Creighton at Seton Hall: 2020-21 storylines for Big East matchup

The free-throw battle

The best part of conference basketball is that there is a heightened sense of importance which results in closer games. Simply due to the familiarity the coaches have with one another, there tend to be fewer surprises.

Since joining the Big East Conference for the 2013-14 season Coach McDermott has coached the Bluejays in fifteen games opposite Coach Willard and the Pirates. During that span, three games were decided by one point while seven others were decided by ten or less. Familiarity breeds close games and close games are won at the free-throw line.

For those who have seen Creighton Basketball highlights, but not followed Creighton Basketball, it is almost impossible to believe that they shoot under 66 percent from the free-throw line. Less surprising is that the Bluejays attempt fewer than seventeen per game, but by making just eleven free-throws, not only are they leaving a lot of points off the scoreboard, but not even getting the chance at them. The upside is the Bluejays surrender just 16 attempts per game, a trend they will have to continue versus the bigger Pirates.

Coach Kevin Willard has seen his Pirates attempt over 23 free-throws per game while connecting on 73 percent of them. Their 6’11 forward Mamukelashvili is the team leader in attempts per game with a 74 percent success rate. If the Pirates are able to keep their big lineup in the game, the only way the Bluejays may be able to stop them in the paint is to foul.

On the defensive end, the Pirates allow opponents slightly over 15 free-throw per game, fewer than the Bluejays average. Either team may stray from the stats, but if this conference game ends up being close, free-throws will be one of the storylines.