creighton

Record Crowds Push Creighton Basketball Into Top 20 Nationally

2006-05-31T11:18:00.000-07:00

Creighton University ranked 20th of 326 teams in average men’s basketball home attendance for the 2005-06 season, according to figures recently released by the NCAA. Creighton has now ranked in the top 30 nationally all three years since making the move to Qwest Center OMAHA in the fall of 2003.
Creighton also was third nationally in average attendance increase (2,692) for the second time in the last three years. The school is the only program in the country that has ranked in the top five in average attendance increase in two of the last seasons, also ranking third for an increase of 3,770 during the 2003-04 campaign.
The Bluejays attracted 236,313 fans in its 17 home games, an average of 13,900 fans per contest. In the process CU established Missouri Valley Conference records for average and total attendance while becoming the first school to surpass the 200,000 milestone in a single season. The previous top average was 13,674 (Louisville, 1974-75), while the previous top total attendance had been 192,258 (Creighton, 2003-04).
Creighton’s average attendance figures in 2005-06 were better than each team that qualified for the 2006 Final Four, as well as major-conference schools around the Midwest such as Iowa, Iowa State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Minnesota.
The Jays boasted the 13 largest home crowds in the MVC last year, accounting for 19.6 percent of the fans during a record-setting season for the league. Not only did The Valley break through on the court with a pair of Sweet 16 teams, but also at the turnstile, ranking eighth among 31 Division I conferences with 7,716 fans per game on average. As a whole, the MVC hosted a record 1,203,771 fans in 156 home dates, second-most among all conferences with 10 teams or less.
Creighton plays its home games at Qwest Center OMAHA, a three-year old facility that has brought in 607,906 fans to see 49 Creighton basketball games. CU’s Feb. 18 game with Fresno State brought in a sellout crowd of 15,700, the largest basketball crowd in state history. This summer the building is adding approximately 1,500 seats that will push capacity over 17,000 for basketball.
Creighton, under the direction of Dana Altman, finished 20-10 last season and advanced to the second round of the National Invitation Tournament. It was the program’s MVC-record eighth consecutive 20-win season and ninth straight postseason appearance. The Bluejays will return four starters, as well as 2004-05 preseason All-American Nate Funk, to the hardwood next season. For ticket information on all CU sports, contact the ticket office at (402) 280-JAYS.

Men's Basketball Ranks 20th Nationally In Attendance

2006-05-24T17:46:00.000-07:00

Creighton University ranked 20th of 326 teams in average men’s basketball home attendance for the 2005-06 season, according to figures recently released by the NCAA. Creighton has now ranked in the top 30 nationally all three years since making the move to Qwest Center OMAHA in the fall of 2003.
Creighton also was third nationally in average attendance increase (2,692) for the second time in the last three years. The school is the only program in the country that has ranked in the top five in average attendance increase in two of the last seasons, also ranking third for an increase of 3,770 during the 2003-04 campaign.
The Bluejays attracted 236,313 fans in its 17 home games, an average of 13,900 fans per contest. In the process CU established Missouri Valley Conference records for average and total attendance while becoming the first school to surpass the 200,000 milestone in a single season. The previous top average was 13,674 (Louisville, 1974-75), while the previous top total attendance had been 192,258 (Creighton, 2003-04).
Creighton’s average attendance figures in 2005-06 were better than each team that qualified for the 2006 Final Four, as well as major-conference schools around the Midwest such as Iowa, Iowa State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Minnesota.
The Jays boasted the 13 largest home crowds in the MVC last year, accounting for 19.6 percent of the fans during a record-setting season for the league. Not only did The Valley break through on the court with a pair of Sweet 16 teams, but also at the turnstile, ranking eighth among 31 Division I conferences with 7,716 fans per game on average. As a whole, the MVC hosted a record 1,203,771 fans in 156 home dates, second-most among all conferences with 10 teams or less.
Creighton plays its home games at Qwest Center OMAHA, a three-year old facility that has brought in 607,906 fans to see 49 Creighton basketball games. CU’s Feb. 18 game with Fresno State brought in a sellout crowd of 15,700, the largest basketball crowd in state history. This summer the building is adding approximately 1,500 seats that will push capacity over 17,000 for basketball.

NCAA sends out warning

2006-05-10T12:49:00.000-07:00

The NCAA is trimming the gray area from eligibility rules for underclassmen entering the NBA draft.
However, player-agent Bill Neff said that's a futile exercise, with many in his profession cutting under-the-table deals with players.
The NCAA recently distributed a four-page memo, reminding schools what underclassmen can and cannot do to test their NBA marketability. The memo warns underclassmen not to accept travel expenses from NBA basketball teams, though that's been common practice in the past.
One of the authors of that memo said its purpose is heading off trouble and, potentially, holding rule-breakers accountable.
"It's fair to say we've had multiple student-athletes facing possible violations of NCAA rules," said Rachel Newman Baker, the NCAA's director of agent, gambling and amateurism activities. "We're trying to avoid (those problems), so we're not dealing with it next semester."
The NCAA now requires underclassmen in the draft to sign forms, stating they know the rules and understand the risk to their eligibility.
"We want it very clear up front," Newman Baker said, "if we do get into investigating a case, the `I-didn't-know' answer will not work."
The NCAA dealt with messy situations the past few years, involving former Connecticut forward Charlie Villanueva and current Kentucky center Randolph Morris. Each turned pro and had contact with an agent, only to pull out of the draft and seek to play college basketball.
In both cases, the NCAA ultimately granted eligibility.
The situation is complex. For instance, the NCAA allows the NBA to cover expenses for an underclassman to attend the pre-draft camp. But an individual NBA team cannot pay to fly in an underclassman for a workout without jeopardizing that player's eligibility.
Charlotte Bobcats coach-general manager Bernie Bickerstaff didn't know the NCAA draws that distinction. Jon Fagg, assistant athletics director for compliance services at N.C. State, said that rule is frequently disregarded, similar to how people absent-mindedly exceed the speed limit.
"If you drive to work, I guarantee there's a place where you speed a little every day," Fagg said of athletes accepting expenses they shouldn't. "Do you drive to the police station and turn yourself in? No."
That's why Fagg is glad the NCAA distributed this memo, eliminating any gray areas for underclassmen looking to preserve eligibility. N.C. State has already used it to guide sophomore center Cedric Simmons through the process.

Basketball's Funk Cleared To Play In '06-07 - Ncaa

2006-04-27T12:01:00.000-07:00

Creighton basketball guard Nate Funk, the 2004-05 runner-up for Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, will return to the floor in 2006-07 with the Bluejays. Earlier this week the MVC office granted Funk a medical hardship waiver for his injury-shortened 2005-06 season. He will have one year of eligibility remaining.A Sioux City, Iowa, native, Funk averaged 17.0 points and 4.7 rebounds while playing in just six games in 2005-06. He earned third-team preseason All-America accolades from Street & Smith's magazine and was also a preseason all-Missouri Valley Conference Championship choice. Funk's campaign was cut short after six games when he underwent season-ending shoulder surgery on January 5, 2006. Since his surgery, Funk has continued his rehabilitation from injury and is expected to be fully cleared by doctors next month.In 2004-05, Basketball player Funk was named first-team all-MVC after leading Creighton to a 23-11 record and the NCAA Tournament. He paced the team in scoring (17.8) and rebounding (5.1) and was also named first-team all-District by the USBWA. As a sophomore in 2003-04, he led the team in scoring (11.1) and assists (2.7) per game.Creighton finished last season 20-10 while averaging an MVC-record 13,901 fans per game. The Jays reached the postseason for a ninth consecutive season while extending their league-record mark of 20-win seasons to eight. In addition to Funk, CU will also return starters Anthony Tolliver, Nick Porter, Dane Watts and Josh Dotzler to the floor next college basketball season.

Bluejays report: Strategy and personnel

2006-04-19T10:34:00.000-07:00

THE GOOD NEWS
Creighton has a lot of players coming back for the 2006-07 season, including leading scorer Nate Funk and point guard Josh Dotzler, both of whom missed time in 2005-06 because of injury. The Bluejays nearly played well enough to earn an NCAA Championship Tournament berth this year, and they should have as much talent as any team in the league next year.

THE BAD NEWS
Not everyone will be back, with center Anthony Tolliver being the biggest name and only starter to graduate. The Bluejays have to deal with the pressure of being one of the favorites in the league, as well as maybe having too many players for coach Dana Altman to juggle.

Fish sets sights on Broncs’ main job

2006-04-12T10:28:00.000-07:00

Brian Fish believes in doing the simple things.
When he was a player at Marshall in the late 1980s, he founded a basketball camp. When he cracked his way into coaching with the Thundering Herd, his focus was on helping the players make the grade. Later during his career, on coaching stops at Texas Christian, Kansas State, San Diego and now at Creighton, Fish’s primary focus has turned to recruiting.
Now after 15 years in the assistant coaching ranks, Fish is ready to become an NCAA Championship Division I head coach for the first time as he is one of three finalists to become the 13th men’s basketball coach at the University of Texas-Pan American. Central Florida associate coach Tom Schuberth and former Mississippi State coach Richard Williams are the other finalists.

Woodard, Tolliver, Valentin Earn NSCA All-American Honor

2006-04-07T08:09:00.000-07:00

Three Creighton University student-athletes have been honored with the National Strength and Conditioning Association's (NSCA) annual All-American Strength and Conditioning Athlete of the Year award. Creighton honorees basketball players Anthony Tolliver, Ivonne Valentin and Kristi Woodard are winners among 242 collegiate athletes honored, which come from 160 different schools.Tolliver, a junior center on the men's college basketball team, was nominated by strength & conditioning coach Satoshi Ochi. The Springfield, Mo., native recently was named second-team all-Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, while also being named the captain of the MVC's Most Improved Team. He averaged 13.2 points and 6.7 rebounds per game while ranking among the top 10 in the MVC in scoring, rebounding, blocked shots, field goal percentage and offensive rebounding. Tolliver is coached by Dana Altman.

Bluejays report: Getting inside - college basketball

2006-03-30T12:05:00.000-08:00

Yes, Creighton was a bit disappointed that it didn't win the NCAA tournament, and sure, the NIT loss to Miami by one point at home was a big letdown.
But when Bluejays fans remember that Creighton did all of that without leading scorer Nate Funk, who played in only six games because of a shoulder injury. And they lost point guard Josh Dotzler for the final seven games of the season to a knee injury, lowing the team odds to win. Even so, the Bluejays were able to get to the NIT and look even better for next year.
Coach Dana Altman will have Funk and Dotzler back, as well as nearly the entire roster from this year. And he'll have some heightened expectations, considering the Bluejays just barely missed the NCAA tournament even without those injured pieces.

Men's Basketball Accepts NIT Bid, Will Host Game Thursday

2006-03-13T11:12:00.000-08:00

OMAHA, Neb. -- The Creighton men's basketball team will head to postseason for the ninth consecutive season, accepting a bid to the National Invitation Tournament on Sunday. The Bluejays (19-9) will play on Thursday, March, 16, at 7:05 pm against the winner of Tuesday's Akron (22-9) at Temple (17-14) match-up.Creighton enters the postseason with a 19-9 record after going 12-6 (tie-2nd) in the Missouri Valley Conference. A league-record four teams from the MVC will participate in the NCAA Tournament, as Southern Illinois, Wichita State, Bradley and Northern Iowa were all selected. In addition to CU, MVC rival Missouri State was also picked for the NIT, giving the league a record six postseason squads.This is Creighton's eighth bid to the National Invitation Tournament, and first since 2004. Creighton is 2-7 all-time in NIT play, last winning on March 25, 1942 over Toledo.Akron went 22-9 on the season and finished tied for second in the East Division of the Mid-American Conference with a 14-4 league mark. The Zips top two scorers are juniors Romeo Travis (13.5 ppg.) and Dru Joyce (10.5 ppg.), both of whom were high school teammates of NBA superstar LeBron James at St. Vincent-St. Mary's High School in Akron.Temple, which will host Tuesday's game with Akron, went 17-14 this year and were 8-8 in the Atlantic 10 Conference championship. Temple has beaten three ranked teams this college basketball season, including a 68-53 win over No. 6 George Washington this past Thursday. The Owls feature legendary head coach John Chaney and All-America guard Mardy Collins (16.6 ppg.).Regarding tickets, all season ticket holders will be able to purchase their same seat locations for the NIT game by stopping by the Rev. Michael G. Morrison, S.J., Stadium ticket office (19th & California Streets, the ticket office is a few steps from the stadium's main entrance on the west side) or by calling the ticket office at (402) 280-JAYS on Monday, March 13 from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. or on Tuesday, March 14 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.As per NIT rule, there are no complimentary tickets. Ticket prices will remain the same from the regular season Option 1 and Option 3 seats will be $20 each; Option 2 table seats will be $30 each; Option 4 and Option 5 seats will be $16 each; Option 6 Adult seats will be $9 each and Option 6 Youth seats will be $5 each.The Morrison Stadium ticket office will accept personal checks for NIT game ticket payment made payable to Creighton Athletics in addition to cash or credit cards (Visa, Mastercard or Discover). Jaybackers who received parking passes in the regular season for the arena garage, Lot A or Lot B can also purchase a parking pass for the home NIT game. An arena garage pass will be $10 while Lot A and Lot B passes will be $6 each.After 9 a.m. on Wednesday, March 15, seats that haven't been purchased by season ticket holders will be made available to the general public.Phone orders can be picked up starting on Wednesday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. or on Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Morrison Stadium and starting at 5 p.m. at the Qwest Center OMAHA ticket windows.

Bradley Vs. Creighton

2006-03-07T12:28:00.000-08:00

GAME NOTES: With five straight wins to close out the 2005-06 regular season, the Bradley Braves are one of the hottest teams heading into the 30th annual Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, as they take on the Creighton Bluejays in the quarterfinal round today at the Savvis Center. Not only did the fifth- seeded Braves close out the campaign with an 85-66 blowout of the Drake Bulldogs last Saturday, the squad toppled nationally-ranked Northern Iowa three days earlier in order to finish 11-7 in league play and 18-9 overall. As for the fourth-seeded Bluejays, they were beginning to feel the pressure down the stretch, losing three of the last five after taking wins in 10 of the previous 11 outings. Last Saturday, the team stumbled against Missouri State on the road, 60-54, leaving the 'Jays with a 12-6 league mark and 19-8 on the campaign. As far as history in the tournament is concerned, Creighton has won the event a record nine times, posting a 75-57 decision over Missouri State just last year. As for the Braves, they have two crowns, but the most recent came in 1988 versus Illinois State. The Bluejays are 31-15 overall in the tourney, while is Bradley just 23-24 heading into this game. Creighton won the most recent meeting back on January 18th by a score of 80-76 at home, which means the Braves are now ahead in the all-time series by a count of 37-33. The winner of this meeting will go on to play the winner of the Indiana State/Wichita State contest in the semifinal round on Saturday.
Although they had to wait for him to make it back onto the team, the Braves welcomed to the basketball player Patrick O'Bryant with open arms because they knew just how special the big man was and what he could do for the program heading forward. Through 19 games O'Bryant led the team and was second in the MVC championship in rebounding with 8.2 boards per game, adding 13.3 ppg to place second on the Braves. One of only two players not to have attempted a three-point shot on the year for the unit, O'Bryant focused his energies in the paint where he shot 56.2 percent from the floor and paced the group with 59 blocked shots. Marcellus Sommerville, who was among the top scorers in the conference with 15.8 ppg, was second on the glass with six and a half rebounds per contest, but he also floated outside the three-point line often, resulting in 37.4 percent accuracy on 131 attempts. Defensively the unit held opponents to just 40.6 percent shooting from the floor and 65.6 ppg, in addition to forcing an average of 17 turnovers per tilt.
It took a while, but the only team to beat Creighton at home this season was Southern Illinois in the second week of February, so you know the squad has something special going on, even after its leader went out with a season- ending injury after seeing action in only six games. Take away Nate Funk and what was at the time his team-leading 17 ppg, and most thought the Bluejays would probably roll over and die, but by some miracle the program just got stronger and stronger. Johnny Mathies, who was named the MVC Tournament MVP a year ago, leads the group at the moment with his 13.6 ppg, even though he is shooting only 38.8 percent from the field. Mathies is first in steals (53) and second in assists (73) for a program that had three players start each and every game in order to produce a chemistry that is almost unrivaled in the MVC. Anthony Tolliver, the team's top rebounder with close to six and a half boards per outing, has responded with 13.1 ppg and has recorded 43 of their 89 blocks to this point as well. Defense has been the name of the game since Funk's loss, with the team holding opponents to a mere 61.4 ppg.
Second only to Missouri State from three-point range, the Bluejays odds have learned how to scrounge and fight for everything they've earned this season. Expect to see the effort again today as the team advances to the next round.