Basketball Picks and Score: Illinois St. Redbirds vs Creighton Bluejays
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
by Joe Rodriguez
For the first time this season, No. 12 Creighton Bluejays is alone at the top of the Missouri Valley. The Bluejays hope to stay there with a home win over third-place Illinois State Redbirds.
After losing its conference opener to Missouri State, Creighton has run off 10 straight wins. Creighton won at Illinois State last month, 87-78.
The Bluejays led by 18, but Illinois State cut it to two before picking up three technical fouls in the final minute. Creighton has beaten its last 25 Valley opponents at home after first defeating them on the road.
- Illinois State Redbirds @ Creighton Bluejays
When: 8:05 PM ET, Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Where: Qwest Center Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, NET Sports (Nebraska), ESPN Full Court, ESPN3.com, netnebraska.org
Check Live NCAA Basketball Odds on
Justbet Sportsbook
.
Justbet Sportsbook currently have the Bluejays listed as 12-point favorites versus the Redbirds.
Illinois State Redbirds (14-8): Jackie Carmichael is the reigning Missouri Valley Player of the Week after averaging 22.5 points and 13.5 rebounds in wins over Missouri State and Southern Illinois. Carmichael leads the league in rebounding with 8.7 per game. The Redbirds held Southern Illinois to 40 points in a 20-point win on Saturday. Illinois State has dropped three straight road games, but is 2-2 against Creighton in Omaha under head coach Tim Jankovich.
Creighton Bluejays (20-2): Creighton capped off its first undefeated January since 1975 with a 73-59 win against Bradley. Player of the Year candidate Doug McDermott got back on track with 30 points against Drake and 24 points against Bradley last week. The Bluejays have four of the eight most accurate 3-point shooters in the league with McDermott, Jahenns Manigat, Ethan Wragge and Josh Jones. Creighton has made a higher percentage of shots than its opponent in 20 games this season, but lost both times it didn't.
1. Illinois State has lost 22 straight games against ranked opponents. Its last win came in 1987 against No. 14 Iowa.
2. Creighton leads the nation in both field goal percentage (.514) and 3-point percentage (.449). Northern Arizona is the only team is history to finish first in both categories, in 1998-99.
3. Greg McDermott is the first coach in Creighton history to win at least 20 games in each of his first two seasons.
BASKETBALL PREDICTION: Bluejays 79, Redbirds 62.
Bet on NCAA College Basketball games with Justbet Sportsbook , Bet now!
Related Articles
- NCAA Betting Picks: Creighton Bluejays and Illinois State Redbirds
- NCAA Picks and Tips: Wichita State Shockers vs Creighton Bluejays
- NCAA Basketball Odds and Picks: Creighton Bluejays vs Evansville Aces
- Las Vegas NCAA Free Pick: Creighton Bluejays at Drake Bulldogs
- NCAA Basketball Lines: Northwestern Wildcats vs Creighton Bluejays
Category
Tags
creighton bluejays - doug mcdermott - ethan wragge - illinois state redbirds - jackie carmichael - jahenns manigat - josh jones - qwest center omaha - tim jankovich
Proud member of the