Busting Brackets
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Creighton Basketball: 2018-19 keys to success at St. John’s

By Jason Burgess

LINCOLN, NE - DECEMBER 8: Head coach Greg McDermott of the Creighton Bluejays watches action against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Pinnacle Bank Arena on December 8, 2018 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
LINCOLN, NE - DECEMBER 8: Head coach Greg McDermott of the Creighton Bluejays watches action against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Pinnacle Bank Arena on December 8, 2018 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images) /
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CHARLOTTE, NC – MARCH 16: Jacob Epperson #41 of the Creighton Bluejays performs a dunk against the Kansas State Bluejays during the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Spectrum Center on March 16, 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC – MARCH 16: Jacob Epperson #41 of the Creighton Bluejays performs a dunk against the Kansas State Bluejays during the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Spectrum Center on March 16, 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /

1. The Bluejays must continue to shoot well

The first thing they will need to do is something they have been doing all year long, shooting the ball. Creighton averages 84.5 points per game and is one of the best shooting teams in the country, both inside and outside the three-point line. They are 4th in the country in field-goal percentage at 51% and are even better from long-range, making 43.9% of their shots which is bested only by Lehigh. The long ball is a key component of the Creighton offense with nearly half (472) of their 1007 field goal attempts have come from downtown. Whether their shots have come from inside or outside the line it hasn’t much mattered, as the Bluejays have made 308 two-point shots and 207 three-point shots, which is the 3rd most in the country.

They have six players who have attempted over 100 shots on the season, while the rest of the team has hoisted up 182. All of those six players are shooting over 44% and as a group, they account for all but 116 made field goals on the season, which means the rest of the team averages 6.8 makes per game.

Sophomores Ty-Shon Alexander and Mitch Ballock lead the team, netting 28.7 points per game while shooting 45% from the field and from beyond the arc, but they have plenty of help as the other four players that average at least nine points per game, Martin Krampelj, Marcus Zegarowski, Davion Mintz, and Damien Jefferson all shoot over 48% from the field.

If Creighton is able to get a win, their red-hot shooting must continue against St. John’s.

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