NCAA: Creighton, facing Rutgers, aims to extend Greg McDermott's tenure

After missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time in six seasons, Creighton coach Greg McDermott announced he will retire at the end of the season.

Since the announcement, McDermott has been working on a game plan aimed at securing a few more wins. Creighton will have its next opportunity Thursday in Las Vegas when the Bluejays face Rutgers in the quarterfinals of the College Basketball Crown tournament.

The winner will take on either Stanford or West Virginia in a semifinal game on Saturday, with the championship game set for Sunday.

Creighton (15-17) is hoping to string together three wins to avoid just its second losing season since McDermott succeeded Dana Altman following the 2009-10 campaign.

The Bluejays are playing their first game since a 72-61 loss to Seton Hall in the Big East tournament quarterfinals on March 12. Creighton shot 33.3% in that contest, one of seven games this season in which they were held under 40%.

"The reality of it is, you get to play college basketball once, and if somebody tells you you get to play a few more games, then you play a few more games," said McDermott, 61. "If they're going to give us a chance to play, we'll keep playing."

Josh Dix led the Bluejays with 22 points, while Nik Graves added 15 against Seton Hall. Dix is entering Thursday’s matchup following back-to-back 22-point performances, and Graves has reached double figures in four consecutive games.

Rutgers (14-19) declined an invitation to last year’s tournament when it was a 16-team field, allowing Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper to focus on preparing for their NBA careers. After losing both, the Scarlet Knights finished with their highest loss total since 2017-18 and are aiming to avoid reaching 20 losses for the first time since 2015-16.

The Scarlet Knights are also looking to emulate Nebraska’s success in this tournament. The Cornhuskers won the College Basketball Crown last season and parlayed it into their first Sweet 16 appearance in school history.

"The point is, you're never that far away when you're in a league like ours," Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell said of the Big Ten. "This league hardens you up. Nebraska gets off the mat, goes to the Crown, wins it, and they parlay that into a great season."

Rutgers, which won two of its final three regular-season games, is playing for the first time since a 72-59 loss to UCLA in the third round of the Big Ten tournament on March 12. The Scarlet Knights shot 37.9%, marking the 13th game this season in which they were held under 40%.

Tariq Francis, averaging 16.9 points per game, is the only Scarlet Knight in double figures. He has shown he can deliver big numbers, including a 29-point outing against Minnesota in the Big Ten tournament and three 30-plus-point performances during the season against Penn, Oregon, and Northwestern.

—Field Level Media/Reuters