School Databank:
Location: Houston, TX
Enrollment: 1,992
Famous sports alumni: None so far
Last game: Lost to SMU 90-79
Last game vs Creighton: Jays won 73-72 on 12/14/1981
Series: First ever meeting
Note: This is Houston Baptist's first year in Division 1
A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that the three-game non-conference swing Creighton was about to embark on was one of the toughest in recent memory. Well, on Monday Creighton begins one of the weakest three-game stretches of non-conference opponents in recent memory. Talk about a roller coaster.
Houston Baptist comes to town with a 2-12 record, and as a provisional member of Division 1, does not even register an RPI. Here's what that means: the game counts in Creighton's stats, and the game counts in their record, but it does not register in their RPI. That sets up a very strange sort of limbo for the game, in which their RPI will show fewer games than they've actually played. What does that mean come NCAA Selection Committee time? Your guess is as good as mine.
HBU plays just 10 D-1 teams this year, with the remainder of their schedule coming against D-II teams. Next year, in their second year of Division 1 status, if they play at least 24 D-1 teams they will begin counting in RPI and as an "official" win for teams that play them.
Here's what that means for Creighton: they need, nay, MUST win this game by 40+ points. Period. End of story.
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ESPN ran an excellent piece in October on Houston Baptist's return to D-1. A 1984 NCAA Tournament team, they were coached by Gene Iba, nephew of the legendary Hank Iba. After a few lean years, they moved to NAIA in 1991. Now they're back.
Six players return from the team that won the NAIA Red River Conference with a 27-7 record last season. They opened the season with a win over D-II Trinity, before playing a gauntlet of D-1 teams on the road -- an 18 game road trip! -- including games against Pitt, St, Louis, SMU and the Jays. Since beginning that EIGHTEEN GAME road trip, they've gone 1-11. Thaaat's gotta hurt.
They're led by 6'2" junior guard Baron Sauls, who is the only player to start every game and averages nearly 17 points a night. They average a robust 76 points per game, which would be outstanding if they weren't giving up 88 a game. They shoot 45% from the field, 35% from three-point range, and 72% from the charity stripe.
Keeping in mind the majority of their schedule is against D-II opponents, those stats aren't nearly as impressive. In fact, you need to take a Yugo-sized cube of salt with them.
Here's their results against D-1 teams:
Lost to Pitt 103-62
Lost to SLU 91-56
Lost to North Carolina A&T 96-71
Lost to Northwestern State 105-96
Lost to SMU 90-79
Three things jump out at you, looking at that. They've played 14 games, but just five against D-1 teams. They've been blown out in every game against a D-1 opponent. And each successive game has been closer. Could they be improving? Could they pull off a monumental upset? Could the Jays be looking past them to, ahem, North Carolina Central?
No chance.
Prediction: Creighton 109, Houston Baptist Much, Much Less
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