SportsLine.com Reports
NCAA Tournament Preview
March 16, 2000

Round 1: Jays fall one bomb short

The upset-minded Blue Jays fell one 3-pointer short against seventh-seeded Auburn in their 72-69 first-round loss in Minneapolis.

Ben Walker's last-second baseline 3-pointer that would have tied the game was deflected by the Tigers' Mamadou N'diaye, ending Creighton's season and a brilliant comeback attempt.

The Blue Jays trailed by 15 points at halftime, but got two 3-pointers in the last 12 seconds -- one by Ryan Sears and the other (with five seconds to go) by Terrell Taylor -- brought the Blue Jays to within 72-69. Auburn then turned over the ball, setting up the last attempt by Walker, but that's where the dream ended.

How They Got There

Creighton took the automatic route for the second straight season by winning the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. Had the Bluejays fallen short, their RPI (No. 59) would have made an at-large bid a long shot despite their decent win total.

The season started with a rush as Creighton jumped out to a 9-0 record. Four consecutive losses and an injury to starting forward Donnie Johnson threw a wrench into the Bluejays' plans, but they recovered well enough to claim the school's 11th NCAA Tournament appearance.

Starting Lineup

• PG Ryan Sears (6-0, 185, Jr.): The second-team All-MVC pick has started all 92 games in his Creighton career and has three straight seasons with more steals than turnovers. As tough as they come mentally, Sears shot 34.2 percent on 3-pointers after dipping below 30 percent earlier in the season.
• SG Ben Walker (6-2, 205, Jr.): Joined Sears as a second-team All-MVC selection in his third season as a starter. A tough, physical player who does his best work driving to the basket, but has drastically improved his outside shooting.
• C Alan Huss (6-9, 250, Jr.): Moved into CU starting lineup for last 13 games. A big body inside who will share time with backup Livan Pyfrom. Scoring and rebound totals are modest, but he's one of coach Dana Altman's favorites.
• SF Matt West (6-4, 190, Sr.): The former walk-on is one of the hardest workers in Creighton's camp. Making his best run as a senior as a full-time starter, the local boy is a career 41.4-percent shooter from 3-point range. He missed the NCAA tournament a year ago because of a badly sprained ankle.
• PF Donnie Johnson (6-7, 215, Sr.): One of the emotional leaders for a team that needs that kind of fire to get going sometimes. Won't kill you with outside shooting or tremendous rebounding, but can score when he has to inside. Missed 12 games with a knee injury, but has finished with a rush since rejoining the lineup on Feb. 16.

Keys to Success

It all starts with the Bluejays' backcourt of Ryan Sears and Ben Walker. Both juniors have started just about every game since coming to Omaha and are the true personality of the team.

Sears averages just under 12 points, but is known more for his play-making abilities. Sears had more than twice as many assists as turnovers in a season where he averaged 35 minutes a game, and he's a fierce competitor despite his not-so-dangerous looks.

Walker led Creighton in both scoring (12.2 points a game) and rebounding (6.3) and drastically improved his 3-point shooting to raise his season mark to a career-high 48.6 percent.

Outside shooting is a strength, as Creighton shot 41.8 percent on the season, one of the best marks in the nation. Sears, Walker, Korver, Taylor and Matt West all are threats from behind the arc.

Not overly talented, the Bluejays are tough defensively when they put their minds to it. Ask Southwest Missouri State after the Bears were held to 45 points in the MVC Tournament final.

The Coach

Dana Altman just keeps Creighton pointed in the right direction. Over his first six seasons, the Bluejays have improved their win total annually, from seven wins to 14, 15, 18, 22 and 23.

Altman has racked up a 99-78 record in Omaha. Creighton is his fourth coaching stop after stints at Kansas State, Marshall and Moberly Junior College.

The Bench

Depth is a strength for a Creighton team that will use 11 players. The biggest threats are Korver because of his outside shooting and Taylor because of his athleticism, but junior Justin Haynes has hit his stride in the past month.

Pyfrom gives the Bluejays a shot-blocker and inside threat because of his 6-11 size. Walk-ons Dan Kolder and John Klein also get a few minutes here and there, with Kolder spelling Sears.

Offense

The lack of a consistent inside threat means the Bluejays work from the outside. Heading into the tournament, they're shooting 41.8 percent on 3-pointers. ... Six players average more than seven points a game in a balanced attack. ... Led MVC in scoring with 73.2 points a game, including 102 to cap the regular season against Evansville.

Defense

What the Bluejays are able to do without the ball usually tells their story. In the MVC tournament, they allowed their three opponents an average of 58.7 percent. ... There have been lapses, with Southern Illinois hitting CU for 92 points and Evansville for 88.