Coming out Clean

You're a goddamn dreamweaverI had a hard time defining today's game against Creighton. Was it a look ahead? Perhaps a trap game? Maybe it was simply a tough home opener? I think "a must have" is the most appropriate label. UD had to win this game going into Puerto Rico. The possibility of going 0-2 would have led us all down a road we don't want to take. Dreams dashed, plans of domination put on hold. Our warlords to the south would have won gold medals in taunting. Swampy Meadows would have started drinking again, which ironically makes him even more charming and engaging. Any way you slice it, the first half of today's game looked like the beginning of what could still be a frustrating season.

I'll admit it, I was trying to cancel my reservations at the San Juan Intercontinental at halftime. I couldn't refund my plane tickets, so I was stuck, no turning back. Luckily, the second half saw the Flyers put the ball in the hands of Chris Wright and Johnson, and UD was able to wear out Creighton for a ten point victory. Dayton was a different team in the second half, outscoring the Bluejays 49-34 over the last twenty minutes. I don't know what Brian Gregory said at halftime, but it probably had something to do with castration. Give BG credit, he saw his goal of coaching in a BCS conference slipping away and was able to rally the troops in order to keep his dreams alive. For all of you youngsters out there, that's called passion.

Matt, a longtime BR superstar, said it before I could.

Thankfully, no one in the media actually watched the game and will think the 10 point win means that UD cruised to victory.

I have to agree with that assessment. Dayton struggled to put away a Creighton team that was without some of its major pieces. Most of the media will just glance at the final scoreline and assume UD was up by 15-20 points before Gregory pulled the starters. That'll just be our littler secret.

Have to admit, ESPN kind of summed up UD's conflicting image in this excerpt:

The Flyers held impromptu dunk competition among themselves during their pregame shoot-around -- bouncing balls off the floor and backboard before slamming them into the hoop. On other side of the floor, Creighton was running through traditional pass-and-shoot drills.

It's such an odd diremption. On one hand, UD projects itself as this hard-nosed defensively oriented team. Yet, I have never seen a team go so far out of its way to market itself as a group of high flying Dr. Dunkensteins. That being said, I am not shocked that UD spends its shoot-around on dunks and alley-oops instead of foul shots and midrange jumpers.

Now then, let's fire off some bullets.

• First basket of the season? A Searcy dunk off a Huelsman feed, as if you would expect anything else.
• Creighton came out in a zone, the same game plan they used to beat the Flyers by 18 last year. Not a surprise, it's likely something we will see off and on for the rest of the year.
• I was a bit shocked to see the Jays break out the press with such a depleted roster. Although Dana Altman does drive a Kia Sportage and has over 300 career wins, so I assume that he knows what he is doing. Needless to say, so I'll say it, Altman is a great coach. He came into a tough environment with an undermanned team and stuck to his guns.
• London Warren’s inability to hit from the outside allows the opponents zone to sag like a wet sponge and cheat on the edges. Mickey Perry keeps 'em in check but doesn't run the offense as well. That's a catch-22, friends.
• Cavel Witter is a handsome man, there I said it. Put some skinny jeans and a neon t-shirt on him and he could be an R&B star.
• He's doing itFor those of you who don’t think Brian Gregory will jump for money—the Logan’s Refrigeration, Ross Motor Cars, and Uhl Agency commercials kinda put that fire out, huh? Gregory would sell a home abortion kit if it padded his pockets. Not judging, I once tried to sell a cure for homosexuality over the Internet. It was a picture of Nick Nolte attached to a Fleshlight. 
• Josh Benson was absolutely exposed defensively today, just looked like a 6’10” child out there against Wayne Runnels and Kenny Lawson. He needs to take a few courses at the Ryan Perryman Institute of Intimidation.
• London Warren staying healthy and out of foul trouble is going to be the key to our success this season. The ability to push the ball down court before our opponent can set up defensively is the only thing offsetting our weakness on the perimeter.
• I think it’s safe to say that we can write off Matt Kavanaugh this year, right?
• Speaking of useless white men...Kurt Huelsman played, didn't he?
• Yes, Mickey Perry played like dogshit, shooting 1-7 from the field and turning the ball over three times. Let's just remember that Mickey is playing out of position until Lowery gets back. It's like being upset with Megan Fox for being too hot, or complaining that I'm too informed and insightful. It's just the way it is. 
• Line of the day is from Mr. Dukes: “Dayton is going to need more than a five point lead to win this game.” Well put. This guy would fit in perfectly on our podcasts.
• Can’t ask more from the Big Three today. Kountry Chris and Johnson & Johnson combined for 56 points. Wright led the way with 25, CJ put up 18 and 15. I'm hopeful we won't need that type of production night in, night out. Still, couldn't hoped for anything less coming out of the gate.
• This was the most complete game I can remember Wright playing in a while. He just took over the game in the second half and put the team on his shoulders. CJ also hit a couple of key threes during the second frame, none bigger than the one he hit with about two minutes to go, putting UD up 82-75.
• What number should we be more shocked at, the fact that Dayton scored 90 or that the Flyers gave up 80?

Let’s not get too carried away with the negatives. If last season taught us anything, it's that the year is long, unforgiving and essentially a game of survival. It's simple: win the ones you should, protect the home court, get a few lucky breaks, and you are dancing come March. Creighton is a very good program and today's W will likely be looked upon very favorably by the men who speak in whispers. Bigger fish await.

LINKS: Dougie gettin' fresh, Release from the State, The AP

		S	MIN	PTS	FGM	FGA	FG%	FTM	FTA	FT%	3PM	3PA	3P%	OR	DR	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF
	K. Korver	*	28	3	1	4	25	0	0	0	1	3	33	1	0	1	1	0	0	0	0
	P. Stinnett	*	28	18	5	11	45	5	5	100	3	7	42	2	2	4	2	3	1	3	4
	C. Witter	*	26	11	4	11	36	3	4	75	0	2	0	0	3	3	4	2	0	2	4
	D. Ashford	*	26	13	5	8	62	2	3	66	1	2	50	0	2	2	0	1	0	3	3
	K. Lawson Jr.	*	18	8	3	3	100	2	4	50	0	0	0	0	3	3	0	0	2	2	3
	W. Runnels		21	16	6	7	85	4	6	66	0	0	0	3	6	9	2	0	0	0	2
	A. Young		19	0	0	3	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	2	2	4	0	0	1	0
	J. Jones		16	0	0	5	0	0	0	0	0	4	0	1	4	5	2	0	0	0	1
	E. Wragge		13	11	4	5	80	0	0	0	3	4	75	1	1	2	0	0	0	0	3
	A. Bock		5	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	0	0	1	0
		S	MIN	PTS	FGM	FGA	FG%	FTM	FTA	FT%	3PM	3PA	3P%	OR	DR	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF
	C. Wright	*	30	25	9	12	75	5	7	71	2	2	100	3	5	8	1	0	2	0	2
	M. Johnson	*	29	13	6	13	46	1	3	33	0	4	0	1	2	3	3	1	0	1	1
	D. Searcy	*	23	6	3	3	100	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	2	1	1	0	0	3
	L. Warren	*	21	4	1	2	50	2	2	100	0	0	0	2	3	5	8	1	0	4	4
	K. Huelsman	*	11	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	1	0	0	4
	C. Johnson		27	18	7	15	46	1	2	50	3	9	33	5	10	15	2	0	1	1	3
	M. Perry		20	4	1	7	14	2	2	100	0	2	0	1	0	1	4	0	1	3	3
	P. Williams		20	9	3	5	60	2	2	100	1	2	50	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	1
	L. Fabrizius		15	9	3	10	30	0	0	0	3	8	37	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0
	J. Benson		4	2	1	2	50	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2

Recon: Creighton University

***As if you could handle any more Creighton related material, here is an interview I did with the White and Blue Review regarding this weekend's game.***

The thought has occurred to me, does this game already feel like it's a must win? With nationally ranked Georgia Tech lurking in the shadows of San Juan, a loss on Saturday afternoon ensures that the specter of a 0-2 start is a more than viable possibility for the U of D. There is so much hype attached to this edition of the basketball Flyers, whether it is deserved is surely a discussion that will be rendered moot in just a few weeks, that I'm not sure the diehards could handle a season opening loss to Creighton. That being said, there are those among us who would get some perverse joy out of a Dayton implosion on Saturday, and I’m not talking about UD’s usual malefactors. This is homegrown, inner-circle schadenfreude. The thought of some poor slob, returning to his disheveled abode after a Flyer loss, would give the uncouth among us some undeserved pleasure. There are those that would love to peer in from a window and watch as he drops his keys on the kitchen table and drops his head in disappointment.

Social comparison theory, specifically “downward” social comparison, is based on the notion that our self-worth is often measured in comparison to others, be it consciously or subconsciously. We appraise ourselves against those who are less fortunate for the sole purpose of superficially feeling better about our own social status, however temporary that sense of superiority may be. I say avoid this temptation. No matter how strong your emotions are tied to the success of this program, the fact remains that the season we have in front of us is easily the most crucial many of us have ever seen. I won’t go as far as to say that the Dayton basketball program is on the cusp of the Promised Land, Cole Aldrich and company certainly put that claim to rest last March, but we are on the path to a new frontier. UD needs to string together multiple trips to the tournament before we reach the pantheon of mid-major powers. But you can feel it, we are getting close.  

If UD beats Creighton, this guy is gonna be A-OKThe coming months will likely redefine the course of the Dayton basketball program. Please, for the love of Beelzebub, let’s resist the urge to make this season any bigger than that. Storylines like these are disingenuous and primarily utilized to create intrigue out of thin air. Politicians, prostitutes and Bruce Springsteen have exploited desperate economic conditions for personal gain for decades; to let those type of misguided emotions spill over into college basketball seems completely asinine.

There wasn’t a more desperate theme from last year’s college basketball season than the connection many writers tried to make between the economic turmoil in Detroit and how the success of Michigan State would emotionally prop the city up. For those of you scoring at home, East Lansing is roughly 100 miles from Detroit, hardly any of the people feeling the pinch were Spartan alums (let alone college grads), and most importantly, it's just a fucking basketball game. The majority of money made from Michigan State's run last April went into the pockets of corporations and the Columbia Broadcasting System, not into the coffers of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Sixpack. But hey, at least MSU is a state school.

Although the school’s name tends to mislead people, Dayton is a private university with a sticker price of approximately $40,000 a year (fill in your “worst buy in education” joke here). Seventy-five percent of the undergrads live on campus and rarely travel off campus to entertain themselves. Additionally, the school has always had a checkered history with the city of Dayton and its residents. The overwhelming majority of students have nothing in common culturally, socially or economically with the city. Dayton's success is not going to bring NCR back, it's not going to increase property values, and it's not going to increase employment opportunities.

Besides, if the success of a college basketball team serves as a diversion for some of the problems in your life--your problems are simply not serious enough. Missing a mortgage payment should never be tucked into the back of your mind because Chris Johnson got a double-double against Lehigh (although that does give you carte blanche to fuck some beers up). You know who has the most to gain from a successful campaign this season? Current students and alumni who fork over an outrageous amount of money to attend the University of Dayton. My real hope is that Dayton's ascendance in the basketball world means I don't have to explain to people where I attended undergrad anymore. If I can tell someone that I went to the U of D and they don't respond by making a face like I just shit my pants, that's the sign that the program is finally making some inroads.

Now that we have put that issue to rest, let's break down these pesky Creighton Bluejays. 

A Middle-American dichotomy only Sufjan Stevens could appreciate. Creighton has exactly what I want in a one-dimensional perimeter shooter in Kaleb Korver, the Bluejays’ version of Luke Fabulous. Korver embodies what I physically desire: he looks corn-fed, comfortable in his own skin, like he comes from a decent home—albeit one with a carport. Luke Fab comes from the suburbs of Chicago, but could easily pass for a Dayton Hill Jack. His scrawny frame and gaunt features scream latchkey kid and government lunch vouchers. Check out these stat lines and tell me who comes off as a man of refinement, a man of patience:

	MPG	PPG	FG%	FGA	3FG%	3FGA	FT%	APG	RPG	BPG	SPG
Korver	15.1	3.7	42.7	96	44.8	87	70.0	0.8	2.2	.09	.5
Luke Fab	8.9	4.3	36.9	122	37.5	104	60.0	0.3	1.1	.2	.1

Let’s not forget that Korver hurt Dayton from behind the arc last year. He had four three-pointers and helped stretch the floor for guys like Woodfox and Stinnet. Korver, who has been trying to expand his game this offseason, will likely get the starting nod against UD at the small forward. The house will come down everytime Korver and Luke Fab are on the court together. I expect that they will go so hard at each other that they will probably end up docking at some point.

There will never be another, he was my brother. Let me give you some reassuring news: Booker Woodfox has left the building. Last season’s Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year gave the Flyers more than they could handle, dropping 21 points in the win. With Booker’s graduation, Creighton is in search of a go-to scorer. To say that I was dismayed at the possibility of Booker playing with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants is an understatement of epic proportions. But wait, it gets worse.

The Ants' other picks were Tolbert, who averaged 13.4 points per game two years ago at Auburn; Cornley, who averaged 14.4 points per game last season at Penn State; Woodfox, who shot 47.6 percent from three-point range and won the Larry Bird Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year award; Lenny Stokes, who played for Meyer a few years back in Tulsa; C.J. Anderson, a swingman from Xavier; Andres Sandoval, a guard from Dayton; and A.J. Ratliff from Indiana.

Yeah, that's Andres Sandoval's name you saw in there. Consider me dumbstruck.

Quick sidebar. That opening line in bold comes from a Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth song entitled, “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y)” The song itself discusses the problems associated with being born to a teenage mother and losing people in your life under tragic circumstances. So, as a young child attending an all-white private school in the ‘burbs, it was easily relatable material that deeply resonated with me. During this period, musical tastes broke down into two camps: metal or rap--this is before the term hip-hop was in vogue, an all encompassing term indicating that rap wasn’t merely a musical genre, but a “culture.”

Here is where the importance of grunge music came into play. Whether you listened to N.W.A or Cinderella, you were fully aware that the music you were listening to was fucking ridiculous. You can argue the merits of grunge music all you want, but what you can’t deny was that it offered a viable genre of music that didn’t make you self-conscious about liking it. People always seemed concerned what listening to rap or metal said about them. With grunge, no one knew what to make of the music and moreover, no one knew what to make of the people who listened to it. It was new, nondescript, and that’s why people gravitated towards it. Which means…

Dayton basketball is grunge revisited. If mid-major basketball is like the grunge movement, surely we can agree that the BCS conferences are pop/top 40, then Dayton becomes Nirvana (Butler gets the nod as the more readily accessible Pearl Jam, and as the first team to commercially breakthrough, Gonzaga is Soundgarden). Depending on your point of view, Chris Wright is Kurt Cobain (overrated), Dave Grohl (underrated) or Krist Novoselic (completely fucking irrelevant).  Success this season means that Dayton can move closer to being a more mainstream commodity (more airplay, playing bigger venues, etc.) and that someone will eventually blow their head off with a shotgun.

Anyway, just like music critics had a problem initially defining what grunge music was, pollsters don’t know what to make of Dayton. They have become the team everyone seems to respect and like, but can't quite put their finger on why. Indulge my meandering. I came across this passage in Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television (don’t bother, wait for it to come out on laserdisc) and for some reason preseason college basketball polls popped into my head.  

“TV takes away our freedom to have whatever thoughts we want. So do photographs, movies, and the Internet. They provide us with more intellectual stimuli, but they construct a lower, harder intellectual ceiling. The first time someone tries to convince you to take mushrooms, they often argue that mushrooms ‘allow you to think whatever thoughts you want.’ This sentiment makes no sense to anyone who has not taken psychedelic drugs, because everyone likes to assume we already have the freedom to think whatever we please. But this is not true. Certain drug experiences do expand a person’s freedom of thought, in the same way that certain media experiences make that freedom smaller.”

I’m not saying that pollsters should drop acid before filling out their preseason polls, although this would arguably lead to a more diverse top 25 and a more lifelike Jay Bilas, but the overall sentiment remains the same. There are literally enough tomes written on the subject of how increases in media exposure result in a decrease of independent thought and creativity to fill a library. However, that’s not the point. The daily barrage of Internet commentary, preseason magazines, blogs, and message boards only lead to an entirely too broad and lazy analysis by the pollsters. Preseason polls are the ultimate groupthink. To put it plainly, the increase in easily accessible information has actually made your average college basketball pollster less informed.

Take our beloved Flyers for instance. I can almost guarantee that the majority of people who placed UD in the top 25 have never seen Chris Wright play in person, have no clue that Rob Lowery is out for the entire non-conference schedule, or how tenuous UD’s hold on a tournament bid was last season. What they do know is that other "experts" have UD ranked in their poll. So, rather than do any due diligence, voters simply stand on the shoulder of polling giants. However, like grunge music, the polls eventually become irrelevant. The season begins to play out and the cream eventually rises to the top. With a body of work to refer to, the selection committee has something concrete to rely on.
I know Booker Woofox, you're no...

People get caught up in picking apart the rankings when they first come out, as if they have the intuitiveness others lack. Just remember, college basketball, like music or any other form of entertainment, is just a product. It is packaged to look like student-athletes battling it out for the pride of their schools, but really it's just a medium used to sell cell phones and car insurance. I'm okay with that, I don't pretend that college basketball is anything more than minor-league basketball. There is a concerted effort to get the bigger names on television because that's what the public has been programmed to believe is the best product out there. Kentucky's game against Morehead State will be on national television tonight. Dayton's game against Creighton will be broadcast over an Internet connection. Is that fair? From an economic point of view, abso-fucking-lutely.

The U2s of the world (Kentucky, Kansas, Duke, etc.) will always play to bigger audiences, get more media exposure, and have their pick of the finest groupies. Schools like Dayton and Creighton have to grind it out in dirty clubs, hoping to catch a big break along the way. I say it's more fun to follow the indie band. It's more personal, there is more feeling behind your fandom, and once they become mainstream we can complain about how they sold out (Chris Wright going pro).    

Phonetically Phucked. P’Allen Stinnett is likely to take over for Woodfox as the Bluejays’ primary option on offense this year. There is often a learning curve associated with taking on such a role, hopefully this is something that takes, oh…I don’t know, more than one game for Stinnett to catch on. To be fair, Stinnett has looked decent in the preseason, averaging 16 points over the two game stretch. If Stinnett can score around 20 points, the Bluejays have a shot. If not, I don't see how Creighton scores enough to beat UD on its own floor. Looking at some of Stinnett's performances, it seems like he is very inconsistent. He is either hot or cold, no in betweens. It's hard to imagine a streaky shooter enjoying success against Dayton's defense.

Brian Gregory, you cunning bastard. Let’s give Brian Gregory credit for holding Chris Wright and Marcus Johnson out of the first exhibition against Ferris State and for giving them light loads in the Northern Kentucky game. Although the initial cover-up was moronic and insulting to our intelligence, both are healthy and raring to go on Saturday.

The same cannot be said for Creighton’s Keith Carter, a key cog in the Bluejays frontcourt who will surely be missed on both sides of the ball. Carter, a senior forward, went down in the second half of Creighton’s exhibition Sunday night and is likely out of commission for 2-4 weeks. JUCO transfer Wayne Runnels will likely take Carter’s place in the starting lineup. Creighton fans seem to be very high on Runnels and think he has plenty of upside. Actually, I don't know if that's true, but that's the type of things people say when they really don't know what to expect from someone.

Adding to Creighton’s injury woes are the possibility that forwards Casey Harriman and Chad Millard might be held out of the contest as well:

“Harriman has been ill, possibly with the H1N1 flu, since last Thursday. He played in Creighton’s first exhibition game against Missouri Western on Nov. 4 but has not practiced since. He also missed Sunday’s exhibition game against UNO.

Creighton coach Dana Altman said before Wednesday’s practice that Harriman probably won’t play. "It’s been a week now,’’ Altman said.

Harriman’s absence would compound Creighton’s front-line problems as the Bluejays will be without 6-4 Justin Carter, sidelined two to four weeks with a knee injury, and 6-8 Chad Millard, who aggravated a foot injury last week. Millard hurt his foot in early October and has not participated in a full preseason practice.

Even at full strength, Creighton would have had difficulty matching up with a Dayton team that has seven players on its roster 6-8 or taller. The injuries and illness will force the Bluejays to rely on inexperienced players to try to stop 6-8 Dayton star Chris Wright, who is considered one of the top players in the country.”

At this point, the Creighton frontcourt has more holes in it than a wall between stalls at a gay bar.  At full strength, I think the Jays would have a legitimate chance in this one. As it is, with such a depleted roster, it's hard to tell who would have the job of guarding Chris Wright. With Carter out of the lineup, Kountry Chris will enjoy an advantage no matter who guards him.

Cavel Witter is sure to play major minutes in this one. Witter's off-season troubles are well documented. Whether or not he was asked to leave the program of if he wanted to leave on his own accord, Witter appears to be slowly winning his place back on the team. Witter had a very productive sophomore year and saw his production slip a bit last season. He will probably play both guard positions on Saturday, more time at the point if Antoine Young can't go.

Bitterness in focus. As co-champs of the MVC last season (14-4 in conference, 27-8 overall), Creighton was likely one of the last teams left out of the field of sixty-five in 2009—only the fourth time the Jays failed to make the big boy tournament since 1998. How do you think it felt to be a Bluejay fan on Selection Sunday, listening eagerly to the soothing cooing of Greg Gumbel as he announced Dayton as the #11 seed in the Midwest bracket while your squad is left out in the cold? Yeah, you know, the team you dismantled by 18 points last season? They’re in, you’re out. Here’s your hat, what’s your hurry?

For Lawson, one is the loneliest numberThe Loneliest Bluejay. With Carter’s injury, Kenny Lawson Jr. becomes the big swinging dick for Creighton down low. As the Bluejays’ only inside threat on offense, Lawson is capable of a 15-10 night if the Flyers sleep on him. Lawson was named to the MVC All-Defensive team last season, averaging a league-leading 1.6 blocks per game. The one thing slowing Lawson's development is the fact that he is foul prone. Nevertheless, if anyone is going to slow down Dayton's abiliity to drive to the basket, it's going to be Lawson.

Fresh meat. Antoine Young takes the point guard reigns for the Bluejays this season. His matchup with London Warren could very well be the difference in the game. How Young handles Warren’s pressure will be one of the deciding factors on Saturday. A.Y. has looked very good in the preseason, dishing out 13 dimes without a turnover in two exhibitions.

However, as luck would have it, Young is a bit banged up as well. He injured his knee during practice on Wednesday and was held out of a walk-through on Thursday. If Young can't go on Saturday, Cavel Witter will take his place at the point. If Young doesn't suit up, Creighton will be down to four players with significant playing experience. You don't bring a knife to a gun fight, and it seems like the Bluejays are packing Bowies for their trip to Dayton.

Prediction: Rebounding will be a key component, as the Bluejays struggle to keep opponents off the glass—although the Jays did out rebound UD in last year’s game.   Expect to see both man-to-man and zone from the Bluejays, as a zone puts pressure on Dayton to score from the perimeter and offers an opportunity for CU’s players to stay as fresh as possible with a lineup already decimated by injuries. Don’t think Creighton will press too much with Carter a scratch, but if they do it will more than likely come when London Warren is on the bench.

This game feels like two teams with completely different identities. Creighton’s body is changing and she is just getting used to all the new feelings she is having. She is still trying to figure out who she is and where she is going. Dayton? She had her period at eight years old and lost her virginity on the back of a moving motorcycle when she was eleven. Dayton’s been around the block a few times and knows what she is all about. This gives UD a  clear advantage.

Dayton has a knack for winning games it absolutely has to. This one will be no different. The thought of UD going to San Juan 0-1 keeps Brian Gregory up at night. Dayton wins this one by around 8 points. The Flyers have too much depth and the home-court advantage cannot be underscored. Chris Wright has a decent opener, scoring 15 and grabbing 7 boards. MJ, Paul Willie and CJ take turns physically assaulting Stinnett, holding Creighton's best player to 11 points. Brad McEldowney laughs from the stands, realizing he is in a much better place.   

An interrogatory with: Creighton

Last year’s pink socking at the hands of Creighton had a sobering effect on Flyer fans. Dayton went into Omaha with an 8-0 record, high on victories and unenforced sodomy laws. Although the Flyers entered the game as six and a half point underdogs, there was a sense that the Bluejays were merely another bump on the road to a perfect non-conference record. Dana Altman, as wise as he is handsome, employed the textbook game plan to defeat UD—make the Flyers shoot from the outside early and often. Creighton denied entry passes and let Dayton’s backcourt bomb away from the perimeter. The result was predictable, yet still painful. UD finished the night shooting 36% from the floor, 35% from three, and the Jays walked away with the 18 point win.Let Rick stuff your stocking, again and again...

As anyone in the Gem City can attest, the Flyers are essentially the same team as last year. Almost stubbornly so. No matter how many times they view Rick Torbertt’s Better Basketball DVD series, UD is a team that wins games with its defensive effort and rebounding, not with offensive firepower. We saw that lack of offense frequently last year, with the game in Omaha our first indication that the Flyers had limitations to overcome.

I caught up with an old blog friend, Patrick Marshall of the White and Blue Review, to get the lowdown on this year's Creighton Bluejay squad. We discussed a myriad of topics ranging from the Bluejays' lack of depth to why Dana Altman enjoys inflicting pain. Pull up your pants, wipe the sweat from your brow, and feast on information overload.

TB: Let’s quickly get the lay of the land. Obviously my unrequited domestic partner, and reigning Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, Booker Woodfox has disappeared into the ether (resurfacing last week as the third round selection of the NBDL’s Fort Wayne Mad Ants—proof of an unjust world). The Jays lost Woodfox and Josh Dotzler, two starters from last year’s 27-7 squad, to graduation. Nevertheless, Creighton was picked to finish second, behind Northern Iowa, in the preseason MVC poll. This indicates that the cupboard isn’t entirely bare for Dana Altman’s program, as three starters return from last year’s Bluejay team. In your expert opinion, what are the realistic expectations for this year’s squad?

PM: This team is probably fitting in exactly where they are predicted to finish.  Expectations are always high in Omaha whether people want to admit it or not and the desire to get back to the NCAA tournament for the first time since the 2006-07 season is important.  With the addition of two JUCO transfers in Wayne Runnels and Darryl Ashford making the Junior class a whopping 6 players, there are some expectations now to get back to the NCAA Tournament and advance farther than the first round.

TB: Booker Woodfox comes to your door late one night covered in blood. He hands you a gun and begs you to hide it. Being Booker Woofox, he exhibits no emotion, just the icy stare of an experienced assassin. If you were guaranteed to never get caught, would you? Don’t break Jesus’ heart with dishonesty, especially on my watch.

PM: If it meant beating Dayton, I would do whatever he asked.  I can always go to confession and purge myself of sin to get back in Jesus’ good graces.

TB: Enough of your tomfoolery, let’s get back to business. Junior guard P’Allen Stinnett is a first-team MVC selection and is Creighton’s top returning scorer (12.5 ppg). Stinnett will take over for Woodfox as the Bluejay’s primary option on offense. After reviewing hours upon hours of game tape, I have determined that Stinnett was fairly inconsistent shooting the ball last season. Are there any concerns that he may be better suited as a second fiddle and may not have the ability to effectively carry this team offensively?

PM: P’Allen’s statistics don’t show any improvement between his freshman and sophomore season and coming into this season, he may not necessarily have to carry the team offensively and statistics won’t tell the whole story for P’Allen this season.   This year’s team has a lot of scorers.  Don’t be surprised if you see a different player leading the Bluejays in points each game.  The team did depend on Booker Woodfox a lot last season to score points and create instant offense, but you will have a lot of offensive threats on the floor with veterans like Casey Harriman, Kaleb Korver, Antoine Young and Cavel Witter along with the newcomers.  As for P’Allen, he has worked this offseason to be more of a team player and realize that he doesn’t have to make the play, but with the combination of all five guys on the court will create the big play.

TB: Let’s turn our undivided attention to the frontcourt. The Bluejay bigs, Kenny Lawson Jr. in particular, absolutely manhandled the UD big men last season. Chris Wright, who Creighton fans will be shocked to learn flirted with the idea of leaving early for the professional ranks, was held to a mouse-pissing-on a-cotton ball quiet 8 points during last year’s contest. Will Creighton’s frontcourt once again concentrate on shutting down UD’s bigmen, or will we see them assert themselves offensively this year?

Omaha's new shire reevePM: The frontline for Creighton was hurt big time when Kenton Walker decided to transfer out of the program over the summer to St. Mary’s.  With his transfer, that has left a glaring hole in the frontcourt where you have players backing up Kenny Lawson, like Chad Millard and freshman Ethan Wragge that probably aren’t suited for the center position.  Millard was expected to be the primary backup for Lawson going into the season, but in September, he did something to his foot in a workout that had him wearing a boot on it until just a week or so ago and hasn’t participated in any of the scrimmages or exhibitions leading up to the season which also probably means he won’t be playing on Saturday.  With all of these situations, that means Kenny will need to play more minutes and stay out of foul trouble.  On the positive side, JUCO transfer Wayne Runnels will provide some much needed strength and rebounding presence.  But in the end Dayton’s big men may provide some grief for Creighton. 

TB: Rumor has it that forward Casey Harriman came down with a case of swine flu, is he even going to dress out for the game?

PM: Some have said it is the swine flu, some have said the regular flu.  Regardless, it is hard to tell whether Casey will be back to normal for the game or if he will still have some effects from the illness.  However, Casey did have mono last season for part of the season, but still played effective minutes.  He will be important if the Jays want to have a physical presence down low.  Without Millard and Justin Carter, it is imperative to have him on the court. 

TB: On yet another sour note, starting forward Justin Carter came down with an injury during CU’s exhibition last Saturday night against University of Nebraska-Omaha. What is his status, any chance he will be playing against the Flyers?

PM: Justin won’t be playing against Dayton.  It appears he suffered a slight tear of his MCL which will require 2-4 weeks of rehab.  He won’t be on the court which is a huge blow for the Jays.  Justin emerged as the leader of this team over the summer and his rebounding skills is something needed for a team that was last in the league last season in rebound margin per game.

TB: Senior guard Cavel Witter had an interesting offseason. After allegedly flirting with the idea of leaving Creighton, Witter returned to Omaha for his season year. Two stories came to the surface regarding the Witter situation. One version claimed that Witter asked for an expanded role this season, after being buried on the bench for most of last year Witter wanted an assurance of increased playing time. The other account states that the coaches essentially told Witter he wasn’t welcome back, that his scholarship was not being renewed.

So, long story short, Witter lCavel Witter justs wants you to love himeaves the team in April only to return with his tail between his legs two months later. What is his current status? Is he expected to log significant minutes against Dayton?

PM: Actually, Witter will probably see some key minutes to start the season.  As a two year veteran, he has played extensively as the backup point guard and some minutes at the shooting guard position during this preseason.  With being the only healthy Senior on the floor (with Carter and Millard out with injuries) his veteran experience will be put to the test and needed heading into the season.

TB: Great white hopes are the bond that keeps the Midwest together. The rubes in Dayton get excited whenever sophomore Luke Fabrizius tees one up from outside. The resulting clang off the back of the rim does nothing to diminish their spirit. Creighton’s Kaleb Korver, an effective long-range gunner, played a key role in taking down the Flyers last year. Korver finished the game with 12 points, all from outside the arc. I was surprised to see that someone with Korver’s shooting touch (45% from three in 08-09) only averaged 3.6 points a game last year. Do you anticipate Korver playing a bigger role this season?

PM: This season Kaleb will get a lot more chances to play a bigger role.  During his first two seasons there were huge logjams at the shooting guard and small forward positions.  However this season, he started both exhibition games and played a lot of minutes, but didn’t make a huge impact in those minutes.  You almost forgot he was out there.  But you leave him open and he will drain a three.  Kaleb also spent the offseason working on the rest of his game because he doesn’t want to be just a shooter. 

TB: Let’s turn to the newcomers.  In the interest of self-disclosure, I will inform you that Dayton is bringing in two freshmen. Josh Benson, a 6’10” forward with some athleticism that redshirted last year, and Matt Kavanaugh, a 6’10” center who appears to be made out of wet socks and goofiness. Both will likely see insignificant playing time against the Jays. Will any of Creighton’s freshmen get off the bench against UD?

PM: Creighton has two scholarship freshmen that will likely see minutes against Dayton.  The first one will be Ethan Wragge.  He is a 6’7”/210lb kid that sort of reminds you of Kyle Korver with a quick accurate shot.  However, his minutes will probably come as the backup center to Kenny Lawson which means when he is out on the court, Creighton will be running and gunning and may force the Dayton big men to come out of the lane to defend Wragge or he will shoot their eye out.  The other freshman is Andrew Bock, a point guard out of California who has the opportunity to be eased into the lineup playing behind starter Antoine Young and Cavel Witter.  However, by midseason, you may see Bock logging more minutes.  Then there is a walk-on freshman Matt Dorwart who may get minutes in the frontcourt due to the injuries and illnesses and will probably be a fan favorite this season.

TB: From what I can tell, there is a lot of excitement over the play of sophomore guard Antoine Young. Dayton prides itself on pressuring the ball from the moment the ball is tipped. Do you think Young is ready to handle UD’s frenetic defense? Can he limit the turnovers and keep the Bluejays in the game?

PM: Antoine Young is probably the fastest player on the team and has a knack for handling the ball.  He was one of the players that worked extensively on his game in the offseason probably hitting the gym every day for several hours a day.   In the exhibition games, Young had 13 assists and 0 turnovers.  Don’t be surprised if he is the key to Creighton’s success this season in his ability to drive to the basket and find the open shooter. 

TB: The Bluejays beat the ever-living dog piss out of the Flyers last year, trouncing the boys in red and blue 77-59. But the good residents of Dayton have short memories, I mean that literally not figuratively, and are walking around with the type of swagger commonly exhibited by lifers in prison. Let’s get CU’s perspective on Dayton this season. Are Creighton fans buying the preseason hype or do they collectively think the Flyers, a team they absolutely curb stomped a year ago, might be a tad overrated?

PM: With the veterans coming back and the success Dayton had last season, there is no reason to doubt that this team will be successful this season.  People in Omaha are pretty worried about playing Dayton as the opening game of the season because it will definitely be tough.  Dayton’s home environment is probably one of the best in college basketball and will be a huge test to see where the Bluejays are. 

TB: Last December, Dana Altman allowed Dayton to shoot itself out of the game. Creighton packed it in defensively and let the Flyers self-destruct (Dayton finished the game shooting a dismal 36% from the floor). Given that the Flyers essentially feature the same lineup as last year, should we expect a similar game plan from Altman?

Altman > GregoryPM: Creighton wants to pressure the ball more and get more bite out of its full court press.  I can’t imagine they will pack it in again this season since UD is playing on their home court and they should probably be comfortable shooting in that arena. Rebounding will be the key.  The game against Dayton last season was one game where Creighton had success rebounding.  Rebounding has been the focus of the offseason.   

TB: The only thing that is consistently more crowded than the City of Dayton’s unemployment office is UD Arena when the basketball Flyers are in town. Although the Bluejays certainly face tough road venues during conference play, I am not sure Creighton is prepared for the aural onslaught they will encounter this weekend. Imagine the year is 1969, you’re running through the jungles of Vietnam during a barrage of gunfire, Motörhead (sent from the future) is playing a set in a nearby rice paddy, and then multiply that by ten.  That’s how loud the Arena will be on Saturday afternoon. How has Creighton historically performed in raucous environments on the road?

PM: Unfortunately for the Creighton players, the last time the Bluejays came to UD Arena was four years ago.  So none of the current players on the roster have ever played there and they will be unfamiliar with the environment.  However, Creighton’s home court, the Qwest Center, ranks in the top 12 in the nation for attendance, so they are familiar with big crowds.  During conference season, Creighton plays in the rowdy SIU Arena against the similar unemployment rated fans of Southern Illinois.  That probably ranks up there with Dayton.  Creighton exorcised the demons at Southern Illinois last season with a win, but it will be interesting to see what Dayton brings to the table.  

TB: Put on your prediction cap, and please make sure to bend the bill and take off any stickers. Vegas figures to make Good ole’ U of D slight favorites going into this game. Unlike last year, this battle of wills is being played in the Gem City and UD has just about everybody returning from last year’s squad. So go ahead, do your worst. What’s the outcome of Saturday’s matchup? Please show your work.

PM: To be real honest, I don’t have a good feeling going into this game that Creighton can walk away with the win.  This will be a good test of adversity for them with the injuries and illnesses and though Dayton has a couple injuries too, the home crowd and the number of returning players will probably lead Dayton to a win proving they are a top 25 or even top 15 team.  The great thing about this game however, is that it is probably the best matchup of the opening weekend in college basketball and will be close throughout.  Here is my work:

Dayton > Creighton

Dayton + Experience + Home Court – Injuries = 77

Creighton – Injuries – Illness -- Road game – Some Inexperience = 65

This will be a great game of gaining experience and confidence for the Jays and can be building blocks for the rest of the season.  It’s just too bad this game wasn’t in December instead.