Creighton Bluejays | ||||
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University | Creighton University | |||
Conference | Big East | |||
Location | Omaha, NE | |||
Head coach | Greg McDermott (6th year) | |||
Arena |
CenturyLink Center Omaha (Capacity: 18,560) |
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Nickname | Bluejays | |||
Colors | Blue and White |
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Uniforms | ||||
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NCAA Tournament Elite Eight | ||||
1941 | ||||
NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen | ||||
1962, 1964, 1974 | ||||
NCAA Tournament appearances | ||||
1941, 1962, 1964, 1974, 1975, 1978, 1981, 1989, 1991, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2012, 2013, 2014 | ||||
Conference tournament champions | ||||
1978, 1981, 1989, 1991, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2012, 2013 | ||||
Conference regular season champions | ||||
1923, 1924, 1925, 1927, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1935, 1936, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1978, 1989, 1991, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2013 |
The Creighton Bluejays men's basketball team is the NCAA Division I men's basketball program of Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. They currently compete in the Big East Conference. The Bluejays have won a record 15 MVC regular season conference titles and a record 12 MVC Conference Tournament titles. The team has 19 appearances in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament. The Jays last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2014. The Bluejays' all-time record is 1,444–964.
The Bluejays play their home games at CenturyLink Center Omaha (18,560). Creighton finished sixth nationally in home attendance, averaging 17,048 fans per home game in 2014–15. Before joining the Big East, Creighton had been a member of the Missouri Valley Conference until June 30, 2013. The Jays participated as an independent from 1948 to 1977 before rejoining the MVC.
The men's basketball program officially began play in 1916. Tommy Mills was the first basketball coach. Mills also coached the school's football team during his short tenure. The first men's basketball team posted a 17–3 record. The 1917–18 team posted a perfect 11–0 mark. The 1918–19 Creighton men's basketball team capped its second straight undefeated season by winning a two-game series against the U.S. Army's Camp Grant. By winning the series, the March 20, 1919, Creighton Chronicle reported, "the Creighton team is recognized as the champions of the west, not only among the college teams, but professionals." Dr. Floyd Paynter took the success one step further when he wrote in the March 1934 Creighton Alumnus, "After this great season we claimed the basketball championship of the nation for Creighton University. The 1919–1920 team would be the last coached by Mills, posting a 15–3 record. Creighton officials admitted that their early sports success had something to do with the fact that the college included a number of older students on its teams, especially those enrolled in the Special Course, such as "an M.D., another an LLB., and one a Protestant Evangelist", who we know was 29 years of age. Thomas Mills posted a 53-6 (.898) head coaching record at Creighton and would go on to finish with a career head coaching record of 107-25. Mills would go on to coach basketball, football, and baseball at Beloit College, Georgetown University, Arkansas State University, and Notre Dame.