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Creighton Basketball: 3 keys to Bluejays beating Princeton in Sweet Sixteen

By Holden Walter-Warner

Mar 19, 2023; Denver, CO, USA; Creighton Bluejays guard Baylor Scheierman (55) celebrates with guard Trey Alexander (23) and center Ryan Kalkbrenner (11) in the first half against the Baylor Bears at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 19, 2023; Denver, CO, USA; Creighton Bluejays guard Baylor Scheierman (55) celebrates with guard Trey Alexander (23) and center Ryan Kalkbrenner (11) in the first half against the Baylor Bears at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /
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Ryan Nembhard #2 of the Creighton Basketball shoots over LJ Cryer #4 of the Baylor Bears (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Ryan Nembhard #2 of the Creighton Basketball shoots over LJ Cryer #4 of the Baylor Bears (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

3. Get shooters going early

Creighton is a streaky shooting team and that has proven to be the case during its NCAA Tournament run. The team has somehow survived making a putrid 27 percent of its threes combined against NC State and Baylor, hitting only 10 three-pointers total in the first two games.

That being said, most of those misses were against the Wolfpack. Creighton only made three of its 20 three-point attempts in that game, which helped Kevin Keatts’ team hang in there. Luckily for Creighton, NC State also only hit three long-distance shots.

The Bluejays heated up against the Bears, shooting a much better 45.8 percent from three-point range. The team knocked down 11 threes, paced by four from Ryan Nembhard.

Princeton, meanwhile, is good at getting hot and getting a rhythm going from behind the arc. Creighton’s defense should be able to clamp down on that, but the Bluejays may also need to make their own shots to keep up with the Tigers.

Creighton hit 36 percent of its three-pointers this season and any of their top four scorers is capable of stroking a shot from deep. Trey Alexander led the team with a 42.3 percent three-point shooting percentage, but Nembhard and Baylor Scheierman also knocked down more than 35 percent.

Arthur Kaluma isn’t as dangerous from deep, but he still hit nearly 32 percent of his threes this season. Even big man Ryan Kalkbrenner can hit the occasional three, making six of his 18 attempts this year.

Princeton is coming in confident and is ready to try and shoot its way to the Elite Eight. Creighton can minimize the threat by getting its own shooters going early and often.

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