Bracket Busters (Definitely! Maybe?) #1

Ladies and Gentlemen...for my first Bracket Busters selection...may I introduce to you...the Creighton Bluejays!

Last year I went to the Missouri Valley Conference for a solid Bracket Busters selection when I backed the Drake Bulldogs. Unfortunately, Drake fell victim to the #5 seed curse and lost to #12 Western Kentucky (best mascot in college hoops - Big Red) in a 101-99 overtime thriller. Last year's result will not deter me, as I'm going back to the MVC well and predicting the Bluejays to do big things come tourney time. Creighton's last NCAA Tournament appearance was in 2007, their last Tournament win was in 2002. The team may have God on their side this year as Creighton is one of 28 member institutions in the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. The Bluejays may need that help because this is not a particularly strong year for mid-major teams. Creighton might have to win the MVC Tournament in order to make the "Big Dance". I believe they have done enough to earn an at-large bid should they not win their conference tourney. Here are some facts about Creighton along with the reasons I like them to make some noise in the next few weeks:

• Creighton University is located in Omaha, Nebraska which is also the home of Conor Oberst and Saddle Creek Records. Umm...those guys put out some very sad and dark music. Possibly because they're home town teams never win. Not really a good omen.
• The Bluejays currently have an RPI of 39, better than potential NCAA Tourney teams such as Boston College, South Carolina, and St. Mary's.
• Creighton has quality wins against Dayton, George Mason, and New Mexico. They also split the season series with Illinois St. and Northern Iowa...their closest competition in the MVC.
• The Bluejays' mascot is named Billy Bluejay.
• Creighton has not lost a game since January. They are the hottest team in the MVC, riding a 10 game winning streak heading into the Conference Tournament.
• One of the best names in college basketball can be found on this team. Booker Woodfox is a senior guard who averages 16 points a game and shoots over 50% from 3-point land.
• Now to bring back America's favorite running segment from last year's blog! Notable Creighton Alumni include: Mike Fahey (Current Mayor of Omaha, Democrat), Matt Maginn (bassist for the Saddle Creek Records band, Cursive), Kyle Corver (former Creighton basketball standout and NBA player for the Utah Jazz), Todd Fink (lead singer of the Saddle Creek Records band, The Faint), Nancey Murphy (professor at Fuller Theological Seminary), and baseball legend Bob Gibson (Hall of Fame pitcher).

Creighton could end up anywhere between an 8 seed and a 12 seed. No matter where they end up, they will be playing a team that won't be considered one of college basketball's elite in the first round. ESPN's Bracketology Joe Lunardi currently has Creighton as an #11 seed, playing #6 Syracuse in the first round. With that kind of match-up, I'd take the Bluejays every time. They have great senior leadership, decent outside shooting, and enough skill players to make a little run. I'm aware that Creighton is only the #2 seed in the MVC Tournament. Northern Iowa had the same conference record as them at 14-4 and won the tiebreaker for the #1 seed. I should be going with a team from Iowa here, but more than giving props to my home state this year...I want to be right. That's why I'm going with the Creighton Bluejays. Happy Busting.

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