Big East Basketball: Best and worst-case scenarios for each team in 2018-19
By Brian Foley
Creighton Bluejays
Last year: 21-12 (10-8), NCAA tournament first round
Key Departures: G Marcus Foster, G Khyri Thomas, G/F Ronnie Harrell, C Toby Hegner
Best Case
The Bluejays have some real talent on the roster, including big man Martin Krampelj, who is returning after missing the second half of last year with a torn ACL. Should Krampelj get back to full speed, Creighton will have one of the best big men in the league controlling the middle of the floor on defense, and dominating the paint on offense.
Krampelj has also been a theoretical floor stretcher throughout his career, so if he finally knocks down some treys with consistency, then Creighton will add another dimension to their offense. Grad transfer Connor Cashaw also comes in as a talented playmaker from Rice, and his efficiency should improve inside the Bluejays’ offensive machine.
Top-five Big East players at each position. light. More
Worst Case
Creighton, after losing its four biggest contributors from 2017-18, is likely to sink to the bottom of the Big East as Greg McDermott looks to reshape the offense. However, the Bluejays struggling to a down season is not the worst case situation. As long as Mitch Ballock, Davion Mintz, Ty-Shon Alexander, and Jacob Epperson show flashes, and Krampelj can stay healthy, Creighton should be ready to contend again in 2019-20. But if the young players struggle under the weight of the offense, CU could be in for a longer rebuild than expected.
On the surface, the Bluejays appear to have less variability than anyone outside Villanova and DePaul. Creighton will either be a pesky team that wins a few more games than it should or one that fails to capitalize in tight games. Either way, Creighton will likely miss the tourney, but should plant the seeds for the next quality squad in Omaha. This year is just part of the cycle; only massive injuries or significant steps back from the next wave of talent will prevent the inevitable rise in the coming seasons.