Creighton vs. Texas Prediction, Preview, and Odds – 12-1-2022

No. 2 Texas and No. 7 Creighton will meet in one of the biggest matchups of the college basketball season thus far when they square off on Thursday night. Creighton is coming off its first loss of the season, which came in an 81-79 final against then-No. 14 Arizona last Wednesday. Texas has won its first five games of the year, including a win over then-No. 2 Gonzaga two weeks ago.

Creighton is off to an excellent start to the season, winning six of its first seven games. The Bluejays rattled off six straight wins to open the year, with the most impressive victories coming against top-25 teams in Texas Tech and Arkansas in the Maui Invitational. They had a chance to win the championship game of the tournament last Wednesday, losing to No. 14 Arizona by two points. Ryan Nembhard led Creighton with 20 points, while Ryan Kalkbrenner added 16 points. Baylor Scheierman posted a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds, and Trey Alexander scored 15 points. The Bluejays trailed by 14 points with 12:19 remaining before staging a late comeback and having a chance to win outright.

The Bluejays’ current ranking ties their highest ever in the polls, a spot they have held four times since 2017. Kalkbrenner, a junior center, leads the team with 16.1 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. Alexander, Nembhard, Scheierman and Arthur Kaluma are each averaging double digits as well. Creighton ranks ninth in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency ratings, entering this contest with the sixth-best effective field goal percentage (58.9) in the country. The Bluejays are knocking down 38.2% of their 3-pointers and 60.1% of their shots from inside the arc. They are facing a Texas defense that ranks fifth in field goal percentage and fourth in turnover rate, so this is a matchup of strength vs. strength.

  
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