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Creighton's unselfishness has been a big reason behind the efficiency that makes the Bluejays one of the country's top offensive teams.

But a willingness to share the basketball can't totally explain the dramatic improvement Creighton's offense has made in the course of a calendar year. The Bluejays are a team that after 23 games this season has scored 326 more points, made 124 more baskets and dished out 128 more assists than at a similar point a season ago.

"It just comes down to we're just making plays for each other,'' guard Antoine Young said.

Guard Jahenns Manigat believes that experience has played a key role.

"Our understanding of the game is just a lot better,'' he said.

Coach Greg McDermott sees a variety of factors at work. The Bluejays are playing at a quicker tempo and avoiding poor shots that often come when the pace is more deliberate.

The overall improvement as a team, McDermott said, is a reflection of the work the players have done to better themselves individually.

And don't forget, the coach said, the unselfishness the group has displayed.

"I think most teams that compete for championships, regardless of the level, are pretty unselfish groups,'' McDermott said. "I'm not sure you win championships with selfish players. That's very difficult to do, even if you're more talented. Selfish teams crumble from within at some point.''

Creighton heads into the final third of the Missouri Valley season atop the standings at 11-1, one game ahead of Wichita State. Overall, the Bluejays have won 21 of 23 games in jockeying their way to rankings of 12th and 13th in the national polls.

Creighton leads the country in field-goal percentage (.516) and 3-point percentage (.453), ranks second in assists per game (19.2) and is seventh in scoring (81.8).

Compare those numbers to what the Bluejays had compiled after 23 games a season ago. Creighton was shooting 44.9 percent from the field and 35.2 percent from 3-point range while averaging 13.9 assists per game. The Bluejays were averaging 67.6 points in compiling a 14-9 record.

The quicker offensive pace has plenty to do with the improved offensive output but again does not fully explain these numbers: 124 more baskets on just 85 more field-goal attempts and 41 more 3-point baskets on 11 fewer attempts from beyond the arc.

"Our offensive numbers across the board are extremely good,'' McDermott said.

The fact that Creighton is playing at a faster pace is one reason McDermott believes that it's been as deadly as it has been from 3-point range.

"When you're playing in low-possession games, you have the tendency to go deep into the shot clock,'' he said. "Sometimes in those situations, you end up taking 3-point shots that aren't necessarily good shots, but you have to take them because you're in the last 10 seconds of the shot clock.

"We haven't been forced into those situations very often this season. The 3s we're taking, our feet are set and we're getting good looks at the basket. If not, we're turning them down.''

Creighton has three players — Doug McDermott, Manigat and Austin Chatman — shooting 50 percent or better from 3-point range. Four other players are making at least 40 percent of their 3-point attempts.

"Guys are getting in good position to score the ball,'' Young said. "We're comfortable offensively with each other. We know we have a lot of different weapons to count on, and we're doing a good job of playing to our strengths.''

Another factor that can't be discounted is the effort players have put forth to improve their games. Doug McDermott shot 40.5 percent from beyond the arc last season and now is making 51.9 percent of his 3-point attempts. Manigat went from a 39.0-percent shooter from 3-point range to 51.2 percent this season.

Josh Jones is shooting 40.6 percent from beyond the arc after making 33.3 and 38.4 percent of his 3-point attempts his first two seasons. The addition of freshman Avery Dingman along with the return of Ethan Wragge from injury that forced him to miss most of last season have also added to the perimeter firepower.

"A lot of guys got into the gym during the offseason and got up a lot of shots,'' Manigat said. "I know I didn't shoot a good percentage last year, but I tried to take advantage of the offseason and got a lot of shots up when no one else was watching.''

The presence of center Gregory Echenique and McDermott inside also puts opposing teams into a defensive quandary. Double-team them, and it opens up the outside. Play them straight up, and an opponent runs the risk of getting dominated in the paint.

"A lot of our success is due to the attention that Greg and Doug draw inside,'' Manigat said. "The rest of us have made a living off the attention they get. We've made teams pay for it when they leave us open.''

Contact the writer:

402-679-2298, steve.pivovar@owh.com

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