TheBluejayCafe.com - Jays Win 94-69 at Qwest Center Omaha

November 4, 2009

Danny O'Byrne
TheBluejayCafe.com Staff Writer

It seemed like a different verse of the same story for the Creighton men's basketball team Wednesday night. After last year's rebounding problems, the focus of early practices had been, naturally, on rebounding.

"We work on it a lot in practice," said head coach Dana Altman after the game. "Whether our fans believe it or not, we do."

Altman was worried that fans wouldn't believe it because the Jays, victorious as they were, got beat on the boards 44-28 by Division II Missouri Western State.

"We've got a lot of work to do in that regard," said Altman. "We've got to become a much more physical team on the boards. They'll get committed to it. They just have to make that decision and we've got to do a much better job.

"Rebounding's just not a glamourous job. We don't have a lot of volunteers for it, but we've got to make it a bigger priority. We can do a better job of blocking out and going to get the ball."

Senior Justin Carter had 10 points and four rebounds in a team-leading 22 minutes. He seemed confident the team can fix its rebounding woes.

"It's early in the year," said Carter. "This is why we have exhibition games, so we can figure out what to work on. We'll get it straightened out."

The Jays were led in the scoring column by junior P'Allen Stinnett who scored 20 points and added five assists against no turnovers.

"We've got some work to do," said Stinnett. "It's something that seems to be lingering from last year, but it's early on. I think we realize what we need to do, so we'll just have to work hard in these upcoming practices."

Potentially covered up by the glare of the rebounding flaws were the productive debuts of Creighton's two junior college transfers. Junior Wayne Runnels had a team-leading six rebounds and 13 points in front of 15,099 fans in his first game at the Qwest Center, and fellow junior Darryl Ashford knocked down four three-pointers on his way to 16 points.

"They did a great job tonight," said Altman. "Darryl shot the ball really well and Wayne did some really good things. They've got to do a little better defensively, but for their first night out they did a pretty great job."

All of Runnels' baskets came under the hoop or in the post position, a spot that he played in high school and junior college even with his modest 6-6 height.

"I'm pretty comfortable down low," he said. "I guess I'm kind of versatile. I really like it down there though. I like working hard with the big guys."

Was he nervous at all, playing in front of Creighton's largest-ever exhibition crowd?

"I was just really excited," he said with a smile. "Like, really really excited. I've been waiting for this since the Kentcuky game.

"I felt pretty good. It was fun to get back out there, to be in competetive situations. I wasn't really that nervous."

Turning up the tempo of the press and the fast-break offense has been another focus for the Jays early on. Creighton forced 22 turnovers and, after only scoring five in the first half, recorded 16 second half fast-break points.

"I thought we were active, just not very disciplined in the press," said Altman. "I think they got a little worn down. When you're playing 12 guys, you've got that chance in the second half. That's what you hope your depth will do."

Creighton will take on UNO Sunday at 2 p.m. in its final exhibition game.

"We've got to work on defensive intensity," said Stinnett. "We'll work on that and boxing out and rebounding. I think we'll be all right."

NOTES: The 15,099 fans was Creighton's largest attendance for an exhibition game in school history ... Sophomore point guard Antoine Young had four assists and no turnovers in his first game as the team's starting point guard, replacing graduated four-year starter Josh Dotzler ... Though this wasn't a regular season game, Creighton is undefeated in its last 31 regular season Wednesday home games dating back to 2000 ... When asked about the starting lineup, Altman said that he was just testing out a few different lineups

QUOTABLE:

"We're going to take a lot of threes. That's going to be a big part of our offense. If they're coming out of the flow of the offense and we're getting good looks, we're going to shoot it." -- Altman

"That's probably the most nervous I've been in awhile. That's definitely the biggest crowd I've ever played in fron of, and it wasn't even that packed." -- Ashford on making his debut for the Jays

"That's the only question you need to ask really." -- Junior Casey Harriman after I apologized for making my first question about the rebounding difficulties

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