I'll admit, after watching the Jays fall to Marquette this past weekend in Omaha, I had that slight sinking feeling in my stomach.
With Mo Watson's injury, is this the beginning of the end for Creighton?
But, at about that moment, my better judgment kicked in, telling me, "come on Joe! It's one game! Give them some time to adjust. Plus Marquette was red hot the entire night...that can't happen again..."
In the end, I wasn't ready to push the panic button after Saturday. It simply didn't make sense.
After Wednesday nights loss to Georgetown? I'm not so sure.
We can go round and round about how Georgetown is better than their record, or played a great game (they didn't), or what have you, but the reality is last night's loss is all about Creighton and the issues facing this team going forward.
Let's start with the obvious. The Jays shot 1-18 from three last night, including 0-10 in the second half. A lot of those were open looks that just didn't go down. In the first half, a lot of them were shots the Jays could get anytime, yet forced them up early in the shot clock.
I doubt Creighton shoots 1-18 again this season from three, but a significant part of the problem was Georgetown was allowed to defend the three point line all night. Without Watson, Creighton couldn't consistently get any penetration into the paint, which made them much easier to defend.
In terms of point guard play last night, Davion Mintz showed he's still working through the learning curve. Georgetown was very aggressive defending him, chasing him well out beyond the three point line, and it made it difficult for him to operate. Mintz finished with just one assist and four points on one made basket.
I still think Mintz has the highest potential of any of Creighton's point guard options, but he's just a freshman and is learning as he goes.
Which brings us to the next issue facing the Jays. Creighton has defensive problems that are starting to show all over the place, but it seems overly evident in the back court.
Khyri Thomas is Creighton's best defender, but has been inconsistent offensively as of late. Isaiah Zierden is one of the Jays best shooters, but Creighton slows down a step or two defensively when he's on the floor. Mintz is probably the best blend of the two, but again, he's working through growing pains.
There's also the front court situation, which rears its ugly head whenever Justin Patton is on the bench. Toby Hegner is still dealing with an ankle injury, and Zach Hanson is just making his way back from an extended absence.
When you add it all together, there's a lot that Creighton still needs to sort out. Luckily, they've got an outstanding coach that's been in these spots before to held guide them, and plenty of capable players to make it happen.
I'm not ready to push the panic button quite yet, but its getting closer to that time.
If the Jays fall to lowly DePaul on Saturday, things might get dicey.
