Freshman point guard Ryan Nembhard will look to help Creighton end a two-game slide when it hosts St. John’s in a Big East Conference game on Wednesday in Omaha, Neb.
Nembhard was named the league’s Freshman of the Week for the fifth time on Monday after posting 18 points, six assists, three steals and two rebounds in an 80-73 loss at then-No. 17 Xavier on Saturday.
The native of Ontario, Canada, also won the award on Nov. 15, 22 and 29 and Dec. 20. The rest of the league’s freshmen have combined to earn the distinction the four other weeks.
Nembhard leads the Bluejays (10-5, 2-2 Big East) with 4.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game. His scoring average (12.5) is tied with Alex O’Connell behind team leader Ryan Hawkins, who averages team-highs in points (13.4) and rebounds (7.7). Ryan Kalkbrenner averages 12.0 points, 6.8 rebounds and a team-high 2.9 blocks per game.
Creighton (10-5, 2-2 Big East) committed 21 turnovers and was outscored 51-39 in the second half against Xavier. The Musketeers trailed by as many as eight points early in the second half before taking a 53-51 lead they wouldn’t relinquish following Adam Kunkel’s jumper with 8:50 left in the game.
“The turnovers were a huge factor,” Bluejays coach Greg McDermott said. “I thought we had several trying to feed it to the post. We had a couple against their pressure. If there was a type of turnover, we pretty much had it.”
St. John’s (10-5, 2-2) is coming off a dominating, 88-69 win over visiting Georgetown on Sunday in New York City. That snapped the Red Storm’s two-game losing streak.
Julian Champagnie, who averages a team-high 21.4 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, scored 25 points and added six rebounds, while Posh Alexander added 17 points, seven assists, six rebounds and a career-high tying six steals. He also converted 9 of 10 free throws.
Dylan Addae-Wusu added 17 points and seven assists, with Montez Mathis adding 11 points and Aaron Wheeler 10.
“Every game we play, we get better,” said Alexander, who averages 15.5 points per game to go along with team highs in assists (5.1) and steals (2.6). “I see us becoming a better all-around team.”
–Field Level Media
