The Western Illinois Leathernecks (5-0) are off to a hot start and will try to stay unbeaten when they compete against the Creighton Bluejays (4-1) at CenturyLink Center Omaha. The game gets underway at 8:00 pm ET on Saturday, Nov. 28 and will air on FS2.
The Bluejays dismantled Massachusetts 97-76 on Wednesday. Geoffrey Groselle led all scorers on the team with 20 points on 6-for-7 shooting. The Leathernecks, meanwhile, are coming off a 79-44 win against Trinity Christian on Wednesday. Garret Covington was the game’s top scorer, recording 24 points on 8-for-12 shooting.
Creighton, a nine-point favorite, will look to capitalize at home against Western Illinois. The Over/Under (O/U) for the matchup is sitting at 150 points. The Bluejays enter the game with records of 4-1 Straight Up (SU) and 2-2 Against The Spread (ATS). The Bluejays, sporting the 36th-best assist-to-turnover ratio in Division I (1.49), have proven themselves to be an extremely efficient offensive team.
Over on the other bench, the Leathernecks are clearly doing something right with a 5-0 record SU and 3-0 ATS so far. The Leathernecks convert their shots at a high percentage, ranking seventh in the country at .529. The Leathernecks rarely make costly errors handling the ball. They have the 32nd-best assist-to-turnover ratio in the country at 1.54.
This game marks the first time Creighton and Western Illinois have played one another in recent seasons.
Predictions: SU Winner – WestIl, ATS Winner – WestIl, O/U – Under
Notes
The Creighton Bluejays average 88.6 points per game, ranking 17th in the nation. The Western Illinois Leathernecks rank ninth in points allowed with 57.6.
Western Illinois has allowed an average of 65.0 points per away game this season. Creighton averages 97.7 points per home game, ranking 20th in scoring.
Western Illinois won its last game by a 35-point margin. In games decided by a margin of 18 points or more, Creighton is 3-1. Western Illinois is 4-0 in blowouts this season.
Ranked 11th, the Western Illinois Leathernecks have an offensive rating of 123.3. The Creighton Bluejays rank 161st with a defensive rating of just 99.8.
This season, Creighton has averaged 26.0 three pointers and Western Illinois has averaged 15.0. When Creighton and Western Illinois attempt at least 20 three pointers, both teams are undefeated. The Creighton Bluejays are 4-0 and the Western Illinois Leathernecks are 2-0.
Creighton ranks 36th in the nation with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.49, while Western Illinois ranks 32nd with an A/TO of 1.54.
Creighton ranks 302nd in offensive rebounds, while Western Illinois ranks 66th in defensive rebounds.
Western Illinois averages a forced turnover percentage of 19.0% this season. When the Creighton Bluejays suffer a turnover rate equal to or exceeding this, the team is winless with a 0-1 record.
