Creighton University Basketball: A Storied History

The Creighton Bluejays men's basketball team, representing Creighton University, boasts a rich and evolving history within the landscape of NCAA Division I college basketball. From its early days to its current standing in the Big East Conference, the program has experienced periods of growth, challenges, and remarkable achievements.

Early Years and Conference Affiliations

The Bluejays' journey began with Arthur Schabinger, who took the reins after Kearney's graduation and guided the team into its first conference, the North Central Conference, in 1923, securing four titles. In 1928, Schabinger led Creighton into the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC). The Jays were members of the MVC from 1928 to 1948 and participated as an independent from 1948 to 1977 before rejoining the MVC. Before joining the Big East in 2013 following the Big East conference realignment, Creighton was a member of the Missouri Valley Conference from 1976 through 2013. The Bluejays play their home games at CHI Health Center Omaha in Omaha, Nebraska.

The Schabinger Era: Building a Foundation

Arthur A. Schabinger, Creighton's winningest men's basketball coach for 75 years, played a pivotal role in establishing the program. From 1922 to 1935, he posted a 165-66 record, laying a solid foundation for future success.

Eddie Hickey: The "Little Giant" and the Fast Break

Eddie Hickey, "The Little Giant," took over in the 1935-36 season. Despite his stature, Hickey, a Creighton University School of Law graduate, was a dynamic coach who revolutionized the Bluejays' offense with his "controlled fast break." Hickey immediately led the Bluejays to the Missouri Valley title in his first season. His fast break - 'controlled fast break' Eddie would emphasize sarcastically - featured an explosive movement that required the ball not to hit the floor. With Ed Beisser, a 1943 Consensus First Team All-American, leading the charge, Hickey propelled the Jays to their first NCAA tournament appearance and two National Invitation Tournaments (NIT), including a Final Four (Third-place game winner) in 1942, a time when the NIT held greater prominence than the NCAA tournament. Hickey's success extended beyond Creighton, with later achievements at St. Louis and Marquette. His 126-71 record and four conference titles in nine seasons at Creighton was followed by success in St. Louis and later Marquette.

Post-War Transition and a Period of Mediocrity

The post-World War II era brought change and challenges to the program. Future athletic director Julius 'Duce' Belford coached the Jays immediately after the war. Creighton would leave the Missouri Valley Conference and switch from Division I to Division III during this era. The Jays would not find success at this new level. Belford finished with a 56-83 record over six seasons. His successors would not fare better. Sebastian 'Subby' Salerno took the reins in 1952 and left three years later. Salerno finished with a 30-45 record. Theron Thomsen replaced Salerno and found some success. After eight losing seasons, Thomsen's 1956-57 Bluejays would post a 15-6 mark. However, the Jays would slide back toward mediocrity finishing 10-12 and 13-9 in the following two seasons.

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Red McManus: Rebuilding the Program

John J. 'Red' McManus arrived at Creighton after a successful career at St. Ambrose Academy and a year as head freshman and assistant varsity coach at Iowa. The 1959-60 Bluejays were a far cry from the previous year's team. Whereas the team had previously utilized a slow methodical type of basketball, McManus brought a fast break offense and a box zone defense. McManus utilized sharp recruiting and tough coaching and quickly had the Bluejays back on the road to becoming a national power. The 1961-62 Creighton Bluejays men's basketball team finished 21-5 and reached the Sweet Sixteen of the 1962 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, going on to win the third spot in the NCAA Regional. The 1963-64 Bluejays finished with a 22-7 record, a record for most wins in a season. All-American and team captain Paul Silas rounded his collegiate basketball career by leading the team back to the Sweet Sixteen in the 1964 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. McManus continued to coach at Creighton until 1969, leaving with a 138-118 mark and a legacy as the third-winningest coach in school history. Red McManus was a colorful character, with a mean streak who was always a respected gentleman off the court. He rebuilt the Jays' schedules into coast-to-coast clashes with the nation's top basketball powers. His teams got NCAA post-season tourney bids in 1962 and 1964, and his players included professionals Paul Silas, Neil Johnson, Elton McGriff, Bob Portman and Wally Anderzunas.

Eddie Sutton and the "Travelin' Jays" Era

One of college basketball's legendary coaches, Eddie Sutton got his first Division I head coaching job at Creighton. Sutton left College of Southern Idaho in 1969 to coach at Creighton. It was with the Bluejays that he made his first coaching appearance in the NCAA tournament in 1974. Sutton's tenure coincided with the apex of the "Travelin' Jays" era. Red McManus coined the phrase "border to border and coast to coast" in 1959 when he began the Travelin’ Jays era, but it was under Eddie Sutton that the philosophy really bore fruit and gained the Jays national recognition. During his last three years at Creighton, the Bluejays played in 36 cities and 20 states, logged more than 65,000 miles in the air, made a South American jaunt (entertaining the Chile national team at home in exchange), and visited Hawaii. Over an illustrious 37 year coaching career, Sutton compiled an 804-328 record, putting him eighth on the all-time Division I wins list.

Tom Apke: Continuing Success and a Return to the MVC

Assistant coach Tom Apke took over for the departing Sutton. Apke planned to run the same defensive schemes Sutton had: namely, a fierce man-to-man base defense, with a 2-3 zone as a change-up. The offense was where major changes were made. Apke looked to run a fast break at every opportunity, taking advantage of every shot opportunity. Apke led Creighton back to the Missouri Valley Conference in 1977 after 29 years of independence. He found instant success winning the 1978 conference regular and conference tournament titles and advancing to the 1978 NCAA tournament. After the 1980-81 season, Apke accepted the head coaching position at Colorado. Apke spent 17 years in all at Creighton - four as a player, six as an assistant coach and seven as head coach. He is the only coach in school history to have led Creighton to the NCAA Tournament in his first season with the team (1974-75).

Willis Reed and the Benoit Benjamin Era

Sutton and Apke's departures upset Creighton officials who yearned to make the program 'big time'. Former New York Knicks great Willis Reed fit the bill. After being fired in 1978 after a season and a fraction as the Knicks' coach, Reed was determined to prove himself as a coach. Longtime assistant coach Tom Broshnihan, who had been around since Sutton, was seen as the rightful heir to the Creighton head coaching job. Reed's arrival brought a new level of attention to the program. Despite initial struggles, Reed proved himself as a recruiter that off-season. Considered by many scouts to be the top prospect in the country, Benoit Benjamin was sought by 350 colleges. Benjamin came from a single-mother home and looked for a father figure, preferably a college coach who had played center. Benjamin's signing gave Reed instant credibility as a recruiter. Despite the landmark signing, the Jays would again struggle in 1982-83 finishing with an 8-19 record. Coach Reed worked with Benjamin over the off-season. Benoit came back as a sophomore in 1983-84 and dominated college basketball. The Bluejays would reach the NIT that year finishing 17-14. The 1984-85 season team would win 20 games. As a junior during the 1984-85 season, Benoit Benjamin led all of NCAA Division I in blocked shots and was the nation's second-leading rebounder. Benoit Benjamin would leave for the NBA following the season. A two-time AP All-America center for the Bluejays, Benoit Benjamin would begin a 15-year NBA career in 1985 as the third overall draft pick in the first round by the Los Angeles Clippers. He would go down as the all-time leader for blocked shots in Missouri Valley Conference history with 411 rejections. Willis Reed resigned as coach of the Creighton University basketball team after the 1984-85 season. He compiled a 52-65 record at Creighton. His 1984-85 Bluejays were 20-12 but lost their last six games.

Tony Barone and the "Dynamic Duo"

Inheriting Reed's team was fiery Tony Barone. His 1985-86 team posted a 12-16 record, finishing tied for fifth in the Valley. Coach Barone's second team would fare even worse finishing 9-19. During the off-season, Creighton would bring in a talented class of freshman including Bob Harstad and Chad Gallagher. The pair would go down in Creighton lore as the Dynamic Duo. The 1988-89 team would be Tony Barone's breakthrough team. Creighton surprised everyone outside Omaha and claimed its first regular season MVC championship in 11 years. The Bluejays would cap the season by winning the MVC conference tournament in epic fashion. The conference championship saw Harstad lead the Jays over Southern Illinois 79-77. The game was punctuated by a James Farr game winner with 2 seconds remaining. Creighton followed up their NCAA Tournament berth in 1988-89 by winning more games overall than the year before, going 21-12 in 1989-90. The consensus favorite to repeat as MVC champions, they got off to a good start, as they scored wins over Iowa State and Notre Dame before going on the road and taking #5 Missouri to the wire. They would finish tied for second in the conference and bow out of the conference tournament semifinals. Juniors Bob Harstad and Chad Gallagher would have break out seasons. Harstad would win the 1990 Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year Award. Expectation were high entering the Dynamic Duo's senior season. The 1990-91 Creighton Bluejays finished as one of the school's all-time best, finishing 24-8. The Jays claimed both the regular season and conference tournament crowns before advancing to the second round of the 1991 NCAA tournament. Chad Gallagher was named the 1991 Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year. Gallagher and Harstad both rank in the top five all-time in both scoring and rebounding for Creighton.

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Rick Johnson: A Difficult Transition

Assistant coach Rick Johnson was promoted to head coach following Tony Barone's departure. Johnson's tenure at Creighton was a struggle. His teams finished with progressively worse records. He left after the 1993-94 season in which the team posted a 7-22 mark.

Dana Altman: Rejuvenating the Program

Dana Altman, a Wilber, Nebraska native, left his position as head coach at Kansas State for Creighton in 1994. Altman immediately went to work rejuvenating the program. He struggled at first posting a 7-19 record in his first year. That off-season, Altman signed Rodney Buford. Altman's Jays improved to 14-15 and 15-15 the following two seasons. After the 1996-97 season, coach Altman brought in talented prospects Ryan Sears and Ben Walker. The two, along with Buford, would help rebuild Creighton into a college basketball power. The 1997-98 team finished 18-10 and reached the NIT. The 1998-99 team would finish second in the Valley and reach the 1999 NCAA tournament after claiming the MVC conference tournament title. The Jays reached the second round following a 62-58 first-round victory over Louisville. The 1999-2000 would repeat as MVC conference tournament champions, earning a berth in the 2000 NCAA tournament. Led by Juniors Ryan Sears and Ben Walker and MVC Newcomer of the Year Kyle Korver, the Jays would finish with a 23-10 record. The 2000-01 team improved to 24-8 and won the first Missouri Valley Conference regular season title in 9 seasons. Senior guards Ryan Sears and Ben Walker finished their careers with another trip to the NCAA tournament. Creighton's field marshal, Sears started every game of his 4-year career and finished each of his four seasons with more steals than turnovers.

The Kyle Korver Era: National Recognition

The 2001-02 team was replacing both Ben Walker and Ryan Sears and defending a regular season MVC crown, yet behind Kyle Korver's brilliance, they shared the league title and won the MVC Tournament while having a nearly identical record as the year before at 23-9. Korver's deadly 3-point shooting forced many teams to employ a box and one defense against the Creighton star. Despite the added attention, Korver scored 20 or more points 10 times. The Creighton-Southern Illinois Rivalry reached its peak during the early 2000s. Korver scored a combined 49 points in two regular season losses before leading the Jays to victory over the Salukis 84-76 in the conference championship game. Kyle Korver was named the 2002 MVC Player of the Year. In the 2002 NCAA Tournament, the Jays vanquished Florida in the first round. The Bluejay bandwagon was growing and the Jays consistently sold out the 9,377 capacity Civic. Expectations were at a record high entering the 2002-03 season. Creighton would live up to most of them, setting a school record for wins. The team went 29-5 and was ranked in the top 25 most of the season. Kyle Korver would be chosen by ESPN's Dick Vitale as the 2002-03 Midseason National Player of the Year. Korver would set a school record with nine three-pointers against Evansville and repeat as MVC conference Player of the Year. The Jays would finish second in the Valley behind rivals Southern Illinois, but once again knock off the Salukis in the conference championship game throttling them 80-56. Two-time league Player of the Year Kyle Korver ranks as one of the top players in Creighton and Missouri Valley Conference history. Korver finished his career tied for sixth in NCAA history with 371 three-pointers while placing 14th in accuracy at 45.3 percent from long-range. Korver helped lead Creighton's return to the top-25 and garnered unprecedented attention for his all-around play. He had a successful NBA career.

Recent History and the Move to the Big East

The team has 23 appearances in the NCAA tournament. Creighton reached the second weekend of the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament for the first time in 2021, before losing to eventual runner-up Gonzaga in the Sweet Sixteen.

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