I posted this over on Holylandofhoops and thought I'd share here because I think it's worth sharing:
As a Creighton fan, I've thought that any game against X has been watch basketball ever since the days of David West vs Korver. But I feel like this is a completely unrecognized rivalry Or a nonexistent one that should exist in people's minds more than it does. After the game last weekend, I once again am just stunned by this. Part of it is probably because Creighton and X graduated into the conference, and I think an even bigger part of it is that X is geographically close to regional foes Butler, Dayton, Cincy and so-on that seem so much bigger. But here are some facts for you to sink your brains into.
1. Since the Cintas Center opened in 2000 the Jays and Muskies have played 16 games against one another. Their record in those contests is dead even at 8-8.
2. Since joining the Big East Creighton has swept or been swept by every team in the conference except X. Xavier and Creighton have split the series in each of 4 seasons.
3. In 5 of the 16 games over that period, one of the teams was ranked and upset by the opponent. Creighton was ranked and upset by Xavier 3 times in 2002-03, 2013-14, and this year 2016-17. X was ranked and upset by Creighton in 2006-07 and 2015-16. That's a third of the match-ups in which a ranked team was upset.
4. 11 out of the 16 games played, the final result was a 1 possession game, 2 possession game or overtime.
5. in 17 years of the Cintas Center, 27 programs have won games there. 7 Teams have won more than one game there. Creighton is the only team to have won 3 of them.
This doesn't even get into the nitty gritty of the stories or the heart-break and revenge matches that there have been over the years.
As a Creighton fan, I've thought that any game against X has been watch basketball ever since the days of David West vs Korver. But I feel like this is a completely unrecognized rivalry Or a nonexistent one that should exist in people's minds more than it does. After the game last weekend, I once again am just stunned by this. Part of it is probably because Creighton and X graduated into the conference, and I think an even bigger part of it is that X is geographically close to regional foes Butler, Dayton, Cincy and so-on that seem so much bigger. But here are some facts for you to sink your brains into.
1. Since the Cintas Center opened in 2000 the Jays and Muskies have played 16 games against one another. Their record in those contests is dead even at 8-8.
2. Since joining the Big East Creighton has swept or been swept by every team in the conference except X. Xavier and Creighton have split the series in each of 4 seasons.
3. In 5 of the 16 games over that period, one of the teams was ranked and upset by the opponent. Creighton was ranked and upset by Xavier 3 times in 2002-03, 2013-14, and this year 2016-17. X was ranked and upset by Creighton in 2006-07 and 2015-16. That's a third of the match-ups in which a ranked team was upset.
4. 11 out of the 16 games played, the final result was a 1 possession game, 2 possession game or overtime.
5. in 17 years of the Cintas Center, 27 programs have won games there. 7 Teams have won more than one game there. Creighton is the only team to have won 3 of them.
This doesn't even get into the nitty gritty of the stories or the heart-break and revenge matches that there have been over the years.
