Butler Bulldogs at Creighton Bluejays

TALE OF THE TAPE

Creighton Butler Record 8-5 ← 10-3 Avg Score (L5) 80.0 ← 80.6 3-Point Att/G 29.8 ← 23.0 Rebounds/G 37.7 → 42.3 Off Rebounds/G 10.6 → 14.2 Key Injuries Greer (Q) Kaiser (OUT)

Gary's Take Greg McDermott pulled the plug on his "transfer experiment," and it might have saved Creighton's season. After a mediocre 5-5 start, McDermott benched high-profile transfers Nik Graves and Owen Freeman in favor of a grittier, chemistry-focused lineup anchored by Josh Dix and fresh energy from the bench. The result? Three straight blowout wins by margins of 23, 21, and 41 points. The market is still pricing the "struggling" Creighton, not this reinvented version that is clicking on all cylinders.

Butler presents a genuine physical challenge—Michael Ajayi is a monster on the glass, and the Bulldogs' elite rebounding numbers (42.3 RPG) are terrifying for a Creighton team that can be soft in the paint. However, rebounding travels, but shooting often doesn't. Butler is 0-2 in true road games this year, and walking into the CHI Health Center in Omaha against a surging team is a brutal spot to shake off eight days of rust.

I'm fading the season-long metrics and trusting the immediate "eye test" shift. Creighton has found an identity that works, playing with a pace and defensive intensity we didn't see in November. Butler keeps it competitive early with second-chance points, but the Bluejays' perimeter volume eventually breaks the dam. I'll lay the points with the home team that has finally woken up.