NCAA Tournament 2024: Ranking the starting lineups of each Sweet 16 team

5. Creighton (3-seed)

Trey Alexander (Junior – Guard)

An important part of last year’s Elite Eight run, Alexander continues growing into a major presence at Creighton and leads this backcourt. He’s averaging 17.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game for the Bluejays and earned All-Big East honors for the first time in his career. Alexander plays nearly every minute for Creighton and was important with 20 points in their double-overtime win over Oregon back in the second round this weekend.

Steven Ashworth (Senior – Guard)

Ashworth spent three seasons at Utah State, turning into quite a star for the Aggies before transferring to Creighton this past offseason. Expecting to pick up the slack of some departing studs from last season, Ashworth averaged 11.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game, solid numbers just a hair below what he accomplished last year in the Mountain West. His long-range shooting has taken a step back this season, but he did just score 21 against Oregon in an important second-round win.

Ryan Kalkbrenner (Senior – Center)

A massive presence for the Bluejays, Kalkbrenner is a unique weapon by every stretch. Recently named Big East Defensive Player of the Year for a third season in a row, Kalkbrenner averages 17.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks per game. He’s a tall, lanky big who’s an elite shot blocker and can also hit shots all over the court, with major contributions on both sides of the ball. He’s averaged 21 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 blocks through the first two March Madness games for the Bluejays.

Mason Miller (Sophomore – Forward)

Not a major part of last season’s success, Miller has adapted into a more important role for Creighton this season, though he’s certainly the least impactful of the starting five. Miller averages 5.7 points and 3.3 rebounds per game while making 45% of his 3-pointers, albeit with limited chances. Miller hasn’t been a major scorer, though he did have 10 points against Akron in the first round of the Big Dance; his impact is felt in other ways.

Baylor Scheierman (Senior – Guard)

Summit League Player of the Year during his third year at South Dakota State, Scheierman opted to transfer to Creighton and has been a major weapon these last two seasons in Omaha. He really settled into his role this season, leading the Bluejays by averaging 18.3 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 4.0 assists. Scheierman does a bit of everything for Creighton, making 38% of his 3-pointers while remaining one of the nation’s best defensive rebounders.