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The No.11 Creighton Bluejays will square off with Providence Friars for the second time in 18 days this Wednesday night. In the first matchup between the conference rivals, the Bluejays narrowly edged out the Friars for a 67-65 victory.
Despite coming off a loss in their previous outing, the Creighton Bluejays have looked impressive this season, with a 10-3 record overall. They have a top-ten offense in the country, according to kenpom.com, scoring 115.9 points per 100 possessions.
On the other hand, the Providence Friars currently find themselves on a three-game losing streak and are 3-4 in the Big East.
Match Details
Fixture: Providence Friars vs Creighton Bluejays - NCAA Men's Basketball
Date & Time: Wednesday, January 20, 2021, 7 PM ET
Venue: CHI Health Center Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska
Creighton Bluejays Preview
The Creighton Bluejays moved down three spots in the AP Top 25 Poll this week after suffering an overtime loss to the Butler Bulldogs, 70-66, on Saturday night.
The Bluejays had some defensive mishaps in their loss against the Bulldogs. They blew a 13-point lead in the second half and allowed three of Butler's starters to score at least 15 points.
Here is what Creighton head coach, Greg McDermott, had to say about his team squandering their double-digit lead:
"I thought we understood what we had to take away from Butler, but obviously Thompson (Butler's starting guard) got us."
If the Creighton Bluejays are to bounce back against their in-conference rivals, the Providence Friars, they will need to get back on page defensively.
Key Player - Denzel Mahoney
Denzel Mahoney is the key player for the Creighton Bluejays. The senior guard has averaged 26.5 points in his previous two outings.
For the Creighton Bluejays to earn their eleventh win of the season, Mahoney will need to continue his hot streak from the floor and be the main offensive threat, as Marcus Zegarowski is still out with a hamstring injury.
Creighton Bluejays Predicted Lineup
F Damien Jefferson, F Christian Bishop, G Denzel Mahoney, G Mitch Ballock, G Shereef Mitchell
Providence Friars Preview
The Providence Friars will be coming off an eight-day layoff heading into their game against the Creighton Bluejays as their Saturday game against the Georgetown Hoyas was postponed.
This short hiatus might be exactly what the Friars needed as they have lost their last three games.
The Providence Friars have struggled with their decision-making in the course of their three-game losing streak, giving up an average of 12.67 turnovers per game, including turning the ball over 13 times in their first matchup against Creighton.
If the Providence Friars are to avoid a sweep from the Creighton Bluejays this season, they will need to take care of the ball and limit their turnovers.
Key Player - David Duke
David Duke is the key player for the Providence Friars as they try to upset the Creighton Bluejays on Wednesday night.
The junior guard is averaging 19.9 points per game and has been in impressive from behind the arc, shooting 46.9% from three.
If Duke can produce 20+ points against the Bluejays and win his matchup against Denzel Mahoney, the Friars will have a chance at gaining their eighth win of the season.
Providence Friars Predicted Lineup
F Jimmy Nichols Jr., C Nate Watson, G David Duke, G A.J. Reeves, G Alyn Breed
Providence vs Creighton Prediction
The Providence Friars will pull off the upset against the Creighton Bluejays on Wednesday night, ending their current three-game losing streak.
The Bluejays will continue to miss defensive cues. Without their best player Marcus Zegarowski, they will also struggle to score enough points against the Friars, who have shot 48.54% from behind the arc in their last three games.
Where to watch Providence vs Creighton
The game will be broadcast live on Fox Sports One.
