LEXINGTON, KY — The last time Creighton was in the Commonwealth of Kentucky for an NCAA Tournament game, it looked like the Bluejays might be on the verge of the program’s first Final Four. Didn’t happen, and that 2023 Elite Eight outcome in Louisville must still haunt Greg McDermott.
A foul call and a free throw with 1.2 seconds left sent San Diego State to the national semifinals and sent Creighton home. Much has changed since then, but Creighton has earned a shot at a special opportunity.
Thursday in Lexington, the ninth-seeded Bluejays played one of their best games of the season to vanquish eighth-seeded Louisville 89-75. This game was essentially over by halftime when Creighton had a 49-34 lead.
“Our execution was terrific,” said McDermott, whose team was 9-of-16 from three-point range in the first half. “We beat an incredible team, and I couldn’t have been more impressed with them in our preparation. We felt like we had to win the three-point line battle, so we did what we could to try to force them into twos, and if they were taking threes, they were going to be challenged.”
“CREIGHTON CANNOT MISS!” – Brian Anderson 🏀🔥🎙️ #MarchMadness https://t.co/wpng42BjVj
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The reward for Creighton (25-10) is a Saturday showdown with Auburn (29-5), the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Toppling the Tigers would be a landmark moment in school history for Creighton. Victory would also take some of the sting out of a somewhat frustrating season. The Bluejays were ranked No. 15 in the Associated Press preseason poll. They ended the regular season unranked. Inconsistent play and a season-ending hip injury to Pop Isaacs played a role. Isaacs had 27 points in a 76-63 triumph over then-No. 1 Kansas.
Along with some quality victories (Kansas and St.John’s), Creighton has had curious defeats (San Diego State and Georgetown). It struggled against DePaul in the Big East Tournament, pulling out an 85-81 double-overtime decision. There were enough questionable outcomes to make people wonder. At least for one day, Creighton looked as good as advertised.
If the Bluejays play anything like they did against Louisville, Auburn will have its hands full. They systematically carved up the Cardinals for 57.1 percent shooting overall, getting good looks from three-point range in the first and working inside the second half. Jamiya Neal was sensational throughout, scoring 29 points.
“We were making shots and all feeding off each other,” Neal said. “There was a lot of energy, and I thought that helped us a lot. Also, getting stops on the other end, and we were able to push it and get a lot of great looks. Yeah, it was a lot of fun.”
Creighton’s Jamiya Neal with Allie LaForce. pic.twitter.com/bEgwh5p0yY
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Creighton had to overcome a hostile environment, as at least 60 percent of the fans in attendance at Rupp Arena were Cardinals fans who had made the 76-mile drive from Louisville. On Saturday, the Bluejays figure to be at a crowd disadvantage again. Auburn regularly comes to Rupp Arena to play the University of Kentucky, so they know the lay of the land.
McDermott and his team have their chance to be a spoiler. It’s up to them to make the most of this opportunity.
