No. 25 ranked Creighton travels to No. 23 ranked Seton Hall for a battle of Big East ranked squads. Which team will start Big East play with a 1-0 record?
TV Listing: Thursday, Dec. 28, FS1, 6:30 PM ET
Arena: Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey
Creighton has won five straight games, but their matchup against Seton Hall will be their toughest test since their last loss at Gonzaga. The Blue Jays have built a solid resume to this point, but a road win over a ranked Seton Hall team would definitely impress the selection committee. A win over UCLA on a neutral court is the highlight of the resume since Creighton’s road win over Northwestern has lost its luster.
The Blue Jays are led by a pair of excellent wing players, Khyri Thomas and Marcus Foster. Thomas has steadily improved during his time at Creighton and is now one of the best two-way players in the country. Thomas is an excellent defender who can defend multiple positions with his length and athleticism but has improved his ability to create offense in his junior season. He is averaging 15.3ppg and is shooting 53.5% from the field and 43.6% from three.
Foster is a talented senior who can score at all three levels. The 6’3’’ wing does not a ball screen to create and specializes in hitting tough contested shots. He leads Creighton in scoring at 19.5ppg.
One problem that Creighton faces is that they are often too reliant on their dynamic duo to create offense. In both of their losses, Creighton had a lead for the first half and then the opposing defense forced the complimentary pieces to beat them. Those players are useful in their roles, but they are limited.
Martin Krampejl is a good roll man and can finish at the basket, but he needs to be given the ball in certain areas to be effective. Ronnie Harrell plays a good floor game, but struggles offensively and can become reluctant or passive on that end. Mitch Ballock and Tyshon Alexander will be excellent players, but, like most freshmen, are inconsistent.
Creighton likes to use Ballock at the four to inject more offense into the lineup, but they will need to be careful of Seton Hall’s prowess on the offensive glass. The Pirates are led by Angel Delgado who is one of the best rebounders in the country and also have Michael Nzei and Desi Rodriguez who aggressively pursue offensive rebounds. Seton Hall will beat up Creighton on the backboards so it will be important for the Blue Jays to shoot a high percentage from beyond the arc.
The Pirates have a talented trio of seniors who keep them competitive against even the best competition. Angel Delgado is a relentless rebounder and a skilled low post scorer. He is averaging 13.5ppg and 11.3rpg. Desi Rodriguez is a matchup nightmare at the wing position as he is built like a PF but has perimeter skills. Rodriguez shoots the ball well from beyond the arc (36.7%) and averages 17.9ppg and 5.3rpg. The third standout senior is Khadeen Carrington, a craft left-handed scoring guard. He has transitioned to the PG role where he is averaging 13.1ppg and 3.9apg.
The X-factor for the Pirates is their breakout sophomore, Myles Powell. Powell is a knockdown shooter who has improved his overall game in his second season with Seton Hall. He is averaging 14.4ppg and has already hit 34 three-pointers at a 41% clip.
In both of Seton Hall’s losses, a late scoring drought and a lack of focus on defense led to their demise. Both URI and Rutgers ended the games on impressive scoring runs so it will be essential for the Pirates to stay attentive for the full 40 minutes.
I predict that Seton Hall comes out on top in this battle of ranked Big East foes. The Pirates should dominate the offensive glass and could live off second-chance points. Delgado’s underrated ability to play with his back to the basket could get the Creighton bigs in foul trouble, an area where the Blue Jays are thin.
Next: Top 50 Players from the Legendary 10-11 Big East Season
Creighton will need to shoot the lights out to win as Seton Hall has the mobility and versatility defensively to handle Creighton’s small ball lineup. Guys like Rodriguez, Sanogo (if he plays) and Nzei can move well enough to guard smaller players. Expect a difficult game for Khadeen Carrington as defense stopper Khyri Thomas will likely be tasked with shutting down the talented senior.
Prediction: Seton Hall 79 Creighton 68