October, 2017

IN THISISSUE:

BIG EAST ScheduleThe Big East has released the conference schedule

Freshmen FundamentalsCreighton Freshmen spent last weekend in New York City

Bluejay UpdatesCheck out where some former Bluejays will be next season

Plays of the WeekCheck out a couple of plays from the Bluejays' Playbook

Featured Player#2 Khyri Thomas

BIG EAST Schedule ReleasedOMAHA, Neb. – The BIG EAST released the conference schedule for Creighton Men's Basketball, while the Bluejays also announced their final non-conference game to complete the 2017-18 slate.

The Bluejays will play 18 league games in all during their fifth season in the BIG EAST Conference, playing all nine opponents both home and away. Eight of Creighton's league games will come on Saturdays, with half of those at home.

Just as it did a year ago, Creighton will open league play against Seton Hall on Dec. 28, only this time that game will take place in Newark, N.J. Creighton then plays a New Year's Eve contest for the fifth straight winter when Providence visits CenturyLink Center Omaha for a 1:30 p.m. start.

The Bluejays open 2018 at home with a Jan. 3 game against St. John's, and then trek to Washington, D.C., to take on new head coach Patrick Ewing and the Georgetown Hoyas on Jan. 6. The Hoyas will return to Omaha on Jan. 27 for the program's annual Creighton vs. Cancer Pink Out game.

February begins with Creighton visiting four-time defending league champion Villanova on Feb. 1 in a rematch of the 2017 BIG EAST Tournament title game. It will mark Creighton's first game at Wells Fargo Center since setting a league-record with 21 three pointers in 2014 in a 96-68 Bluejay victory. Creighton then visits Wintrust Arena for the first time on Feb. 7 when it visits DePaul.

Creighton plays five of its final seven regular-season games at home, a stretch that starts with a Feb. 10 game vs. Xavier that will air nationally on FOX. The Bluejays also meet Marquette for the first time in 2017-18 on Feb. 17th in Omaha.

After a road trip to Butler on Feb. 20, FOX cameras return to CenturyLink Center Omaha as the Bluejays host Villanova on Feb. 24. Creighton hosts DePaul on Feb. 27 in the program's annual Se-nior Night.

Creighton closes the regular-season at Marquette for the second straight year. The March 3 contest will also be MU's final game at BMO Harris Bradley Center.

The BIG EAST Tournament will be held at Madison Square Garden for the 36th straight year and run from March 7-10 in New York City.

The BIG EAST also announced the television coverage and start times for all of Creighton's non-conference games, with the complete line-up available at GoCreighton.com. FOX will televise three games, with FS1, FS2 and FSN broadcasting a total of at least 21 other Bluejay games. CU also will air on CBS Sports Network twice, ESPNU once, ESPN2 once, BTN once and either ESPN2 or ESPN3 once.

-GoCreighton

NEW YORK -- The BIG EAST Conference hosted its third annual Freshmen Fundamentals program, which is designed to assist men's bas-ketball student-athletes make the transition from high school to college and the elite level of BIG EAST basketball.

"We are very excited to host our third Freshmen Fundamentals program," said BIG EAST Senior Associate Commissioner for Men's Basket-ball Stu Jackson. "Our incoming freshmen players have to deal with many new challenges on and off the court as high-profile athletes in the BIG EAST Conference. We're pleased with the quality of our group of speakers and believe the program will be a valuable supplement to the ongoing efforts of our institutions to assist student-athletes with practices they can use during their college years and throughout their lives."

The Freshmen Fundamentals schedule for Sept. 16 included a panel of former BIG EAST players, as well as instruction from nationally ac-claimed experts in media training and personal branding. There was also a presentation on relationship management and safety. At the conclusion of the Saturday sessions, the players visited the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in lower Manhattan.

The panel of former BIG EAST players included Doug McDermott of the Oklahoma City Thunder, who won National and BIG EAST Player of the Year honors in 2013-14 while at Creighton; Randy Foye, and Jerry Walker, who played at Seton Hall from 1991-93, and was the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year in 1993.

The players toured Madison Square Garden, the home of the BIG EAST Tournament, and heard insights about planning for post-college careers. Former NBA coach and player Sam Mitchell offered his perspectives about a career in professional basketball. He has coached the Toronto Raptors and the New Jersey Nets and was the 2006-07 NBA Coach of the Year while with Toronto. Mitchell also enjoyed a 13-year playing career with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Indiana Pacers.

Saturday's media training session was conducted by Dan Broden, the President of Broden Communications and a national expert on com-munications and presentation skills. Broden's clients include the NBA, NASCAR, top business executives and a variety of sports and enter-tainment figures. DeNita Turner, President and CEO of Image Builders, Inc., spoke to the players on etiquette personal branding and how to create a positive personal image in campus and social settings. She has worked with numerous Fortune 500 companies, the NBA and WNBA.

Kalimah Johnson, Founder and Executive Director of Sexual Assault Services for Holistic Healing and Awareness (SASHA) in Detroit, Mich., addressed the group for a session on Relationship Management and Safety. She has worked in the sexual assault and domestic violence field for over 15 years with the Michigan Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, Detroit Police Department and Serenity Services.

-GoCreighton

Creighton Freshmen Visit New York

Doug McDermott (’14): The all-time leading scorer in Creighton’s history will enter his fourth season in the NBA and be a member of the New York Knicks after being part of last week’s deal between the Thunder and Knicks for Carmelo Anthony. McDermott is averaging 8.0 points per game and holds a 39.4% mark on three-pointers for his career.

Kyle Korver (’03): Enters the season as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers and played in last season’s NBA Finals. He has led the NBA in three-point shooting three of the past four seasons and is a 43.1% three-point shooter for his career.

Anthony Tolliver (’07): Will be entering his tenth NBA season as a member of the Detroit Pistons. Tolliver has been rostered on nine of the 30 teams in the NBA and averaged 7.1 points and 3.6 rebounds last year as a member of the Sacramento Kings.

Justin Patton (’17): The Big East Freshman of the Year was selected in the first-round of the NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Although recovering from a foot injury sustained in the offseason, Patton will be the fourth active player in the NBA that attended Creighton.

Grant Gibbs (’14): After spending time playing in the Netherlands and Germany overseas, Gibbs will join the Oklahoma City Thunder G-League affiliate, Oklahoma City Blue, as an assistant coach.

Geoff Groselle (’16): The recent grad spent last season with Lowen Braunschweig where he averaged 10.9 points and 6.2 rebounds and led the team with 139 made field goals. Groselle will stay in the BBL this year but be a member of Eisbaren Bremerhaven.

Devin Brooks (’15): Brooks played eight games in Macedonia last season and averaged 24 points, 10 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. He will be a member of Dynamic BG Beograd in Serbia this season.

Justin Carter (’10): In the years following his graduation, Carter has played in Slovakia, Turkey, China, Israel, and was also a member of the Phoenix Suns Summer League team in 2015. Carter is playing with Astana of the Kazakhstani basketball league.

Kenny Lawson Jr (’11): The big man had a very successful season in 2016-17 with Virtus Bologna. Lawson was named Serie A2 Center of the Year after leading the team in points and rebounds as Bologna captured the league title and were promoted to Serie A.

Jahenns Manigat (’14): Manigat signed a contract this summer to return as a member of the Griessen 46ers. He averaged 5.0 points per game and shot 47.0% from three on 61 attempts.

Cole Huff (’17): The recent Creighton grad was a member of the Toronto Raptors during the NBA Summer League. He signed a contract to play in Greece with Lavrio BC.

Former Bluejays Update

Play of the Month:

SLOB Play of the Month:

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2

@BLUEJAYMBB625 Florence BLVD • Omaha, NE 68178

Date Opponent Site Date Opponent SiteNov 3 UNC-Pembroke Century Link Center Jan 9 Butler Century Link CenterNov 10 Yale Century Link Center Jan 13 Xavier Cincinnati. OHNov 12 Alcorn State Century Link Center Jan 17 Seton Hall Century Link CenterNov 15 Northwestern Rosemont, IL Jan 20 Providence Providence, R.I.Nov 20 UCLA Kansas City, MO Jan 23 St. John's Queens, NYNov 21 Baylor/Wisconsin Kansas City, MO Jan 27 Georgetown Century Link CenterNov 25 SIU Edwardsville Century Link Center Feb 1 Villanova Philadephia, PADec 1 Gonzaga Spokane, WA Feb 7 DePaul Chicago, ILDec 5 North Dakota Century Link Center Feb 10 Xavier Century Link CenterDec 9 Nebraska Century Link Center Feb 13 Bemidji State Century Link CenterDec 15 MD Eastern Shore Century Link Center Feb 17 Marquette Century Link CenterDec 18 UT Arlington Century Link Center Feb 20 Butler Indianapolis, INDec 20 USC Upstate Century Link Center Feb 24 Villanova Century Link CenterDec 28 Seton Hall Newark, New Jersey Feb 27 DePaul Century Link CenterDec 31 Providence Century Link Center Mar 3 Marquette Milwaukee, WIJan 3 St. John's Century Link CenterJan 6 Georgetown Washington, D.C. Mar 7-10 Big East Tournament New York, NY

2017-2018 Schedule

Featured Player:Creighton Media Links:

Khyri Thomas is entering his Junior year at

Creighton. Thomas shot 39% from beyond

the arc last season and averaged 12.3 points

per game. Last season he was the BIG EAST

defensive player of the year.

Hometown: Omaha, NE Favorite Athlete: Kahwi LeonardFavorite Movie: JuiceFavorite Meal: Chicken AlfredoNickname: Tazz

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