23. Creighton (1-0)
An almost unrecognizable new era began in Creighton without Ryan Kalkbrenner, the 7-footer who was so paramount to the Bluejays’ success over the last half decade. Regardless, Greg McDermott has made a career out of bringing talent into his programs. He and this coaching staff utilized the transfer portal masterfully to fill some of those holes in the roster and we’ll just have to see how that all pays out in the Big East this year.
There was just one contest for the Bluejays in the opening week, as they held on for a 92-76 win at home over South Dakota back on Wednesday night. While this wasn’t the greatest performance in the world, Creighton did outwork the Coyotes and get the job done, led by 19 points from Owen Freeman and a 15-point, 5-assist effort from Nik Graves in the season-opening win.
The Bluejays still have a solid frontcourt with Freeman and Jackson McAndrew, but things are going to be a bit different. They don’t have that same kind of lockdown center, nor the same kind of playmaking point guard from recent years, but that’s not the end of the world. Creighton simply adapts and can win games with this new lineup, though they have to play a much better game next week. Tuesday brings a tough challenge on the road against Gonzaga.