Creighton Advances in Big East Tourney with 35 From Doug McDermott

College Hoops Player of the Day for Thursday, March 13, 2014

Doug McDermott was at it again Thursday night, dropping in 35 points to lead the Creighton Bluejays to an 84-62 win over DePaul in the Big East tournament.

McDermott was 14-for-22 with seven three-pointers, five rebounds and three assists. The Bluejays established a sizable lead early in the first half and never looked back in their Big East opener at Madison Square Garden.

Other key games included another contest at MSG, where Seton Hall clung to post-season hope with a 64-63 victory over #3 Villanova, the top seed in the Big East tournament.

Other tournament results:
Big 12: Iowa State 91 Kansas State 85; Kansas 77 Oklahoma St. 70
American: Louisville 92 Rutgers 31; Cincinnati 61 UCF 58

Doug McDermott's Career-High 45 Lifts Creighton over Providence

College Hoops Player of the Day for Saturday, March 8, 2014

Just when it appears that Doug McDermott can do no more to secure college basketball's player of the year honors, he goes beyond the pale with an over-the-top performance such as his 45 points in Saturday's 88-73 victory over Providence.

McDermott hit 17 of 25 shots against the Friars, scoring more than half of his team's points, including 5-for-7 from beyond the arc and six of nine from the foul line. The senior forward continues to lead the nation in scoring, upping his average to 26.5 points per game.

Saturday's tour de force featured seven boards and a pair of assists, and was a season-and-career-high for McDermott, eclipsing the 39 he had against Villanova on February 16 and the 44 he put up against Bradley in the 2011-12 season. His output helped the Bluejays snap a two-game losing streak and solidified a second-place finish in the Big East for Creighton at 14-4. Interestingly, 16-2 Villanova's only conference losses were to Creighton. Both will have first round byes in the upcoming Big East tournament.

McDermott also became just the eighth player in Division I history to reach 3000 points in his career, making his final appearance at the CenturyLink Center an historic one, passing Oscar Robertson and Hersey Hawkins into seventh place on the all-time scoring list.

Doug McDermott Matches Season High as Crieghton Pounds Villanova Again

College Hoops Player of the Day for Sunday, February 16, 2014

Caris LeVert scored a career-high 25 points for Michigan, but Wisconsin's Frank Kaminski had 25 of his own for Wisconsin, along with 11 rebounds, to lead the Badgers to a 75-62 victory at Ann Arbor.

While those efforts were laudable, it was Creighton's brilliant Doug McDermott who had the game of the day, matching his season high with 39 points on 13-for-17 shooting to lead the #18 Bluejays to a 101-80 triumph over visiting #6 Villanova.

McDermott made four of six from three-point range, was 9-for-9 from the foul line, had seven rebounds and an assist. McDermott passed Larry Bird on the all-time college scoring list, taking 13th place. McDermott remains the #2 scorer in the nation, behind Niagara's Antoine Mason.

21-4 Creighton leads the Big East with an 11-2 mark over 10-2 Villanova. The Bluejays handed Villanova another loss earlier in the season, ripping them 96-68 in January.

Doug McDermott Powers Creighton to 78-66 Victory over Seton Hall

College Hoops Player of the Day for Friday, February 7, 2014

The two top teams in the Big East were in action Friday night, Villanova and Creghton remaining tied for the conference lead at 9-1 with convincing wins on their respective home courts.

Villanova gave coach Jay Wright his 400th career victory with a 70-53 splattering of Seton Hall, while the Creighton Blue Jays and star forward, Doug McDermott, were pasting DePaul, 78-66.

Wright has 278 wins at Villanova; the rest were earned at Hofstra.

McDermott, the leading candidate for player of the year honors, didn't have his best shooting game, going 9-for-21, but he made up for his misfires by nailing 13 of 14 from the charity stripe en route to a game-high 32 points, well above his 25.3 average. 4-for-6 in the early going, McDermott's teammates picked up the pace after Seton Hall tied the game at 13-all, going on a 13-2 spurt punctuated by a McDermott dunk, midway through the first half, taking control of the game which they led nearly all the way.

The Pirates cut the lead to two points on a couple of occasions in the second half and to one point with under eight minutes to play, but each time, Creighton had answers. With 5:30 left, the Bluejays' lead was four, until McDermott scored nine straight points - seven from the foul line - in just under three minutes, to put the game out of reach.

McDermott reached another milestone during the game, canning his 1,000th field goal during the contest. He is the first Division I player to achieve that mark since Calbert Cheaney did it from 1989 through 1993. According to ESPN, McDermott also passed J.J. Redick for 17th on the all-time Division I scoring list.

McDermott, the nation's second-leading scorer behind Niagara's Antoine Mason (26.0), was also the game's high rebounder, with nine, though the Blue Demons held a 41-31 edge on the boards.

Creighton's complete 19-3 record includes losses to San Diego State, George Washington and Providence. They are ranked #12 in the current AP poll. #6 Villanova sports a 21-2 record, with losses to Syracuse and Creighton. The two Big East powerhouses meet again on February 16 in a game that will likely determine the conference champion.

Doug McDermott's Season-High 39 Points Carries Creighton Past St. John's, 63-60

College Hoops Player of the Day for Tuesday, January 28, 2014

When one talks about Creighton basketball, one name always comes up: Doug McDermott.

The four-year senior star has led the Bluejays to an 8-1 record and first place in their first year as a member of the Big East, following McDermott's leadership for three years in the Missouri Valley conference.

Getting to that 8-1 mark (18-3 overall) did not take the usual route in Creighton's 63-60 win over St. John's, Tuesday night.

First, it was the lowest score in any of Creighton's wins this season. The Bluejays scored 53 points in a loss to George Washington in December and average 81.3 points per game, 22nd nationally. The Bluejays also turned the ball over 17 times and had only 13 assists (they average 18.1, tops nationally).

Besides shooting under their average (49.3%) and having just one player in double figures, Creighton was able to emerge victorious due to McDermott's season-high 39 points, on 15-for-26 shooting, including five of nine from beyond the arc, with four of five free throws and six rebounds.

McDermott took more than half of Creighton's 47 shots and accounted for roughly 2/3rds of their 23 field goals. Creighton led, 29-25, at the break. McDermott scored 20 of those first half points. Creighton led nearly the entire game and was up by as many as 18 midway through the second half, but, St. John's tied the score at 60-all on a pair of free throws by Rysheed Jordan with 11 seconds left.

After a St. John's time out, the Bluejays got the ball to McDermott, who launched a game-winning three-pointer with just two seconds left on the clock, providing the winning margin.

It was the seventh time this season McDermott has scored 30 or more points. He's been in double figures in all but one of Creghton's games.

Creighton Goes to 4-0 Behind Doug McDermott's 33 Points, 15 Boards

College Hoops Player of the Day for Saturday, November 23, 2013

When basketball scouts and pundits start making up lists of the top pro prospects, there's going to be one name at or near the top of all of them: Creighton's Doug McDermott.

The 6'8" senior forward is not only a scoring machine, but a tireless rebounder, great passer and team leader. McDermott's been a mainstay at College Hoops Daily, named as player of the day seven times, including Saturday's 33-point, 15-rebound effort in an 82-72 win over Tulsa, sending the Golden Hurricane to their fourth loss without a win, while the Blue Jays improved to 4-0 on the season.

McDermott missed his first four shots, but still finished 9-for-17 from the field. Scoring just 12 in the first half, Creighton was clinging to a one-point lead at the break (42-41), but McDermott took control in the second half, pumping in 21, including three treys, as the Blue Jays pulled away for the victory. McDermott made 12 of 15 from the line, adding a couple of steals and two assists.

The Blue Jays return to action this coming Thursday night against Arizona State as part of the Wooden Legacy in Fullerton, California, a game that will air nationally on ESPN2.

Doug McDermott Goes for 37 Points in Creighton Win over UMKC

College Hoops Player of the Day for Monday, November 11, 2013

As the top returning scorer from last season, Doug McDermott doesnt have much to prove to the college basketball world; he's done most of that over his three years as a Creighton Bluejay.

After scoring a pedestrian 20 points in Creighton's 107-61 win over Alcorn State Friday night, McDermott was back in superstar mode with 37 against the UMKC Kangaroos in a routine, 96-70 victory.

Hitting 15 of 25 shots from the field - including 5-for-10 on three-pointers - McDermott felt he shoudl have made more shots, not exactly what future Creighton opponents want to hear.

As Crieghton dominated the score and the boards, the 6;8" senior forward grabbed seven rebounds. The Bluejays out-rebounded the Kangaroos, 51-35 amd hit 51.5% of their shots, to 37.7% for UMKC (University of Missouri - Kansas City).

McDermott's 37 were the second-most scored in a single game this season, just a point behind Drake's Richard Carter's effort from Saturday.

Tuning up for their first season in the reconstructed Big East, the Bluejays next take to the hardwood on Saturday, November 16 at St. Joseph's.

Indiana, Notre Dame Lose, But Creighton Prevails on Doug McDermott's 31-Point Effort

College Hoops Player of the Day for Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Three Top 25 teams hit the hardwoods on Tuesday, but only one came away a winner.

#2 Indiana, despite a 20-point, 10-rebound effort by Cody Zeller, found no home court advantage in a 64-59 loss to Wisconsin, the Badgers' 11th straight victory over the Hoosiers.

#20 Notre Dame struggled on the road against St. John's, as the Red Storm treated the Madison Square Garden fans to a 67-63 victory.

Doug McDermott proved too much for Northern Iowa, scoring a game high 31 points, as Creighton prevailed at home, 79-68, winning their 10th straight and boosting their overall record to 17-1.

McDermott, one of the nation's top scorers, was 12-for-22 from the field with just one three-pointer and 6-for-7 from the foul line. The 6'8" native of Ames, Iowa grabbed four boards and dished three assists.

Creighton leads the Missouri Valley Conference with a 6-0 record.

#13 Creighton Goes to 16-1 Behind Doug McDermott's 39 Points

College Hoops Player of the Day for Friday, January 11, 2013

Hitting 15 of 19 shots from the field, Doug McDermott had his way against Missouri State as the Creighton Bluejays improved to 16-1 and 5-0 in the MVC with a 72-54 romp at Missouri State.

McDermott's season-high tally was the second-most he's ever scored in a college game. Last season, he lit up Bradley for 44 points in a 92-83 Creighton victory.

Nearly flawless in his execution, McDermott hit three of four from three-point range and six of seven from the foul line, also collecting 10 rebounds for his third double-double of the season.

Averaging 23.6 points per game, McDermott is third in scoring nationally, close behind Virginia Tech's Erick Green (24.6) and C.J. McCollum of Lehigh (23.9).

Vreighton's only loss came in an 83-70 setback by Boise State on November 28. Since then, they've won 10 straight and have a pair of important games upcoming: Tuesday, January 15, against Northern Iowa and Saturday, January 19, at 15-1 Wichita State, currently 4-0 in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Doug McDermott Pours in 29 for Creighton to Capture Las Vegas Invitiational

College Hoops Player of the Day for Saturday, November 24, 2012

Nearly unstoppable last season at 22.9 points per game, Creighton's Doug McDermott is off to another sensational start for the Bluejays as he scored 29 points in an 87-73 win over Arizona State to capture the Las Vegas Invitational.

The 6'8" junior forward hit 10 of 19 shots from the field and canned eight of 11 from the charity stripe while hauling down nine boards.

McDermott helped Creighton to a win in the tournament's opening round with a game-high 30 points against Wisconsin on Friday. The Bluejays cruised to an 84-74 win over the Badgers.

McDermott is averaging 21 points and 7.8 rebounds per game this season. 6-0 Creighton is ranked 14th in the AP Poll.

Wrapping up other holiday tournaments, Cincinnati scored 42 first half points en route to a 77-66 win over Oregon to grab the Global Sports Classic title; #5 Duke topped #2 Louisville, 76-71, winning the Battle for Atlantis tournament in the Bahamas.

The Blue Devils placed five players in double figures and made 23 of 27 free throws.

Creighton Wins MVC Tourney on Doug McDermott's 33 Points; William Buford Leads Buckeyes to Win, Three-way Tie in Big Ten

College Hoops Player of the Day for Sunday, March 4, 2012

There were two really big games on Sunday that mattered in terms of upcoming seeds n the NCAA tournament. The first was a barn-burner of a Missouri Valley tournament final and the other resulted in a three-way tie for the Big Ten regular season championship.

In St. Louis, #25 Creighton was pushed to overtime by a stubborn Illinois State squad intent on winning their way into the NCAAs. In the end, however, it was the Bluejays chasing off the Redbirds, 83-79 in OT behind likely MVC player of the year, Doug McDermott who paced all scorers with 33 points on 12 of 18 shooting, including three 3-pointers and a perfect 6-for-6 from the line. Creighton's leading scorer also grabbed six rebounds in his 41 minutes of floor time.

Illinois State had knocked off Wichita State on Saturday to get to the final, but fell just short. Creighton takes the automatic bid, while #15 Wichita State will have to be patient for a week to find out where they are seeded.

With a win at home against #10 Ohio State in their final regular season game, the 5th-ranked Michigan State Spartans could have claimed the Big Ten title outright, and the Spartans built a 15-point lead midway through the first half as the Buckeyes struggled to find their marks.

Despite the struggles of their star, Jared Sullinger, who was just 5-for-17 from the field and spent much of the last eight minutes on the bench with four fouls but still finished with a double-double (14 points and 10 rebounds, the Buckeyes never quit and eventually got the go-ahead bucket on a long jumper by William Buford with one second remaining in regulation.

Buford finished with one of his best games of the season, fitting for the only senior on the Ohio State squad, scoring a game-high 25 points on 8 of 14 shooting with three boards, three steals and an assist.

The Spartans had one last fling at the basket as time expired, but the ball never went near the hoop, as Ohio State took the 72-70 decision.

The result tied the Buckeyes with Michigan State and Michigan - who had topped Penn State earlier in the day - for the conference regular season lead, all three teams finishing with identical 13-5 records.

Michigan State will be the top seed in the Big Ten tournament which opens Thursday, with Ohio State #2 and Michigan the #3 seed.

Doug McDermott Leads #23 Creighton to Fifth Straight Win and 15-2 Record

College Hoops Player of the Day for Friday, January 13, 2012

In limited action, there were just two games involving Top 25 teams Friday night. #24 Seton Hall was stopped at South Florida, 56-55, while #23 Creighton won their fifth in a row, topping Missouri Valley rival, Illinois State, 87-78, behind their sensational sophomore, Doug McDermott.

The 6'7" forward hit 9 of 14 shots from the field to score 20 points, below his average of 24.2, which is second in the country behind Weber State's Damian Lillard (25.8). McDermott, who's been in double figures every game this season, also grabbed nine boards and hit the only 3-point shot he took.

McDermott currently has the high single-game scoring total in Division I this season, pouring in 44 points in a 92-83 win over Bradley on January 9.

The Bluejays are tied for the lead in the Missouri Valley conference standings with Wichita State at 5-1 and are 15-2 overall. The unranked Shockers have run their record to 14-3, pasting Bradley on Friday by a 78-41 score.