Busting Brackets
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Creighton Basketball will attempt to pull off massive upset vs. Gonzaga

By Karl Heiser

Feb 13, 2021; Omaha, Nebraska, USA; Creighton Bluejays guard Denzel Mahoney (34) and guard Shereef Mitchell (4) and guard Marcus Zegarowski (11) and forward Damien Jefferson (23) watch a free throw late in the second half against the Villanova Wildcats at CHI Health Center Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 13, 2021; Omaha, Nebraska, USA; Creighton Bluejays guard Denzel Mahoney (34) and guard Shereef Mitchell (4) and guard Marcus Zegarowski (11) and forward Damien Jefferson (23) watch a free throw late in the second half against the Villanova Wildcats at CHI Health Center Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports /
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Creighton Basketball Gonzaga Bulldogs (Photo by Porter Binks/Getty Images).
Creighton Basketball Gonzaga Bulldogs (Photo by Porter Binks/Getty Images). /

Creighton Basketball (22-8, 14-6 Big East) is in the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 1974 and the fourth time in school history. After entering the 2021 NCAA Tournament as a No. 5 seed, Greg McDermott’s team narrowly escaped the Round of 64 with a one-point victory over UC Santa Barbara, 63-62. Junior point guard Marcus Zegarowski finished with 17 points and eight assists, both game-highs.

In the Round of 32, Creighton matched up with No. 13 Ohio after the Bobcats’ upset of No. 4 Virginia. The Creighton defensive effort limited star Ohio guard Jason Preston to just four points in 40 minutes and the Bluejays left with a decisive 72-58 victory. Zegarowski led the team again with 20 points. Forward Damien Jefferson added 15 points of his own.

These two wins set Creighton up for a meeting with the No. 1 overall Gonzaga Bulldogs (28-0, 15-0 WCC). Gonzaga began and ended the season atop the AP Poll. They opened the NCAA Tournament with a dominant 43-point victory over No. 16 Norfolk State, then cruised to an 87-17 win versus No. 8 Oklahoma. The Bulldogs are a dominant team on both sides of the ball. This is their 11th Sweet Sixteen in school history and 10th under head coach Mark Few.

After losses by No. 2 Iowa, No. 3 Kansas, and No. 4 Virginia, Creighton is the highest-seeded team left to challenge the Zags in the West Region. While there is currently no blueprint for defeating this Gonzaga team, here are some factors that may give Creighton a better shot at pulling off the upset.

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