Creighton barrels #4 Villanova, 96 - 68

[FerryFor50]

85-50 with 8min left.

Creighton led 54-41 in the first half and is on a 31-9 run in the 2nd.

Sure fire player of the year Doug McDermott only has 23...

[NashvilleDevil]

This game cannot be jinxed.

[FerryFor50]

This game cannot be jinxed.

If it is, I'd take full responsibility.

Plus, I don't care who wins either way. Was just eye opening.

[MCFinARL]

85-50 with 8min left.

Creighton led 54-41 in the first half and is on a 31-9 run in the 2nd.

Sure fire player of the year Doug McDermott only has 23...

Have only watched part of this game but it appears everything Creighton puts up goes in--looking at the box score they have made 21 of 33 3-pointers. Ridiculous!
Guess their coach must have had a good motivator after the Providence loss.

[FerryFor50]

Have only watched part of this game but it appears everything Creighton puts up goes in--looking at the box score they have made 21 of 33 3-pointers. Ridiculous!
Guess their coach must have had a good motivator after the Providence loss.

They have nearly made more threes than Nova has taken. That's gotta be pretty rare...

[Bluedog]

ESPN said their first 30 points were ALL from threes - that is crazy! One guy was 8-9 from three in the first half, I believe. And many from well beyond NBA range as that line is also on the court.

[Furniture]

If it is, I'd take full responsibility.

Plus, I don't care who wins either way. Was just eye opening.

That was a good call! Almost a first. Congrats...

[Ichabod Drain]

And after starting the season 15-0 Ohio State is about to drop its fourth straight.

[Troublemaker]

Creighton now has a 128.2 adjusted offensive efficiency in KenPom's system. (I like how his site is now updating same day as results roll in).

Probably the highest adjusted OE a team's ever had this far into the season.

[dukelifer]

And after starting the season 15-0 Ohio State is about to drop its fourth straight.

Confidence is a funny thing.

[hurleyfor3]

See, there are only two good teams this year.

[Kedsy]

See, there are only two good teams this year.

Is one of them Creighton?

[TexHawk]

Creighton now has a 128.2 adjusted offensive efficiency in KenPom's system. (I like how his site is now updating same day as results roll in).

Probably the highest adjusted OE a team's ever had this far into the season.

It's 4 points higher than the next closest team in the last 12 years, as far back as Kenpom goes (end of season numbers only). That was Wake Forest in 2005.

[TexHawk]

Is one of them Creighton?

Of all the astonishing numbers in this game, my favorite was the already mentioned "first 30 points coming on 10 threes". It's even crazier knowing that this same team got blown out over the weekend at Providence (Kenpom's #50 team), shooting 4-19 (21%) from three.

[rsvman]

Crazy.

I watched some of that Providence game, and Creighton looked pretty bad. A mediocre team, at best, I thought. They couldn't have thrown the ball into the ocean from the deck of a cruise ship that day.

[jv001]

Of all the astonishing numbers in this game, my favorite was the already mentioned "first 30 points coming on 10 threes". It's even crazier knowing that this same team got blown out over the weekend at Providence (Kenpom's #50 team), shooting 4-19 (21%) from three.

Law of averages, GoDuke!

[Bluedog]

It's even crazier knowing that this same team got blown out over the weekend at Providence (Kenpom's #50 team), shooting 4-19 (21%) from three.

Crazy.

I watched some of that Providence game, and Creighton looked pretty bad. A mediocre team, at best, I thought. They couldn't have thrown the ball into the ocean from the deck of a cruise ship that day.

It's similar to Nebraska losing by THIRTY-ONE to OSU just over two weeks ago and somehow beating them last night. I realize OSU isn't playing as well as they were, but it's not a completely different team. It goes to show you anything can happen in a single game - particularly in home conference games. Kenpom gives home court advantage about an 8-point differential from away games in the remaining Duke opponents where we have home and away with.

When a team loses by 20 in the NCAA tournament it's not conclusive that they are a much worse team than the other based on a sample size of one even though, as fans, we make sweeping conclusions and generalizations based on that single game about the entirety of the team/season. Basketball is a funny sport and if shots are falling (or not), things can happen. There is more random noise than we'd like to think there is - which should approximately average out in the end - but may not for a single Sweet Sixteen game in the NCAA's. We routinely see teams in the NBA playoffs get beaten by 20 points one night, turn around, and beat the SAME opponent by 15 the next night. But that's what makes it so much fun!

[flyingdutchdevil]

See, there are only two good teams this year.

I would use the phrase "really good" teams. And I'd extend the number to 3. Kansas is scaring the crap out of me now. IMO, they are the hottest team and have progressed the most in the last month.

They are athletic, they are balanced, and they have Embiid.

[jv001]

I would use the phrase "really good" teams. And I'd extend the number to 3. Kansas is scaring the crap out of me now. IMO, they are the hottest team and have progressed the most in the last month.

They are athletic, they are balanced, and they have Embiid.

I'm with you Dutch. Kansas has some talented players and they have a good coach in Self. Embiid seems to be one of the better players in the country. I think one of the so called college basketball experts said he might be the #1 pick in the next NBA draft. I would pick them to be in the list of teams likely to reach the Final Four. GoDuke!

[FerryFor50]

Embiid is ridiculous. I wondered in the Duke/Kansas matchup how Embiid was considered "raw," as he played with very natural instincts. As the season progresses, he's only gotten better.

He's got great touch around the rim. He can shoot from outside (all the way out to the 3pt line). He shoots 68% from the field (!!!). His FTs are solid - always great form (shoots 67% from the line). He rebounds well (13.1% ORB, 23.7% DRB, 19% TRB, 13.3 rebounds per 40 min). He blocks shots, and has great timing/instinct... the ones he doesn't block, he bothers. He attacks the rim aggressively. He is unstoppable on lob plays. Has great hops. Has decent post moves (running hook, etc). And he's cut down on the fouls a lot. He's jumping straight up and not fouling as much on pump fakes.

And his ball movement... he senses double teams and gets rid of the ball quick. He finds the open man often. And he doesn't make many bad passes.

His one knock is that he plays a little dirty sometimes and lets opponents' physicality take him out of his game and retaliate. And he needs to bulk up a bit to handle the NBA bigs.

But if I were an NBA GM, I'd pick that guy #1 overall.