1973–74 Creighton Bluejays men's basketball team

1973–74 Creighton Bluejays men's basketball
1974 NCAA Tournament, Sweet Sixteen
ConferenceIndependent
Ranking
CoachesNo. 17
Record23–7
Head coach
Assistant coaches
Home arenaOmaha Civic Auditorium
Seasons
1973–74 NCAA Division I men's basketball independents standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
No. 5 Notre Dame –   – 26 – 3   .897
No. 8 Providence –   – 28 – 4   .875
No. 16 Pittsburgh –   – 25 – 4   .862
UNC Charlotte –   – 22 – 4   .846
Centenary –   – 21 – 4   .840
Marquette –   – 26 – 5   .839
No. 19 South Carolina –   – 22 – 5   .815
No. 18 Oral Roberts –   – 23 – 6   .793
South Alabama –   – 22 – 6   .786
Creighton –   – 23 – 7   .767
St. John's –   – 20 – 7   .741
Georgia Southern –   – 19 – 7   .731
Southern Illinois –   – 19 – 7   .731
Syracuse –   – 19 – 7   .731
VCU –   – 17 – 7   .708
Cincinnati –   – 19 – 8   .704
Boston College –   – 21 – 9   .700
Florida State –   – 18 – 8   .692
Rutgers –   – 18 – 8   .692
No. 20 Dayton –   – 20 – 9   .690
Hawaii –   – 19 – 9   .679
Jacksonville –   – 20 – 10   .667
Manhattan –   – 18 – 9   .667
Mercer –   – 16 – 8   .667
Detroit –   – 17 – 9   .654
Fairfield –   – 17 – 9   .654
Houston –   – 17 – 9   .654
Illinois State –   – 17 – 9   .654
Marshall –   – 17 – 9   .654
St. Bonaventure –   – 17 – 9   .654
Stetson –   – 17 – 9   .654
DePaul –   – 16 – 9   .640
Memphis State –   – 19 – 11   .633
Northeast Louisiana –   – 16 – 10   .615
Utah State –   – 16 – 10   .615
Colgate –   – 15 – 10   .600
Portland State –   – 16 – 11   .593
Seton Hall –   – 16 – 11   .593
Pan American –   – 13 – 9   .591
George Washington –   – 15 – 11   .577
Portland –   – 15 – 11   .577
Saint Francis (PA) –   – 15 – 11   .577
Ball State –   – 14 – 12   .538
Butler –   – 14 – 12   .538
Canisius –   – 14 – 12   .538
Milwaukee –   – 14 – 12   .538
Penn State –   – 14 – 12   .538
Northeastern –   – 12 – 11   .522
Long Island –   – 13 – 12   .520
Duquesne –   – 12 – 12   .500
Georgetown –   – 13 – 13   .500
Oklahoma City –   – 13 – 13   .500
Virginia Tech –   – 13 – 13   .500
Indiana State –   – 12 – 14   .462
Loyola Chicago –   – 12 – 14   .462
Niagara –   – 12 – 14   .462
Tulane –   – 12 – 14   .462
Air Force –   – 11 – 13   .458
Iona –   – 11 – 13   .458
St. Francis (NY) –   – 11 – 13   .458
Fairleigh Dickinson –   – 11 – 14   .440
Hardin-Simmons –   – 11 – 14   .440
South Florida –   – 11 – 14   .440
Denver –   – 11 – 15   .423
Southern Mississippi –   – 11 – 15   .423
Navy –   – 9 – 13   .409
West Virginia –   – 10 – 15   .400
Fordham –   – 8 – 17   .320
Northern Illinois –   – 8 – 17   .320
Eastern Michigan –   – 8 – 18   .308
Holy Cross –   – 8 – 18   .308
Saint Peter's –   – 8 – 18   .308
Xavier –   – 8 – 18   .308
Villanova –   – 7 – 19   .269
Army –   – 6 – 18   .250
Houston Baptist –   – 6 – 19   .240
Cleveland State –   – 6 – 20   .231
Samford –   – 6 – 20   .231
Buffalo –   – 5 – 20   .200
Georgia Tech –   – 5 – 21   .192
Georgia State –   – 1 – 25   .038
Rankings from AP Poll

Roster

Number Name Position Height Weight Year Hometown
10 James Pietro Guard 5-10 167 Senior Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
20 Brian Long Guard 5-10 155 Sophomore New York, New York
21 Charles Butler Forward 6-4 180 Junior Indianola, Mississippi
22 Jerry Massie Guard 6–2 175 Senior Indianapolis, Indiana
24 Cornell Smith Forward 6-5 185 Freshman Chicago, Illinois
25 Tom Anderson Forward 6-4 186 Junior Arlington, Nebraska
31 Richie Smith Guard 6-1 180 Senior Campbell, Minnesota
41 Doug Brookins Center 6-8 236 Junior New Paris, Indiana
42 Wayne Groves Center 6-7 204 Junior East Orange, New Jersey
43 Ted Wuebben Forward 6-6 195 Senior Dayton, Ohio
44 Gene Harmon Forward 6-6 224 Senior Schuyler, Nebraska
52 Ralph Bobik Forward 6-7 200 Senior Lake Arrowhead, California
53 Daryl Heeke Forward 6-7 215 Sophomore Spearville, Kansas
54 Mike Heck Center 7-0 200 Sophomore Papillion, Nebraska[1]

Schedule

Date
time, TV 		Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site (attendance)
city, state
Regular Season
11/30/1973
 Regis W 93-38  1–0
 Omaha Civic Auditorium (-)
Omaha, Nebraska
12/04/1973
 South Dakota State W 95-68  2–0
 Omaha Civic Auditorium (-)
Omaha, Nebraska
12/07/1973
 Air Force W 55-42  3–0
 Omaha Civic Auditorium (-)
Omaha, Nebraska
12/08/1973
 Oklahoma L 70-73  3-1
 Omaha Civic Auditorium (-)
Omaha, Nebraska
12/15/1973
 Saint Francis (PA) L 58-73  3-2
 Omaha Civic Auditorium (-)
Omaha, Nebraska
12/17/1973
 BYU W 99-86  4-2
 Omaha Civic Auditorium (-)
Omaha, Nebraska
12/19/1973
 at Augustana W 68-49  5-2
  (-)
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
12/22/1973
 at Colorado L 68-73  5-3
 Balch Fieldhouse (-)
Boulder, Colorado
12/29/1973
 Drake W 75-53  6-3
 Omaha Civic Auditorium (-)
Omaha, Nebraska
01/03/1974
 San Diego State W 79-61  7-3
 Omaha Civic Auditorium (-)
Omaha, Nebraska
01/05/1974
 at Butler W 75-58  8-3
 Hinkle Fieldhouse (-)
Indianapolis, Indiana
01/07/1974
 at Southern Illinois W 75-60  9-3
  (-)
Carbondale, Illinois
01/12/1974
 Dayton W 69-62  10-3
 Omaha Civic Auditorium (4,697)
Omaha, Nebraska
1/17/1974
 at Wichita State W 65-63  11-3
 The Roundhouse (-)
Wichita, Kansas
1/19/1974
 at Arizona State L 64-77  11–4
 Sun Devil Gym (-)
Tempe, Arizona
1/22/1974
 Bradley W 79-53  12–4
 Omaha Civic Auditorium (-)
Omaha, Nebraska
1/24/1974
 at St. Louis W 60-54  13–4
 Kiel Auditorium (-)
St. Louis, Missouri
1/26/1974
 Southern Illinois W 67-64  14-4
 Omaha Civic Auditorium (-)
Omaha, Nebraska
1/29/1974
 St. Cloud State W 82-54  15-4
 Omaha Civic Auditorium (-)
Omaha, Nebraska
2/02/1974
 Duquesne W 67-61  16-4
 Omaha Civic Auditorium (-)
Omaha, Nebraska
2/04/1974
 St. Thomas W 81-47  17–4
 Omaha Civic Auditorium (-)
Omaha, Nebraska
2/09/1974
 at No. 6 Marquette W 75-69  18–4
 Milwaukee Arena (-)
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
2/11/1974
 St. John's W 81-43  19–4
 Omaha Civic Auditorium (-)
Omaha, Nebraska
2/19/1974
 No. 15 at UC Irvine W 83-52  20-4
  (-)
Irvine, California
2/22/1974
 No. 15 at Hawaii W 63-59  21-4
  (-)
Honolulu, Hawaii
2/23/1974
 No. 15 at Hawaii L 60-61  21-5
  (-)
Honolulu, Hawaii
3/04/1974
 No. 16 No. 14 South Carolina L 69-78  21-6
 Omaha Civic Auditorium (-)
Omaha, Nebraska
1974 NCAA Tournament
03/09/1974
 No. 19 vs. Texas
Midwest Region Quarterfinals 		W 77-61  22-6
  (-)
Denton, Texas
03/14/1974
 No. 19 vs. No. 14 Kansas
Midwest Region Semifinals 		L 54-55  22-7
 Mabee Center (-)
Tulsa, Oklahoma
03/16/1964
 No. 19 vs. No. 16 Louisville
Midwest Region Third Place Game 		W 80-71  23-7
  (-)
Tulsa, Oklahoma

Rankings

Main article: 1973–74 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings
Ranking Movement
Legend: ██ Improvement in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking. RV=Others receiving votes.
Poll Pre Wk 1 Wk 2 Wk 3 Wk 4 Wk 5 Wk 6 Wk 7 Wk 8 Wk 9 Wk 10 Wk 11 Wk 12 Wk 13 Wk 14 Wk 15 Wk 16 Final
AP #17 #15 #16 #19 #19
Coaches #18 #18 #16 #16 #18 #17 #17

References

  1. ^ "Creighton center dies". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. December 5, 1974. p. 1D.