will play two additional non-conference games, before opening conference play, after Christmas. The Hawkeyes will play Drake on Saturday night at home, as they begin a four game home swing, including the Big Ten opener on December 28Th vs. Purdue.

College Basketball Top 25: Creighton #25 in ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll, after wins at UAB, vs. Iowa

The 2012 NCAA Men's Basketball Rankings in ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll Week 3 (Nov. 21) has the Creighton Bluejays (4-0) at #25, after picking up wins at UAB (70-60) and vs. Iowa (82-59) in Des Moines. Creighton moved up seven spots from 32Nd in last week's release.

It's the first time that Creighton has been ranked in the coaches poll since being tabbed 24Th on March 12, 2007. The last team from the MVC to be ranked by the coaches was Northern Iowa, which was 13Th in the final USA Today Coaches poll at the conclusion of the 2009-10 campaign.

Creighton will enjoy Thanksgiving on Thursday, then host Campbell (3-0), who will play at Iowa (3-1) on Wednesday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, before heading to Omaha. Creighton's game with Campbell on Friday will tip off at 7:05 pm at CenturyLink Center Omaha.

Creighton didn't make the Top 25 in the AP Poll, finishing #28, right behind Michigan State (2-2). Creighton has not been ranked in the top 25 by the Associated Press since being 20Th on Nov. 13, 2006. Creighton was last as high as 28Th in the AP poll on March 12, 2007, when it was 26Th. The Jays had been tied for 33rd in last week's AP poll.

The Missouri Valley Conference honors Doug McDermott as Player of the Week

After double-digit wins at UAB and versus Iowa on a neutral floor, the Creighton men's basketball team on Monday garnered its share of recognition from the league office and national pollsters.

Sophomore forward Doug McDermott was named Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week after averaging 26.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. He shot 63.6 percent from the field (21-33), including 5-of-7 from downtown (71.4 percent) and also sank 5-of-6 free throws (83.3 percent).

McDermott began his week with 27 points and seven rebounds in a 70-60 road win at defending Conference USA champion UAB, snapping the Blazers 38-game non-conference regular-season home winning streak. He made 11-of-18 field goals, 3-of-4 shots from downtown, and both free throws while going against a UAB front line that included Preseason C-USA Player of the Year Cameron Moore.

On Sunday, McDermott returned to his home state and put on another impressive all-around display in an 82-59 demolition of Iowa. The sophomore had 18 of his game-high 25 points in the first half to help CU to a 45-29 intermission lead, and finished with 25 points and nine rebounds in 28 minutes. He sank 10-of-15 field goal attempts, including 2-of-3 from deep, and also made 3-of-4 foul shots.

McDermott also became the first Bluejay since 2003 with three straight games of 20 points or more, something last accomplished by two-time MVC Player of the Year Kyle Korver.

This is the first MVC Player of the Week accolade in McDermott's career, though he did set a league record last winter with seven MVC Newcomer of the Week awards.

Creighton advances to 4-0 on young season, after solid 82-59 win over Iowa in Des Moines

From Creighton University Sports Information
Box Score
DES MOINES, Iowa -- Creighton's first match-up with Iowa since 2001 was a lopsided affair, as the Jays drained 9-of-19 three-pointers to post a 82-59 win over the Hawkeyes before 12,746 fans at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa.

Creighton is now 4-0 on the season, while Iowa dropped to 3-1. The game was the third for both teams in the Dale Howard Classic, as both teams will host unbeaten Campbell in the coming days.

Doug McDermott scored 13 of Creighton's first 18 points and the Jays used a 10-0 run to build up a 22-10 lead with 8:09 left in the first half. CU's lead reached 31-18 on a three-pointer by Grant Gibbs. The Jays kept up their hot shooting, moving ahead 45-26 after consecutive treys by CU's Avery Dingman and Josh Jones. Dingman (pictured to right) made three trifectas, while McDermott had 18 points, as the Jays headed to halftime with a 45-29 lead.

Creighton went inside early and often to start the second half, a major reason they outscored the Hawkeyes 40-16 in the paint for the night. Gregory Echenique scored the first five points, while McDermott and Antoine Young also scored in the paint to bring CU's lead to 56-36 with 14:48 to go. That started a 14-0 run that saw CU lead by as much as 66-36.

Creighton led by as much as 33 points (74-41 with 6:16 left) before settling for the final margin.

McDermott led CU with 25 points and nine rebounds, while Echenique added 15 points and nine rebounds and Dingman had a career-best 14 points on 4-of-4 shooting from long-range. Creighton shot 55.2 percent in the game, including 9-of-19 from deep (47.4 percent), while outrebounding the Hawkeyes 43-27 and dishing twice as many assists as Iowa (20-10).

Iowa was paced by 14 points from Josh Oglesby and 13 points from Matt Gatens.

Creighton returns to action on Friday when it closes out play in the Dale Howard Classic with a 7:05 pm game against unbeaten Campbell (3-0).

NOTES: This was the 25th all-time meeting between Creighton and Iowa, but first since the 2001 NCAA Tournament ... Doug McDermott became Creighton's first player with three straight games of 20 points or more since Kyle Korver in 2003 ... Greg McDermott is now 6-4 against Iowa ... Greg McDermott is now 52-4 in his Division head coaching career when scoring 80 or more points, and is 19-1 when his Creighton teams score 70 or more points ... Each of Creighton's last seven teams to start 4-0 or better have reached the postseason ... Creighton's first 12 points came from Iowa natives Doug McDermott and Grant Gibbs ... Creighton has won each of its first four games by double-digits ... Creighton outscored Iowa 18-3 in second-chance points ... Avery Dingman's career-high 14 points came in just 11 minutes ... Gregory Echenique's 15 points were a season-high ... Creighton is now 4-1 in the regular-season since 1998 against Big Ten competition, including a 3-0 mark against Iowa.

It's time to take my black & gold hat off for Iowa vs. Creighton

From 1974 to 1982, my loyalty was often to the Iowa Hawkeyes, in college basketball. But, in 1982, I enrolled at Creighton University, so on Sunday, November 20Th at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, its Creighton University (3-0) vs. the Iowa Hawkeyes (3-0).

It doesn't happen very often. The last time it happened was over ten years ago, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, with Iowa advancing that day with a 69-56 win. Iowa played the previous two seasons in a home and home vs. Creighton, with the Jays winning both of those games by two and nine points. An earlier game was played in the 1990 non-conference in the old Amana-Hawkeye Classic championship game in Iowa City, losing by six.

Now, it's time for Game 5, since my years at Creighton. It's another neutral court.

Iowa has played three home games. Creighton won on the road at UAB on Wednesday night, 70-60, in the Blazers season opener. It was the first loss at home in the non-conference for UAB, since the 2005 season.

Creighton played at Wells Fargo Arena last season. The Bluejays lost at the buzzer to Iowa State.
This will be the first of three non-conference games vs. Big Ten opponents for the Bluejays this season. First up is Iowa on a neutral court. Creighton will play @ Nebraska and vs. Northwestern at CenturyLink Arena, as well.

Scoring:
Creighton is lead by sophomore Doug McDermott at 20.3 ppg, while Iowa is lead by three year captain, senior Matt Gatens at 16.3 ppg.

Rebounds:
Creighton is lead by junior Gregory Echenique at 6.7 rpg, while Iowa is currently lead by a true freshman off the bench in Aaron White at 6.0 rpg.

Assists:
Creighton is lead by a former Linn-Mar prep, in Gonzaga transfer, junior Grant Gibbs, who is averaging 4.7 apg. Iowa is lead by senior co-captain Bryce Cartwright at 6.3 apg. Cartwright was very solid in assists last season in the Big Ten.

Head coaches:
Both programs are headed by second year coaches. Creighton hired former UNI and ISU coach Greg McDermott, an Iowa native, took replace sixteen year coach Dana Altman, who is now at Oregon. Altman and McDermott squared off to close out the 2011 postseason last year. Former Siena Coach Fran McCaffery took over Todd Lickliter at Iowa last season. McDermott is 5-4 lifetime as a head coach vs. Iowa. This is the first time he has faced McCaffery head to head.

It should be an interesting game. Both teams are playing better than last season, with a deeper roster for each. It will be Iowa's first real test. Creighton passed its first test at UAB on Saturday night, but Iowa is even bigger, since it is a neighboring state and both teams are looking to keep a win streak going.

Some of the players have faced each other before. Iowa's Gatens and Creighton's Gibbs both played against one another in high school in Iowa.

A Creighton win over Iowa would be a great start in Year 2 for coach Greg McDermott. The same can be said for Coach Fran McCaffery. Go Jays! On Iowa!

Wins for Iowa and Creighton to open season; while #1 North Carolina beats Michigan State on Carrier Deck

Final basketball scores to open 2011-12 season ...

Iowa Hawkeyes 96 - Chicago State Cougars 53 ESPN Box
Creighton Bluejays 93 - North Carolina A&T Aggies 66 ESPN Box
#1 North Carolina Tar Heels 67 - Michigan State Spartans 55 ESPN Box

A great basketball site to follow College Basketball statistically is Ken Pomeroy's site.

Veteran Day games on 11/11/11.

Iowa, Creighton open 2011-12 season on Friday night, while Quicken Loans Carrier Classic tips off in San Diego

The University of Iowa tips off the 2011-12 college basketball season with a home game vs. Chicago State at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Over in Omaha, Creighton University opens the 2011-12 season hosting North Carolina A&T at newly named CenturyLink Center. It should be an exciting year for both the Hawkeyes and Bluejays, under second year coaches Fran McCaffery and Greg McDermott, respectively.

Over on ESPN, the Quicken Loans Carrier Classic opens with #1 North Carolina playing Michigan State. President Barack Obama and the First Lady will be on hand as College Basketball opens the 2011-12 season with a game on the U.S.S. Carl Vinson on Veterans Day 2011.

On Saturday, the Iowa Hawkeyes (6-3, 3-1 B1G Legends) will take the football field at Kinnick Stadium for Senior Day vs. Michigan State (7-2, 4-1 B1G Legends) for first place in the Legends Division. Iowa hasn't lost to MSU at Kinnick Stadium, since the 1989 season. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2 at 11 a.m. Central Time.