
Creighton coach Greg McDermott calls to his team from the sidelines during a 66-61 win over Xavier on Dec. 23 at the CHI Health Center. The Jays have won four straight games. They moved to No. 7 in the AP Top 25 poll Monday, matching the best ranking in program history.
Creighton rose four spots to No. 7 in the latest AP Top 25 poll Monday. It matches the best ranking in school history.
The Jays escaped with a tough 67-65 victory at Providence on Saturday during a chaotic week that saw 13 different top-25 teams lose at least once. And since CU avoided defeat, extending its winning streak to four, it was rewarded in the poll.
The last time Creighton sat this high in the AP rankings came at the end of last season. The Jays finished No. 7 in the final AP Top 25 poll. They also climbed to No. 7 during the 2016-17 campaign.
CU was one of two Big East teams ranked this week, joining No. 3 Villanova. Seton Hall, Xavier and UConn each received votes.
Also revealed Monday: the season's first NET rankings.
Creighton was No. 30.
That’s lower than expected for a CU team that on Monday entered the AP's top 10 while also ranking inside the top 16 of the other five computer ratings systems referenced by the NCAA selection committee.
The NET, which will now update daily, was adopted two years ago as a sorting metric (replacing the RPI). But the NCAA selection committee members have insisted in the past that a team’s NET ranking isn’t as important as the quality of its wins and losses.
The committee prioritizes its quadrant system to evaluate resumés. So far, CU is 1-1 in Quad 1 games and 3-1 in Quad 2 games.
Things will change as the season progress. And this year will be unlike any other, considering the impact of the pandemic.
Creighton’s goal will be to keep winning. But up next is a significant test.
CU hosts Seton Hall (8-4, 5-1, NET No. 44) on Wednesday in a Big East battle for early control of second place in the standings. The Jays (8-2, 4-1) are scheduled to finish the week with a rematch against St. John’s (6-4, 1-3) Saturday at the CHI Health Center.
This week’s AP Top 25 poll
1. Gonzaga (Last week: 1) 1,599 points (63 first-place votes)
2. Baylor (2) 1,537 (1)
3. Villanova (4) 1,453
4. Texas (8) 1,298
5. Iowa (10) 1,298
6. Kansas (3) 1,224
7. Creighton (11) 1,140
8. Wisconsin (6) 1,085
9. Tennessee (7) 1,076
10. Michigan (16) 1,039
11. Houston (5) 977
12. Illinois (15) 878
13. Missouri (12) 747
14. West Virginia (9) 706
15. Rutgers (14) 703
16. Minnesota (21) 559
17. Oregon (21) 545
18. Texas Tech (13) 445
T-19. Virginia Tech (24) 411
T-19. Clemson (NR) 411
21. Duke (20) 280
22. Virginia (23) 258
T-23. Saint Louis (NR) 133
T-23. Michigan State (17) 133
25. Florida State (18) 120
Others receiving votes: Florida 110, Louisville 103, Ohio St. 96, Northwestern 86, Oklahoma St. 68, Arizona 25, Colorado 19, BYU 18, Drake 17, NC State 16, Oklahoma 15, Arkansas 14, Seton Hall 11, UCLA 6, Xavier 5, San Diego St. 4, UConn 4, LSU 3, Boise St. 3, Indiana 2, Alabama 2, Syracuse 1.
NET’s Big East rankings
5. Villanova
30. Creighton
44. Seton Hall
46. Xavier
48. UConn
63. Marquette
78. Providence
112. St. John’s
149. Georgetown
155. DePaul
170. Butler

The Xavier vs. Creighton men's basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, December 23, 2020.

Creighton's Antwann Jones shoots the ball in the Xavier vs. Creighton men's basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, December 23, 2020.

Creighton fans celebrate three-pointer in the Xavier vs. Creighton men's basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, December 23, 2020.

Creighton's Alex O'Connell goes up for the rebound in the Xavier vs. Creighton men's basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, December 23, 2020.

Xavier's Zach Freemantle is bookended by Creighton's Shereef Mitchell and Antwann Jones in the Xavier vs. Creighton men's basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, December 23, 2020.

Creighton's Christian Bishop goes for the basket in the Xavier vs. Creighton men's basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, December 23, 2020.

Creighton fans celebrate a play in the Xavier vs. Creighton men's basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, December 23, 2020.

Creighton's Denzel Mahoney passes the ball in the Xavier vs. Creighton men's basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, December 23, 2020.

Creighton head coach Greg McDermott reacts to a referee's call in the Xavier vs. Creighton men's basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, December 23, 2020.

Creighton fans watch the Xavier vs. Creighton men's basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, December 23, 2020.

Event staff carry signs to remind fans to wear a mask during the Xavier vs. Creighton men's basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, December 23, 2020.

Creighton's Shereef Mitchell goes for two points in the Xavier vs. Creighton men's basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, December 23, 2020.

Creighton's Antwann Jones tries to move past Xavier's Zach Freemantle in the Xavier vs. Creighton men's basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, December 23, 2020.

Creighton fans watch the Xavier vs. Creighton men's basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, December 23, 2020.

Ethan Koon, 11, of Papillion, lets the Bluejays know what he wants for Christmas during the Xavier vs. Creighton men's basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, December 23, 2020.

Creighton's Shereef Mitchell gets caught between Xavier's KyKy Tandy and Zach Freemantle in the Xavier vs. Creighton men's basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, December 23, 2020.

Creighton's Christian Bishop eyes the basket past the fingertips of Xavier's Bryan Griffin in the Xavier vs. Creighton men's basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, December 23, 2020.

Xavier head coach Travis Steele talks to a referee during the Xavier vs. Creighton men's basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, December 23, 2020.

The Xavier vs. Creighton men's basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, December 23, 2020.

Creighton's Marcus Zegarowski looks for the play to develop in the Xavier vs. Creighton men's basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, December 23, 2020.

Referees go over footage of a play in the Xavier vs. Creighton men's basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, December 23, 2020.

Creighton's Mitch Ballock looks to pass the ball past Xavier's Nate Johnson in the Xavier vs. Creighton men's basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, December 23, 2020.

Creighton fans watch the Xavier vs. Creighton men's basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, December 23, 2020.

Creighton's Marcus Zegarowski moves around Xavier's Nate Johnson in the Xavier vs. Creighton men's basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, December 23, 2020.

Creighton's Damien Jefferson looks to pass the ball in the Xavier vs. Creighton men's basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, December 23, 2020.

A young Creighton fan wears a Santa hat and watches the Xavier vs. Creighton men's basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, December 23, 2020.

Creighton head coach Greg McDermott calls out to his team in the Xavier vs. Creighton men's basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, December 23, 2020.

Xavier's Adam Kunkel walks off the court in the Xavier vs. Creighton men's basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, December 23, 2020.