This week and this weekend (and next weekend and the one after that) the world of college hoops celebrates conference tournaments – like the perennial MAC Tourney at The Q – and, eventually, the NCAA’s Big Dance – which’ll wrap up with “One Shining Moment” on April 3.
The true charm and drama of the Tournament usually comes in the first four days – a time in which David can truly slay Goliath. At least one scrappy little school will come out of the first weekend as the darlings of March.
Gonzaga used to be considered one of those feisty underdogs that everyone rooted for. Creighton, too. At least until Kyle Korver’s squad changed all that in the early Aughts.
Back then, Creighton – located in Omaha, Nebraska – was considered a mid-major up until then, known for producing the likes of Paul Silas and Bob Gibson. It was where Bill Fitch got his coaching start.
But Korver’s squads broke through – dominating the Missouri Valley Conference and reaching the NCAA Tournament in all four of his seasons there. But it was one particular appearance – in 2002 – that really put Korver and Creighton on the map.
That season, the Cavaliers’ sharpshooting guard won MVC Player of the Year honors and led his team into the Tourney as a 12-seed, taking on Billy Donovan’s 5th-seeded Gators in the first round.
Despite having three future pros in the rotation – David Lee, Matt Bonner and Udonis Haslem – the Blue Jays gave Florida all they could handle for two riveting halves of basketball, closing the second stanza on a 10-2 run to send the game into overtime.
Korver, who finished with 16 points, fouled out in the first overtime, leaving the late-game dramatics to Terrell Taylor, who came off the bench to score 28 points – all after halftime – leading Creighton from four points down with 40 seconds to play and canning the game-winning shot as time expired in the second overtime.
The Blue Jays dropped their next round matchup against Illinois that year and fell in the first round the following season – a victim of another Cinderella, Central Michigan.
Korver was drafted by the New Jersey Nets (and quickly traded to the Sixers) with 51st pick and Creighton was on its way to a new era of athletics – building a brand new auditorium and shedding their mid-major label.
These days, Creighton is a member of the Big East and their days of surprising foes in the Big Dance are well in the past.
As Cavs.com’s Tournament Tales tips off for the spring, Kyle Korver talks about that era of Creighton basketball – and the game that pushed his alma mater into the national spotlight …
How did you choose Creighton?
Kyle Korver: You know, I really didn’t have a lot of schools that were recruiting me out of high school.
I was coming out of a smaller town in Iowa and my options -- there weren't very … many. (laughs)
And Creighton was by far the best basketball school that was somewhat close to home. And I obviously got to know Coach (Dana) Altman and his staff and Creighton felt like a really good fit for me.
I kind of felt like I was ‘led’ to Creighton. There wasn’t really any option to really consider.
What was special about your teams there and do you feel like they put Creighton on the nation’s radar?
Korver: There were some great teams and eras before me. But it felt like that group of guys that I was with and Coach Altman really launched something and, I think, built the foundation for how they were going to play.
If you ask any of the guys from those teams, I think we’re all pretty proud of that – just being part of that and watching the city really get behind Creighton basketball and see where it is today – the facilities, the fan base, it’s really cool.
I don’t know where they’re at in attendance right now, but they’re usually top five every year. And the new arena is pretty amazing. They built that the year after I left. (laughs)
But Creighton basketball is in a really good place right now.
It’s almost unheard of these days – a player reaching the Tourney in all four seasons. What did that mean to you?
Korver: It’s something that I think we were all really proud of – just to go four years in a row.
The Tournament is obviously really special, it’s a special time.
You think about it, growing up as a kid wanting to play in that Tournament. All the hype around the whole selection process and where you’re going to be and what seeding you’re going to get. It’s just really fun. It’s fun for the fans. It’s exciting for the teams, to project where you might be heading and who you’ll play. Filling out your brackets.
It’s just a highlight of my career.
How has the Tournament changed, with most of the top players being one-and-done guys?
Korver: I definitely think just college basketball in general has changed quite a bit.
I think it’s still a special time of year – just the set-up with all the games, especially the first two days of the Tournament. It’s always going to be exciting and there’s always going to be an allure to that.
But you definitely don’t know as many players on teams anymore. You’d see a guy in the Tournament the year before and want to pick that team the following season. It’s unfortunate.
What are your memories that from that double-overtime classic against Florida in 2002?
Korver: That was just an incredible experience.
We were the lower seed – it was a 5-12 matchup. And, one of the fun things about the Tournament, the way the games are stacked up, and the way they do the seeding, at the beginning of the game, for us, the arena wasn’t that full. Fans were still coming in for the next game and filling those seats.
But when they did show up at the end of that game, it felt like everybody in the building was cheering for us. That’s the way it works! If you’re the lower seed and you get the next crowd, they’re cheering for the upset.
And so the place was really excited and it was at the United Center which is obviously a really great place to play. Terrell Taylor – he got so hot. And obviously, when he hit that shot the whole place just erupted.
But it was just an amazing game.
Can a single game like that put a program on the map?
Korver: Oh, yeah. Especially for mid-majors – and Creighton is in the Big East now.
You get Tournament wins and it helps your school in so many ways. It helps kids recognize you, which helps with recruiting.
I think making the Tournament is big for a school, making the Tournament a bunch of years in a row is really big and getting a win or making the Sweet 16 and making a nice run will always put an underdog on the map.