Creighton vs. Marquette: 2022-23 college basketball game preview, TV schedule

The Creighton Bluejays and Marquette Golden Eagles begin Big East play on Friday night while trending in opposite directions.

TV Schedule: Friday, December 16, 8:30 PM ET, FS1

Location: Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, WI

When the schedule came out, the Creighton Bluejays’ trip to Wisconsin to face the Marquette Golden Eagles looked like an opportunity for Greg McDermott’s team to cement itself as a Big East juggernaut this season. Not so fast.

Despite being a trendy Final Four pick at the start of the year, Creighton is suddenly reeling. A streaky team, the Bluejays started the season 6-0, but entered Monday night’s game against Arizona State on a four-game losing streak. Two of those losses were understandable, but losses to Nebraska and BYU are harder to explain.

Creighton lost again on Monday to the Sun Devils, extending the losing streak to five. Three of the losses have been by one possession, demonstrating an inability to pull out close victories.

While Creighton has more big wins, Marquette seems to have the biggest of all, a 26-point trouncing of Baylor. That victory proved Shaka Smart’s team was for real and they’re sniffing the top 25 now, which Creighton finds itself out of for the first time this season.

The Bluejays’ defense has held up during this five-game losing streak, but there are some signs things may not be as bad for the program as they appear, despite a downturn that has practically dropped the team to a .500 record (and will if they lose on Friday).

Shooters are slumping, bottoming out by hitting only 4 of 27 attempts in the Dec. 1 loss to Texas. Since then, the Bluejays have steadily improved from three, recently knocking down 11 of 27 against Arizona State. The game against the Sun Devils marked the team’s worst two-point shooting game of the year, so a slight turnaround in that area could go a long way.

Baylor Scheierman has been good for the Bluejays, but not as elite as he was at South Dakota State. It’s not surprising to see the counting stats trail off on a more talented team, but Scheierman is arguably the key to a turnaround.

The Golden Eagles’ rise this season is connected to strong efficiency numbers on the offensive end. Marquette is a middling team from three, but they are one of the best teams from inside the perimeter, hitting 61 percent of their two-point attempts.

Like Creighton, Marquette seems to struggle closing the deal in close games. Every Golden Eagles win this season has come by double digits. Their three losses have all come by one or two possessions and all three were against major conference foes.

The question for the Golden Eagles: do they have the guys to take down Creighton? While the Bluejays are struggling, there is plenty of known talent and contributors on the roster. Less hardcore fans would be hard-pressed to name a player on Marquette’s roster, which is led by sophomore Kam Jones.

Marquette’s three-point defense is below average, surrendering a 34.5 percent success rate to opponents. The cracks have grown larger recently, giving up a nearly 50 percent rate in two of the team’s last three games.

If Creighton’s woes are simply a shooting slump, Friday provides a good chance to turn around their losing streak.

Prediction: Creighton 80, Marquette 73